As Catholics marked the feast of St. Ambrose, Bishop James Conley of the Diocese of Lincoln addressed his dedication to serving the poor and those in need.

“St. Ambrose donated all of his land and gave all of his money to the poor,” Conley said in a Dec. 7 tweet. “Today we ask God to help us reach out to those around us who are in need – in need of clothes, in need of food, in need of love. Lord, help me to serve you by serving them. St. Ambrose, pray for us!”

St. Ambrose was born around 340 AD in what is now known as Germany, Catholic.org said. He studied law, literature and rhetoric in Rome, and he eventually became a governor.

In 374, Bishop Auxentius of Milan passed away, and a crowd called for Ambrose to take his place; the report said. But Ambrose was not baptized and had not studied theology, so he didn’t want to become the next bishop. He tried to run away and hide but was found, baptized and consecrated as the bishop of Milan. He immediately gave away all his land and money, which made him extremely popular. At times, he was considered more politically powerful than the emperor.

Ambrose studied theology and began to preach. He encountered Augustine of Hippo while preaching and played a pivotal role in his conversion. He baptized Augustine in 387.

Catholic News Agency described St. Ambrose as a highly educated man who sought to harmonize Greek and Roman intellectual culture with the Catholic faith. He became known for his deep understanding and love of the traditional faith, as well as for using Greek theology to explain the Church's teachings. After his death in 397, Ambrose was named a Doctor of the Church.

A Doctor of the Church is the Catholic term for a saint who has doctrinal writings of special significance, a Britannica report said. Ambrose, Augustine, Gregory the Great and Jerome were named doctors by the early Western Church. Since the 16th century, the Church has added Sts. Thomas Aquinas (1567), Bonaventure (1588), Anselm (1720), Leo I (1754), Bernard (1830), Francis of Sales (1877), the Venerable Bede (1899), Albertus Magnus (1931), Anthony of Padua (1946), Teresa of Ávila (1970), Catherine of Siena (1970), Thérèse of Lisieux (1997), and Hildegard (2012), among others.

Ambrose is the patron saint of Milan and beekeepers, Britannica said. His feast day is celebrated on Dec. 7.