Born in Suabia about 925, St. Wolfgang went on to become one of the outstanding men of his day. He studied at the Abbey of Reichenau in Lake Constance, which was at that time a noted center of learning, and then taught at the cathedral schools of Wurzburg and Trier. In the latter capacity, he joined the monk Ramhold in reforming the dioceses for their mutual friend, Henry the Archbishop.When Henry died, St. Wolfgang entered the Benedictine monastery of Einsiedeln in Switzerland, where his learning, piety, and overall ability soon came to the fore. Named director of the Abbey school, he made it the finest in the country. He was then ordained a priest and with a group of monks set out evangelize the Magyars in Pannonia. However, their zealous efforts bore little outward fruit, and he was named Archbishop of Ratisbon, despite his honest protestations to the contrary.
Though his heart longed for solitude, this saintly man remained in his post for the rest of his days and brought to his work all his zeal and capabilities. He restored canonical life among his clergy, reformed monasteries, preached tirelessly, and deischarged his duties as spiritual shepherd with exemplary fidelity, earning the love of his flock and the esteem of the royal court. He died about 994, and such was his reputation for holiness and the power of the miracles he effected that he was canonized in 1022 by Pope Benedict VIII.
PRAYER: God, Light and Shepherd of souls, You established St. Wolfgang as Bishop in Your Church to feed Your flock by his word and form it by his example. Help us through his intercession to keep the faith he taught by his word and follow the way he showed by his example. Amen.