Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1913-03-15

Of his flocks. His two sisters, it is
said, were also sold at the same
time to another petty prince in the
County Louth. After six years of
slavery Patrick was miraculously de-
! livered. voice that was not of
earth addressed him in the stiffness
of the night, commanding him to
| go to a certain port where a ship
would be found waiting to take him
back to his fathers country; land
came" says the saint in his Con
fession," Gin the power of the Lord,
who directed my course. I was I'M
der no apprehension until I arrived
where the ship was. It was then
clearing out and / called for pas
sage, but the master of the vessel
| got angry and said to me. DO not
attempt to come with u.s. On hear
ing this retired for the purpose Of
going to the cabin where I had been
received as a guest. On my way
thither I began to pray, but before
had finished my prayer I heard one
OF the men crying out with a loud
voice after me, Come quickly and
Immediately I returned and they
said to me, Come, we receive thee
on trust We then set sail" This
was in the year OF our Lord 396.
Patrick remained some time at his
! home, and had reached the age of
| twenty-three years when a man from
! ireland appeared to him in a dream,
carrying a bundle of letters, one of
which was given him to read. It
began with these words: "Vox
Hiberuionacum" (the voice Of the
Irish). While reading he thought he
heard the cries of the people entreat-
| ing him with one voice to come to
them Struck with the vision he
secretly formed the design Of return
ing to Ireland to labor for the con-
version Of the people there. He went
TO Rome with letters Of introduction
to Pope Celestine, who received him
VIII sv1s'Ty-- max 81 -KTndn1ss I'M
respect and himself appointed and
consecrated him Archbishop OF Ire
land, with full apostolical authority
to preach the gospel to the inhab-
itants of that island. Twenty priests
and deacons were also ordained to
accompany him on his mission.
All things being ready for his
voyage he set out for ireland at the
end of the year 432 and landed on
the eastern coast Of Leinster at a.
place called Killmantan by the Irish
and Wicklow by the English st.
Palladius had preceded him here,
end had met with but little encour-
agement, but the seeds of Christian
ity had been sown, and under the
cultivation of st. Patrick, whose dis
courses we're followed by convincing
signs and miracles conversion and
salvation we're soon brought to many
OF the islanders. Among the con-
vorts was one Smell, of the royal
race OF Loinster.
In the year 44S Patrick went TO
Ardmach or Armagh and continued
his work in Leinster and Munster,
not allowing single district TO be
neglected. In ASS he left Munster to
return to the north Of Ireland, pass
ing again through Leinster on his
way toward Ulster. In the latter
province he spent nearly six years.
Then feeling that he had established
the church on a solid basis he set
cut to Rome to give an account Of
his stewardship 10 the Pope, then
Leo the Great. Having spent some
tine in Rome and received the
ropes approval of all that he had
done, he returned to Ireland. After
several years more of incessant
labor IN extending and strengthening
the good influence of the church he
found himself so exhausted that he
was obliged 10 lead a more tranquil
| life. Nevertheless he continued to
watch over the entire administration
OF affairs In the island, assisting his
disciples with prayer and advice,
and relaxing in none Of the austeri-
ties OF spiritual exercises which he
practiced. He generally travelled on
| foot and slept on the bare ground,
and he recited every day the Psalter
IN addition to several hymns and
prayers.
AS miracle worker st. Patrick
appears modest enough. There is
not a hint IN his writings concerning
power OF a supernatural sort.
/ Jocelin, one OF his biOgraphers, says
he tasted forty days, and during this
period he collected all the serpents
and yenemous reptiles OF the island
on this mountain and cast them into
the sea. thus giving the country
happy exemption from those pests
for which II has ever since been ex-
empted. Sollnus, however, who had
written some centuries before the
arrival OF st. Patrick In ireland,
speaks OF this exemption; and after
him fsadore in the seventh century,
and Bede in the eighth mention II
without assigning any cause.
/ Jocelin apDears to have been the
first to publish the popular explana-
ton given above. The true cause OF
Ireland's good fortune IN this matter
must probably be sought for In the
nature Of her soil and climate,
rather than in anything super
natural.
The position OF St. Patrick as a
legislator was most remarkable. The
people before his advent had only
been governed by custom Writing
was held 10 be a profane innovation;