Was St. Patrick Irish?
Many Irish 'yarns' have given the world a colorful picture of St.
Patrick, but the best source is probably his own written work, "Confession".
To begin-he was not an Irishman by birth! He was born about 385 A.D.,
somewhere is the area of southwest Britain.
In his writing, he states that although his parents were Christians, he grew
up without finding "the true God". Scholars interpret this to mean that he
had a normal, carefree boyhood and was not overly concerned about his
"faith".
Toward the end of his "carefree days", a roving band of Irish pirates raided
his village, and he was taken to Ireland as a slave. It was during the next
six years, while tending the sheep on the Irish hillsides, that he found his
"true God".
Through prayer and daily devotions, his faith was strengthened, and his
"devotion" was rewarded in a dream telling him how to escape his captors and
find his way, over 200 miles by sea, back to his family.
Still, he was not to find his peace there. He began to have more dreams,
this time about the pagan land from which he had just fled-Ireland!
These dreams made St. Patrick see that the people of Ireland needed "the
faith" and God was asking him to carry it there.
He studied in France in preparation for the priesthood and his mission, and
with approval by Pope Celestine I, was consecrated bishop, given a small
number of monks as assistants and set off for Ireland.
Through a series of planned encounters, he and his monks came before the
kings of Ireland, defied the powers of Druids, and preached Christianity to
the people.
Without ceasing, he traveled all over the island-until all had heard "the
message". By the time of his death in 461 A.D., Patrick had completed,
almost single-handedly, the conversion of the nation.
The Irish people loved him. he was so eager for their welfare-this man who
related to them at the end of his life: "With the grace of the Lord, I did
everything lovingly, and gladly for your salvation."