Friends at Court.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVII, Issue 18, 4 May 1899, Page 5

Friends at Court.

BIOGRAPHICAL GLEANINGS FOR NEXT WEEK'S CALENDAR.

(Written for the N.Z. Tablet.) May 7, Sunday.— Fifth Sunday after Easter. St. Benedict 11., Pope and Confessor. „ 8, Monday.— Rogation. Apparition of St. Michael the Archangel. „ 9, Tue«rlay.— Rogation. St. Gregory Nazianzen, Bishop, Confessor, and Doctor. „ 10, Wednesday. — Rogation. Vigil of the Asoension. St. Comgnll, Abbot. „ 11, Thursday. — Ascension Thursday. „ 12, Friday.— SS. Nereus and Achilles, Martyrs. „ 13, Saturday. — St. Stanislaus, Bishop and Martyr.

SAINT COMGALL, ABBOT.

Comgall, or, as he is more properly called, Coemgal, therenowed abbot of Bangor, was of the distinguished family of Dalaradia. His father's name was Ledua, and his mother's, Briga. It is said that St. Patrick foretold his birth sixty years before he was born as Jocelyn relates : ' St. Patrick being in the district of Bangor, wa« asked to erect a monastery there, but he refused, saying, that sixty years hence a child of light would be born, named Combgal (beautiful pledge) who would establish a celebrated church and monastery in the place.' The Annals of Ulster assign the year 616 as that of his birth. He was placed under the instruction of able mastera until ha became well versed in various branches of learning, particularly in theology. He then went to the monastery of Cloneagh in Leinster, which was then governed by St. Fintan, who received him kindly, and admitted him a member of his community. Here he remained for several years with St. Fintan, who, at length, finding him fully qualified for the purpose, advised him to return to his own country, and form some religious establishment. He soon after entered into Holy Orders ; and we are told that he was ordained by Bishop Lugidus of Clonmacnoise. He preached for some time through the province of Ulster, making a great religious impression by his fervid eloquence and piety. Comgall was strongly tempted at this time to join those missionary bands of Irish ecclesiastics that were propagating the Gospel in Britain and on the Continent, but he was advised by Lugidus and other holy men to remain at home. We are told that he spent some time in solitude and prayer in an island on Lough Lrne, and that soon afterwards he founded the Monastery of Banchor, now Bangor, near the town of Carrickfergus, about the year 559. Comgall drew up rules for the government of his monastery. In the Acts of St. Kit ran he is named among the eight chief framers of monastic rules. The other seven named are St. Patrick, St. Bridget, St. Brendan, St Kieran, St. Columbkill, St. Molasßius, and St. Adainnaa. Baugor soon acquired snch fame that there was not accommodation for the numbers that flocked there, so that it became necessary to establish several monasteries and cells. It is computed that, in his time, there were no lees than three thousand monks under his superintendence, and all observing his rule. Among them is mentioned Corinac, King of South Leinster, or Henry Kinselagh, who, in his old age, retired to Bangor, and there spent the remainder of his days. Among the subordinate monasteries subject to Comgall was that of Cainos, on the River Barm, barony of OoJeraine. Tne fame of Baugor soon spread over Europe, and was much enhanced by the celebrated men educated there, particularly St. Colnmbanus. It is related in St. Cornwall's Lite that in the seventh year after the /ounding of Bangor he went to Britain in order to vibit some saints there. It is most likely that it was on this occasion he and St. Crendan, and others, paid a visit to St. Columbkill at Tona. While in Britain he is eaid to have established a monastery in the country. He is also said to have been the means of converting Bridens, King of the Northern Picts. After his return to Ireland he ditd in his abbey at Bangor, in the year 601, on the 10th May, after receiving the Holy Viaticum from St. Fiachra. St. Comgall was remarkable in his life, and holy in his death, and has justly been reckoned one of the Fathers of the Irish Church. Little now remains to attest the former greatness of this renowned abbey, and the great schools so celebrated that they were resorted to by students from nearly every part of Europe. According to some writers, Bangor was the germ out of which Oxford arose ; for when King Alfred founded, or restored, that monastery, he sent to the great school of Bangor tor professors. The establishment flourished until the early part of the ninth century, when it was subjected to the merciless visitation of the Danes, who, in the year 818, massacred the abbot and above nine hundrtd monks out of the three thousand who then resided there. It suffered from other invasions, both of Danes and English, and at the confiscation its poHfce.ssions tell into the hands of the Knglish planters. The way of virtue, says the American, Preston, is arduous, and needs the help of bright examples, which be.kon us on in that heavenly race and urge us to persevere in the great work of banctification. What others have done before us, we can do in their footsteps — not by seeking to imitate their extraordinary ways, but by following their unselfish lives, and in our several stations seeking purity and high motives in all our daily actions. To live for God in the lot in which He has placed us is the true way of Banotity. This is an ever-purifying path, leading s.eadily towards the Supreme Good. Refreshing, amid the countless examples of those who live only for some worldly or selfish end, is the sight oi one who sacrifices all for God, and never strays from the view of things eternal.