Peter Damian was born into a poor but noble family in Ravenna, Italy, and was the youngest child. Sadly, his parents passed away when he was young, and he went to live with an older brother who treated him poorly and made him work as a swineherd.

Eventually, his other brother, a priest from Ravenna named Father Damian, took him in and provided him with an excellent education, which Peter excelled in. Grateful for his brother's kindness, he added Damian's name to his own.

After completing his education, Peter became a successful teacher but felt unsatisfied with the university setting. He retreated to a monastery for forty days, where he discerned his calling to monastic life and received the habit. As a monk, he lived a life of prayer and extreme penance, although he still used his intellectual gifts as he taught his fellow monks and began writing.

In 1043, Peter was named the prior of his monastery and led the brothers with zeal while founding new hermitages in neighbouring villages. During this time, Pope Benedict IX, a scandalous pope, was in power. Benedict decided to leave the papacy in 1045 to marry his cousin and sought advice from Father John Gratian, who encouraged him to resign. Benedict did so and left the papacy to Gratian, who became Pope Gregory VI. Peter was overjoyed at the change and encouraged Gregory to tackle corruption and scandal within the Church.

Peter became a cardinal in 1057, and despite trying to turn down the position, he quickly challenged his fellow cardinals and fought corruption. Throughout his life, he wrote many letters to address various issues within the Church, such as simony and sexual abuses. He was a reformer and was called upon by many popes to help accomplish this goal.

Peter Damian fell ill in 1072 at the age of sixty-five after battling corruption after corruption. He passed away in a monastery near his hometown while the monks chanted around his bed. Peter was an unwavering and courageous voice for reform during a time when the Church needed it most.

We are all called to be reformers in some way, starting with reforming our own souls through prayer, penance, and fidelity to God's Law. By doing so, we can extend God's reform to others and weed out the evils in our daily lives.

Other Saints of the Day

1. Saint Robert Southwell
2. Saint Eustathius of Antioch
3. Saint Germanus of Granfield
4. Saint Valerius of San Pedro de Montes
5. Saint Pepin of Landen