The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1911-03-17
- SAINT PATRICK =

I was taken prisoner there" Biogra-
piers differ concerning the location of
Banaven. The honor is claimed for
Dumbarton in Scotland, Boulogne in
France, and Whitehaven in England.
By race, Patrick was a Gallo-R Roman.
His father was Calphurnius, Roman
officer. His mother was Concessa, a
relative of Saint Martin Of Tours. Ev-
en- at his baptism it was foreshadowed
that the destiny of the child was no
ordinary one. The priest, aged and
blind, could not find water for the
sacrament. He took the infants hand
in his own and made with it the sign
of the cross on the ground. Imme-
diately a spring dubbed forth. At
ter the ceremony the priest bathed his
eyes in water from this miraculous
source and regained his sight.
At the age of Is the saint was taken
captive by pirates and sold as slave
to Milcho chief of northern Ireland,
There he remained six years tending
his masters herds In his confession
he thus describes his life: "After L
had come to Ireland, I was daily
tending sheep, and many times in the
day I prayed, and more and more the
love Of God and His faith and fear
grew in me, and my spirit was STIR
red so that in a single day I have
said as many as a hundred prayers
and in the night nearly the same.''
Such was his daily life from day to
day until he received a heavenly COM
mand to quit the country. Behold
thy ship is ready, said voice and
the saint set forth for the coast. At
ter a long Journey overland he found
the ship awaiting him. The master Of
the vessel, however, refused him pass
age. Patrick had recourse to prayer
Divine Providence moved the mariner
to compassion for the poor slave. He
relented and carried the fugitive to
France. The next thirty eight years
were spent in penance and prayer and
study. During that time Saint Pat
rick resided first under his kinsman,
Saint Martin, at the abbey of Mar
n1outier, after his death with Saint
Germanus of Auxerre, and later at
the monastery Of Lerins, near the
French city of Cannes, whence he
went to study at the Lateran College
in Rome In 1872 the sainted Pope
Celestin consecrated him Bishop Of
ireland and sent him forth to evan
gelize that land destined to be called
the isle of saints.
The first landing place of the Apos-
tie in Ireland was at Bray. But the
people of that region had no well
come for him. He sailed north and
There as he slept a boy came and
strewed flowers over him. The youth
was Benignus the future bishop Of Ar
magh, Patrick's heir. From Meath ef1e
went to Down and thence to Antrim
the scene of his captivity. Milcho his
old master is said to have committed
suicide before the saint could reach
him, but his children became Chris
tians.
Easter of 4ss found ST. Patrick at
Tara, the national sanctuary. The
Irish were waiting for the sacred fire
to fame forth from Tara's Hill But
on Holy Saturday Saint Patrick lit
the Paschal fire on the hill of Slane
over against Tara. The Druids
stormed and demanded the death Of
the offender. But the miracles of
Patrick conquered the Druids. The
king and his people were converted.
1t was here that the Apostle stopped
and pluck the three-1eaved shamrock
to explain the Trinity. From Tara
he went to Leitrim, where he destroy
ed the great idol of Crom Cruach by
stretching forth his staff reputed to be
one carried by our Lord and given
niracuIously to Patrick while at Ler-
ms.
in Connaught Thence Saint Patrick
travelled through Donegal, Tyrone,
Antrim and Munster. 1t was at Cash
ell while preaching to the men of Mum
ster that he pierced the foot of the
young Prince Aengus with his crozier.
In silence the sufferer bore the pain
until the end of the instruction. When
asked why he had not cried out, he
replied: ct thought it was the rule
of faith" an answer which, is the key
to Irish patience and resignation, the
first: WELCOMED be the will Of Cod
After his lahors in this province Saint
Patrick returned to Ulster. He died
at Saul in 4s3, at the age Of one hun
dred and twenty years
The Apostle Of Ireland was sixty
years of age when he began his work
in a pagan country. At his death,
although he had not visited every
nook and corner of the island, it was
Christian. He had accomplished a
wonderful work in one achievement
alone, his winning a people of such
natural loyalty from the Druids. He
had built over three hundred and six
ty-fve churches, hand consecrated, as
many bishops, had established schools
and converts and had held synods
But greatest of all his works he had
laid the foundation of national faith
unsurpa ssed in steadfastness and zeal
by that of any nation. Of his sons
begotten in Christ could it be truly
said: "Their sound hath gone forth
into all the earth and their words un-
to the ends of the whole world
Catholic Transcript.
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