Get E-Mail Updates

God's Politics Blog

The Real History of 'Saint Patrick': The Saint He Wasn't, the Man He Was

by Jeff Brazil 03-17-2009 | 2:55pm
Print
30 Comments | Login or Register to post comments

It is said that everyone in the world is Irish today in honor of Saint Patrick. It would be a very worthwhile endeavor this year, given the cloud of dispiritedness that seems to have settled on us, if we would all honor him by striving to be more like him.

Related Reading

Take Action on This Issue

Tell the Senate: Don't Cut International Aid

Please join us in telling the Senate: Protect foreign aid programs that help the poor and the needy. 

The lesser-known aspects of this remarkable slave-turned-social justice advocate are far more important and inspiring than any of the enchanting myths and legends we associate with him.

In actuality, Patrick wasn't officially ever anointed a saint, he wasn't a fan of green beer, and he wasn't even Irish.

The elements of Patrick's story and life unornamented by folk tale are that he was born somewhere in Roman Britain around 385 C.E. His name was Patricius. He came from a wealthy family. And it is not believed that he was particularly religious.

As a teenager, around the age of 16, he was abducted and taken to Ireland, where he was enslaved and forced to work long, hard days as a hillside shepherd until he escaped after about six years.

He made it back home, but at some point he felt a calling to join the priesthood and, further, believed he needed to return to Ireland. Ireland was not only the country of his enslavement and a place regarded by civilized societies of the day as primitive, but it was also a most perilous spot to choose to take up residence if one didn't have to. Incessant tribal warfare, human sacrifice, and pervasive enslavement marked Irish culture at the time. Those in Ireland who were inclined toward religious customs tended to favor naturalistic belief systems.

The mystery of why Patrick returned to Ireland and committed to spending the rest of his days there is addressed in his own hand in Confession, one of two pieces of writing validated as his. What is known about Patrick is, to a large degree, drawn from this strikingly honest autobiographical work and an emotional letter he penned to a slave trader, "Letter to Coroticus," as well as his enduring legacy in the form of the monasteries and parishes he founded and the humanitarian entities and causes that formed in his wake.

Although it's generally agreed that Patrick didn't write Confession until later in life when he was esteemed as the bishop of Ireland, he characterizes himself as a "simple" and "imperfect" man who had to overcome a fear born of his lack of formal education. He regarded himself as "unlearned" and even as somewhat of an outcast.

However, despite a life of difficulty, he expressed deep gratitude for "great favors in this world" and spoke of the "wonders" of life.

Patrick stood up for those who were looked down upon, including people who were impoverished; women, whom he afforded great dignity; and slaves, who, he said, "suffer the most."

At one point, he was captured again, probably by one of the many powerful warlords, and "fettered

30 Comments | Login or Register to post comments
Sojourners relies on the support of readers like you to sustain our message and ministry.

Related Stories

Resources

Like what you're reading? Get Sojourners E-Mail updates!

by: meurig

03-20-2009 @ 10:23pm

Personally I'm grateful to the Catholic church for bringing to our attention the lives of some of the great heroes of the faith in the past. It's always good be be able tor read about God transforming people towards greater Christlikeness.

But of course that's not going to stop me seeing the same thing in heroes that the Catholic church hasn't honored in this way, whether that's Wulfstan of Worcester or Conrad Grebel or Dirk Willems or George Fox or John Wesley or Thomas Clarkson or Rhys Howells or whoever.

If Rome's use of the word saint to mean some saints but not all of them is a stumbling block, it is surely a rather small one that is quite easy to jump over...

[Btw, I understand that several of the leaders of the Celtic church are recognised as saints by the Orthodox churches but not officially by the Catholic church.]

by: neuro_nurse

03-17-2009 @ 5:46pm

"Patrick wasn't officially ever anointed a saint"

Saints are not 'anointed,' they are canonized - and they are long dead before that process is complete, so you'd have to dig up the body to anoint it. Besides, Catholics anoint the sick, not the dead.

by: PDBurns

03-17-2009 @ 5:59pm

How can we have an article titled "The Real History of 'Saint Patrick'" without mentioning anything about him as a Christ-follower? It seems to me that it was this reality which gave him the strength to be a justice advocate. A portion of his Breastplate reads: "I arise today Through the strength of Christ's birth with his baptism, Through the strength of his crucifixion with his burial, Through the strength of his resurrection with his ascension, Through the strength of his descent for the Judgment Day." Without Christ St. Patrick is not St. Patrick.

by: BuckeyeDon

03-17-2009 @ 7:42pm

I presumed that Jeff meant "canonized" when he wrote "anointed."

It's true, isn't it?--that Patrick was never officially canonized, that is.

by: squeaky

03-17-2009 @ 7:48pm

My guess is that the author thought it was a given, especially with his calling to go into the priesthood and minister to those who originally enslaved him.

But...what about the snakes?

by: piccolaserenata8

03-17-2009 @ 8:45pm

Regarding St. Patrick's sainthood (yes, he is a saint):

http://www.americancatholic.org/Messenger/Mar20...

"St. Patrick died around 461 A.D. The first saint formally canonized by the pope-for which we have a record, anyway-was St. Ulrich, bishop of Augsburg, Germany, in the year 993.

For most of Christianity's first 1,000 years, canonizations were done on the diocesan or regional level. Relatively soon after very holy people died, the local Church affirmed that they could be liturgically celebrated as saints.

That was the case with St. Patrick, whose feast has not been dropped from the Church's universal calendar. Because it usually falls on a weekday during Lent, the opening prayer at Mass can be for St. Patrick, but everything else comes from the Lenten weekday prayers.

If St. Patrick is the patron of a diocese or a parish, the feast can be celebrated with greater solemnity. If March 17 falls on a Sunday, the feast is not observed liturgically that year. Patrick's admirers find many other ways to celebrate!"

by: Joe_Allen_Doty

03-17-2009 @ 9:07pm

Patrick's birth name was "Banna Venta Berniae."

"Catholic" (big or little "c") make people saints usually after they are dead. But, in the 1st Century AD, EVERY person who believed in Jesus was made a saint by salvation in Jesus.

If a person is NOT a saint while they are living, no religious group can make them a saint when they are dead.

by: neuro_nurse

03-17-2009 @ 9:38pm

"By canonizing some of the faithful, i.e., by solemnly proclaiming that they practiced heroic virtue and lived in fidelity to God's grace, the Church recognizes the power of the Spirit of holiness within her and sustains the hope of believers by proposing the saints to them as models and intercessors. "The saints have always been the source and origin of renewal in the most difficult moments in the Church's history." Indeed, "holiness is the hidden source and infallible measure of her apostolic activity and missionary zeal."
Catechism of the Catholic Church, 828

by: neuro_nurse

03-17-2009 @ 9:41pm

If I was dead & canonized I'd be the Patron Saint of Nitpicking.

See piccolaserenata8's comment below. St. Patrick was grandfathered in.

by: BuckeyeDon

03-18-2009 @ 12:21am

Yes, God through Jesus Christ makes all who believe on him saints. That's in the New Testament after all, and all Christians (including Catholics--big "c") believe that. But individuals who lived noteworthy lives in the faith have always been held up as examples to other believers; this practice has existed since the beginning of the Christian church.

No religious group makes anyone a saint. God does. But the Christian church can and does honor the memory of individual Christians, just as we do in our own communities and families. One does not have to be Roman Catholic (big "c") in order to recognize the exemplary lives of many of the saints that they honor, or to try and live by their example. Non-Catholic Christians also have their honored "saints," even though they may not be given that title officially. Just think of "heroes of the faith" that you may have learned about in Sunday school, or who may have been preached about in your own church. How is that different in substance from calling them saints?

by: Joe_Allen_Doty

03-18-2009 @ 12:22am

CORRECTION HERE: Patrick's birth place was at "Banna Venta Berniae."

by: SisterMarie

03-18-2009 @ 11:49am

"But...what about the snakes?"

They all emigrated to America. you can see them every Sunday by turning on your TV.

by: BuckeyeDon

03-18-2009 @ 12:13pm

...or any weekday, testifying before Congress about the large bonuses they gave out.

by: jeansuhas

04-14-2010 @ 8:00pm

"Invitation: Online debate on India-Brazil- South Africa (IBSA) Policy Dialogue Forum

In partnership with the Ideas for Development blog, the International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth (IPC-IG) is launching an online debate that will contribute with inputs for the forthcoming IBSA Academic Forum, which will be hosted by IPC-IG on 12-13 April in Brasilia, Brazil.

We invite you to participate in this discussion and reflect about the following issues:

- What is the role of the emerging countries in shaping world politics?

- How can India, Brazil and South Africa strengthen cooperation in key issues on the global agenda?

- In which ways an improved policy dialogue among developing countries can contribute to the implementation of effective policies towards the achievement of inclusive growth and human development?

Join us at: http://www.ideas4development.orgWe also invite you to visit the IBSA Academic Forum website, where you can find interesting papers, resources and breaking news. Visit: http://www.ipc-undp.org/ibsa"

by: Mabon

03-21-2009 @ 11:32pm

The snakes idea comes from the term used for the Druid priests of Ireland and Old England. They were referred to as "Serpents of Wisdom." Yes, St. Pat is held responsible for driving the serpents off the island. Some accounts in Roman records say that the Druids were massacred at the Isle of Iona, some were exlied to Northern Scotland, but most were probably killed defending their religion against those who would call them heretics. Like most saints, the killing of non-Christians does not count against one's sainthood. As long as the killing is or was in the name of Jesus it is not frowned upon. Hmmm, I wonder what Jesus would say about that...

by: neuro_nurse

03-17-2009 @ 5:46pm

"Patrick wasn't officially ever anointed a saint"

Saints are not 'anointed,' they are canonized - and they are long dead before that process is complete, so you'd have to dig up the body to anoint it. Besides, Catholics anoint the sick, not the dead.

by: PDBurns

03-17-2009 @ 5:59pm

How can we have an article titled "The Real History of 'Saint Patrick'" without mentioning anything about him as a Christ-follower? It seems to me that it was this reality which gave him the strength to be a justice advocate. A portion of his Breastplate reads: "I arise today Through the strength of Christ's birth with his baptism, Through the strength of his crucifixion with his burial, Through the strength of his resurrection with his ascension, Through the strength of his descent for the Judgment Day." Without Christ St. Patrick is not St. Patrick.

by: BuckeyeDon

03-17-2009 @ 7:42pm

I presumed that Jeff meant "canonized" when he wrote "anointed."

It's true, isn't it?--that Patrick was never officially canonized, that is.

by: squeaky

03-17-2009 @ 7:48pm

My guess is that the author thought it was a given, especially with his calling to go into the priesthood and minister to those who originally enslaved him.

But...what about the snakes?

by: piccolaserenata8

03-17-2009 @ 8:45pm

Regarding St. Patrick's sainthood (yes, he is a saint):

http://www.americancatholic.org/Messenger/Mar20...

"St. Patrick died around 461 A.D. The first saint formally canonized by the pope-for which we have a record, anyway-was St. Ulrich, bishop of Augsburg, Germany, in the year 993.

For most of Christianity's first 1,000 years, canonizations were done on the diocesan or regional level. Relatively soon after very holy people died, the local Church affirmed that they could be liturgically celebrated as saints.

That was the case with St. Patrick, whose feast has not been dropped from the Church's universal calendar. Because it usually falls on a weekday during Lent, the opening prayer at Mass can be for St. Patrick, but everything else comes from the Lenten weekday prayers.

If St. Patrick is the patron of a diocese or a parish, the feast can be celebrated with greater solemnity. If March 17 falls on a Sunday, the feast is not observed liturgically that year. Patrick's admirers find many other ways to celebrate!"

by: Joe_Allen_Doty

03-17-2009 @ 9:07pm

Patrick's birth name was "Banna Venta Berniae."

"Catholic" (big or little "c") make people saints usually after they are dead. But, in the 1st Century AD, EVERY person who believed in Jesus was made a saint by salvation in Jesus.

If a person is NOT a saint while they are living, no religious group can make them a saint when they are dead.

by: neuro_nurse

03-17-2009 @ 9:38pm

"By canonizing some of the faithful, i.e., by solemnly proclaiming that they practiced heroic virtue and lived in fidelity to God's grace, the Church recognizes the power of the Spirit of holiness within her and sustains the hope of believers by proposing the saints to them as models and intercessors. "The saints have always been the source and origin of renewal in the most difficult moments in the Church's history." Indeed, "holiness is the hidden source and infallible measure of her apostolic activity and missionary zeal."
Catechism of the Catholic Church, 828

by: neuro_nurse

03-17-2009 @ 9:41pm

If I was dead & canonized I'd be the Patron Saint of Nitpicking.

See piccolaserenata8's comment below. St. Patrick was grandfathered in.

by: BuckeyeDon

03-18-2009 @ 12:21am

Yes, God through Jesus Christ makes all who believe on him saints. That's in the New Testament after all, and all Christians (including Catholics--big "c") believe that. But individuals who lived noteworthy lives in the faith have always been held up as examples to other believers; this practice has existed since the beginning of the Christian church.

No religious group makes anyone a saint. God does. But the Christian church can and does honor the memory of individual Christians, just as we do in our own communities and families. One does not have to be Roman Catholic (big "c") in order to recognize the exemplary lives of many of the saints that they honor, or to try and live by their example. Non-Catholic Christians also have their honored "saints," even though they may not be given that title officially. Just think of "heroes of the faith" that you may have learned about in Sunday school, or who may have been preached about in your own church. How is that different in substance from calling them saints?

by: Joe_Allen_Doty

03-18-2009 @ 12:22am

CORRECTION HERE: Patrick's birth place was at "Banna Venta Berniae."

by: SisterMarie

03-18-2009 @ 11:49am

"But...what about the snakes?"

They all emigrated to America. you can see them every Sunday by turning on your TV.

by: BuckeyeDon

03-18-2009 @ 12:13pm

...or any weekday, testifying before Congress about the large bonuses they gave out.

by: jeansuhas

04-14-2010 @ 8:00pm

"Invitation: Online debate on India-Brazil- South Africa (IBSA) Policy Dialogue Forum

In partnership with the Ideas for Development blog, the International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth (IPC-IG) is launching an online debate that will contribute with inputs for the forthcoming IBSA Academic Forum, which will be hosted by IPC-IG on 12-13 April in Brasilia, Brazil.

We invite you to participate in this discussion and reflect about the following issues:

- What is the role of the emerging countries in shaping world politics?

- How can India, Brazil and South Africa strengthen cooperation in key issues on the global agenda?

- In which ways an improved policy dialogue among developing countries can contribute to the implementation of effective policies towards the achievement of inclusive growth and human development?

Join us at: http://www.ideas4development.orgWe also invite you to visit the IBSA Academic Forum website, where you can find interesting papers, resources and breaking news. Visit: http://www.ipc-undp.org/ibsa"

by: meurig

03-20-2009 @ 10:23pm

Personally I'm grateful to the Catholic church for bringing to our attention the lives of some of the great heroes of the faith in the past. It's always good be be able tor read about God transforming people towards greater Christlikeness.

But of course that's not going to stop me seeing the same thing in heroes that the Catholic church hasn't honored in this way, whether that's Wulfstan of Worcester or Conrad Grebel or Dirk Willems or George Fox or John Wesley or Thomas Clarkson or Rhys Howells or whoever.

If Rome's use of the word saint to mean some saints but not all of them is a stumbling block, it is surely a rather small one that is quite easy to jump over...

[Btw, I understand that several of the leaders of the Celtic church are recognised as saints by the Orthodox churches but not officially by the Catholic church.]

by: Mabon

03-21-2009 @ 11:32pm

The snakes idea comes from the term used for the Druid priests of Ireland and Old England. They were referred to as "Serpents of Wisdom." Yes, St. Pat is held responsible for driving the serpents off the island. Some accounts in Roman records say that the Druids were massacred at the Isle of Iona, some were exlied to Northern Scotland, but most were probably killed defending their religion against those who would call them heretics. Like most saints, the killing of non-Christians does not count against one's sainthood. As long as the killing is or was in the name of Jesus it is not frowned upon. Hmmm, I wonder what Jesus would say about that...

Comments sorted by highest rated. After voting you must refresh your page to see the sort order change.

by: meurig

03-20-2009 @ 10:23pm

Personally I'm grateful to the Catholic church for bringing to our attention the lives of some of the great heroes of the faith in the past. It's always good be be able tor read about God transforming people towards greater Christlikeness.

But of course that's not going to stop me seeing the same thing in heroes that the Catholic church hasn't honored in this way, whether that's Wulfstan of Worcester or Conrad Grebel or Dirk Willems or George Fox or John Wesley or Thomas Clarkson or Rhys Howells or whoever.

If Rome's use of the word saint to mean some saints but not all of them is a stumbling block, it is surely a rather small one that is quite easy to jump over...

[Btw, I understand that several of the leaders of the Celtic church are recognised as saints by the Orthodox churches but not officially by the Catholic church.]

by: neuro_nurse

03-17-2009 @ 5:46pm

"Patrick wasn't officially ever anointed a saint"

Saints are not 'anointed,' they are canonized - and they are long dead before that process is complete, so you'd have to dig up the body to anoint it. Besides, Catholics anoint the sick, not the dead.

by: neuro_nurse

03-17-2009 @ 5:46pm

"Patrick wasn't officially ever anointed a saint"

Saints are not 'anointed,' they are canonized - and they are long dead before that process is complete, so you'd have to dig up the body to anoint it. Besides, Catholics anoint the sick, not the dead.

by: PDBurns

03-17-2009 @ 5:59pm

How can we have an article titled "The Real History of 'Saint Patrick'" without mentioning anything about him as a Christ-follower? It seems to me that it was this reality which gave him the strength to be a justice advocate. A portion of his Breastplate reads: "I arise today Through the strength of Christ's birth with his baptism, Through the strength of his crucifixion with his burial, Through the strength of his resurrection with his ascension, Through the strength of his descent for the Judgment Day." Without Christ St. Patrick is not St. Patrick.

by: PDBurns

03-17-2009 @ 5:59pm

How can we have an article titled "The Real History of 'Saint Patrick'" without mentioning anything about him as a Christ-follower? It seems to me that it was this reality which gave him the strength to be a justice advocate. A portion of his Breastplate reads: "I arise today Through the strength of Christ's birth with his baptism, Through the strength of his crucifixion with his burial, Through the strength of his resurrection with his ascension, Through the strength of his descent for the Judgment Day." Without Christ St. Patrick is not St. Patrick.

by: BuckeyeDon

03-17-2009 @ 7:42pm

I presumed that Jeff meant "canonized" when he wrote "anointed."

It's true, isn't it?--that Patrick was never officially canonized, that is.

by: BuckeyeDon

03-17-2009 @ 7:42pm

I presumed that Jeff meant "canonized" when he wrote "anointed."

It's true, isn't it?--that Patrick was never officially canonized, that is.

by: squeaky

03-17-2009 @ 7:48pm

My guess is that the author thought it was a given, especially with his calling to go into the priesthood and minister to those who originally enslaved him.

But...what about the snakes?

by: squeaky

03-17-2009 @ 7:48pm

My guess is that the author thought it was a given, especially with his calling to go into the priesthood and minister to those who originally enslaved him.

But...what about the snakes?

by: piccolaserenata8

03-17-2009 @ 8:45pm

Regarding St. Patrick's sainthood (yes, he is a saint):

http://www.americancatholic.org/Messenger/Mar20...

"St. Patrick died around 461 A.D. The first saint formally canonized by the pope-for which we have a record, anyway-was St. Ulrich, bishop of Augsburg, Germany, in the year 993.

For most of Christianity's first 1,000 years, canonizations were done on the diocesan or regional level. Relatively soon after very holy people died, the local Church affirmed that they could be liturgically celebrated as saints.

That was the case with St. Patrick, whose feast has not been dropped from the Church's universal calendar. Because it usually falls on a weekday during Lent, the opening prayer at Mass can be for St. Patrick, but everything else comes from the Lenten weekday prayers.

If St. Patrick is the patron of a diocese or a parish, the feast can be celebrated with greater solemnity. If March 17 falls on a Sunday, the feast is not observed liturgically that year. Patrick's admirers find many other ways to celebrate!"

by: piccolaserenata8

03-17-2009 @ 8:45pm

Regarding St. Patrick's sainthood (yes, he is a saint):

http://www.americancatholic.org/Messenger/Mar20...

"St. Patrick died around 461 A.D. The first saint formally canonized by the pope-for which we have a record, anyway-was St. Ulrich, bishop of Augsburg, Germany, in the year 993.

For most of Christianity's first 1,000 years, canonizations were done on the diocesan or regional level. Relatively soon after very holy people died, the local Church affirmed that they could be liturgically celebrated as saints.

That was the case with St. Patrick, whose feast has not been dropped from the Church's universal calendar. Because it usually falls on a weekday during Lent, the opening prayer at Mass can be for St. Patrick, but everything else comes from the Lenten weekday prayers.

If St. Patrick is the patron of a diocese or a parish, the feast can be celebrated with greater solemnity. If March 17 falls on a Sunday, the feast is not observed liturgically that year. Patrick's admirers find many other ways to celebrate!"

by: Joe_Allen_Doty

03-17-2009 @ 9:07pm

Patrick's birth name was "Banna Venta Berniae."

"Catholic" (big or little "c") make people saints usually after they are dead. But, in the 1st Century AD, EVERY person who believed in Jesus was made a saint by salvation in Jesus.

If a person is NOT a saint while they are living, no religious group can make them a saint when they are dead.

by: Joe_Allen_Doty

03-17-2009 @ 9:07pm

Patrick's birth name was "Banna Venta Berniae."

"Catholic" (big or little "c") make people saints usually after they are dead. But, in the 1st Century AD, EVERY person who believed in Jesus was made a saint by salvation in Jesus.

If a person is NOT a saint while they are living, no religious group can make them a saint when they are dead.

by: neuro_nurse

03-17-2009 @ 9:38pm

"By canonizing some of the faithful, i.e., by solemnly proclaiming that they practiced heroic virtue and lived in fidelity to God's grace, the Church recognizes the power of the Spirit of holiness within her and sustains the hope of believers by proposing the saints to them as models and intercessors. "The saints have always been the source and origin of renewal in the most difficult moments in the Church's history." Indeed, "holiness is the hidden source and infallible measure of her apostolic activity and missionary zeal."
Catechism of the Catholic Church, 828

by: neuro_nurse

03-17-2009 @ 9:38pm

"By canonizing some of the faithful, i.e., by solemnly proclaiming that they practiced heroic virtue and lived in fidelity to God's grace, the Church recognizes the power of the Spirit of holiness within her and sustains the hope of believers by proposing the saints to them as models and intercessors. "The saints have always been the source and origin of renewal in the most difficult moments in the Church's history." Indeed, "holiness is the hidden source and infallible measure of her apostolic activity and missionary zeal."
Catechism of the Catholic Church, 828

by: neuro_nurse

03-17-2009 @ 9:41pm

If I was dead & canonized I'd be the Patron Saint of Nitpicking.

See piccolaserenata8's comment below. St. Patrick was grandfathered in.

by: neuro_nurse

03-17-2009 @ 9:41pm

If I was dead & canonized I'd be the Patron Saint of Nitpicking.

See piccolaserenata8's comment below. St. Patrick was grandfathered in.

by: BuckeyeDon

03-18-2009 @ 12:21am

Yes, God through Jesus Christ makes all who believe on him saints. That's in the New Testament after all, and all Christians (including Catholics--big "c") believe that. But individuals who lived noteworthy lives in the faith have always been held up as examples to other believers; this practice has existed since the beginning of the Christian church.

No religious group makes anyone a saint. God does. But the Christian church can and does honor the memory of individual Christians, just as we do in our own communities and families. One does not have to be Roman Catholic (big "c") in order to recognize the exemplary lives of many of the saints that they honor, or to try and live by their example. Non-Catholic Christians also have their honored "saints," even though they may not be given that title officially. Just think of "heroes of the faith" that you may have learned about in Sunday school, or who may have been preached about in your own church. How is that different in substance from calling them saints?

by: BuckeyeDon

03-18-2009 @ 12:21am

Yes, God through Jesus Christ makes all who believe on him saints. That's in the New Testament after all, and all Christians (including Catholics--big "c") believe that. But individuals who lived noteworthy lives in the faith have always been held up as examples to other believers; this practice has existed since the beginning of the Christian church.

No religious group makes anyone a saint. God does. But the Christian church can and does honor the memory of individual Christians, just as we do in our own communities and families. One does not have to be Roman Catholic (big "c") in order to recognize the exemplary lives of many of the saints that they honor, or to try and live by their example. Non-Catholic Christians also have their honored "saints," even though they may not be given that title officially. Just think of "heroes of the faith" that you may have learned about in Sunday school, or who may have been preached about in your own church. How is that different in substance from calling them saints?

by: Joe_Allen_Doty

03-18-2009 @ 12:22am

CORRECTION HERE: Patrick's birth place was at "Banna Venta Berniae."

by: Joe_Allen_Doty

03-18-2009 @ 12:22am

CORRECTION HERE: Patrick's birth place was at "Banna Venta Berniae."

by: SisterMarie

03-18-2009 @ 11:49am

"But...what about the snakes?"

They all emigrated to America. you can see them every Sunday by turning on your TV.

by: SisterMarie

03-18-2009 @ 11:49am

"But...what about the snakes?"

They all emigrated to America. you can see them every Sunday by turning on your TV.

by: BuckeyeDon

03-18-2009 @ 12:13pm

...or any weekday, testifying before Congress about the large bonuses they gave out.

by: BuckeyeDon

03-18-2009 @ 12:13pm

...or any weekday, testifying before Congress about the large bonuses they gave out.

by: meurig

03-20-2009 @ 10:23pm

Personally I'm grateful to the Catholic church for bringing to our attention the lives of some of the great heroes of the faith in the past. It's always good be be able tor read about God transforming people towards greater Christlikeness.

But of course that's not going to stop me seeing the same thing in heroes that the Catholic church hasn't honored in this way, whether that's Wulfstan of Worcester or Conrad Grebel or Dirk Willems or George Fox or John Wesley or Thomas Clarkson or Rhys Howells or whoever.

If Rome's use of the word saint to mean some saints but not all of them is a stumbling block, it is surely a rather small one that is quite easy to jump over...

[Btw, I understand that several of the leaders of the Celtic church are recognised as saints by the Orthodox churches but not officially by the Catholic church.]

by: Mabon

03-21-2009 @ 11:32pm

The snakes idea comes from the term used for the Druid priests of Ireland and Old England. They were referred to as "Serpents of Wisdom." Yes, St. Pat is held responsible for driving the serpents off the island. Some accounts in Roman records say that the Druids were massacred at the Isle of Iona, some were exlied to Northern Scotland, but most were probably killed defending their religion against those who would call them heretics. Like most saints, the killing of non-Christians does not count against one's sainthood. As long as the killing is or was in the name of Jesus it is not frowned upon. Hmmm, I wonder what Jesus would say about that...

by: Mabon

03-21-2009 @ 11:32pm

The snakes idea comes from the term used for the Druid priests of Ireland and Old England. They were referred to as "Serpents of Wisdom." Yes, St. Pat is held responsible for driving the serpents off the island. Some accounts in Roman records say that the Druids were massacred at the Isle of Iona, some were exlied to Northern Scotland, but most were probably killed defending their religion against those who would call them heretics. Like most saints, the killing of non-Christians does not count against one's sainthood. As long as the killing is or was in the name of Jesus it is not frowned upon. Hmmm, I wonder what Jesus would say about that...

by: jeansuhas

04-14-2010 @ 8:00pm

"Invitation: Online debate on India-Brazil- South Africa (IBSA) Policy Dialogue Forum

In partnership with the Ideas for Development blog, the International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth (IPC-IG) is launching an online debate that will contribute with inputs for the forthcoming IBSA Academic Forum, which will be hosted by IPC-IG on 12-13 April in Brasilia, Brazil.

We invite you to participate in this discussion and reflect about the following issues:

- What is the role of the emerging countries in shaping world politics?

- How can India, Brazil and South Africa strengthen cooperation in key issues on the global agenda?

- In which ways an improved policy dialogue among developing countries can contribute to the implementation of effective policies towards the achievement of inclusive growth and human development?

Join us at: http://www.ideas4development.orgWe also invite you to visit the IBSA Academic Forum website, where you can find interesting papers, resources and breaking news. Visit: http://www.ipc-undp.org/ibsa"

by: jeansuhas

04-14-2010 @ 8:00pm

"Invitation: Online debate on India-Brazil- South Africa (IBSA) Policy Dialogue Forum

In partnership with the Ideas for Development blog, the International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth (IPC-IG) is launching an online debate that will contribute with inputs for the forthcoming IBSA Academic Forum, which will be hosted by IPC-IG on 12-13 April in Brasilia, Brazil.

We invite you to participate in this discussion and reflect about the following issues:

- What is the role of the emerging countries in shaping world politics?

- How can India, Brazil and South Africa strengthen cooperation in key issues on the global agenda?

- In which ways an improved policy dialogue among developing countries can contribute to the implementation of effective policies towards the achievement of inclusive growth and human development?

Join us at: http://www.ideas4development.orgWe also invite you to visit the IBSA Academic Forum website, where you can find interesting papers, resources and breaking news. Visit: http://www.ipc-undp.org/ibsa"