Who Was Saint Patrick?

By William Pelrine Jr.
 
Saint Patrick was a Christian whose race was Britannic Celt and nationality was Roman.  He grew up on the west coast of England.  He was born in 385 and died in 461 A.D.  He was captured by Gaels and taken to Ireland from his father’s estate when he was 15.  He served as a shepherd slave until his escape at age 21.
 
After his return home he became a deacon.  All the while he served as a deacon he had the Irish people on his heart.  He longed to go back to Ireland and tell them the good news about Jesus.  It wasn’t until 432, at the age of 47, that his prayer was answered.  He was ordained as a priest and consecrated a bishop and sailed for Ireland with about 20 companions.
 
He baptized thousands of people with his own hands and established many churches.
 
At the time, in that country, there were many pagans that were very resistant to the teachings of Christ.  They were called Druids.  They studied long and hard in their beliefs and people came to them for advice on many subjects.  Many of these people that Patrick converted to Christianity were paying customers or had the potential to be.  When folks came to believe in Jesus they renounced the teachings of the Druids.
 
St Patrick also met with resistance from some kings in Ireland.  But Saint Patrick’s relationship with the spirit of the living God kept him strong and he was not deterred from his mission to share Christ.
 
Today we associate the shamrock with Saint Patrick’s Day, which we celebrate on March 17.  The reason for this is because, according to tradition, Patrick used the shamrock to graphically illustrate to “King Oengus of Cashel the doctrine of the Holy Trinity.
 
The most inspiring piece of Saint Patrick’s lore is the beautiful prayer called ‘Breast Plate’ (Lorica).  It is a morning prayer in early Gaelic.  It might well be that he actually composed this prayer.  For many centuries now millions of faithful have used it with devotion:
 
‘I bind to myself today God’s power to guide me, God’s might to uphold me, God’s ear to hear me, God’s word to give me speech, God’s hand to lead me… Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ within me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ at my right, Christ at my left… Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks to me, Christ in every eye that sees me…[1]
 
I remember a saintly man that prayed with me a prayer very similar to that before taking hot soup and bread to feed the poor on the streets of Manhattan, NY back in the summer of 1983.  I have prayed that prayer many times since not knowing that Saint Patrick himself may have inspired it. Perhaps you have prayed a prayer similar to this yourself.  It always reminds me of how close He is to me and gives me strength.
 
May the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, keep your heart and mind in Christ Jesus. (See Philippians 4:7)
 
[1] Pg. 121-122, The Year of The Lord in the Christian Home, by Francis X. Weiser, SJ, The Liturgical Press, St John’s Abbey, Collegeville, Minnesota.