Posted on 03/16/2017 2:09:34 PM PDT by heterosupremacist
The heroics of St. Patrick are not appreciated as much as they should be. He is the first person in history to publicly condemn slavery, and one of the first leaders to champion the cause of equal rights.
There is much to celebrate on March 17. Fortunately, his writings, though slim, are eye-opening accounts of his life: Letter to the Soldiers of Coroticus and Confession reveal much about the man. Along with other sources, they paint a picture of his saintliness.
Patrick was born in Britain in the 4th century to wealthy parents. It is likely that he was baptized, though growing up he did not share his family’s faith. He was an atheist.
At age 15 or 16 (the accounts vary), Patrick was kidnapped and enslaved by Irish barbarians. They had come to plunder his family’s estate, and took him away in chains to Ireland. While a slave, he converted to Christianity, praying incessantly at all hours of the day. After six years, he escaped, and made his way back home.
His family thought he was dead, and with good reason: no one taken by Irish raiders had managed to escape and return. St. Patrick biographer Philip Freeman describes how his family received him, stating “it was as if a ghost had returned from the dead.”
His missionary work in Ireland has been duly noted, but his strong defense of human rights has not been given its due.
No public person before him had denounced slavery, widespread though it was. Jesus was agnostic on the subject, Aristotle thought it was a natural way of life, and neither master nor slave saw anything fundamentally wrong with it. Patrick did!
(Excerpt) Read more at catholicleague.org ...
Saint Patrick was a Gentleman
by Henry Bennet
Saint Patrick was a gentleman,
and he came from decent people,
In Dublin town he built a church,
and on it put a steeple;
His father was a Gallagher,
his mother was a Brady,
His aunt was an O’Shaugnessy,
and his uncle was a Grady.
Then success to bold Saint Patrick’s fist,
He was a saint so clever,
He gave the snakes and toads a twist,
and banished them forever!
A better moral compass than Jesus. That's interesting.
(From the ditty “Goodbye, Mick)
When good St. Patrick banished snakes
he shook them from his garments,
He never though we’d go abroad
to look upon such varmints;
To leave the land where whisky grew
to wear the Yankee button,
take vinegar for mountain dew
and toads for mountain mutton!
And it’s goodbye Mick and goodbye Pat
and goodbye Kate and Mary,
The anchor’s weighed and the gangway’s up
and I’m leavin’ Tipperary;
and now the steam is blowin’ off, I have no more to say;
I’m bound for New York City, boys...
three thousand miles away!
Here’s wishing a happy St. Paddy’s Day to all my FReeper friends!
Ditto! May the road rise with you! May the wind be always at your back! May the rains fall soft upon your fields! And until we meet again, may God hold you in the Hollow of His Hand!
Love it!
BTW, I was up at 4:45 AM and have already baked a loaf of Soda Bread!
Bkmk!
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