Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1906-03-17
History Replete With What He
Accomplished Spiritually
in Erin.
Blood of His Followers Has Con-
secrated the Whole of the
Emerald Isle.
WHEN IRELAND is "A NATION

Has it we're been your lot TO stand
over the coffin Of your dead child, the
boy or girl upon whom you had builded
many hopes, and mourned in your
agony. "Why did you dep II this
has been your fortune or misfortune,
then you can understand the trials and
troubles of the newspaper writer who
is anxious to give to the world some
thing about St Patrick The Irish
Journalists cry is ever Patrick, why
did you die without leaving us mo-el
about your life?p
We know that st. Patrick lived
that he preached the gospel of on
Lord and Saviour in Ireland that h
accomplished the work he appears toM
have been predestined to do; that lac
made Ireland land Of saints instead
of nation of pagans; that for fifteen
centuries his spirit has been the
moving force Of the Gaelic nation Mt
home and abroad. We feel, too, that
the same spirit will animate our people
OF Celtic blood and birth until timT
shall be no mo.e This is a spiritual
affair with us Irish. We feel Il. know
it, yet we are CROPPING in the dark.
Our ablest historians have not been
able to agree as to whether he was
born in France or Britain. Neither
have they decided the exact year in
which he was born, nor the dates Of
his ordination. conservation and death.
Still we know st. Patrick lived, preach
eel and died.
According to the most a W.
accounts St Patrick vas
the year 3S4; was consecrated Bis
when he was thirty-two years Old,
went to Ireland to preach the gospel OF
Christ in his forty-siStii year: and
died when he was 100, years old Even
these statistics are not authentic. since
historians and archaologists. disagr 10 u
on the years in which the principal,
events in his life occurred. S'fN
While the story of his life Is sadlysG
incomplete the annals Of the Catholic
church are repIete with the good that
he accomplished Church history :
shows indisputable evidence that ST.
Patrick established 700 churches. con-
secrated 200 Bishops, and ordained
5000 priests during his career in Ire
land.
Undoubtedly there are archives in
Rome and probably in some of the
ancient libraries. abbeys, monasteries
and ruins In Ireland that will some
day tell us more about the earthly
career of St Patrick. Divine Provi-
dence will reveal that to the world In
good time. Maybe 1t will not occur
until Emmets epitaph is written. or
until the world gives Tone. Davis.
Mangan and Mitchell place among
the worlds heroes. Who knows? The
world. as we are prone to call the pub
lie, is constantly demanding something
new. God, in whose image and like
ness we are made. is eternal. Hence
morality is eternal, since it springs
from God.
The world says: Give us something
rev about st. Patrick" We can only
answer: "There is no news. The
story of st. Patrick has been written
In the blood of his followers, blood that
has moistened every sod in ireland
Poet and peasant, king and serf, priest
and publican, maid and matron, son
and sire. have sanctifed that ground
by adherence to the faith. The news
that we need from Ireland is that she
is a nation once apain,v