Patricius

BarelythreecenturieshavepassedsinceEnglishtravellersinIrelandnoticedthewearingofshamrogesinvulgarsuperstitious
displaysofpatriotismonthe17thofMarch.These,alongwithexcessinliquor,andotherinducementstodebauchery,arerecorded
withfinelyjaundicedProtestantsobriety.Thenotionthatthesainthadusedatrefoilgrass(thereissomedisputeoverthesprigsof
whichcloverspecies)toillustratethedoctrineoftheTrinity,isapparentlymorerecentthanthat.Theaccretionoffolkcustomsand
beliefsaboutthe5thcenturySaintPatrickbegan,itseems,withinacenturyofhisdeath,withthemarvelladenhagiographyof
Muirchu;bynowheappearsacreatureoflegend.TheDisneytouchwasaddedinAmerica.
However,wehavetwodocumentsfromPatricksownhand,thatstanduptoanyreasonablecriticalinquiryascontemporarywithhim.
Andtheyringinavoicethatisunmistakeablythatofarealman.ThefirstishisConfession,ratherinthespiritofAugustinesthough
verymuchshorter;thesecondhisLetterofexhortationtothesoldiersofCoroticus,evidentlyaPictishorScottishwarlordwith
fallenChristiansinhistrain.WhatbreathesthroughoutthesetwodocumentsispreciselytheCatholicismthathasbeentaughtdownto
thisday,infusedwithscripturalandcreedalreferencesthatanyCatholicshouldrecognize.
Patrickthesinner,verily,unlearned:andIamabishop,appointedbyGodthroughHisChurch,inIreland.Imostcertainlydeemthat
IhavereceivedwhatIamfromGod.AndsodoIlive,here,amongthebarbarians,astrangerandanexile,fortheloveofGod.He
shallbewitnessthatthisisso.ItisnotthatIwanttospeaksoharshlyandsoroughly,butIamcompelled.
SotheLetterbegins,ofthislateRomanfromBritannia,calledtobecomeoneofthethreemajorpatronsofIreland(alongwithSaint
BrigidofKildare,andSaintColumbatheAbbot),amongthemanyIrishapostles.Throughhisownwordswemayformapictureof
histasks,andaglimpseofhisrealaccomplishmentintheconversionofthousands,onanislandnowdistantintime.Buthiswordsare
vivid,andthatislanddrawsclose:thatIrelandwhichbecomesanurseryofsaintsandmissionariesfortheconversionofwestern
Europe.Itwasdonethroughmenandwomen,utterlyconvincedofthetruthinwhattheycarried,andpreparedtowitnessthattruthto
death.
ThespiritofparadingnationalismandchauvinismisasalientothecharacterofPatrick,asourtimesarealientohis.Theworldwas
neverthelesstheworld,andtheruthlessplayofpowerwasasmuchinvogue.Thedistinctionbetweenakingandapiratewasasubtle
one,asthedistinctionbetweenacitizenandaslave.Itissotoday,thoughwearemoreblindedtoitbyourmaterialcomforts.Thetask
ofPatrickwastofreetheinhabitantsofthatislandfromtheancientdespoticruleofheathenism:toshowthemwhosesonstheywere.
Hedidthisthroughhisownperson:thepersonquoted,above.Hewasatruebishop,whetherornotthefirstinthesuccessionof
Armagh.
IthinkourtaskforthisdayshouldbetoforgetIreland,andrememberSaintPatrick.