The Apostle of Ireland

The Feast day of St Patrick is a day of great celebration here in Canada and across the world. The figure of St Patrick continues to enliven and capture the imagination of many people. In order to ensure that this great Saint may not get lost amidst all the festivities we may ask, ‘what is the Church through the Liturgy saying to us about the figure of St Patrick? And what does his story teach us today?

Patrick was born in 385 in Roman Britannia in the modern-day town of Dumbarton, Scotland. His autobiographical Confession denotes the life of a fascinating man whose faith life deepened in the midst of great suffering.

Before he was a prisoner, Patrick’s Christian faith meant little to him. That changed during his captivity. His previously ambivalent faith galvanized and served to buoy him through those long, dark days. Once he returned to his homeland, Patrick became a priest and committed to his faith in earnest.

Guided by the mission, Patrick would come to be known as the “Apostle of Ireland.” He planted churches, the first one likely at a place called Saul, in Northern Ireland. Patrick went on to plant more churches as he crisscrossed Ireland. Some biographers claim definitively that Patrick used the shamrock as an object lesson to teach pagans about the Trinity, that God is one in essence and three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. There is no evidence, however, for such a claim.

The middle of March surely raises some significant facts about St. Patrick. Upon reflecting on historical evidences, this holiday should rather be known as an opportunity to tell people and share the story of St. Patrick.

Today, we remember Patrick best not in the legends and fables and not in the ways his holiday tends to be celebrated, but rather in literature.