Saint Albert of Trapani - British Province of Carmelite Friars

the obvious relief for the exhausted populace, Albert’s intervention was a
clear overture for peace: why is it always the ordinary people who have to
suffer in the struggles and disputes of the powerful Control of the Strait of
Messina, unification of the kingdoms of Sicily and Naples, hegemony in
Europe: these were all interests which did not much concern the inhabitants
of Messina. Saint Albert made himself the spokesman for exigencies that
otherwise were going unheard, and managed to make the circumstances of
war less burdensome for many families.
At Agrigento the memory is still preserved of the saint purifying the water
of a well. In this case there is a clear biblical reference to the episode of the
well of Jericho purified by the prophet Elisha (2 Kings 2:19-22); and the
Carmelite was part of the prophetic family which originated with Elijah, of
whom Elisha was the direct successor. In this way people had the possibility
of getting drinkable water without too much difficulty – and this at a time
when having running water at home was beyond imagination for most
people. Water still remains one of the most precious goods of creation, and
even now is not accessible to everyone. All too often sectional interests, not
always acknowledgeable, have made water a weapon of blackmail and
oppression and an instrument of power. The prophetic gesture of Saint
Albert reminds us that water is a sacred gift, meant to give life to all without
exception.
In Whitefriar Street Carmelite Church in Dublin drinking water from
the Well of Saint Albert is reputed to bring healing.
Saint Albert’s charity also has a beautifully personal dimension: we often
find him ready to cure the sick in body and soul with the delicacy and
attentiveness which are characteristic of genuinely spiritual people. The