The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-01-03


beat upon him and the mists en-
shrouded him and the sun scorched
him, and all that he had to give him
pleasure was the view that lay out
stretched from the mountain base.
The Homes of Saints.
There lay the great sea, the rocky
coast from Achill Head to the Twelve
Pins, and all the islands dotted over
the bays-Clare Island, Turk, Bofin,
Sharky, Ossey, High Island, all of
them to be later on the homes of
saints. He saw the mists descend
from the clouds above him, pass
down the mountain, hiding all the
lower world, and shutting him off in
an even greater solitude on his lonely
height. He saw the trailing shadows
pass over the landscape, and he saw
all the changing wondrous lights of
the West. He watched the green
grass coming on the hillsides as the
spring advanced. But he neither saw
nor heard any human being Other
beings, however, came to him, spirits
in the forms of great black birds. Like
a black cloud they settled on the
mountain top, swooping upon him
with their Tapping wings and giving
out shrill cries. Patrick chanted
some of the most strongly worded
Psalms against these unwelcome visi-
tors, and groaned in an agony of fear.
But it was only when he rang his bell
against them that they took flight
and were swallowed UP in the sea.
The bell in it's ringing rolled down
the mountain and piece was broken
from it, but an angel came and re-
stored it to Patrick. All the men of
Erin heard the ringing of the bell, and
it is stated that it is now sometimes
heard again.
When the evil spirits had all de-
parted, beautiful white birds came to
console st. Patrick, and then the an
gel visited him and said: Get you
gone. You have suffered, but you
have been comforted. These birds
are the spirits of all the
Saints of Erin, past, present and flu
ture-come to join you in blessing
this land, and to show you what a
bountiful harvest your labors will
reap in this land of Erin"
Angel Promises to Patrick.
But Patrick would not yet leave
the mountain. He wanted first to OBJ.
tain several promises for the race OF
his adoption, and these at last he sue
ceeded in wrestling from the angel
victor. They were-That so many
souls should be saved as could fill the
horizon that he looked upon; that on
every Thursday seven souls, and or
every Saturday twelve souls, should
be freed from Purgatory; that who
ever recited the last verse of his
hymn constantly should suffer no tor
ments in the next world; and that or
the Last Day he should be appointed
to sit in judgment on the sons of the
Gael. Then Patrick descended the
Reek, and went to spend Easter with
Senach Of Oghagower.
From the fifth century Croagt
Patrick has been visited by pilgrims
and even in the very early days 9
special protection was afforded to pill
grims journeying thither. In one
book of annals, it is said that King
Hugh O'Conor- cut off the hands and
feet of highwayman who molested a
pilgrim.
Another book of annals records that
on March II, lib, thirty of the fast
ing folk" we're killed in a thunder
storm. Owing to the hardships of the
mountain climb, the station was
changed in 1883 from Reek to 6
church in the neighborhood Of West
port. But this was not a success. The
new place did not possess the old ira
dition, and the ascetic spirit of the
pilgrims made them prefer the more
difficult turas. Ten years ago the sta
ton was removed back again tt
Croagh Patrick, and the little chape
built. 1t crowns the mountain, and or
fine day it can be seen from many
miles. 1t serves as beacon and as {
reminder of what Patrick won on It'll
summit for the sons and daughters o.
Erin nearly fifteen hundred year:
ago.