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Patrick (March 17th)
is a phenomenon in popular culture, but very few know anything about him beyond
the fanciful legends. He was born ca. 390 into a Christian family that lived on
the northwest coast of Britain. His grandfather was a priest and his father a
deacon who was also an important official in the Roman imperial government. At
the age of 16, Patrick was captured by a band of slave-raiders who took him to
Ireland and forced him to work as a shepherd. Patrick interpreted this
experience as punishment for his neglect of faith and he began to develop a life
of prayer and trust in God. About five years later, at 21, he escaped and
returned to Britain where he took very rudimentary education and training for
the priesthood. Patrick regretted the lack of a strong education throughout his
life.
Nothing is known of him as a
priest for the next twenty years. His appointment as bishop of Ireland aroused
some opposition but by 435 Patrick was in Ireland. He established his see and
founded a school at Armagh. From there he based his series of missionary
journeys throughout Ireland. His strategy was to convert the local kings and
through them to reach the people. He “Christianized” the old pagan religion as
he went, erecting churches over sites already held sacred and associating wells
and springs with Christian saints. His remarkable success until his death in 461
marked the Irish Church with a missionary zeal that remained for many centuries.
The work of Irish missionaries throughout Europe and the New World spread the
legends and popular devotion to Patrick. |
