The Irish standard., 1914-03-21
ST. PATRICK.

ST. PATRICK.
st. Patrick, Bishop, Apostle Of Ire
land-St. Patrick was born at the
close of the fourth century. The place
of the birth of 1reland's glorious apos-
tie is doubtful, and France and Scot
land have the strongest claims to this
honor. He calls himself both a Briton
and Roman, or of a mixed extraction,
and says his father was Of a good
family named Calphurnius, and deni.
zen of the neighboring city of the Ro-
mans, who not long after abandoned
Britain, in 400. Some writer's call his
mother Conchessa, and say she was
niece to st. Martin of Tours.
In his sixteenth year he was carried
into captivity by certain barbarians.
who took him into Ireland, where he
was obliged to keep cattle on the
mountains and in the forests, in hun.
ger and nakedness, amidst snow, rain
and ice. Whilst he lived in this SUI
fering condition, God had pity on his
soul, and quickened him to a sense of
his duty by the impulse of q strong
interior grace. The young man had
recourse to Him with his whole heart
in fervent prayer and fasting; and
from that time faith ana the love God
acquired continually new strength in
his tender soul. After six months
spent in slavery under the same mas
ter, st. Patrick was admonished by
God in a dream to return to his own
country and informed that a ship was
then ready to sail thither.
Some years afterwards he was again
led captive, but recovered his liberty
after two months. When he was at
home with his parents. God manifested
to him, by divers visions, that He des.
tined him to the great work Of the
conversion of Ireland. The writer's of
his life say that after his second cap
tivity he travelled into Gaul and Italy,
and saw st. Martin, St. Germanus of
Auxerre, and Pope Celestine, and that
he received his mission and the apos-
tolic benediction from this Pope, who
died in 1872. It is certain that he spent
many years in preparing himself for
his sacred calling. He forsook his
family, sold his birthright and dignity
to serve strangers, and consecrated
his soul to God, to carry His name to
the ends of the earth. In this DISPOSE
ton he passed into ireland, to preach
the Gospel, and he travelled over the
whole Island, penetrating into the re-
hottest corners; such was the fruit of
his preachings and sufferings that he
baptized an infinite number of people.
He ordained everywhere clergymen,
induced women to live in holy widow
hood and confluence, consecrated vir-
gins to Christ, and instituted monks.
He took nothing from the many thou
sands whom he baptized, and often
gave back the little presents which
some laid on the altar, choosing rather
to mortify the fervent than to scandal
ize the weak or the infidels. He gave
freely of his own, however, both to pa
gans and Christians, distributed large
aims to the poor in the provinces
where he passed, made presents to the
kings, judging that necessary for the
progress of the Gospel, and maintained
and educated many children, whom he
trained up to serve at the altar. The
happy success of his labors cost him
many prosecutions.
st. Patrick held several councils to
settle the discipline of the church
which he had planted. st. Bernard
and the tradition of the country testify
that St. Patrick fixed his metropolitan
see at Armagh. He established some
other bishops, as appears by his Coun-
Gil and other monuments. He not only
converted the whole country by his
preaching and wonderful miracles, but
also cultivated this vineyard with so
fruitful benediction and increase
from heaven as to render Ireland
most fourishing garden in the Church
of God, and country of Saints
James A. Rooney.