Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-03-09
WHY ST. PATRICK SUCCEEDED
His Conversion of Ireland was an indie.
pendent Act.

The following is from Charles de Kav's Illus
trated article on christian Ireland" in the
March Century: at is an old error to count
st. Patrick among the emissaries, missionaries,
or nuncios from the see of st. Peter. His con-
version Of Ireland was an Independent act,
which may be compared with similar indie
pendent conversions of the Bulgarians and
other nations to the Orthodox or Eastern
church by st. Cyril and st. Methodius four
hundred years later. The terms of his con-
fession of faith and his letter to a Welsh
brlgand who carried off his converts into
slavery. two authentic documents. forbid anv
other view. Rome was indeed in the field to
convert Ireland, but failed because the situ
alton was not understood. A few years before
the arrival of st. Patrick CA. d. 400 the then
pope, Ceiestinus 1, sent Bishop Palsdius
Though there Is no record of harm done to
him by the pagans, but, on the contrary. he
was permitted to build churches aud leave
pastors, yet his reception was SO chilling that
he left He never reached Rome, death over
taking him in Pictland, what is now Scotland.
North Britain having received that appellation
since his day when overrun and CONQUERED bv
Kettle return wave out of Scotia or Ireland
" 1t has been suggested that Patrick never
existed and that his legend was founded on
these meager achievements of Paladius: but
the hypothesis has too many documentary
historical, and legendary evidences against Il
There was every reason for the want Of success
OF bishop coming from Rome where ortho-
doxy had been discarded for a more enterpris-
ing and ambitious form of Christianity. Pa
iadlns must nave found the upper class free
thinkers, addicted to Drudical and other
heather vices, to human sacrifices and the
black art to polagamy certainly, and more
than probably TO occasional acts Of cannibal-
ISM such as drinking human blood and tearing
the human heart with the teeth such thinas
wit a iOh
ton. That Paladius was permitted to build
churches shows two important things-one.
that the upper classes were contemptuous OF
the new religion, the other, that Christians
were present in Ireland. But they must have
been humble folk and Of the orthodox eastern
sect. The record of Paladius and his mission
reported by the four masters has internal evil
dence Of genuineness in its trait Of moderation
The churches are wooden. We know that
architecture in Ireland was late in affecting
stones as Q material; but il this record had
been forged after the twelfth century, national
vanity would surely have made out the material
to be stone.
The success of 81. Patrick where Rome had
failed could hardly have been palatable. The
hatred and contempt felt by the Italian ecclesi-
astics came out in st. Jerome's reference TO
Celestius the Pelagian as an eater of Irish por-
ridge: Scoticts pultib Il pregravatus (.gorged
with his Irish mushD and by other remarks in
the polemics of the day. Two years later an
NV oCCTcolteu from Rome
an Irish-Scot by residence ifnot Scot by birth.
student In Gaul and man who distinctly de,
MED that he was learned-arrived in Ireland
and did that which Paladius could not do: 40
that to-day the Irish Catholics in all parts of
the world turn out in procession once . year TO
honor his memory.
How csme it that Patricius succeeded vbere
Paladius failed? Primarily because he had
nothing to do with Rome or Italy. This pre-
served him from the active jealousy of the
"A rim 80 II
had good reason to perceive that Rome, having
retired her armies from Britain, was now try
ing TO extend her sway by religion. Il also
conciliated the Christians scattered along The
borders of the island, who must have resented
| the pretensions Of the Roman bishops with ID
much vigor as did the orthodox of the east
But there was another reason for Patrick's sue
cess. He addressed himself to the Temporal
| and intellectual leaders, the chiefs, Druids and
Files, or poets, because he was man of &C.
MUS and saw that only In that way could Q com
munity existing ON the clan system be con-