With roughly 75% of Catholic parishes in Iowa claiming St. Patrick as their patron saint (that's definitely an exaggeration, although it feels that way), and with this past Monday being St. Patrick's Day, I thought I'd take the opportunity to use this column to give a little recap of who St. Patrick was and what he accomplished.
We have a tendency to dilute and distort the original and proper meaning of things. I'm not against Santa Claus, but we've definitely lost the true story and life of St. Nicholas. We haven't lost St. Patrick to the same extent, but we have definitely forced him to take a backseat while we drink green beers and wear green necklaces in his name.
So, I think it's a good time for a reminder.
St. Patrick was born in the British Roman Empire close to the end of the fourth century. It is generally accepted that his mother was a close relative of St. Martin of Tours, possibly even his sister. If that's the case, then becoming a saint ran in the family.
Anyway, when St. Patrick was 16 years old, the district he was living in was raided by pirates. He was taken captive, brought to Ireland and sold as a slave. He worked as a herder of swine on a mountain, and he became proficient in the native language. During his solitude on the mountain, which lasted for six years, he would spend time praying.
Eventually escaping from slavery after a pair of visions and a long walk led him to a ship that returned him to Britain, St. Patrick would end up going to Gaul, or modern day France, and studying for the priesthood under St. Germanus.
A time later, he was consecrated as a bishop. His predecessor didn't have much luck in Ireland (no pun intended), but St. Patrick was entrusted with the mission there.
He had a dream in which an angel came to him holding numerous letters. St. Patrick selected one that was the inscribed with the heading, “The Voice of the Irish,” and he heard voices of the Irish asking him to return.
The rest is essentially history from there, as St. Patrick preached the Christian faith to the Irish people and eventually came to earn the title “Enlightener of Ireland.” Famously, he used a three leaf clover to explain Trinitarian theology (three distinct leaves with one stem or source – much like three Persons with one essence). There is also a story of St. Patrick driving all the snakes out of Ireland that can serve as a stumbling block to people, but this story is generally seen as symbolic of him driving the demons out of the formerly pagan land.
Today, we still have an epistle written by the saint, as well as his autobiographical work, “Confession.” There is also a great prayer attributed to him – the Breastplate, or Lorica, of St. Patrick.
Green beers, green necklaces and Irish pride are all fine and dandy. I've got a decent amount of Irish blood from my paternal grandfather. All I'm saying is, let's try to actually remember St. Patrick once in a while instead of just using the day as an excuse for debauchery.
It is my belief that God has given us these great shepherds, first out of love, and second to remind us and point us toward the One True Shepherd, whose flock we are all called to be part of.
