PATRICK 
First Bishop of Ireland
(389-461)

Patrick was a Briton born at Bannavem Taburniae (in Britain--probably meaning Wales--but possibly also French Brittany) in the year 389.   His father was Calpurnius, a Christian deacon.  His mother, Concess, was reputedly a Frank--and a close relative of Saint Martin of Tours.  His paternal grandfather was a Christian priest named Potitus.  Clearly Patrick (we do not know his birth name) was brought up in the Christian faith--though he later confessed that his was a very shallow faith in his early years.

He was forced to serve at Antrim, atop a hill called Slieve Mis or Slemish, as a sheep herder to a local Irish warlord named Miliucc.   Here for six years he was forced to serve Miliucc in all kinds of horrible conditions--in loneliness, in the heavy rains, in the freezing cold of ice and snow--doing pennance (as he interpreted it) for the sins of his youth.  Here his thoughts turned to God and he underwent a deep spiritual conversion.  He eventually filled his days in prayer--hundreds of prayers.

The next morning Patrick (now about 21 or 22 years of age) set out on a long journey of 200 miles to the distant sea.  This was a very dangerous enterprise:  there were no hiding places for runaway slaves in Ireland.  He could be caught at any instant.  But the words that had started him out on this venture gave him deep comfort.  He knew that this journey was under God's protection.

He finally reached water's edge and spotted a boat loading highly prized Irish hounds for export.  He approached the captain to ask permission to sail with them (somehow Patrick even had the money for the journey)--but the captain became suspicious that Patrick was a run-away and wanted to have nothing to do with him.  Patrick was now in danger of being caught.  But Patrick began to pray.  And before his prayer had finished he heard a crewman calling him, "Come quickly because the men are calling you."  This time he was greeted warmly with the words, "Come aboard; we are admitting you out of good faith."

Three days sailing carried them across the sea to landfall.  We are not sure exactly where they came ashore, probably Gaul (France), and then they traveled inland for 28 days--through an incredible scene of devastation (the Goths?).  The land was uninhabited and foodless--and as they became famished they pressed Patrick to pray for them all.  He challenged them to have faith in God--and promised that God would deliver them food that very day.  And so it happened:  a herd of pigs approached them--and so they ate (and were converted to Patrick's God)!  They also had an abundance of food from that time on.

Patrick tells us that the very same night however he was attacked by Satan when a huge boulder fell on him--and could not be moved off of him through even the combined strength of his companions.  Again he prayed--and the boulder rolled away with the rising of the sun of a new day.

He does not say where he then settled--only that he was taken captive a second time.  A voice promised him that he would be held captive only two months.  And indeed--on the 60th night, the Lord delivered him from their hands.

Finally, after several years, he came to Britain, to the home of his family and relatives (what was left of them), where he was "welcomed as a son."  They pleaded with him not to ever leave them.

He tried to put such a thought out of his mind--but was unable to do so.  It haunted him.  More visions occurred--including a visit from Jesus--who reminded Patrick that he himself once gave up his own life--even for him.  Another vision came to him of the Holy Spirit--and the promise that the Spirit would help him in his weakness, and intercede for him.

Eventually Patrick was ordained as deacon (ca.417) and continued to serve the church at Auxerre (a total of 15 years?)

At one point during his term of service at Auxerre, Germanus took Patrick to Britain to assist him in doing battle with the Pelagian heresy that was plaguing Christian Britain.

At another point, Patrick mentioned to Germanus that he continued to hear voices calling him to come to Ireland.  Germanus counseled Patrick to approach Pope Celestine (pope: 422-432) to become consecrated for this task.  So it was that at a church conference a discussion arose about sending a missionary to Ireland to convert the Druid population there to Christianity.  Patrick felt that the time had come for him to speak up about his own sense of call to Ireland.  Patrick explained not only his vision--but also his unwilling years of preparation as a slave there:  he knew the people and their language well.

He was deeply disappointed when a friend of his to whom he had confided the story of his youthful misdeed spoke up in opposition to Patrick's appointment.  Instead another individual, Bishop Palladius, was commissioned to go to the Irish.  However Paladius' mission was cut short when he died.

With the death of Palladius, Pope Celestine I finally appointed him bishop in preparation to being sent off  as Missionary-Bishop to Ireland (one of Celestine's last acts before his own death).  Thus in 432, at about age 45,  Patrick set out for Ireland.

We do not know exactly what the miracles were that Patrick performed--for he himself does not spell them out.  Only later legend does that--a not very reliable source for understanding what truly happened.  They seem to reflect more a continuing Druid mindset, one impressed with a certain variety of miracles.

One of these legends concerns Patrick's removal of all the snakes in Ireland.  Another was his turning his friends into deer in order to protect them--a miracle in connection with the Bealtine Incident.

But Patrick took action on his own behalf.  At Tara, the ancient religious and political capital of Leinster, atop the Hill of Slane, and in full view of the high king (ard-ri) of the Irish, King Laoghaire (Leary)--Patrick audaciously lit his own flame.  The Druids stood on in astonishment when the flame in fact did not fizzle out--but burned brightly.  Patrick's God was not subject to their god.

When King Laoghaire and the Druid priests called Patrick and his followers before the Irish court the next day--they reportedly escaped a plot to destroy them along the way by being turned into deer and thus confusing the conspirators!  In any case Patrick and his companions were audacious.  Further, arrayed in their monastic attire before the King, they fit exactly the terms of an ancient Irish prophecy:

As Bishop, Patrick set about to bring order to Ireland--working with three Irish kings in rewriting the laws of Ireland.

In his approximately 30 years as Bishop of Ireland, Patrick baptized over 120,000 Irishmen, and established at least 300 churches

As the lights began to go out in the continental West, in Ireland they began to burn--burn brightly.

Eventually it would be the Irish who would go forth as missionaries to Germanic Europe--to attempt to restore Roman Catholic culture where they could.