ST. PATRICK
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St. Patrick was a Christian missionary given major credit for the conversion of Ireland from paganism. So many legends surround his life that the truth is not easily found. St. Patrick was born the son of a Christian in what is now Britain. As a teen Patrick was kidnapped by an Irish raiding party and forced into slavery. After six years he escaped and made his way back home. Soon after, Patrick received a divine call in a dream to return to Ireland as a Christian missionary. After being ordained as a priest, he traveled to Ireland to spend the rest of his life converting pagans, founding churches, and ordaining clergymen. It is agreed that St. Patrick was the leader in the Christianization of pagan Ireland. St. Patrick became a hero in Ireland, so much so that there are no fewer than 60 churches and cathedrals named for him in Ireland alone. Perhaps the most famous of these is the giant St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin, the grounds of which bear the mark of the site on which St. Patrick baptized his converts. |
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Let's not forget that on March 17th is the holiday set aside to honor and celebrate Ireland's Patron Saint. A friend of mine wrote a brief article about what St. Patrick's Day means to him. His name is Robert G. Toomey and he just happens to be Irish. I hope you enjoy the following article.
The purpose of the Saint Patrick's Day Parade is to honor and celebrate Ireland's Patron Saint. St. Patrick was taken as a slave from Wales by Irish warriors in the third century. Ireland at the time of his capture was a barbaric land that practiced cannabalism and worshiped many false idols. He escaped and returned to his native land and later to Ireland as a Catholic priest. He christianized the entire island prior to his death. From his work came abbeys, novitiates and centers of higher learning that provided Europe with the manuscripts to carry Europe out of the Dark Ages.
In the book, "How the Irish Saved Civilization," the author cites many instances of Irish priests, brothers, nuns and scholars traveling as far east as the Ural Mountains and as far south as Greece to teach religion, classical literature and mathematics. The Irish mastered Greek, Latin and Teutonic languages. They taught the Germans calculus. Their Celtic roots and signs are today found in Germany, Romania, Russia and Turkey.
Not only in learning did the Irish excel, but they also were explorers. St. Brendan came to America four hundred years before Columbus. Queen Isabella had her transcribers copy the book, "The Travels of St. Brendan" prior to his firsst voyage to the new World.
For eight hundred years Ireland was under the domination of British Rule. Their religion was outlawed, their freedom to own land, educate their children, speak their language and practice their customs was taken away. Even starvation and hunger did not break their spirit. Emigration to far and distant lands gave the Irish immigrants another chance to better their lives. They proved themselves worthy of this opportunity. They built churches, established schools (built the the largest non-public school system in America), educated their children and when the time came gallantly fought for their adopted lands. Of all of the Medal Of Honor winners in America the Irish outnumber any other nationality. The next closest are the Germans and they are about 800 behind the Irish.
Today, Ireland is the youngest, the best educated and has one of the highest per capita incomes of any country in Europe. The per capita income in Ireland today is higher than the per capita income in Great Britain. Dublin, Ireland is today known as the "Cultural Center of Europe." Both Western and Eastern Europeans fly to Ireland to attend theatres, view museums and attend cultural events.
This all started with St. Patrick. He could have turned his back on those who enslaved him, however, he brought the best out of this small nation and in return, this race and nation brought the best out of the world.
I am the son of Irish immigrants. I learned how to work, be honest and have character. I never look down at anyone. I believe in the simple faith of my parents and I deny no man his right to believe differently. I believe that all life is precious, sacred and something that comes from God. I'm always rooting for the underdog. There's always enough on the table for one more and even in the hard times there's always something to laugh about. I thank God for what I have and for what he gave me. Thanks St. Patrick for the contribution in my life. For you not only touched the lives of those who are Irish but all those lives who have touched the Irish as well.
