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Saint Patrick Was Larger Than The Myths

Dónal P. O'Mathúna

{Printed in the Columbus Dispatch on March 17, 2000, p. A12}

St. Patrick's Day is the Day of the Irish. For many, the celebration means little more beyond the parties and trappings visible each year at this time.
But growing up in Ireland, I learned wonderful stories of Patrick converting pagan Ireland to Christianity, defeating druids and kings with supernatural feats, turning himself into a deer to escape harm, banishing snakes from the country, and using the shamrock to explain that difficult doctrine, the Trinity: just as the shamrock is three leaves in one, God is three persons in one.

The incredible nature of these stories fascinated us as children, but later led us to question their credibility. Patrick became little more than a mythic hero who brought the Irish together. Historians now tell us these supernatural stories were legends written down centuries after Patrick died. They reveal little about the real Patrick. But two documents, verified as written by Patrick himself, provide evidence of a remarkable man from whom we still have much to learn.

Patrick's Confession is autobiographical. Written towards the end of his life, he explains why he came to Ireland as a missionary, and he thanks God for the people he has come to know and love. His letter to soldiers of a British leader named Coroticus denounces the attack of an Irish village by raiders, who probably came from Britain, close to Patrick's birthplace.

Ireland's Patrick was born a Briton and most likely grew up close to the border of England and Scotland. He had little time for the Christian faith of his comfortable family until Irish raiders kidnapped him.

At 16, he was made a slave in Ireland. For six years, he herded sheep on the mountains. Despite harsh conditions and terrible loneliness, Patrick became a man of deep faith. He remembered the God of his childhood who, he said, "protected and comforted me as a father does his son."

One day, he dreamed that a boat awaited him 200 miles away. He escaped and made his way home. His newfound faith led him to pursue a Christian education; he became a priest. But he couldn't escape the memories of Ireland. Another dream was filled with Irish voices calling him back to Ireland. How could he return to those who had robbed him of his youth? His relatives begged him not to go. Why should he care about these 'barbarians,' as the Irish were regarded?

Patrick's spirit of forgiveness cries out from his writings. His compassion drove him to share his reborn faith with his former captors. In perhaps 432, he returned to Ireland a bishop, and established a church in Armagh. Still today, that city is headquarters to both the Catholic and Protestant churches in Ireland. Tragically, the faith that allowed Patrick to forgive those who wronged him eludes many who follow in his tradition.

He knew his own faults, beginning his Confession with the words, "I, Patrick, a sinner . . ." He found forgiveness in God and remained thankful for all his blessings, not bitter over what he had lost. This humble man knew the major role he played in bringing Christianity to Ireland, but he gave God all the praise. Patrick's concern for others' welfare is his enduring, endearing legacy. He spoke up for the underprivileged, whether women, slaves, or the poor. He flared up in anger at Coroticus' soldiers who attacked an Irish village. His letter denounced his fellow countrymen's violence against those who had once made him a slave.

Patrick knew the power of forgiveness. Patrick could admit his own faults and limitations. He knew he needed forgiveness. And the forgiveness he received from God empowered him to forgive others, yet without overlooking their wrongs. Gratitude transformed his faith into active love.

Patrick's writings reveal a real person with whom we can relate. His life contained terrible tragedies and great successes. Pervading everything is his experience of God's caring presence and comfort and his loving concern for the underprivileged.

Little wonder, then, that his death on March 17 so long ago is remembered worldwide. How much better that world would be if people lived according to the values Patrick's life exemplified.