Saint Gregory the Great lived in a most turbulent time. There were devastating episodes of plague, the sacking of Rome and the breakdown of strong Roman rule, invasions by Lombards and Franks, floods, and a widening gap between imperial Byzantium and the Roman Church.
Born around 540 into a noble Roman family, Saint Gregory was probably trained in law, and started his public service as a Prefect of Rome. However, upon the death of his father, he converted his family home to monastery, where he resided as a monk. He built six more monasteries in Sicily and one in Rome.
 
Often called the father of the medieval papacy and Apostle of the English, Saint Gregory was named Pope by acclamation in 590. Although he was reluctant to assume this post, preferring the cloistered life, his accomplishments were many. He was an extremely capable manager of Church estates and tenants and is known for his reform of the liturgy. He was instrumental in the consolidation of papal power and led the fight against the many heresies promoted by small Christian groups at the time. Through his prolific correspondence he oversaw monastic life, curtailing the power of grasping bishops, correcting abuses, and enforcing discipline. He was particularly concerned with the conversion of England, sending 40 monks from his monastery to evangelize there.
 
Saint Gregory died in 604 and was sainted immediately. He is one of four key doctors of the Western Church. Among the miracles attributed to him is a Eucharistic miracle in which the woman who prepared the bread for communion laughed at the consecration, denying the transformation of the bread to the real presence of Jesus. Saint Greogry prayed for the Lord to show the congregation the truth and confirm their belief. The piece of bread transformed into a piece of flesh and then returned to bread, reforming the woman, and strengthening the faith of all. St. Gergory the Great, pray for us!