Saint Albert of Jerusalem - Albert Avogardo
1149 - 1214
Feast Day - September 17
St. Albert of Jerusalem was born Albert Avogardo in Parma, Italy in 1149. As a student he studied theology and law.
In 1180 he became Canon Regular of the Holy Cross at Mortara and was elected their prior. At age 35, he was named Bishop of Bobbio and a year later, in 1185, he was named Bishop of Vercelli and was appointed by Pope Innocent III as his legate to Northern Italy.
St. Albert became prominent for his negotiating skills. He mediated a dispute between the Emperor or Frederick Barbarossa and Pope Clement III. As well, he was successful in negotiating a peace between Parma and Piacenza. He played a role in settling disputes between different Frankish Factors.
At age of 54, in 1205, St. Albert was appointed Patriarch of Jerusalem and the year following was named Papal Legate to the Holy Land. Upon his appointment he took up residence in Acre, which was a few kilometers from Mount Carmel. Sometime between 1206 and 1214 he was approached by the Latin hermits of Mount Carmel with the request to prepare for them a written "formula of life" based on their own traditional patterns. This is how the primitive Rule of Carmelites came about. It was not until January 30, 1226 that Pope Honorious III gave official approval to the Carmelite Rule of Life written by Albert Patriarch of Jerusalem.
On September 14, 1214, at the age of 63, St. Albert was assassinated during a procession on the Feast of Exaltation. His assassin was the former Director of the Hospital of the Holy Spirit. St. Albert had downgraded his position and rebuked him for wrongdoing. St. Albert was stabbed three times and died in his liturgical vestments. As he was dying St. Albert asked for forgiveness for his murderer.
Our School ~ St Albert of Jerusalem
St. Albert of Jerusalem is located in the Lisgar Community of Mississauga. The school was built in 1999 and over its 21 year history has hosted both portables and a port-a-pac. During the 2005/2006 school year, the school population was housed off-site at the Streetsville holding school. We returned to our home and welcomed back our students to a refurbished and renovated school for the 2006/2007 academic year. September 5, 2006 was a proud moment for staff, students and their families as they re-entered a more spacious and accessible school.
St. Albert of Jerusalem serves over 537 students, of diverse social and ethnic backgrounds, from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 8. The school motto, "Upon our foundation we continue to build the Spirit" reflects our commitment to building children’s Faith within their educational environment. Our school goal is to continue to foster the development of well-rounded, confident students who exhibit a joy for life, a commitment to living the Gospel message and a dedication to learning.