Friends At Courts.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXIX, Issue 11, 14 March 1901, Page 7

Friends At Courts.

GLEANINGS FOR NEXT WEEK'S CALENDAR. March 17, Sunday. — St. Patrick, Apostle of Ireland. „ 18, Monday. — St. Gabriel, Archangel. „ 19, Tuesday. — St. Joseph, Patron of the Universal Church. „ 20, Wednesday. — St. Cyril, Bishop, Confessor, and Doctor of the Church. „ vi, Tiiuiwltty.— St. Bencdic*", AhhM „ 22, Friday. — St. Frigidian, Bishop and Confessor. „ 2,-i, Saturday.—- I\A=t of the Most Pm-innw TUood

SAINT PATIiUK. St. Patrick, the illustrious apostle of Ireland, was born in A.D. 387 at Bonaven Tabernire in Armorican Gaul — Taberniie, or Travena, was near the site of the modern Boulogne-mr mer. His father Calpurnius, was the son of a Frankish chieftain, and at the time of Patrick's birth, was serving as a legionary officer. His mother, Conchessa, was a lady of gentle birth, and was probably grandniece of St. Martin of Tours. Both she and her husband were Christianß, the latter having embraced the religion of his wife along with his father Potitus, who was raised to the ranks of the priesthood after the death of his wife. Though brought up in the Christian religion, St. Patrick tells us in his celebrated ' Confession ' that at the age of 1 1> he was still ignorant of God, which probably means that he had not yet attained to that lively knowledge and ardent love of Gcd which then began to penetrate his soul. At that period he was carried into captivity by a band of marauders, who took him over to Ireland and eet him to keep the cattle among the forests and mountains. Here he was exposed to many hardships and privations, but while his body suffered, his soul was strengthened by the exercise of prayer and the frequent consideration of the vanity and emptiness of earthly things. At the end of six months he succeeded by a special Providence in effecting his escape and returned to his own country. Some years later he wag again carried off, but recovered his liberty after two months. Meanwhile Patrick was inspired by God with an ardent desire for the conversion of the inhabitants of that pagan island which had been the scene of bis sufferings, and it was revealed to him, moreover, that he himself was chosen for that glorious work. On one occasion he beheld in a vision the children of Ireland stretching out their hands to him and imploring him to come to their relief. The tender heart of our saint at once responded to the call, and for some years he devoted himself to prayer and study in preparation for the work of the apostolate. After receiving the sacred orders of deacon, priest, and bibhop in his own country, as he himself tells us, Patrick eet out for Potne to implore from Pope Celestine his blessing on the work which hf> rud undertaken. It is probable that at this time he visited St ."Vr.irun of Tours and St. Germanus of Auxerp, making sorap stay in France on his way to the Eternal City, The holy Pontiff received him with paternal affection, and bestowed upon him his apo-aoho benediction, together with full powers for the prosecution of hi-j mission. He then set out on his return, A D. 432, and undeterred by the remonstrances of his friends and relatives, crossed over to the land of his former captivity which God h;xd given him for his inheritance. During the twenty-eight years of his laborious apostolate, St. Patrick penetrated into almost every part of Ireland, and has everywhere left memorials of his presence in tiie traditions of the people God confirmed ihe truth of his preaching by innumerable miracles, and he is paid to have raised no It ss than nine dead persons to life. Uut it wa«, more than all. his invincible patience and tender charity which won the Ik arts of his hearers arid transformed th*» most savage natures into modi Is of gentleness and docility. Wherever he went be erected churches and monasteries, and ordained priests and bishops to minister to the wants of his converts. He established his Episcopal See at Armagh, where he had built a monastery and where the Primacy has always remained in honor of Ireland's apostle. It is recorded that ho held several oouncilsto regulate the discipline of the Iri-h Church, and that on two occasions he visited the Tombs of the Apostle*. So successful were the labors of this great saint, that he not only converted during his lifetime the whole of the island, rendering it a fruitful garden of saints, but he implanted the seed of faith so deeply in the hearts of his people that no storm of persecution nor artifice of man has ever been able to eradicate it. To St. Patrick is due also the introduction into Ireland and rapid spread of eacred and profane learning, which found an asylum in the monasteries and a congenial soil in the minds of the people. Thus it was that that country, which had hitherto been regarded as a land of infidelity, and barbarism, became suddenly transformed into an island of ' Saints and Scholars.' St. Patrick lived to an advanced nge and went to his reward about A.D. 460. He was buried in Down, in Ulster.