The Irish standard., 1903-01-03
The Learned Australian Prelate Spoke on
Erin's Civilization Ere the
Norman Invasion.
Quotes an Honest English Writer Agains,
the SANDERS on Ireland by
Lying Historians.

I came a seminary Of sanctity for other
nations; and countless pilgrims from
afar came thithcr to learn the prac.
tice of Christian virtue, while from
her schools and monasteries vast num-
bers of missionaries went forth wear
after year to bring to other peoples
the glad tidings, which We're their own
cherished heritage, and to found in
England and throughout the continent
those grand monuments of the faith
that still remain.
Need mention St. COLUMBIA and his
glorious band OF fellow workers,
through whose toll the rock-bound isle
of Iona was changed into spiritual
Pharos, that lit up with heavenly light
the dreary region Of Caledonia?
Other Irish missionaries kindled the
sacred fire at Lindisfarne. From these
two centers Of piety whole hosts of
soldiers of the Cross went forth to win
the Saxon Kingdom to Christ. This
eXuberance of Ireland's holiness won
in special way the admiration Of st.
Bernard, who describes as miracle
OF Divine mercy "thc hosts of Irish
missionaries spreading over foreign
nations like an inundation of the sea-
But to illustrate the matter under
consideration we may instance the two
most prominent states Of modern
times, France and Germany. It is a
singular fact that no student of his
tory OF the present day will question
that for the blessings of civilization
these nations are indebted to the mis-
sionaries from Erin. Hear what the
learned Ozanam writes:
'To regenerate Western Europe was
the destined function of the Celtic
race, whom we see at the dawn of the
new epoch, as fructifying principle,
spreading itself over part of Germany,
Italy, Spain, Gaul, Brittany and else.
where. In barbarous times, the people
destined to carry the light of faith and
the blessing of science Chose two es-
sential elements Of European civiliza-
tom into the increasing darkness of
the west, were the Irish, with whose
misfortunes we are better acquainted
than with their services, and whose
astonishing vocation has never vet
been sufficiently studied or pro.
claimed"
The German scholar, DIR. thinner,
testimony:
"We must not forget" he says,
chat the Irish from the seventh to the
tenth century were the schoolmasters
Of Europe"
Regarding Germany. Rev. Charles
O'Connor attests:
"The Germans themselves avow that
letters were unknown in their country
until introduced, together with Chris
tianity, by Irish monks.'
!. This influence Of our Irish mission
aries will be better realized when W.
! call to mind that thirty-dve Iris}
. saints sanctified Germany by theil
, martyrdom. There were sixteen Irisl
: monastcries in Bavaria and surround
5 ing districts, six others in Franconi:
: and Thuringia, and fifteen in Alsac,
and it's neighboring territory.
) 1t is not easy for the mind to gras,
1 how vast and far-reaching was the re
! ligious influence which such founda
! tions imply.
r So widespread was the influence thu
4 exercised by those Irish missionarie
! that the festival of ST. Brigid was KEEP
:. in every cathedral church, from tn
s Grisons to the German Sea, for almos
thousand years.
J. Wallifridus Strabo was so struck b
= the rush of Irish scholars to German
h tina he writes: "The habit Of emigrat
ing has become in the Irish q sort 0
d second nature"
l. The words Of Rev. DR.. Lynch in hi
e "Cambrensis Eversus" will suffice t
d put the matter in it's proper light:
S ireland was therefore both til
athcnaenm Of learning and the ten
: pie of holiness, supplying the worl