known as the “Dominicans”.
Albert was received as a postulant by Blessed Jordan
of Saxony, the immediate successor of St. Dominic.
Leaving all, and taking the vow of obedience to live a
chaste and simple life, he became “Friar Albert”.
Beginning all his study with prayer, he directed his whole
life that he might become worthy to preach the Word of
God and work for the salvation of souls. After some time
in religious life studying for the holy priesthood, he
became Father Albert. Most of his priestly life was spent
teaching in Cologne, although he spent some time
teaching in Paris and other places.
Albert was, in his own lifetime and for centuries that
followed an authority on physics, geography, astronomy,
mineralogy, chemistry and biology. Father Albert had a
great devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and wrote
penetratingly of it.
He had a remarkably investigative, persevering and
highly scientific approach to all knowledge. His natural
interest was ruled by an unlimited and intense desire to
serve God. He infused this spiritual and intellectual
eagerness, care and perceptiveness into his students, the
most famous of whom is St. Thomas Aquinas. While
Father Thomas dug firm foundations for a lasting
scholastic philosophy and systematic theology, it was his
professor, Father Albert, who did the daring initial
spadework.