The Irish standard., 1907-03-23


the call and promptly prepared for it's
execution; he now diligently applied
| himself to the study of Gods word,
| that he might afterwards effectively
| preach it to his people. He then re-
paired to Rome, was ordained priest,
was consecrated bishop, and commits
stoned by Pope Celestine to go and
| convert the Irish people. Again Pat
rick lands upon the shores of Ireland,
not from necessity this time, but from
choice; not as slave, but a free man.
mitred man OF God. with sanctity
upon his lips, with wisdom on his mind.
and with the crozier. the symbol of
jurisdiction. in his hand. with reso-
lutte STEP with determined will, with
a confident heart, he sets about the
accomplishment of his purpose. Before
him was a nation of idolaters, vet
nation that needed only the light of
| Christianity, the elevating influence of
religion, to lift its thoughts from
| worldly aspirations. and transform 1t
into the proudest and grandest race
on earth. 1t was no ordinary people
proud people, it was cultured people,
yea, it was an honorable people. The
Celt never stopped to vile alteration.
He never bowed his head or his heart
even in his pagan days to Venus the
goddess of impure love. He hailed the
rising sun in the morning from his
watch tower, as the harbinger of good
tidings, and saluted him again in the
evening sinking in the west as his
! bountiful God and henefactor Patrick
| came. he raised his voice. and it re-
| sounded throughout the land He
spoke to them as a God. whose image
he reflected; he spoke to them of a.
| triune God, and to illustrate the mys
terry, he stopped down, and plucking
the little shamrock from the green
sward, he raised 1t aloft. symbolizing
forever the Trinity, and immortalzing
at the same time the three-leafed
shamrock. Patrick lifted up his voice,
in the cause of truth; it pierced the
gloom Of Paganism, the people re-
echoed it, and soon his voice was ring
ing from shore to shore. He lifted up
the banner of the cross, explaining to
them the mystery of their redemption
The people rallied around it protesting
their faith. confessing their sins. and
soon the whole island was ringing with
the praises of Patrick's God. The
progress made by Ireland in the arts
and sciences was no less marked-it
became the cradle of the worlds cu]-
ture and education. When the Roman
Empire fell, it came down with such
crash as to shake the very earth to
its foundation. The ark of civiliza-
tion was threatened with extinction,
and the dove Of knowledge flying from
her precarious abode found no place
to abide but in Ireland, and here edu-
cation. fostered by her twin sister, re-
ligion, grew and prospered, and thither
came thousands of students from
every country of Europe to seek an
education that was denied them in
their own land. They were received
Hospitality, they were taught gratui-
tiously, and they departed, declaring
nd fn ha ho ell oc
Scholars" and carrying with them the
nucleus of that greatness, which sub
sequently characterized their respec-
tive countries. So, my friends, what
ever the blessings Of religion, OF cul-
ture and education, which the world
enjoys today, nearly all these were
rocked and nurtured in the cradle Of
Ireland.
Before ST. Patrick's eyes were closed
in death, and in less than thirty years
of labor, he saw around him many bish-
ops, and about a thousand priests; he
saw the nation studded with monas-
teries. converts and schools; he saw
The proud warrior and the gallant
sportsman give up their avocations for
the monks habit; he saw the kings
daughter Bridget, the Mary of her
race. come down from her exalted sta
ton. cast off the robes of earthly
grandeur. and clothe herself in the sim
pie garb of a num-, He saw the whole
nation, hitherto a nation noted for it's
conquest and chivalry, now employing
all it's energies for the establishing and
the extending Of the kingdom of God.
Let the name Of Patrick be ever
near your mind. Let his hallowed
fame and holy faith be dear to your
hearts, for no apostle has greater glory
no warrior greater fame, no patron in
the calendar is more dear to the people
whom he evangelical and protects
and we, the children Of those whom he
has brought to the faith. are as proud
| 80 IT..