A New Month-long Challenge on the Abbot's Circle (STARTED ON MAY 6)
The
Eternal
Pilgrim
A Journey Through the Life of St. Norbert

In preparation for the Feast of St. Norbert on June 6, join this virtual pilgrimage with the Norbertines as they read to you the life of their founder.

The journey begins...

The Eternal Pilgrim | Meet the Author | Part 1

Recently, Fr. Ambrose Criste had the opportunity to sit down with Fr. Dominique-Marie Dauzet at Notre Dame de Sarrance, a Norbertine priory in France. Dauzet wrote Petite Vie de Saint Norbert. Our love for this book motivated its first-ever English translation, which we are so grateful to be sharing with you this month.

Video

The Eternal Pilgrim | Chapter 3 | Part 2

In the perpetual motion that was medieval life, pilgrimage held an important place. This outward expression of the interior life is a fitting metaphor for the journey Norbert finds himself on as we resume our story..

Audio

The Eternal Pilgrim | Chapter 3 | Part 1

We resume our story as Norbert struggles to follow his newfound resolutions. As Norbert works through his discernment--landing himself in a little trouble along the way--we see Norbert begin to develop a unique, courageous, and sometimes fiery voice and a firm resolve to serve the Lord and His Church.

Audio

The Eternal Pilgrim | Chapter 2 | Part 2

An astonishing brush with death sends Norbert on his own "Road to Damascus." In this selection, we tease out the finer details of Norbert's conversion story to examine, anew, the theological richness and radical significance of conversion.

Audio

The Eternal Pilgrim | Chapter 2 | Part 1

Tensions rise between Pope Paschal II and the conniving Henry V, part of the turbulent Investiture Controversy. Intrigue, deceit, violence, and kidnapping mark this stormy episode in history. And as a chaplain to a German court, Norbert is swept into the fray, and finds himself in Rome—far from home and troubled by all that he sees.

Audio

The Eternal Pilgrim | Chapter 1 | Part 2

We continue our story by looking at young Norbert's education at the Collegiate Church of Xanten--a charming glimpse into what clerical schooling looked like many years ago! We follow his early career, too, and the beginning of his internal struggle with God's call.

Audio
About the program

Sinner to Saint. Ordinary to Extraordinary. As relevant today as he was a millennium ago, St. Norbert’s life shows us the heroic adventure in living for Christ which takes joy, struggle, failure and victory in its stride. Walk with us as we strive to imitate his virtues, let his life inspire us to greater things, and complete our own conversions from sinners to saints!

Join the Norbertines of St. Michael’s Abbey for this unique program as we prepare together for the feast of St. Norbert on June 6th.

A first time offer

Captivated by the original French story, our confreres translated Petite Vie de Saint Norbert into English for the first time. Wanting to broaden the reach of this exemplary saint, we designed this special offer specifically for our online community so that by going deeper into the life of St. Norbert, you will find the inspiration for conversion of heart and joy in the hope of lasting holiness.

We challenge you to make the pilgrimage: take time every day to prepare for this feast. Now is the acceptable time! Know of our prayers for you as we prepare together for the feast of a saint so dear to our community.

A Story Worth Telling

Fr. Dominique-Marie Dauzet, O.Praem., a French Norbertine and canon of the Abbey of Mondaye in Normandy, France, wrote a book titled Petite vie de saint Norbert, first published in 1995 and again in a second edition in 2013. In 1996 this work was awarded the prix Montyon by the Académie française commending it for its “elevated character and moral usefulness.”

Fr. Norbert introduced this book to the novices of St. Michael’s Abbey in 2022, with his own English translation under the title The Eternal Pilgrim: A life of St. Norbert. The book was read as table reading at the Abbey’s 2023 annual retreat  and was received by the community with an enthusiasm never before seen regarding a book about St. Norbert.

Fr. Abbot and the confreres wanted to share this amazing book about their Founder with family and friends online. The Abbot’s Circle is now making the first ever English translation of this book available to the abbey’s online community of friends through this program.

Throughout the series, you can expect…
Daily AudioBOOK recordings from ST MICHAEL'S ABBEY

Get daily emails with links to the audio recordings from the book, read by Fr. Norbert, culminating on the eve of the Feast of St. Norbert.

WEEKLY Meet the Author videos FROM  Sarrance, France

Each Sunday for the duration of the program, get exclusive access to Fr. Ambrose's recent trip to France to interview the author, Fr. Dauzet.