Born of Irish royalty, he served as abbot of Glendalough and then as Archbishop of Dublin. In turbulent times he worked as a peacemaker and cared for the poor, dying while travelling in Normandy.
Life
Saint Laurence O'Toole was born in 1128 into a noble family of Leinster, Ireland. As a boy he was held for a time as a political hostage, and later he became a monk at Glendalough, where he was made abbot while still young.
Becoming Archbishop of Dublin in 1162, he worked to reform the clergy and relieve the poor. During the Norman invasion of Ireland he mediated for peace among the various parties. In 1180, while traveling to negotiate with King Henry II of England, he died at Eu in Normandy. He was canonized in 1225, and the Church remembers him on November 14.
Spirituality
The spirituality of Laurence O'Toole is the heart of a shepherd who spent himself for peace. In an age of turmoil and war he stood as mediator to the end to protect his people. Though an archbishop, he kept a monk's simplicity and stayed close to the poor.
Reflection
Laurence became a bridge of peace in the middle of conflict. Amid tensions in my family or community, how can I become a peacemaker?