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Even in the neighbouring kingdoms of England and Scotland , as a fo- reign writer affirms, this great Saint has, after the glorious Virgin Mother of God, been sin- gularly honoured and revered, A pity then it is, that we have known so liltle of her hitherto, and that our means of knowing much are still so scanty. We are not able to give more than a biographical sketch ; but the facts are so in- ^1 ■• W*' 8 THE LIFE OF ST. BIllDGID. tereslmg, and above all so edifying, as in some measure to compensate for their fewness. BIRTH OF ST. BiUDGIU — HER EARLY PIETY — SHE EMBRACES THE RELlCxIGUS STATE AND FOUNDS SEVE- RAL MONASTEIUES — HEU SAINTLY DEATH. i 1)4 About the year of our Lord io3, was St. Bridgid born. The place of her birth Avas To- chard or Taugher in the vicinity of Dundalk, though her illustrious father Dubtach, and her mother Brocessa or Brot^each, of the noble house of O'Connor, usually resided in Lein- ster. During her youth every attention, which parents of distinguished rank and eminent piety could employ, was assiduously paid to her education. Great things were expected from her ; during hei infancy her pious father had a vision, in which he saw men clothed in white garments pouring, as it were, a sacred un- guent on her head, thereby prefiguring her future sanctity. While yet very young, Brid- gid, for the love of Christ our Lord, whom she chose for her spouse and to whom she was m (L w n some ss. — SHE )S SEVE- was St. vas To- undalk, and her noble Lein- , which niinent paid to edfroui ler had ri white ed un- ng her , Brid- lom she he was THE LIFE OF ST. BlUDGlD. 9 closely united in heart and spirit, bestowed every thing at her disposal on his sulTering mpmbers, the poor, and was the edification of all who knew her. She was surpassingly beau- tiful ; and fearing that in consequence efforts might be made by her many suitors to dissolve the sacred vow by which she had bound her- self to our Lord, she besought him to render her deformed and to deprive her of that grace- fulness of person which had gained for her such admiration. Her petition was instantly heard, for her eye became swollen, and her whole countenance so changed, that she was permitted to follow her vocation in peace , and marriage with her was no more thouglU of. After a short interval , and when she was about twenty years old, * the young virgin made known to Maccaille , a bishop and a disciple of St. Patrick and who had seen over her head a pillar of fire, her determination to live only to Jesus Christ, her heavenly Bride- * T'ue agG of twenty years was that required by the Irish Church for making the monastic vows. 'it ■If. iO IHEL!FE OF Si. B.;ilJi;il>. groom, and he q liie approved of her pious re- solve , and consented to receive her sacred vows. On the appointed day the solemn cere- mony of her profession was performed after the manner introduced by ^t. Patrick, the bishop oft'ering up many holy prayers, and investing Bridgid with a snow-white habit and a cloak of the same colour, after she had put off lier secu- lar ornaments. While she inclined her head on this happy occasion to receive the saciel veil, a miracle of a singularly striking and impres- sive nature occurred ; that part of the wooden platform adjoining the altar on which she knelt recovered its pristine vitality, and put on, as all the bystanders witnessed, its former fjreenness and verdure, retaining it for a long time after. At the same moment Bridgid's eye was healed, and she became as beautiful and lovely as ever. i^]ncouraged by her example three or, as some say, eight other ladies made their vows with her, and in comphauce with the wish of the parents of these her new associates, the Saint agreed to found a religious residence ^!5 I HE J.IFt: OF M. UKlUlillt. I I for herself and them in the vicinity. A con- venient site having hcen fixed upon by the l)ishop, a convent, the first in Ireland, was erected upon it ; and in obedience to the pre- late Bridgid assumed the superiority. Her repu- tation for sanctify became greater every day, and in proportion as it was diffused throughout the country the number of candidates for ad- mission into the new monastery increased. The bishops of Ireland, soon perceiving the impor- tant advantages which their n^spective dioceses would derive from similar foundations, pro- cured that the young and saintly abbess should visit different parts of the kingdom and, as an opportunity offered, introduce into each one tb'^ establishment of her institute. While thus engaged in a portion of the pro- vince of Conna ight, a deputation arrived from Leinster to solicit the Saint to take up her resi- dence in that territory; but the motives which they urged wer'j human, and such could have no weight with Bridgid. She was insensible to every argument founded on friendship and fa- mily connections (for, as we have already said, i2 THE LIFE OF ST. BRIDGID. ! she wasof Leinsler descent, and had spent in that province a great portion of her youth) ; it was only the prospect of the many spiritual advantages that would result from compliance with their request ihat induced her to accede, as she did, to the wishes of the respectable bo- dy which had petitioned her. S(»nie time after, the Saint taking wilh her a number of her spi- ritual daughters, journeyed to Leinster, where they were received with many demonstrations of respect and joy, the people exulting at the great spiritual good which they were about to confer on the province. The site on which Kil- dare now stands appearing to be well adapted for a religious institute, there the Saint and her companions took up their abode. To ilie place appropriated for the new foundation some lands were annexed, the fruits of which were assigned to the little establishment. This dona- tion indeed contributed to supply the wants of the community, but still the pious sisterhood principally depended for their maintenance on the liberality of their benefactors. Mercy ha- ving grown up" with Bridgid from" her very m pent in Jth) ; it piritual pliance accede, ible bo- e after, li or spi ■ where trations 5 at the bout to ich Kil- idapted and her le place 1 some ;h were s dona- ^ants of terhood ince on rcy ha- 3r very THK LIFKOFST. BRIDGID. 13 childhood, she contrived out of Ihtir small means to relieve the poor of the vicinity very considerably, and when the wants of these in- digent persons surpassed her slender finances she hesitated not to sacrifice for them the mo- veables of the convent. On one occasion, when their distress was unusuafiy grievous, the spouse of Christ, imitating the burning charity ol St. Ambrose and other great servants of God, sold some of the sacred vestments that she might procure the mtins of relieving their necessities. She was very generous and hospitable too, par- ticularly to bishops and religious, and so humble that she sometimes attended the cattle on the land which belonged to her monastery. The renown of Bridgid's unbounded chari- ty drew multitudes of the poor and necessitous to Kildare; the fame of her piety attracted thither many persons of distinction also, who were anxious to soficit her prayers or to pro it by her holy example. In course of firae the number of these so much increased, (and what an additional proof does it not afford of the thirst for spiritual improvement indulged by ? .V 14 THli LIFE OF ST. BUlLLilU. our ancestors!) that it became necessary !o provide accommodation for I hem in (he neigh- bourhood of the new monastery, and thus was laid the foundation and origin of rhe town of Kildare. ' The spiritual exigencies of her community and of tliose numerous strangers who resorted to the vicinity having suggested to our Saint the expediency of procuring the locality to be erected into an episcopal See, she represented it to the prelates, to whom the consideration ot it rightly belonged. Deeming the proposal just and useful, Conlath, a recluse of eminent sanc- tity, illustrious by the great things which God had granted to his prayers, was at Bridgid's desire chosen the first bishop of the newly erec- ted diocese. In process of time it became the ecclesiastical ni(^tropolis of the province (o which it belonged, probably iii consequence o: the general desire to honour the place in which St. Bridgid had so long dwelt. Over all the I * Kildurc got lis iiainc IVoin tlicro J)i'ing a \ery liiii;li o;;k-ti'OC near St. Bridgid's haljitation, A'iV signilung coll, and ««;•. Ii« r Lord in the diviiio Kuchiirisl, and, iis ii woald soem, imniodialely after lier spirit [)as- sed forth, and went to possess liini in lh;ii heavenly country whore he is seen face to faa; and enjoyed without danu;er of ever losing hini. Iler body was interred in the church adjoining her convent, but was some time after exhu- med, and deposited in a splendid shiinc near the hv^h altar. Cogitosus, who lived two centuries later, thus describes the church which (hen con- tained this valuable treasure: "The church of Kildare enclosed an ample space of ground and was of a height proportioned to its extent. The building was divided into three compartments, each one of them remarkable for the vastness of its dimensions, yet by the ingenuity of the architect one roof, skilfully adapted, covered the entire. The eastern division of the structure terminated at North and South by two of its exterior w ills, while a wooden partition ex- tending to the Noith and South, and separated by asmall interstice from Iho eastern extremity of the church, formed the enclosure of the sanc- tuary. Adjoining the latter, and at its northern ,.f. I id, as ii )irit pas- iti that e to fuca ngbiiii. Liljoiniug V exlm- ncar lli»3 cnturies lien coii- 1 lurch of )uncl and cnt. The irtmenls, vastness ,y of the covered structure wo of its lition ex- separated 3xtrcmily the sane- northern ■"^ i THi: l.lFt OF 81. UUlltlin*. i9 and southern points, were two doors, by one of wliich the bishop andhis assistants entered to celebrate tlie lioly Mass and perform the oilier public offices; while by the othei the nuns were admitted on the days on which they were to receive the holy Communion. The nave of the church was again divided into two parts with separate entrances. One division was ap- propriated to the male portion of the congrega- tion, the other was exclusively reserved for females. The appearance of the edifice was very pleasing, continues the same author, by the number of windows distributed through the entire building. On the eastern extremity, the hmit of the sanctuary, was a variety of sacred images, which met the eye the very moment one entered the porch of the church, and the interstices w'ere filled up with suitable decora- tions. At both sides of the altar stood the sacred shrines of St. Bridgid and St. Conlath, which were adorned with a profusion of pre- cious metals, exquisitely wrought, studded with costly gems and stones of great price, and surmounted by diadems of gold and silver. ;| 20 THE LIFE OF ST. BRIDGID. types of the glory with which the Lord rewards his faithful servants." In the following (the 9'") century, tho country heinp; desolated by tho Danes, the re- mains of St. liridgid were removed in order lo secure them from irreverence, and being trans- ferred to Down were deposited in the same grave with those of the glorious St. Patrick. The Bridgidines, the order founded by this holy virgin and her most precious memorial, continued to flourish for centuries after her decease and gave many saints to Ireland. <*■ I rewards ury, tho 5S, the TV- [1 order to ing trans- the same . Patrick. 1 by this memorial, after her land. 4 THE LIFE OF ST. COLUMBA ABBOT, AND APOSTLi: OF THE NORTHERN PICTS. I •i J vl 1 i <«ini THE LIFE OF SAINT COLUMBA COLME OR COLUMRILLE. CHAFTKR 1. After having attempted to write the hfe of our ilkistrious St. Patrick, and that of his spi- ritual daughter St. Bridgid, the saintly patro- ness of Ireland, it is but meet and may be expected that we should also endeavour to fur- nish the biography of the holy Columba or Co- lumkille, who living almost in the same era, fdled with the same spirit and enclosed in the same shrine, has ever been deemed with them one of Erin's chief patrons, his name being in- terwoven with theirs in the reminiscences of Irish piety. J This Saint was born about the close of the ^ir;^| [II •III f ! ; 24 THE LIFE OF ST. COLUMBA, year 521 , so that as a spiritual star lie began to rise in the firmament of the Irish Church just as St. Bridgid had disappeared therefrom to shine in heaven. His birth and future emi- nence were predicted during the Hfetime of St. Patrick, perhaps by the holy Apostle him- self. By his father, Mancanava, the blood of the Nialls, princes of Tyrconnel, flowed in iiis veins; while by his mother, Aethena, who drew her origin from an illustrious family in Leinster, he was connected with Caithir, I he reigning monarch of Ireland. Previously to his birth a dream or vision of singular import admonished Aethena that her child was to be specially blessed by the Most High. While asleep one night, it seemed to her that an Angel approached, bearing in his hand a robe of unparalleled beauty, which having presented to her he after a short interval with- drew, and spreading it forth suffered the wind to carry it away. Disappointed at this sirange proceeding. Aethena anxiously inquired why she had not been permitted to retain this beau- teous garment, and her interrogatory was met ■& ■A^^ lie began (Ihurcli ^herefrom Iture emi- ifetime of lostle him- p blood of ^ed in his ena, who family in iaithir, I he r vision of a that her r the Most med to her n his hand ch having iivai with- d the wind lis strange iired why this beau- y was mo I oil COLUMKILLE, ABBOT. 25 by the reply that it could not be allowed to remain with her. Meanwhile and as the Angel spoke Aethena kept her eyes steadfastly fixed on the mantle which was now balanced in the fir- mament, and as it ascended lowards the heavens she perceived that its dimensions became so ex- panded that it extended over mountains, fo- rests and distant plains. The novelty and gran- deur of the spectacle increased her regret for the loss of so extraordinary and magnificent a costume ; but while feeling thus sadly, a voice consoled her with these words, '* Woman, grieve not, for thou shalt bring forth a son, who will guide innumerable souls to heaven and be counted among the prophets of the Most High. " This promise must surely have brought com- fort to Aethena ; our business is now to show- how it was fulfilled. In early youth, or we might perhaps say infancy, Columba, owing to the piety of his parents, was committed to the tutelage of the venerable priest by whom he had been purified in the waters of baptism. Even then the whole tenor of his conduct n. i: I " i ,1 26 THE LIFE OF ST. COLUMBA, showed how strongly imbued he was with reli- gious principles, for even then did he furnish presages of his future sanctity. *' From his very childhood,' says Adamnan his biogra- pher, " Columba was devoted to those exer- cises of piety which befitted his tender years ; and so holily solicitous was he for the preser- vation of spotless purity of mind and body, that by the superior sanctity of his manners, though dwelling upon earth, he was already ripe for heaven. " But it was not alone by the pious life of the saintly Columba that the special predilection of heaven in his regard was made manifest, by the exercise of his omnipotence too did our Lord display the extraordinary love with which he cherished him. It happened that while he waswithCruthenan,the holy priest who super- intended his education, this good ecclesiastic returning home one day after the discharge of some sacred function beheld, as he approached his dwelling, the house illuminated with a pure and serene Hght , and as he entered he saw over the head of his pupil, Columba, a -2 with reli- 3 furnish From his s biogra- lose exer- er years ; le preser- nd body, manners, IS already life of the redilection manifest, 00 did our with which while he vho super- ecclesiastic ischarge of ipproached ed with a entered he lolumba, a 2 OR COLUMKU^LE, ABBOT. 27 luminous globe of fire, as if suspended in the air, from which there was emitted a clear and steady radiance. Filled with amazement at this marvellous scene, the venerable man prostrat- ed himself on the floor and admired in pro- found silence this expressive indication of the spiritual efTulgence with which the soul of his favoured charge was illuminated by Heaven, Columba was singularly favoured in various ways , even whou still a little boy, he recited the psalms together with Brugacius, bishop at Rathenaigh, whither he had accompanied his preceptor, whom that prelate had invited to spend with him the Christmas festival. But the time had now arrived, when it became necessary to direct more particularly the attention of the young Saint to those stu- dies in which candidates for the sacerdotal ministry should be skilled ; and to afford him an opportunity of pursuing such learning with advantage he was transferred from the house of Cruthenan to the school of Moville, whose president was then St. Finnian, renowned among his countrymen for learning and sane- *l • It' 28 THE LIFE OF ST. COLUMBA , tity. In early life this holy man had had the good fortune lo be placed under the care of Colman and Cii^lan, two ecclesiastics of whom there is honourable mention in the ancient an- nals of Ireland ; by their advice he had passed over into Britain in order to prolit by the lec- tures which were delivered by iNennius at his seminary of Whitethorn; after some lime he returned to Ireland, and began to impart to the youth of his own vicinity that learning which he himself had journeyed so far to acquire. The fame of this new teacher soon spread through the island, and drew to his school numbers of the youth who aspired to the service of the altar. Columba, among other?, here devoted seve- ral years to sacred studies, and with all the success which had been anticipated. His pro- ficiency in evangelical perfection was equally rapid, so that he was soon raised lo the holy order of deaconship. While officiating in that character on one occasion, his ministry was honoured by Hea- ven in the following extraordinary manner, il M ll M j H fcJ iW Wii >»y »4i had the care of of whom icient an- ad passed J the lec- us at his time he )art to the ng which uire. The 1 through numbers ice of the oted seve- ith all the . His pro- is equally I the holy r on one by Hea- manner, OR COLUMKlLLr, ABBOT. 29 the miracle of Cana being renewed at his instance. When the bishop of the diocese on a certain morning was about tc celebrate the Eucharistic sacrifice, Coluniba, who was charg- ed with the care of the altar by his office, found thexf had no wine in the monastery, and that it could not bo procurod without conside- rable delay. Without more ado he went to a neighbouring fountain, and having filled a vessel, which he had taken with him, from its limpid source, he prayed that the Name of the Lord might be once more magnified by a re- newal of the wonder effected at the marriage- feast. He was heard; for on the instant the water again felt the power of the Divinity, and Columba full of rapture at the sight exclaimed, as he returned to the assembled clergy, " Here is wine, which our Lord Jesus has furnished for the celebration of his Mysteries !" When the period arrived which terminated the holy deacon's residence iu the monastery of St. Finniaa, feeling desirous of becoming still more perfect iu virtue and learning, he did not on leaving Moville return at once 30 THE LIFE OF ST. COLUMBA home, but for some time placed himself under the tuition of a certain master, nam^.'d Gernia- nus, who had recently come from a foreign country and had already acquired a high repu- tation in Ireland for piety and literature. The same special providence, which had hitherto watched over and illustrated the opening career of our Saint, still continued its loving caro of him. His new preceptor clearly saw that he was a cherished object of the divine predilection, having, among other proofs^ evidence that the Almighty on a certain occasion revealed to him the judgment which he was about to visit on a guilty individual. CHAPTER n. But the time at length came in which our Saint was to do great things for God, and to realize the projects which he had long conceiv- ed for promoting his glory. The fervent Columba was nowin his twenty-fifth year ; and perceiving from the example of the holy men 1 1 !1 '! I .elf under id Germa- a foreign ligh repu- lure. The d hitlierlo ling career ng caro of hat he was •edilection, ience that ►n revealed s about to which our od, and to ng conceiv- he fervent a year ; and B holy men 0R<;0MMKI1LK, ARBOr. 31 of his time, as well as of those who had already passed to a glorious immortality, that the great object which he had in view would be best attained by multiplying throughout the land monastic institutions, he determined on labour- ing for their establishment, that the edifying example of the members should be every- where felt ; their observance of evangelical perfecti-n invariably furnishing a powerful incentive to the national piety. Convinced that his native locahly had a stronger claim on his exertions in the good cause, to Tyrconnel did Columba wend his way to solicit from his princely relatives, still in power, a convenient site for a monastery, with as much of the adjoining land as might be deemed sullicient for its maintenance. He suc- ceeded : such a request was quite in accordance with the noble and generous spirit that has ever characterized true Irish piety; and the monastery was erected full soon on a gentle eminence adorned with a rich grove of majes- tic oaks, whence its derived its appellation of Doire Calgaich. When the internal economy nit 32 THE LIFE OF ST. COLUMBA, of the the new fabric was satisfactorily arrang. ed , when hymns of praise and canticles of joy were sung, and above all when the adorable Victim of our salvation was otfered within its sacred precincts, the holy founder prepared to visit other parts of the country to make them partakers of similar blessings. Dairmagh, now Durrough, was the next territory in which he erected a monastery; and here too were his elforls blessed Avilh most complete success, for in a short time this structure might complete with its parent-house at Tyrconnel in conferring great advantages on the community at large, as well as upon its immediate vicinity. The day was now at hand when Columba was to be elevated to the priesthood ; and how did he prepare to enter upon and receive so great a dignity? We may imagine something of the holy reverence, the angelic fervour, which he, who had been brought up in the shadow of the sanctuary, and inviolably faithful to his first grace, brought to the priesthood; his great interior lights, the result of his purity rrang- les of m the Dtfered junder itry to Ssings. le next asteiy ; with me this t-h0U3C ages on ipon [it iba was bow did so great 5 of the hichhe, adow of lI to his )od; his s purity OR COLLMKnJ.E, ABBOT. 33 of heart and strict union witli God, enabling him to see more clearly that none but Saints, or such as resolutely strive for the perfection of sanctity, are fit to stand before the Lord to minister in his sight, to interpose between him and his people, and, so to speak, " to make by the word of their mouth the sacred Body of the Incarnate Word . ' ' It was to Etchen, bishop of Meath, that the holy candidate had recourse for ordination. This prelate was descended from an illustrious family in Leinster, but he had stronger claims to the veneration of his countrymen than any which can be derived from a glorious ancestry. Etchen, notwithstanding his noble birth, was remarkable for apostolic simplicity, and emu- l.'jling the example of the iirst founders of the Catholic Church was distinguished for the practice of the most exalted virtues. Columba, on arriving at his habitation, found this hum- ble prelate at the plough, discharging during the hours which his episcopal functions left free the laborious duties of a husbandman. He was welcomed with all that kindness and 34 THEMFE OF ST. f.OLUMBA, charity whicli religion inspires, and having made known the object of his visit was duly ordained priest. Some of our anciunt writers assert that in commendatory letters from some of the bish- ops, which Columba produced on this occasion, there were instructions to Etchen to promote him not only to the priesthood, but even to the episcopacy, and that it happened throu*^!! some inadvertence on the part of thi; prelate that this was overlooked. When apprised of his mistake, he urged the new priest to per- mit him to supply the rite of consecration unintentionally omitted; but (lolumba, conceiv- ing that the occurrence was directed by divine providence, could not be prevailed upon to acquiesce, and formed the resolution, which he ever after faithfully kept, of remaifi- ing for life in the subordinate rank of the priesthood. After his ordination Columba returned to Durrough, and ere departing thence met with one of those trials, which are not wanting to prove the humility and meekness of the Saints I n 1 having vas duly rt that in the hish- , occasion, ) promote : ovcii lo i through thi! prelalc xpprised of est to per- msecration )a, conceiv- irected by mailed upon resolution, of remain- auk of the returned to ce met with wanting to 3f the Saints OR COLUMKILLE, ADBOT. 35 uf God, but which ended to his glory. The holy man, it seems, had adopted certain mea- sures regarding his monastery, which, being disapproved of by some of the neighbouring prelates, were deemed a necessary subject of inquiry at a synod then sitting in a place nam- ed Geisille, in the vicinity of Duf rough ; and the result of this inquiry was a resolution to visit the holy founder with an ecclesiastical censure. Apprised of the matter under debate, the Saint proceeded to the synod, which he reach- ed just as the prelates had determined lo impose upon him this severe punishment. As he entered, Brendan- abbot of Birr, an eccle- siastic of high character and great influence, rose to salute and welcome him, which was at once protested against by the bishops, it being, they said, a great impropriety to show any mark of attention to a person whom the council had condemned. ** Ah, " replied the abbot, **had you seen what the Lord has been pleased to manifest to me to-day regarding this his elect whom you aie censuring, you would not have :& 36 THE LIFE OF ST. COLUMBA, passed (hat sentence. Wrong it is, and the Lord by no muans excommunicates him in virtue thereof, but rather more and more exalts him. " The synod was surprised at this remonstrance of holy Brendan, and at once the individuals composing it, each and all, anxiously inquired *n what manner God had manifested his appro- bation of Columba and his measures. The good abbot then informed them that, while the Saint was on his way to the council, ht saw a lumi- nous pillar preceding him and blessed Angels accompanying him through the plain. *' I dare not therefore, " he continued, '* treat him with disrespect, fovl see that he is a man preordain- ed by God to be the guide of nations to eter- nal life." This extraordinary aimouncement, made by a witness whose sanctity was incon- testible, induced the council to reconsider the proceedings which they had adopted against Columba, and the result was so favourable that without further delay the sentence of excor munication was reversed, and each per- son present emulated his brother in treating OK COLUMKILLE, ABBOT. 37 with respect and veneration /^jm whom the King of heaven had chosen so to honour. After leaving Durrough, which took place immediately, it would seem, on the dissolution of the synod, our holy Columba exercised his zeal by erecting monasteries in several parts of the kingdom, similar to those already esta- blished in Durrough and Tyrconnell. The rule which he gave to his monks has not been transmitted to us by any Latin writer, and the Irish copies of it which have been preserved have hitherto eluded the skill of the most patient antiquary, \enerable Bede, in va- rious parts of his works, has borne most ho- nourable testimony to their virtue. In glowing eolours he paints their chastity, their poverty, and their obedience, the essential virtues of the monastic state, as well as their patience and in- defatigable efforts to attain the summit of Christian perfection. No motives save those of charity could induce them to leave their cells, except at the hours appointed for religious du- ties and manual labour. If they ever appear- ed in public, it was to reconcile enemies, :i»a iM m m n ? 7! M mm 38 THE LIFE OF ST. COLUMBA, to instruct the^ ignorant, to extirpate vice and plead the cause of the unfortunate. That much of their time was devoted to prayer and contemplation there is good reason to believe, as well as that their repasts were few and exceedingly austere, their holy foun- der himself being of such mortified habits that his fast was continual and that when he repo- sed the floor was his bed and a hard stone his pillow. H'e must moreover have taught his children to love well that prop, that necessary bulwark, that sine qua non of the monastic state, holy silence, except in time of recreation, or when duty or necessity required the contra- ry ; otherwise the happy consequences which resuhed, the glorious fruits which were pro- duced by his conventual estabhshments, would never have consoled his piety and crowned his labours. Unhappily for the glorious cause in which St. Columba was so engaged, the party feuds and dissensions which disturbed the peace of his own kinsfolk interfered with the ulterior designs which his zeal meditated. So Ions as •1 "I OR COLI'MKILLt, ABBOT. 39 he could hope that his influence would conduce to the termination of the hostilities carried on between the chieftains and princes of his fa- mily, he was willing to labour for the restora- tion of union and peace ; but when the contin- ued renewal of contests and disputes, which he thought had been composed by his deci- sions, taught him how unavailing had been his efforts, he resolved to leave Ireland and thus set aside a hindrance which could not fail to mar his exertions in the cause of Heaven. The northern parts of Britain presented at this juncture many attractions to induce the Saint to select that region as a lit theatre for his future labours. On the northern Picts the light of the Gospel had not yet shone. It is true that the Scots, a neighbouring colony from Ireland, professed Christ anity; but the glo- ries of religion had been almost shorn of their splendour, and it required an apostolic zeal to reinvest them with all their interest, and to rekindle the sacred fire now slumbering under the embers of sinful indiii'erence. ■M 40 THE LIFE OF ST. COLUMBA, The prospect of rescuing the Picts from their idolatry, and of reviving among the Scots, connected with him by the ties of kindred and country, the fervent piety which so pre emi- nently distinguished their common ancestry, afforded, though fraught with difliculty, the purest pleasure to the sonl of Columba ; and this pleasure was heightened by the hope, that in this region also be might bo able to diffuse those monastic institutions which had so much benefited Ireland, and had become its pride and glory. In the vicinity of that part of ('aledonia, where St. Cobmiba chose to begin his new ca- reer, there is a cluster of isles known at the present day by the name of The Hebrides. These isles, or at least some of them, seem to have then been subject to the prince, who rul- ed over the Scottish colony which had settled in Caledonia. The sequestered site of the He- brides admirably adapted them for the seclu- sion of (he monastic life ; and in such a retreat, as they afforded, the Saint felt convinced that the followers of his institute might devote OR COLIJMKILLE, ABBOT . 41 themselves most freely to (he holy exercises of the cloister. His connection with Conall, the sovereign of the aforesaid colony, (for Conall, like Co- lumba, was lineally descended from the Dalra- dian dynasty,) gave reason to hope that he might obtain permission to found a monastery in one of these islands. He sought it, and was successful. Hy, the smallest of them, now dis- tinguished by the name of Icolmkille, was generously bestowed upon him by the prince for his use and that of his children in Christ. Taking twelve of these with him Columba sailed from Ireland, and the weather proving propitious all safely arrived at Hy of the Hebrides. The great things operated there for God deserve a new chapter. CHAPTER IH. The first care of Columba and his monks, on arriving at their destination, was to erect a mo- nastery and build a church. A period of nearly two years seems to have been engrossed in the r 111 Mvl I ■■< 42 THK LIFE OF ST, COLLMBA, completion of these undertakings, and in the settlement of disciplinary matters connected with the new establishment. When these were arranged, I he Saint proceeded to execute his purpose of evangelizing the Picts , who occupied all that part of Scotland northward of the Grampian mountains. No mission- ary had as yet appeared in this inhospitable clime; the formidable 'carrier, which separat- ed its inhabitants from their soulhern neigh- bours, hitherto [)re venting the glad tidings of salvation from being wafted to their coast. The work seemed reserved for our own Co- lumba ; and to it he went, accompanied by a few only of his disciples, wiih all the zeal and firmness which over characterizes the truly apostolic man. The news of his arrival having reached the earsof Brude,the sovereign who held dominion in these parts, he shut himself up within the walls of the royal residence at Inverness, ho- ping there to remain undisturbed from the intrusion of the man of God. Fearing however, that the sohcitude of the latter for his conver- the lected [these Jcuto who OR COLUMKILLE, ABBOT. 4-3 sion should prove superior to this precaution, he moreover issued orders that, if the Saint approached, the palace-gates should be closed against him. The apprehensions of the prince were realized ; for, anxious to obtain the regal sanction, the royal mansion was the first place which Columba visited. Finding on his arrival that the very posterns were secured against him, and that all access toBrude was denied, the Saint nowise dismay- ed, (calling to mind this promise of his divine Master, " Amen I say to you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard-seed, you shall say to this mountain. Remove from hence ; and it shall re- move; and nothing shall be impossible to you,") fearlessly advanced to the palace-gate, and im- pressed upon it the sacred sign of the cross ; whenio ! by the power of him, who dying for us thereon shivered " the brazen gates" and burst the chains ol satan, the royal portals yielded on the moment and expanded widely, to the ama- zement of the pagan bystanders. This was suffi- cient ; confounded at ^ * the power which was given to" the holy missionary, the monarch rll I m i ill Vi. :.f ' ;'i!i 'i II 44 IHK LIFE OF ST. COLUMBA, came forth attended by all the members of his council, welcomed him with every r^emons- tration of kindness and respect, gave him all the permissions he required, and never failed in their after-intercourse to evince the courtesy displayed at this first meeting. The ministers of the national superstiiicii were the only persons from whom the mis« sionaries had now any reason lo fear opposition, and they gave it ; for, despite of the sanction of the king, they used every artifice to render unavaihng the labours of the saintly men. An entire family being converted by the blessed Columha to the Christian faith, their deadly hatred was so provoked that they were dispos- ed to view with pleasure any misfortune befalling its individual members. To their great joy one of the children grew sick and died soon after baptism, which they at once proclaimed to be the punishment of its parents' apostacy, and a certain proof of the superiority of the potency of their gods over the God of the Christians. Columha being apprized of this cir- cumstance , and fearing for the faith of his on COLUMKILLE, ABBOT. 45 neophytes, repaired without delay to their abode. On arriving there, he first endeavoured to console the sorrowing parents by enlarging on the divine power, and by exhorcing them to look with confidence for relief to the one true God; he next proceeded to the room where the body of the deceased lay, and obliged all to with- draw while he poured forth his prayer to God for the restoration to life of the departed child. At the close of his fervent orison, directing his eyes towards the hfeless remains, he exclaimed, " In the name of the Lord Jesus arise, and stand upon thy feet. " The command was obey- ed, the child was instantly restored to life, and the Saint taking him by th;' hand led him to the apartment in which his parents disconso- lately remained. We may guess but cannot tell their joy and their gratitude. Surely now they blessed the hour in which they embraced Christianity, and were more strongly confirmed in the belief of its mysteries : the people too assembled in crowds to witness the wonder which Columba had wrought ; they testified by ■ I' *; 'f ■ V . I •li - ■ 'I i 'Him: ■ f J it mm 46 THE LIFK OF ST. COLLMBA, their acclamations their praleful acknowledg- ments to him, and their faith in the omnipo- tence of the God whom he came to preach unto them . The interests of his monastery at Hy reqnir- cd that the Saint should occasionally interrupt his apostolic lahours in Pictland in order to revisit it. However, his stay was very short, being prolonged only as much as was absolute- ly necessary for the infant establishment : for. as soon as it was possible, he lore himself from his dear religious to resume his mission. And what a sacrifice of self, even in its viim- mum and apparently lawful form, was here! That Columba would have preferred commu- ning with God in the seclusion of the cloister, and governing that little and most peaceful flock committed to his care, was but natural ; but, like all saintly '* hooded men," he only thought of subjecting nature to grace, knowing full well that, when we leave God /or God, we are most certain of finding him. It cannot be doubted that St. Columba's zealous exertions were crowned with great j! • < mipo- uiUo OR COLUMKILLb:, ABBOT. 47 success, Ihcvasl majority of the inhabitants of Pictland being gained over to the belief and I ractice of the Gospel. Even during bis first visit there, he was enabled to erect some few churches and religious houses, and to appoint spiritual instructors for the religious wants of fhe new converts and for propagating during his occasional absence the holy (>atholic faith. Who these were we are not aware, the event being but imperfectly recorded. It is said that our Saint penetrated into the Orkney Isles, and with some success ; but of his proceedings there we know little. Of those which took place in the Hebrides or Western Islands, (which he also blessed with his pre- sence, frequently visiting them, indefatigably preaching in them, supplying them with mis- sionnaries, erecting churches and founding religious communities.) there is more extant. Among these islands, Hymba, where he esta- blished a monastery, over which after some years he placed his maternal uncle, Erwan, seems to have been his favourite retreat, just as Sabhal or Saul, in our own green isle was ., 4' «:i: m > I • 'I I ilk ;ii;» • fM 18 THE LIFE OF ST. COLl MBA, that of his fj;loui'ious and saintly progenitor in the faith, St. Patrick. On various occasions, and at different intervals, he made it his abode. There it was visited by four holy that he was founders of monasticism in Ireland— by (^om- gall, Cainncch or (lanice, Brendan of Clonfert, and Cormac Hua Liathain: -there while he was celebrating Mass for them, Brendan a very bright tlame like a burning pillar rising from his head, which continued from the mo- ment of the consecration to the termination of the sacred mysteries. It was there also, that on another occasion he had some extraordi- nary celestial visitations, which lasted for three days and three nights consecutively. There were several monasteries also founded by him- self, or in virtue of his obedience by his disciples, in an island called Ethica, one of which was governed by Baithen who subse- quently succeeded him in the abbacy of Hy. While thus engaged, the Saint was at times obliged to exert himself in defence of the new converts against certain marauders, who jS .V ! OR COM.MKIM.i;, ABBOr. 49 though nominally Christian (iracliscd the illicit trade of plundering. On one occasion he proceeded to excommunicate some of the le.i- ders, who were members of the royal house of the British Scots; but he did so at the risk of his life for one of their partisans rushed upon him with a spear, but providentially without cflect. Adamnan says, thai the name of this assassin was Lamli-dess or Right hand; and that on his advancing against Columba, Findulgan, a monk of Ifymba, where this transaction occurred, being clothed in an outer garment of the Saint, threw himself between him and Lamh-dess, who, notwithstanding he used all his might, was not able to transfix it. The apostoUc labours of St Columba were not confined to the territories of the Picts and Western Islanders, he superintended also the ecclesiastical affairs of the British Scots, and formed some religious establishments in their kingdom. One of them near Loch- A we in Argyle was governed by one of his monks named Cailten, of whom it is related, that he died at Hy, the parent-house if we may so call •if \. ■ ;(!. \ liH) ii m W U'lf ,1 : 50 THE LIFE OF ST. COLUMBA, it. The holy abbot Columba, foreseeing that the death of this monk was nigh, sent for him that he might give him his blessing, as being in some sort necessary to his terminating his course iu the true spirit of monastic obedience. In traversing the southern part of this king- d'^m, our Saint visited St. Kentigern, bishop of Glasgow, and spent with him a few days. Nor is it improbable that he visited South Britain, then possessed by the Anglo-Saxons, for there were Christians of that nation in Hy before his death, converted in all probability by himcelf or his disciples. Meantime he did not neglect to watch vigi- lantly over his other monasteries, not onlv those in Scotland and the isles, but also thobe which he had founded in his own dear and more cherished land. Thither did he often send messengers on business connected with his monasteries or with other pious objects. On one occasion he dispatched to Clogher in all haste Lugaid Laithir, one of his monks, (whom Adamnan calls his legate by excellence,) with a box containing a benediction, which v/hen OR COLUMKrrr.E, ABBOT. 51 dipped in water was to cure the saintly vir- gin Mangina, whose limb was broken at her returning from the holy mysteries ; which it did most effectually, and instantly on its appli- cation. St. Columba was frequently visited by persons from Ireland, who were either his former friends, or who wished to become so, or who desired to receive his advice on various matters. These and all other strangers he receiv- ed with the greatest kindness and treated most hospitably. Besides the holy men already men- tioned, (iOlumbanus, bishop in the province of Leinster, came to see him. The holy abbot conceived a great friend- ship for this prelate, so that, being apprized of his death by revelation he gave orders in the morning that the monks who were preparing for their respective occupations should refrain from work on that day; and when all was ready for the holy mysteries, the whole com- munity, clothed in white garments as on a Sunday, proceeded to the church along with the Saint. When the choir had come to a part ':m i: r ■} ;i r ) ' f ■! > B ' ', 'ml 1 52 THE LIFE OF ST. COLUMBA, of the service, in which the name of St. Martin used to be commemorated, the saintly abbot cried out, " To day you must sing for the ho- ly bishop Cjlambanus;" and thus they became informed of his death. Another visitor of St. ('olumba's was Aidan a very rehgious man, who had lived twelve years with St. Brendan of Clonfert. On the day before his arrival the Saint said to the brethren, ** We intend to fast to-morrow as usual, because it will be Wednesday; but, iu consequence of the arrival of r itranger, the fast will be broken." The event vci-V.d the pre- diction. Aidan did arrive; and St. Columbas dispensation with so holy an ordinance, ob- served by the whole Irish Church, establishes his claim to great prudence and discretion. We shall mention but one more of those visitors, namely, Gronan, a Munster bishop, who thro'"5h humiHty did all that he could to prevent its being know that the belonged to the episcopal order. Not having yet understood that he did, Columba desired him on the Sun- day to celebrate Mass, ''Christi Corpus ex I J OR COLLMKILLE, ABBOT. 53 more couficere.'' He did so ; and when he came to the division of the consacred Host, he called upon Columba to join him as a priest in break- in" the Lord's bread , Ut simul quasi duo presbyter i Dominicum panem franyerent. Co- ming up to the altar and looking him in the face, the Saint said, * 'Christ bless thee, brother ; do thou alone break it according to the epis- copal rite, for now we know thou art a bishop. Why hast thou hitherto endeavoured lo con- ceal thyself, so as not to Ipt us pay thee that veneration which we owe thee? That Columba was held in the highest vene- ration, as well by the clergy and people as by the monarchs of his time both in Ireland and Britain, is too well known to require proof. A very remarkable instance of it occurs in his having been the person applied to for inaugu- rating or, as his biographers express it, ordani- ing Aidan, king of the British Scots, after the death of Conall ; with which request he com- plied not until after being commanded by an Angel, preferring much Ihat Eugene, Aidan's brother, should sway the sceptre. M Ui'"^ J5 M m 54 THE LIFE OF ST. COLLMBA, \'' :|i:iij He subsequently became very friendly to- wards the latter ; and for his sake chiefly it was that ho assisted at the assembly of Drum- ceat in Ireland, wherein some differences be- tween him and Aidns, the supreme monarch of the green isle, were to be adjusted. This was the last of the several visits with which our Saint favoured the land of his birth, and it its referred to the year 590. He was accompanied by some of his monks together with his royal friend ; and having after a stormy passage en- tered lough Foyle and landed near the mouth of the river Roe, they proceeded to Drumceat to meet the stales-general of the kingdom. Aldus, at first rather insolent and disrespect- ful towards St. Columba, changed his tone al- together, when he found that he came only to estabhsh peace between him ?ind the king of the British Scots. The respective claims of the royal opponents were simply these : Aidan, the Scottish mon- arch, asserting a hereditary right to the sove- reign ty of Dalrieda in Antrim, demanded that the inhabitants of that territory should be re- OB COLJMKiLLK, ABBOT. 55 lieved from the tribute paid by the other Irish principalities to the supreme monarch; while, on the other hand, Aid us contended that, as the aforesaid territory formed a part of his realm, it could not be exempt from the subsidy required from the several states of the king- dpm by him and his succesors in the monar- chy. The decision of the matter being at length referred to St. Columba, he, feeling unwilling to pronounce upon it, advised that it should be submitted to St. Colman, a person deeply skill- ed in civil as well as ecclesiastical lore. St. Col- '^an decided for x\id us; but, to heal the dis- sensions which had arisen, he proposed that a solemn covenant should be entered into between him and Aidan to render mutual assistance, the one to the other, against any enemy who might invadi; their respective dominions. This proposal was received with joy, and being entered into, gave general sa- tisfaction. Another subject of no small national impor- tance was subsequently discussed. The bards I :f 56 IHJi LIFE OF ST. COLtMBA, had incurred the displeasure of Aidus and several leading members of the national coun- cil, being, as it was said, a proud and venal order who bestowed praise on, or loaded with censure, the nobles and other great men not according to merit, but just as they were prompted by passion or interest. Their fate seemed decided, their proscription was about to be determined on, when our saintly abbot, who, at the same time that he protested against such an abuse, slill loved like a true patriot the institutions of his country, claimed tolera- tion for the sons ofsonrj. He pleaded their cause so successfully, that the assembly contented itself with limiting their number and obligini; them thenceforward to observe certain regu- lations. The assembly being dissolved, our good St. Columba prepared to leave Drumceat; but, before he set out, his piiy for the sufferings of Scanlan, prince of Ossory, detained in prison by Aidus for somepoHtical cause, induced him to petition for his release. Though disposed to receive favourably any request from such a OR COLOIKILLE, ABBOT. 57 holy man, the fearsor perhaps the prejudices of the monarch against the unfortunate prince prevented his acquiescence; so, perceiving that further interference would not avail, Co- lumba consoled the royal captive with the assurance that he should survive his imperial master, and be restored to, and govern for many years, his native princedom. From Drumceat St. Columba proceeded to transact business far more to his mind, and according to his spirit, the visitation of his mo- nasteries. The number which he visited on this occasion we cannot ascertain. To that of Derry, as lying within a short distance of Drumceat, he undoubtedly went ; as also to that of Dur- rough, his favourite, then governed for him by Lasrean. In this latter he remained even for some months, arranging various disciplinary matters ; during which time he visited AHthe- abbot of Clonmacnois, who, with his rus whole community and the people of the sur- rounding country, received him with all man- ner of respect and veneration. Having accomplished the business which ■*' i!i' 58 THE LIFE OF ST. COLIMBA, took him to Ireland, the Saint set out for his adopted country, and, making the northern part of I Ister his way, had an interview with St.Comgail of Bangor, and another with Conall, bishop of Coleraine. * Taking shipping soon after, he sailed for Hy, where he landed in safety. CHAPTER IV. ,', I M ■) ?.'. Not small, we may suppose, was the joy ot the community at Hy on beholding once more in the midst of them their dear father in Christ: nor was his own less. It must indeed have been consohng to him to find himself once more in the calm seclusion of his cloister, after the noisy world whence he had just emerged. To hear again the vesper-peal and matin-toll in the still midnight, to view at golden prime the angehc features of those meek otieSf to whom the Lord, for whom they had left all, had 'M iliiii * In the infancy of the Irish Churr h it was usual to ;ippoinl bishops over small districts, so that the number of Irish Sees was then very numerous. OH COLLAIKILLE, ABBOT. 89 given tbe inheritance of the land. Truly our Saint could better relish those delights on re- turning from the external world, as things are better appreciated by contrast. It was now the year of our Lord 393, and thirty years had our earth performed her revo- lution round the brilliant orb wliich illumines her, since Columba had settled in that lonely and sequestered isle. He had often prayed to the Most High that at the termination of such a period he might pass from this exile, and he now looked with confidence for the grant of his request. But while indulging in this delightful anticipation , blessed Angels were sent to ap- prise him that, in consideration of the prayers poured forth by the British and Scottish churches, it was decreed in heaven that he shouldy et remain four years more on earth. The tidings cost him many tears, but they were accompanied with perfect submission to the divine will ; the blessed man at once renounced his anxiety to he then dissolved and go to Christ, since such was his good pleasuro. With greater earnestness than ever did he I i'-i.i ;ij ;;.i -i II. u i y !(i CO THE LIFE OF ST. COLDMBA, now labour lo consummate his perfection, and attain more and greater sanctity. We have aheady spoken of his corporal austerity ; but this is only one virtue ; Columba was eminent in all. One thing particularly distinguished him, great cheerfulness of countenance and mildness of disposition : and this is no small matter ; for nothing edifies us more than that those, who profess to serve God , should be cordially sweet and amiable to men. Columba too was a great lover of labour; he knew not what it was to be unemployed, but continually occupied himself, when not engrossed by missionary duties, in ** praying, reading, writing, and in doing something for the common good." And these were greater things, than the gifs of pro- phecy and miracles which he possessed in an eminent degree. At length the four years , which were lu terminate the labours of the holy man, were drawing to their close. It was Saturday, the 8th of June, and with that calm serenity and imperturbable peace with which Saints die, Columba, attended by Diermit, one of his IS m'? OR COLUMKILLE, ABBOT. 61 monks, proceeded to examine if ihere was sufli- cient corn in the granary to supply his dear t'hildren with bread until the new harvest should be reaped. Having discovered that there was, he blessed the barn, and being quite satisfied that all his obligations to the brethren were now fulfilled, he revealed to Diermit with an injunction of secrecy that his hour was come, and that he should be called out of life before the next day had dawned. The monk thereupon besought him to impart his benediction to the monastery; he complied, standing on the sum- mil of an adjoining eminence. He then returned to his poor cell, and conti- nued transcribing a portion of the Holy Scrip- ture* until the bell summoned all to choir. I' 9 i (' ill :A:r * Transcrihing holy books was a favourite occupation of St. Columba. He left behind him 100 manuscripts, says A. Butler. (Lives of the Saints, 9th June.) "The celebrated Book of Kells is the autograph of St. Columba, and consists of a copy of the four Gospels. One of the first paintings in this wonderful volume, (for there are several, all proving that even in the Gth centur} we had in Ireland a style of illumination peculiarly national, ond for the ago uf no small merit,) is the Blessed Virgin with our infant Saviour in her arms, a halo of glory round her head, and Angels above her. In the last page is written, I beseech thy Blessedness, holy Presbyter Patrick, t lint whosoever iiolds this book mav remember Cohimha."— Dublin Reriew, June, 1846. 4 :« 1 62 THKLIFK OF ST. COLLMB.V, i r ' V • >l V:;'; ns '■I : I when, closing the last page with the apprcpriate verso, Inquirentes autem Dominum non cfc/i- ment omni bono. - ''They who seek the Lord shall not want any good," (Ps. 33)— he said, Lei Haithen (his successor in the abbacy) fmish the resty and then proceeded to the church with the rest of the community. The devotions being ended, he returned to his cell, and there reclin- ing on his rocky couch, delivered some instructions to Dierrait to bo communicated to the brethren. At midnight the tol''-r.g of the bell summoned thb monks again to prayer, and the holy abbot, the first to responu to the call, was already in the church and in earnest prayer before any one had arrived. Diermit was the first who appear- ed, and he found the Saint with his strength rapidly declining quite absorbed in God as he lay before the altar. In an iristani all the monks were*assembled about him, and t;itlerly bewailed their loss. The holy man had s(ill sutlicient strength left to recognise then), and looking upon them with " his brow" irradiated by** heaven's own smile, he with Diermit's hel to Su to rcpriaie on dtfi- le Lord aid,/:ei nish the 5h with i being reclin- 1 some lated to uuoned ^ abbot, eady in my one ippear- rength 1 God aJl the >itlfcrly id slill i>, and diated Tmit's on COLUMKILI.E, ARBOI . 63 help raised bis rigbt hand, uiid thus impailed to them his last benediction. Soon after, on Sunday morning, the 9th of June he passed to a glorious immortality. For three days and as many nights tho obsequies of St. Columba were unremittingly celebrated, and at the close of that time his sacred remains were with all religious solem- nity deposited in the tomb. His memory was for ages most dear to the northern nations ; his monastery was selected for the sepulchres of the kings of Ireland, Scot- land, and Norway ; and the provincial bishops, though preserving in their episcopal functions the superiority of their rank, submitted in other points to the mandate of the abbot of Hy, as the legitimate successor of St. Columba. Singular honour this, and unparalleled in Church History ; but far greater honour did the Saint receive, and greater bliss does he now enjoy, in the glorious kingdom of which holy David said, Satiabor cum apparuerit gloria tua — '* I shall be satisfied when thy glory shall appear. " (Ps. 16.) m li I fill ftHHl h V n TRANSLATION OF THE RELICS OF ST. PATRICK, ST. BRIDGID AND ST. COLUMBA. During the incursion of the piratical Danes in the ninth century, the holy remains of St. Bridgid were for security transferred from Kildare to Down, and deposited with those of St. Patrick; and soon after Si. Coluriba's sacred relics were removed from Hy and laid in the same resting-place. The memory of this event was indeed long and faithfully preserved, but gradually the remembrance of the precise spot in which the holy remains lay became obliter- ated both from the minds of clergy and people; perhaps because originally the knowledge of the circumstance was for greatc security confined to a few. The extraordinary veneration entertained for this saintly trio by the glorious St. Malachy, who occupied the primatial See of Armagh in the year 1136, made him desirous to dis- cover their hallowed tomb ; and as every means devised by his ingen'^ity for procuring such l^<' RIDGID, Danes, as of St. ed from those of s sacred d in the is event 'ved, but cise spot i obliter- l people; owledge security lined for lalachy, fVrmagh to dis- f means ig such THE LIFE OF ST. COLUMBA, 65 information had proved unavailing, and as human exertion had failed, he had recourse to omnipotent prayer, and with a holy importunity besought our Lord lo reveal to him what he was so anxious to know. He washeard; for, after having persevered for some time in urging this pious request, on a certain night while still com- muning upon it with God in the church, a ray of light resembling a sun -beam was seen by him tupass along Ihe sacred edifice until it reached a particular spot, when it ceased to advance. Convinced that the divine Majesty had appoint- ed this means of enlightening him on what he was so much interested in, the holy primate had the place dug up, and when the earth was removed, the bodies of the three blessed Saints were discovered in the same grave. When ex- humed, Malachy had them deposited in new coffins, and and once more enclosed in their sepulchre. On learning the circumstance from the holy prelate, De Courcy, lord of Down, concurred with him in sending deputies to the Holy See to solicit permission from the Pope to deposits ii f 'i 'f S" 4 ill :*.i ■ d m '^ t. 66 THE LIFE OF ST. C0LIJM3A. the sacred relics more honourably, and to re- move them to another part of the church. Urban HI. then filled St. Peter s Chair, and havin'^ personal knowledge both of St. Malachy and De Courcy, he instantly ordered Vivian, car- dinal priest of St. Stephen's, to proceed to Ireland to assist at the celebration of the intend- ed ceremony. He did so ; and on the appoint- ed day the 9"' of June, the Feast of St. Coluniba, the translation took place with the usual solemnities, the venerable remains being interred in the place prepared, in the presence of fifteen bishops and a numerous assemblage of priests. To preserve the memory of this coiisolinj^ event it was immediately decreed that the an- niversary of the translation should be thence- forward kept as a solemn festival throughout Ireland, which decree has long since, for just roasons we presume, ceased to be in force. il t bbb ,,-;t ,;^ 1 Hi'^ ^■^MF''' to lii r ■' n: ^' %- ■fcr.. m! . i i.:. id lo re- Ji- Urban d having tchy and ian, car- oceed to e intend- appoinU of St. vith the IS being )»'eseiice 3mblage nisoling the an- theiice- •ughout ie, for be in LIFE OF SAINT MALACHY ARCHBISHOP OF ARMAGH. m w I'M J W( th se tic ns at dc P' Pl V i LIFE OF SAINT MALACHY ARCHBISHOP OF ARMAGH. CHAPTER I. Ireland was converted to Christianity , as we have seen, in the fifth century. During the three succeeding centuries it was the principal seat of learning in Christendom. This distinc- tion was owing to the apostolic lives of the native ecclesiastics, who were never known to abuse the great immunities and secular en- dowments conferred on them by the Irish princes. This change from idolatry to the Gospel took place when the Roman empire in tho West was torn to pieces, and when pagan nations were seizing on the greater part of Europe. Providence, ever watchful over the Church, I fi il I ■4.: ielt. "r 70 LIFE OF ST. MALACHY. erected in that remote island an ar>ylum for its repose and extension. For three hundred years the Catholic youth of the Continent flock- ed thither to be instructed in the science of the Saints, and in the literature which leads to it. In the ninth century however, the Holy Isle began to feel the grievances, which followed the invasion of the sanctuary in other countries. It was infested in its turn by heathen barba- rians, who, under the nameoflNormans ravag- ed the maritime districts of England, Scotland and France, and finally made settlements in them all. Nothing sacred escaped their depreda- tions : wherever they prevailed, they massacr- ed the clergy, demolished the monasteries and burnt their libraries. Amid this state of things the civil power became weakened ; for kings contending with foreign armies and often with vassals equally dangerous, lost much of their authority. The national assembhes were seldom convened ; and when convened, they lacked the power or the wisdom to restore or reform the former Constitution. ■ii:' LIFE OF ST. MAL ACHY. T { Great relaxation of piety and morality was also gradually introduced ; vice and ignorance succeeded to Christian virtues and knowledge. Factions among the governors of provinces ended in a dissolution of the Irish monarchy on the death of Malachy II in 1022, and through the accumulation of so many evils that nation had in a great degree sunk into barba- rism. Such was its sad condition when the great Saint, whose life we here relate, was born. 3 '^.m 9 "1 1 I , CHAPTER II. iMalachy, called in Irish Maol Maodhog Morgair, was a native of Armagh. His parents were persons of the highest rank ; both were very virtuous, especially his mother who was most solicitous to train him up in the fear of God. Not content with procuring him pious tutors whilst he studied grammar at Armagh, she never ceased to instil into his tender mind at home the most perfect sentiments of piety, which became deeply imprinted on his heart 1,], f: " ! i ij #,. li\ ^l4 \l' V 1% «' Ij-I ■ - i:|. IK r 72 LIFE OF ST. MALACHY. by that interior Waster, in whose school he was from his infancy a great proficient. He was meek, humble, obedient, modest, obliging to all, and very diligent in his studies. He was temperate in diet, fought against sleep, and had no inclination for childish sports. He far outstripped his fellow-students in learning, and his professors in virtue. In his studies, as well as in his devotions and little practices of penance, he was cautious to shun as much as possible the eyes of others. For this reason he spent not as much time in churches as he desired to do, but prayed much in retired places, and frequently raised his pure heart to Heaven in such a way as not to be observed. When histutor look a walk with him alone, this beloved scholar often remained a little be- hind to send up with more liberty, and as il were by stealth, shoit ejaculations from the bow of his heart wliich was ever bent. To learn more perfectly the art of dying to himself and of living wholly for God, St. Malachy put himself under the discipline of a holy recluse named Imarius, wholed a most ol he LlFi^OF SI, MVLACnV. 73 austere life in a cell near the great church of Armagh. This step astonished the whole city, and uiany censured him severely for it, while others laughed at him, Some ascribed it to melancholy, fickleness, or the rashness of youth. His friends reproached him, not able to bear the thought that one of sodehcate a constitution, and possessing accomplishmeuts so suitable for the world, should embrace a state of such rigour, and ( in their eyes ) one so mean and contemptible. Our Saint however regarded not their censures, hut by persever- ing with humility and meekness he learnt to conquer both himself and the world. To attain to the perfect love of God he consigned himself during life, as it were, to the grave — becoming, as it were, a deaii man, by submit- ting himself wholly to the rule of another — not being like those who undertaking to teach what they have never learnt, and to gather scholars ;vilhout having ever been at school, become blind guides of the Wind. The simplicity of the disciple's obedience, his love of silence, and his fervour in prayer ; i-r !\"i . V il.v 74 lifl: of st. malachy. and mortilicalion, were Ihc marks and the means of his spiritual advancement, which both endeared him to his master and edified those who had at first condemned his choice. The railleries of the latter were soon convrried into praises, and their contempt into admiration. Many, moved by the example of his virfue, desired to be his iuutators and companions. St. Malachy prevailed on I mar to admit the most fervent of these petitioners , and they soon formed a considerable community. Our Saint was a model to all the rest, although he ever looked upon himself as the most unworthy of thatrehgious body. A disciple so meek, so obedient and devout, could not fail to advance apace to the samniit of evangelical perfection. Celsus or Cealiach, archbishop of Armagh, judged him worthy of Holy Orders, andobhgedhim, notwithstanding all his resistance, to receive the order of deacon, and some time later the priesthood, when he was twenty-five years old, though the age re- quired by the Canons for priest's orders was thirty years. The extraordinary meiit of St. r and (he , which 1 edified s choice, onvrrted iiiration. s virtue, ions. Si. he most ey snui ir Saint he ever Drtliy of devout, samniit eallach, )rthy of landing deacon, ^hen he ago re- ;rs was of St. I.IFKOFST. MaLACHY. 75 iMalachy was a just reason for dispensing with lliat rule. CHAPTER HI. It is certainly a mistake to say that this arch- bishop was a married man. Out of the fifteen in- truders into the Sec of Armagh from the year 885, eight were married men. They however usurped the temporalities only. They had a suffragan or vicar, who was a consecrated bishop and who performed all the functions. Maol-Brighid, who was the first archbishop of the fifteen of tliis famil} , was a charitable per- son ; but the thirteen following were oppres- sors of the See. Si. Celsus, the present arch- bishop and the last prelate of that family, was duly elected, and he put an end to that tyranny. Having ordained St. Malachy ho made him his vicar to preach the word of God to the ru()c people. Many and grievous and inveterate were the evil customs, which most horribly disfi- gured that Church, and which our Saint was i 76 I.lFi: OF ST. MALArJir. 1$ delef^Nited to cxlirpato, WoiKlorful was iho zcfil wilh whlc.li he. discharLKHl Ihal (.ommissioi ■ abiisi's and vices waiv dcftvilod and dispfMsid boforc liis I'aci* ; bail)an)iis babils wuiv abolksli- od, and diabobcal supers! itioiis wito l)anisliLd; in a word, wbaleviT squared not wilh Iherule of Iho Gospel could nol stand before him. He seemed lo bo a flame amidst a forest, or a hook for uproolinj.; noxious plants. With a giant's heart he appeared at work on every side. lie made several regulations in ecclesias!ical discipline, which were authorized by the bish- ops. He settled tlie re^ijular solemn recitation of the canonical Hours in all the churches of the diocese, which had been omitted even in the cities since the Danish invasions ; and in this part of his work it was of service to him that from his youth he had applied himself to church-music. What was of much greater im- portance, he renewed the use of the sacra- ments, especially of Penance, ronfirmalion and regular Matrimony. St. Malachy, fearing that he was not sufli- cienlly skilled in the Canons of the Church to ii-l nissior • Sp(MSL(J nljolish- mislitd; (he rule i/n. If,. a hook do. '•sias!ical 10 bish- ^citation rchos of even in and in lohim mself (o Iter im- > sacra- 'malion ►t sufli- irch to LIFKOF ST. MALACHY. 77 carry out a thorough reformation of discipline, and often laboaring under yrc!fL anxieties of mind on 'his account, resolved lo repair for some time to .'^lalchus, bishop of Lismore, who had been educated in Kni^'land and had be- coLie a Benedictine at Winchester, and who for learning and sanctity was at this lime re- puted the oracle of all ircjland. Being cour- teously re<*.eivcd by this good monk, he was diligently instructed by liim in all things ap- pertaining to the divine service and to the caro of sc/Jis, and at the same time was employed by hii.i in the ministry of his ch't ^,h. Ireland was anciently d' idoi* in.u two parts, the southern and the nonhiin. Vuis partition was made, about Uiv ,l...i V i, by a lino drawn from the mouth of the Liffey at Dublin to Galway. Al the present epoch it was cut up into several little kingdoms. It happened ihat Cormac, king of Munster, was dethroned by his wicked brother and in his misfortunes had recourse lo Malchus, not lo re- cover his crown, but to save his soul , fearing him who lakes away Ihe spirit of princes, and Jil^ I- :;;|« I! '' 78 LIFE OF ST. MALACflY. boing averse to the shedding of blood for tem- poral interests. At the news of the arrival of such a guest the good bishop made preparations to receive him with due honour ; but the kiiif^ would not con'^snt to his desires, declaring thai it was his intention not to think any more of worldly pomps, but to live among the priests, to put on sack-cloth, and to labour to secure for himself by penance the posssession of an eter- nal kingdom. Malchus made him a suitable exhortation on the conditicn of his sacrifice aud of a contrite heart, assigned him a small house to lodge in and bread and water for his sustenance, and appointed St. Malachy to he his master. Through our "Saint's exhortaiions the king began to rehsh the sweetness of the heavenly food of the soul ; his heart was soften- ed to compunction; and, whilst he subdued his flesh by austerities, he washed his soul with penitential tears, never ceasing to cry out with David, "Behold, God, my baseness and my misery, and pardon me all mino offences". The sovereign Judge was not deaf to his pra- yer ; he heard it, not only in the spiritual sense ti! ;!. for tern- ^lofsucJi [tions to lie kini> 'Jng that |morc of priests, 'Cure for an eter- suitable sacrifice > a small '1' for his ly to he >rta(ions s of the s softcn- siibdued 3ul with uf. with and my his pra- il sense LIFE OF ST. MALACIIY. 79 in which il was uttered, but also with regard to temporal favours ; he granted him his holy grace which he implored, and also restored him to his earthly throne. For a neighbouring king, moved with indignation at the injury done to the majesty of kings by his expulsion, sought out the penitent, and finding him insen- sible to all motives of worldly interest pressed him with those of piety and justice ; not being able yet to succeed, he engaged the learned bishop and our Saint to employ their authority, and to represent to him that justice to his peo- ple and the divine honour obliged him to sub- mit. With the succours of this king therefore and by the activity of many of his loyal sub- jects, Cormac was easily placed again upon the throne: and he ever after loved and ho- noured St. Malachv as his father. CHAPTER IV. Benchor, now called Bangor, was found- ed by St. (iOmgall about the year 550, and is said to have had sometimes 3000 monks at I ! 80 LIFE OF ST. MALACHY. once. From it swarmed many olher monaste- ries in Ireland and Scotland. This great abbey. situated in the county of Down, was at present ill a desolate condition. The biiildinijjs had been destroyed by Danish pirates, who massa- cred here in one day 900 monks, lis revenues were possessed by an uncle of St. .Malathy till if shouldbe re-estabhslicd. This uncle, resigned it to his holy nephew, that he might settle it in regular observance, and that he himself might become a monk therein under thedirec tion of his nephew. By the care of our Suiut it became again a flourishing seminary of piety and learning, though not so vastus it had formerly been. St. Malachy governed this house for some time, and was in his de- portment a living rule, a mirror, or a boo' laid open, in which all might learn the true precepts of religious conversation. He always went before his flock i; nil monastic obser- vances, and did moreover other penances and actions of perfection which no man was able to equal. He worked with his brethren in hewing timber and in similar manual L-bour. onaste- t abbey, t prcseu} n?s had massa- "ovenues achy (ill ^■esign^d soldo it liiiiiself he direc- 'ur Saiut nary of ast as it ^overnod 1 his de- a boo' 'he true always c obser- ves and IS able rea in Arbour. LlfE OF ST. MALAfHV 8i Several miraculous cures o( sick persons ad- ded fohisrepulalion, but the whole tenor of his life was the greatest of his miracles. The com- posure of his mind, and the inward sanciity of his soul , appeared in his countenance , which was ever modestly cheerful. A sislcr of our Saint who had led a worldly life died, and he recommended her soul to God for a long time in the sacrifice of the altar. Having intermitted this for a month, he one night seemed to be advertised in his sleep, that his sister was wailing sorrowful in the church- yard and had been thirty days without food. This induced him to resume his custom of saying Mass, or of having Mass said for her every day. After some time he saw her admit- ted to the door of the cluircii, then into the church, and later to the altar. At the altar she appeared in joy, and in the midst of a troop of happy spirits. This vioion gave him great comfort. In the thirtieth year o( his age St. Malachy was chosen bishop of Connor, now in the coun- ty of Antrim ; as he peremptorily refused to i'i ■ ' i\ 82 LIFE OF SI. MALACIIY. acquiesce in the election, he was al lenj*th oblip;cd by the cominantl of luiar and Celsus to sulmiit. Entering on the exercise of his functions, the new bishop found that his flock were Christians in name only, but in their manners worse than pagans, lie would not howovei run away liKe a hireling , but resolved to spare no pains to turn these wolves into sheep. He preached in public with an apostolical vi- gour, m-ngling sweetness with . wholesome severity ; and when thoy would note come to the church to hear him, he sought them in the streets and in their houses, exhorted tliem wilh tenderness, and often shed tears over tliom. He offered to dod for them the sacrifice of u contrite and humble heart, and sometimes passed whole nights weeping and with his hands stretched fortb to heaven in their behalf. The remotest villages and cottages of his diocese he visited, going always on foot, and receiving all manner of aflronts and sufferings with invincible patience. The mora F,uvn^e hearts were at len2:lh softened iafc fuirnanhv ^---i^^L^: (isus to ctions, were anners wove: vcd to sheep, ical vi- )lesome oinc (o n in Ihe :m with '■ them, ficc of a LIFE OP ST. MALACHY. 83 and a sense cf religion. The Saint restored the frequent use of (ho sacraments among the peo- ple ; and as ho found amongst them very few priesis and those holh slothful and ignorant, he filled the diocese with zealous pastors, hy whose assistance he hanisheJ ignorance and superstition, and established all religious obser- vances and the practice of piety. In the whole comportment of this holy bishop nothing was more admirable than his palienco and meekness. All his actions breathed that spirit in such a way as often to infuse ihe same into others. Among his miracles St. Bernard mentions that a passionate woman, who had been into- lerable to all that approached her, was convert- ed into the mildest of creatures by the Saint commanding her in the name of Christ never to be again angry, hearing her confession, and giving her a suitable penance. From that lime no injuries or tribulations could disturb her. After some years the city of Connor was taken and sacked by the king of Ulster ; upon which St. Malachy retired with a hundred nt 84 LIFE OF ST. MALACHY. and twenty disciples into Munstcr , and there wilh the assistance of Cormac built the monastery of Ibrac, which sonic suppose to have been near Cork ; while olhers place it in the isle of Bcu^-Erin, where St. I mar formorlv resided. During the lime our Saint was go\'ir ning ibis holy family in ihe slriclost njonasfio discipline, tlie archbishop., Celsus, was (akfin with his last illness On his deafh-bcd he ap- pointed St..Malachy to bo bis suc and uilt the pose to ace it in orniorly ho. ap- ('•"'njiii'- iG o/'St. ouQuv in 'ision of lost ear- i)iitaiso '<• ::;reat- i lower lesire fo Jc'h had in I ho d years 'd and Uiitry, LIFIC OF ST. M\I.ACHY. 85 had usurped the arclibislK'prir as fin inherifance. When there was no clerpymau of their kindred Iheyialrudod a layman and a married man of their family, wlio adminislcnd and enjoyed the revenues of that See, and even exercised a despolical tyranny over ihe rillier hishops of the island. Nolhwilhstanding the precaulion<^ laken by St. Celsus, and aUhonjih Si. iMaluchy was canonically «.lec(ed afKr his d^'alh, slill Mau- rice, one of the above-menfioned lunjily, j^ot possession . CHAPTER V. St. Malachy declined lo accept the office of Archbishop of Armai?h, allei^in^ Ihe dangers of a tumult and of bloodshed; bul three years later Malchus, hisho}) of Linicrick and Papal legate in Ireland, assembled (he bishops and great men of (hat island, and threatened St. Malachy with excommnnicalion if ho fontinncd his refusal. Hereupon he submilted, but said, " You drag me to death, i obey in hopes of P i « 'V :5. i 4 ^ > 86 I.IFK OF SI. MAl.UIIV. marly) dom ; Iml on this condition that if the business succeed according to your desires you will permit nie to relurn to my fonnor spouse and to my beloved poverty, when :ill lhin|^^s are settled. " They promised tluil he should have the liberty of so doing, and he then took upon himself that charge, aiid exer- cise I his lunctions with great zeal tlnoughoiil the whole l*rovincc, except in the cily of Ar- magh, which he did not enter for fear of blood- shed as long as Maurice lived , which was twoy ears more. Five years after the death of St. Celsus Maurice died; and t ) complete his iniqnilies, and increase his damnalion, he named his kinsman Nigellus for his successor. King (lor- mac however and the bishops resolved to instal St. Mnlncliy in that See ; and accordingly, in i 133, in the thirty-eighth year of his age, he was acknowledged as the only lawful Metropo- litan . JNigellns w%is obliged to leave Armagh, but he carried with him two relics held by the Irish in great veneration ; and the common 1 I *'!•; lUm ' M 11* 1 : fori nor iicn all [liat Ijo aud he |<1 exer- of Ar. fblood- ■h was Cclsiis I'l ilies, od his ed fo !iri-Iy, ■5«, lie ropo- , hut imoa LIF!' OF ST. MALACIIY. 87 people were foolishly persuaded that he, who had those relics in his possession, was arch- bishop. These relics were a Book of Iho Gospel which had belonged to St. Patrick, and a crosier, called the Stall' of Jesus, which was covered with gold and ornamented with rich jewels. By this fallacy some still adhered to him, and his kindred violently persecuted St. Malachy. Oneoftho chief amongst them invited the Saint to a conference at his house, with a secret design to murder hini ; he however, against the advice of his friends, went thither, olfering himself to martyrdom for the sake of peace, and was accon^panied by three disciples who were ready to die with him. The courage and heavenly mildness of his countenance dis- armed his enemies, as soon as he appeared in the midst of them; and he, who had designcjd to murder him, rose up to do bim honour; and a peace was concluded on botli sides. Ni- gelhis soon after surrendered the sacred book and crosier into the bands of the archbishop. Several of the Saint's enemies were cut off by visible judgments. A raging pestilence, 'all U 1 , 1 88 LIPl: op ST. MALACllV, whicli biokn (>»» jsf Armau![i, was suddenlv fiverfrrl by his prayers. \lo .tlso wroimlit nu ,nv oil lor mirn<.'It's llavifi!.'- roscLiod lh;i((lhiiri'ii fiom oppnj sioii and reslori'd discipline and peace, he insisted upon re?igninir Ihe arcliie]iiscopal dij^Miily ac- cordinj:? lo ac;ir»emont,aiKi lieordainodGclasuis, a woilhv THE LIFE or ST. LAURENCE O'TOOL AnCIlDfSHOP OF DUBLIN. CHAPTER I. fA f,' • Laurence was the youngest s» i of iMaurice OTool, a rich and powerful prince of Leinster, whose ancestors for many ages had been rul- ers of the lerritc^ics of Hy-Murray and Hy- Mal near Dublin . The name given to him in baptism was Lorcan ; his name in Irish was O'Tuathail. His mother was the daughter of O'Brian, a chieftain of an ancient family in Leinster , which continued in power till (through their inflexible adherence to the Ca- tholic religion and opposition to the puritans,) 'ik.tif. ■; ii* ■ 1'^ J. ^ II e 102 THE LIFE OF ST. LAURENCE o'tOOL, they were strip I of property and power under Oliver Crouiwell. St. Laurence, it appears, was born about the year 1125. The monarchy of Ireland, which existed al- most six hundred years under the Hy-Nial race, was dissolved in 1022, on the death of Malachy II. From that period until Henry II. of England invaded it in 1171, Ireland conti- nued for the greater part of the time in a state of anarchy ; some assuming the title of king of Ireland , but exercising the regal power in those parts only which acknowledged their authority. On the death of Malachy II., Don- chad, the son of Brian Boruma, took the title of king of Ireland ; and after him Dermod Mac Malnambo, king of Leinster, assumed the same title ; their power however did not extend be- yond a moiety of the island. Donchad died in Rome in 1064, and Dermod was killed in the battle of Odba in 1072. To them succeeded Tordelvach O'Brian, who was acknowledged in Leinster and the two Munsters. He was an excellent prince, and died a great penitent in 1086. mder 3ears, [ed al- |y-NiaI }ath of ARCHB. OF DUBLIN. 103 After an interregnum of eight years Murer- tach O'Brian, the son of Tordelvach, was de- clared king of Ireland in one part, and Donai Mac Loghlin in the northern moiety. It was just at this time that St. Malac.hy was born. For twenty -five years the nation was involv- ed in a state of ruinous hostility between those chieftains ; and then came another interregnum of fourteen years, in the middle of which St. Laurence O'Tool WaS born, soon, diter St. Ma- lachy had been chosen bishop of Connor. At the end of this second interregnum Tordelvach O'Conor, king of Connaught, took the title of king of Ireland, and was supported by power- ful factions. He reduced the southern provinces to his obedience by force of arms. He was re- luctantlj^ submitted to, especially as none of his ancestors for the previous 770 years had reigned over Ireland. When St. Laurence was ten years old, his father delivered him up as a hostage to Der- mod Mac Murchad, king of Leinster. This bar- barous king kept the child in a desert place, where he treated him with great inhumanity lit. M r a;, !:; 104 THE LIFE OF ST. LAUHENCE o'tOOL, unlil his father, heing informed that his son had by such usage fallen into a bad state of health, obliged the tyrant to put him in I he hands of the bishop of Glendaloch, in the county of Wicklow. This pious prelate carefully instruct- ed him in ihe service of God, and at twelve years of age sent him back to his father. Maurice took Laurence with him when he went to thank the good bishop. At that visit he mentioned to Ihe prelate his design of casting lots, in order lo decide which of his four sons should be destined to the service of the Church. Our Saint was present at the moment, and was justly startled by such a mad and superstitious project ; but, glad to find so favourable an overture to his desires, cried out with great earnestness : ' ' There is no need of casting lots; it is my most heart-felt desire to have for my iiiheritance no other portion than God in theservice of his Church." Hereupon his father, taking him by the hand, offered him to God by delivering him to the bishop, in whose hands he left him, having first recommended him to the patronage of St. Coemgen, founder of the great II lad Ith, of of ict- ^Ive he [the ting ARCHB. OF DUBLIN. 405 monastery there, and patron of that diocese, which has since been united to the See of Dublin. The bishop of Glendaloch performed excel- lently the part of an Ananias towards his pupil ; and the holy youth, by his fidelity in corres- ponding with the divine grace, deserved to find the Holy GhoL,t an interior master of all vir- tues , especially humility and the spirit of prayer. On the death of that prelate, v^ho was also abbot of the monastery , St. Laurence was chosen abbot in H50, though but twenty-fivo years old; and he shunned the episcopal dignity only by alleging that the Canons require in a bishop thirty years of age. The Saint governed his numerous community with wonderful vir- tue and prudence ; and in a great famine, which raged during the four first months of his ad- ministration, he was, like another Joseph, the saviour of his country by his boundless cha- rities. Trials however were not wanting for the exercise of his virtue ; for some false brethren, whose eyes could not bear the refulgence of f r 106 THE LIFE OF ST. LAURENCE o'toOL, his virtue, the regularity of his conduct, and the zeal with which he condemned their disor- ders, attacked his reputation by slanders. To all their charges he opposed no other arms than silence and patience. I 'i I I- ifr:i |;l!jl CHAPTER II. Tordelvach O'Conor died in li56, and was succeeded by Murertach Mac Loghlin, king of Tyrone. This latter was a very valiant prince; in the year 1161 his title, as king of Ireland^ was acknowledged through all the provinces; and thenceforth he reigned with an authority as extensive as that of any former monarch of Ireland. BUnded however by his success , he made a very unjust invasion on the privileges of the people of Ulad , which cost him his life in the battle of Literluin in 1166. The Normans took possession of Dublin in 838, in the fifth year of the reign of Nial Ca- linne, three hundred and thirty-four years before it was given up to the Norman king of England, Henry II. INo English monarch be- and |isor- 1b irms ARCHB. OF DUBLIN 107 tore him possessed a foot of land in Ireland. As Dublin had been thus occupied by hea- then barbarians in the ninth century and the Christians expelled, the succession of bishops in this city was interrupted till those pagans were converted to the Catholic faith. That suc'- cession therefore is not found in the Irish annals before Donat or Dunan, who was pro- moted to the See of Dublin in 1038, and died in 1074. It is not probable that St. Patrick, who estabi shed a church in Dublin in the fifth cen- tury, would leave it without a bishop, and thus deviate from his universal practice in other places. Moreover, we find mention made of St. Livinus in 633, of St. Wiro in 650 or later, of St. Bumold in 775, and Seduhus, styled abbot of Dubhn, who died in 785. That these and other prelates had a fixed See at Dublin before the invasion of the JNormans in 838, there is no reason to doubt, nor is there any proof to the contrary. Donat was followed by Gilla Patrick, who was drowned at sea in 1084. His successor ,i; i •»• I(*., I.i* ■■/.. f-? n 108 J HE LIFE OF ST. LAURENCE o'lOOL, was Dong US O'Haignly, v/ho died of a pesti- lence in 1095, the year after the birth of St. Malachy, the Archbishop of Armagh. Samuel O'Haingly came next, and died in 1121. At the death of this last, St. Celsus, archbishop of Armagh, was appointed guardian of the spiritualities of Dublin for some time, until the election of Gregory who died in 1161 . During the episccpac y of Gregory, in the year U52, Cardinal John Paparo, legato of Pope Eugenius III., conferred on the See of Dublin the archiepiscopal dignity. This legale brought from Rome to Ireland four Palls for four Metropolitans, and assigned respective suffragan bishops to each. The four metropoli- tan Sees were, -Armagh ip Ulster, DubHn in Leinster, Gashel in Munster, and Tuam in Connaught. Between the two first a controversy had continued for a considerable time concerning precedence ; but at length it was finally decid- ed, both by Papal and by regal authority, that the archbishoi) of Armagh should be entitl- ed Primate of all Ireland ^ and that the m Ipesti- )f St. imuel At wshop |f the until had ARCHB. OF DUBLIN. 109 archbishop of Dublin should be called Primate of Ireland ; like Canterbury and York in England. It may here be noticed that from the time of the Anglo-Norman settlement in Ireland, in 117 J, Dublin has been the metropolis of the whole Island, the seat of the government and of the chief courts of justice, and the second capital of the British empire. Shortly after the death of Gregory , St. Laurence O'Tool was unanimously chosen to fill the new metropolitan See of Dublin, in the thirty-sixth year of his age; and was consecrated in 1 162 hy Gelasius, the successor ofSt.Malachy. In this exalted station our Saint watched over himself and his flock with fear, and with unwearied application to every part of his of- fice, having always before his eyes the dreadful account, which he would have to give to the Pastor of souls. HI ii n CHAPTER III. St. Laurence's first care was to reform the 7 i hi tfvl. i i i:: V!: HO THE LIFE OF ST. LAURENCE o'tOOL, manners of his clergy, and to provide for his Church worthy ministers. His exhortations to all were most powerful, because they were enforced with vigour and sweetness, animated by an apostoHc spirit, and strongly impressed by the admirable example of his own life. Every one, who had a spark of piety in his breast, was ashamed to see himself fall so in- finitely short of that bright pattern. About the year 1 163 he induced the secular canons of his cathedral of the Holy Trinity to become regular canons. This cathedral church was built for secular canons in the centre of the city by king Sitricus and bishop Donat in 1038. The change made by St. Laurence continued until the reign of Henry VHl. in 1541 ., when it took the name of Christ-church. The principal cathedral is dedicated to St. Patrick. The Rule adopted by the canons of Holy Trinity was that of Arouasia, an abbey founded in the diocese of Arras about 1080. This abbey obtained such reputation for sanctity and discipline, that it became the parent-house of a ll )r his |ons lo were [mated ressed n life. 'in his soin- AHCHB OF 1)1 BLl.S. i\\ numerous congrcj^ation. St. Laurence himself took the religious habit, and always wore it under his episcopal attire, lie usually eat with the religious in the refectory, observed their hours of silence , and always assisted with llieni at the midnight oflice. After that ollico he remained a long time in the church in pri- vate prayer before a crucifix, and towards hreak of day he went to the burial-place to pour forih certain prayers for the sonls of the faith- ful departed. lie never eat flesh ; and he fasted on all Fridays, oftentimes without taking any sus- tenance at all, at other times bread and water only. He wore a rough hair-shirt, and used the discipline frequently. Every day ho enter- tained at table thirty poor persons, !;nd often many more, in addition to the great number supported by him in private houses. All found in him a father both under temporal and spiritual necessities. He was most indefatigable in the sacred duties of his charge, especially in assiduously announcing the word cf life to his flock , I Id i mil .i i it 'ill {{2 THE LIFE OF ST. LAURENCE TOOL, To watch over and examine more narrowly into his own heart and conduct, and to reno- vate his interior spirit, he used often to retire for some days into close solitude. When he became bishop he was succeeded, as abbot of Glendaloch, by one so notoriously unworthy of that position as to be in a short time expelled. On his expulsion another was canonically elected — young, pious and learn- ed, — under whose care piety and discipline flourished in that house . From that date St. Laurence frequently made choice of Glendaloch for his retreats; but he usually hid himself ia a solitary cave at some distance from the monastery, between a rock ard a lake, in which Si. Goemgen had dwelt. When our Saint came out of these retreats, he seemed like another Moses coming from conversing with God, full of heavenly fire and divine hght. St. Laurence found the greatest part of his flock so bhnd with the love of the world, and so enslaved to their passions, that the zealous pains he took seemed lost upon them. He threatened them with the divine judgments, in ARCHn. OF DUBLIN. 113 rowly I reno- \ retire case they did not speedily and efl'ectually reform their lives by sincere repentance ; hut like Noe, when ho preached to a world about to be destroyed by the delude, he appearcdto them to speak in jest, until on a sudden they were overtaken by those calamities which he had foretold — calamities , which served to purify the elect, and to bring many, who had before been deaf to the Saint's remonstrances, to a sense of their spiritual miseries. f CHAPTER IV. ,i On the death of Murertach Mac Loghlin in 1166, a majority of the states assembled in Dublin to provide a successor. In that conven- tion Roderic, king of Connaught, was elected monarch of Ireland, and no former king was inaugurated with greater solemnity. The re- luctant chiefs were soon brought to recognise his title. It was however a temporary sub- mission to an authority, which was obtained from the influence of factious men rather than from definite laws, and which therefore could H iiiK i.iFi: Of ST. TArnFNr.K o looi J). n I I ■ I, ^1 ' ■4 • not hotlurablo. Uiirini; llie three lirst years of his power Roderic rcii^ned with splendour; nnlil his country was invaded l)y [\w Norman Uini^ of v^ngland, Henry II., in October 1171. This invasion was caused hy Derniod Mac Murchad, king of Leinster. Ho had laid violeni hands on the wife of Tigcrnan O'Ruarc, prince of Brefi'ny and administrator of Mealh. Tordel- vach, who was at that time monarch of Ire- land, took cognizance of the injury, and oblig- ed the violators to restore that princess to her family together with her cflects. So slight a reparation, for a public as well as a domestic crime, involved bad consequences. Dermod, growing daring from impunity, became intolerable to his vassals. He despoiled them by various acts of tyranny ; and Rodoric, the son of Tordelvacli and now monarch of Ire- land, was under the necessity of expelling him from the government of Leinster. To gratify his revenge and to recover his former power, Dermod solicited the aid of Henry II. England was in the utmost consternation and dread on the accession of Henry II. to the I ma fm ^4] :'ince I'del- M AflCnn. OF DLHLI.N. H5 Ihroiic, lest ho should set aside all the rights of llie Saxon people and of individuals, in iniita- fion of the founder of the Norman lino of kings in that country. lie was a powerful monarch, and ho scrupled not, when now solicited, to per- mit some of his suhjects to join their arms to those of the Irish tyrant. The times were favourable to that attempt ; and the adventurers found but a weak resis- tance from a monarch who was badly obeyed, and from a people who were divided by inter- nal factions. Dermod's success in this pro- ceeding was principally due to Richard, earl of Pembroke, commonly called Strongbow. The earl was accompanied by several noble- men, who brought with them the best soldiers among their vassals; and having landed at Waterford, ho overran the greatest part of Loinster and Ossory. Dcrmod died in 1171, and the earl of Pem- broke was left his heir, as his wife, Eva, was Dermod's daughter. In right of his wife Strong- bow claimed the principahty of Leinster, took Dublin sword in hand, and massacred a great number of the inhabitants. I •1 :! l-i' i^lp'- 116 THE LIFE OP ST. LAURENCE o'xOOL, In this dreadful disaster the good pastor was employed in relieving the distressed, in imploring for them the compassion of the con- querors, and in inducing the sufferers to make a good use of their afflictions at least. This invasion of Ireland v^ras begun by pri- vate noblemen, and their success gave umbrage to the court. Henry II. therefore commanded the earl of Pembroke and his associates to return to .England; but they declared that they only conquered Ireland in his name. There- upon Henry went himself to Dublin in H71, and received in that city the homage of some of the princes and petty kings, and was acknow- ledged by them as Lord and Sovereign of Ire- land. CHAPTER V. i Some time after this event St. Laurence was obliged, for the afiairs of his diocese, to go over to England to see the king. Henry II. hap- pened to be then at Canterbury, and the arch- bishop accordingly proceeded thither. The re- I.- . t >astor id, in \Q con- make ►y pri- ibrage landed |ates to it they I There- H7I, 5ome of ;know- of Jre- ce was logo . hap- arch- he re- ARCHB. OF DUBLIN. {{1 nown of his sanctity had gone thither before him,and he was in consequence received by the Benedictine monks of Christ Church with the greatest honour and respect, and was re- quested by them to sing the conventual Mass on the next day. That whole night he spent in prayer before the shrine of St. Thomas, who for his firm resistance to the tyranny of Henry II, had been martyred on the 29th of Decem- ber in H70, and to his intercession St. Lau- rence recommanded himself and the business which took him to England, On the following day, as the holy archbish- op was advancing to the altar to officiate, a maniac, who had heard much of his sanctity and who was led on by the idea of making so holy a man another St. Thomas, gave him so violent a blow on the head as to knock him down. All present concluded that he was mor- tally wounded, and showed their grief by their lamentations. The Saint coming to himself how- ever, asked for some water and blessed it, and then had his wound washed with it. This was no sooner done than the blood was imme- I i? ifl / \ ■ i I ! 1:1: ti :■.' i US THE UV:. OF ST. LAllHENCE OTOOL, dialely stanched, and ilic orclibisbop celebrated Mass. To this miracle the writer of his life was an eye-witness; and he assures us that the fracture in the Saint's skull was to be seen after his death. The king ordered the frantic assas- sin to be hanged, but the prelate interceded in his favour and obtained his pardon. The third General Council of Lateran was held at Rome in 1179 by Pope Alexander III., for the extirpation of heretical errors and the re- formation of manners. There were present in it about 300 bishops. St Laurence proceeded from England to Rome, in company with four English bishops, the archbishop ofTuaniand five other Irish prelates. Our Saint laid before hisHohness the state of the Church in Ireland, and begged that effectual remedies might be applied to the many disorders prevailing in that country, and that care might be taken for guarding the li- berties of the Church in that island. The Pope was wonderfully pleased with the wise and zealous proposals of the archisbishop, and so convinced of his prudence and piety that he II ARCUB. OF DUBLIN. H9 readily made the regulations suggestedto him. He also made St. Laurence OTool Legate of the Ploly Sec in the Kingdom of Ireland. As soon as the Saint had returned home, he hegan vigorously to exercise his legatine powers, by making salutary regulations and reforming the manners of the clergy. He found the whole island afflicted with a terrible famine, which lasted for three years. He laid on himself an obhgation of feeding every day fifty strangers and three hundred poor persons of his own diocese, in addition to the many others whom he furnished with food and the other necessaries of life. Several mothers, who were reduced so low as not to be able to support their own children, placed them at the archbishop's door or where he could see them ; and our Saint took charge of them all, some- times providing for three hundred of them at a time. Henry H. of England became ofTended with Roderic, the monarch of Ireland, and St. Lau- rence undertook another journey to England in order to negotiate a reconcihatioii between ■1 r ; , ' ^1 . .. • I I' 120 THE LIFE OF ST. LAURENCE o'tOOL, them. The Norman tyrant would not hear of a peace ; and he set out for Normandy, as soon as he heard of the archbishop's arrival. The latter awaited at Abingdon for three weeks the return of the king, and then went to meet him in France. Henry, who had always hitherto repulsed him, was now at last so moved by his piety, charity and prudence that he granted him every thing he asked, and left the whole negotiation to his discretion. Through this negotiation Roderic O'Conor, the last Irish monarch of Ireland, entered into a treaty with the Norman king of England — the best that could be obtained under the cir- cumstances, though far from being honourable to himself or profitable to his nation. The fallacious allegiance of most of his subjects had been dissolved, when he attempted to make terms with the invader. This treaty was made inH75. This Roderic O'Conor was not of the O'Brien family, but was chief of the Gonnaught Hy- Brune race. of a I soon The [sthe him [herto fdby Ranted ^hole >nor, ARCHB. OF DUBLIN, CHAPTER VI. 121 Having negotiated this treaty of peace, our holy archbishop was obliged by a fever, which seized him upon the road, to stop his journey. He took up his quarters in a monastery at Eu, on the confines of Normandy. On entering this house he uttered these words of the psalmist, This is my resting place for ever : in this place mil I dwell, because I have chosen it. He made his Confession to the abbot, and received the Holy Viatecum and Extreme Unc- tion from his hands. To one, who put him in mind to make a Will, he answered with a smile : *'0f whatdo you speak? Thank God, I have not a penny in the world to dispose of." In fact, whatever he possessed always became imme- diately the treasure of the poor. Our Saint ended his journey here below on the 14th of November, 1180, and was buried in the church of the abbey at Eu. Theobald, archbishop of Rouen, and three *9S!mi mp-' '^h '^M mil' J I I '» J 28 MFE OF ST. PALT.AnilS. tholic faidi. The interest felt by St. Palladius for the British islands slopped not here ; for it seems not to be doubted that he was the same person of whom St. Prosper again speaks when he says, that Pope Celcstine sent Palladius in 431, as the first Bishop to the Scots then be- lieving in Christ. From the lives of the Saints, Albeus and Declan, of Ibar and Kairan Saigir, Usher proves that these four Saints preached separately in different parts of Ireland (which was their native country) before the mission of St. Pa- trick. St Ibar had been converted to the Faith in Britain ; the other three had been instructed at Roiiie, and were sent back from that city to their own country, and (according to the his- tories of their lives) were all honoured with the episcopal dignity. St Kairan Saigir pre- ceded St. Patrick in preaching the Gospel to the Ossorians, and was seventy-five years of age on St. Patrick's arrival in the Holy Isle. Hence it is easy to understand what is said of St. Palladius, that he was sent to the Scots who already believed in Christ ; because, LIFR OP ST. PALLAnil'8. 129 though their number may have been small, still there were at that time some Christians in the island. St Prosper in another book, after praising Pope Celestine for bis care in deliver- ing Britain from the Pelagian heresy, adds : '•that he also ordained a bishop for the Scots; and that thus, whilst he laboured to preserve the Roman island Catholic, he likewise made the barbarous \s\and Christian." Usher observes that this can be understood of Ireland only ; for although a part of the North of Britain (that is, Caledonia or Pictland) was never sub- ject to the Romans, yet it could not be consid- ered as a distinct island. It is clear from Tertullian, Eusebius and others that the light of the Gospel had penetrat- ed beyond the Roman territories in Britain, namely into Caledonia, near the times of the Apostles. The people therefore, who had lately begun to receive some knowledge of the Faith when St. Palladius undertook his mission, and are called Scots, were doubtless the inhabit- ants of Ireland. The Irish writers of the lives of St. Patrick say that St. Palladius had preach- it^ "WM^"' 1,1 ' M I it I: I -■ 130 LIFE OF ST. PALLADIUS. ed in Ireland a little before St. Patrick, but tbat lie was banished by the king of Leinster and went to Ihenorlhern parts of Britain, where (according to them) he had at first commenced his mission. It is therefore not to be doubted that he was sent to the whole nation here called Scots, several colonies of whom had passed from Ireland into Britain, and had gained set- tlements in a part of it, afterwards named from them Scotland. CHAPTER II. pi! The Christian faith had penetrated into England in the times of the Apostles, and had received an increase by the conversion of king Lucius in the year 480. in this remote pro- vince the Church seems to have escaped the cruel persecutions to which it was doomed else- where until the end of the third century, and this state of peace would have been favourable *" its extension. It is clear that the number of Cathohcs in England was immense, when St. but iter, liero set- LIFE OF ST. PALLADIA S. 13 | Gernianus of Aiixerre went thither along with St. Lupus. " Being anivL'd in Britain they were met. I)y a great multitude of people, and the fame of llieir sanctity and learning souu fdled the whole countrij. They conhrmed tlio Catholics in all parts and converted the heretics , preaching often in the highways and fields where the churches were not large enough to contain the crowd. " Such being the vast extent of the Church in England previously to the arrival of St. Palla- dius in Ireland, the Faith would doubtless have passed over to this latter island long be- fore his preaching therein, especially as the language spoken in the two islands was similar. At a later period, when the Germanic invad- ers (whom the Celts of Britain and Ireland cal- led Saxons and the people of the rest of wes- tern Europe Angles) had driven the original inhabitants of England tothe western part s of their island, we find that the intercourse be- tween the Celts of Ireland and those in Corn- wall and Wales was frequent and intimate ; • ^:i.. :i 1 t ^ n H ' I' '.4 t', ' 1' i32 LIFE OF ST. I^ALLADIUS. hence we may justly infer that it existed to some extent at an ealier date. As the Germanic invaders of Britain were known on the Continent as Angles, although a portion only of them belonged to that tribe ; so in a similar manner the people of Ireland at this epoch were all styled Scots by foreign na- tions, although one tribe only of the Irish bore that name in their own island. The Scots or Scuits, that is, the Irish, are represented by some eminent writers as a rude and barbarous race in the fourth and fifth centuries. Even in our days, when the intercourse of nations is so great and universal, the statements of writers is but too often very false or very exaggerated as to the condition of all countries but tbeir own ; how much more would the same b> ili > case , when that intercourse was extremely limited, it is easy to imagine. That some barbarous customs prevailed in Ireland during those ages cannot be denied ; and that some prevail in this nineteenth centu- ry, in some of the Stales of modern Europe, is a matter of fatal experience. In the docu- LIFE OF ST. PALLADILS. 133 ments still preserved in the native language of the ancient Irish, we find it stated that, af- ter the reform of the Fileas in the first century of our era, houses and landed endowments were set apart for those philosophers, who were hy common consent left undisturbed in the midst of the most furious civil wars. They were to be exempt from every employ- ment except that of improving themselves in knowledge, and of instructing the principal youths of the nation in their colleges. In the course of their researches they discovered and exposed the corrupt doctrines of the druids ; and king Cormac O'Quin took the lead among the Fileas in their attack upon those pagan priests, and declared publicly for the Unity of the Godhead, and for the adoration of one supreme Creator of heaven and earth, omnipo- tent and merciful. The example of that monarch, and the disquisitions of the Fileas on religion and morality, paved the way for the reception of the Gospel : and as the doctrines of our di- vine Saviour made the quickest progress among the nations which were most removed 8 ;'P; i »!l •1 II I. , 134 LIFEOF ST. PALLADILS. from barbarism , the conversion of Ireland within so short a time after it was actively at- tempted by St. Palladius and St. Patrick is a striking proof that the natives of that island were not the rude barbarians they have been represented to be. CIIAPT^-R IH. The length of time, during which St. Palla- dius preached the Gospel in Ireland, is not known. According to what is stated it must have been less than a year, but that statement is very questionable. After leaving that island, he directed his course to the northern parts of Britain, to impart the blessings of heavenly truth to the Scots who had emigrated thither. There he laboured with great zeal and with great success, and converted many. Scotish historians tell us that the Faith was first planted in the northern parts- of Britain about the year 200, in the reign of king Do- nald and when Victor was Pope at Home (193 to 202;. Tliis is likely to have been the case, and lo have resulted lioin the recent great (^x- LIFE OF ST TALLADILS. 135 tension of the Church in the southern half of that island, in consequence of the emhrassy sent to Rome hy king Lucius in 180 during the Pontificate of St. Eleutherius. However, they all acknowledge that St. Pal- ladius was the first hishop in those regions, and all style him their first Apostle. St. Pallvidius died at Fordun, the principal town of the small county of Mernis, situated on the southern side of Aberdeen and distant from it fifteen miles, about the year of our Lord 450. His sacred relics were preserved with all reli- gious respect in the monastery at Fordun, as Hector Boctius and Camdon testify. In the year 1409 William Scenes, archbishop of St. Andrew's and primate of Scotland, had them enclosed in a new shrine enriched with gold and precious stones. In the breviary of Aberdeen the feast of St. Palladius is put on the sixth of July, as it is in other Scotish calendars ; but in some British calendars the fifteenth of December is assigned to this Saint. God's ways are not our ways. Men had se- i& I3f> LIFE OF ST. PALLADIUS. I I i ft / ■ I. s kcled St. Palladius to be the Apostle of Ire- land, but God doubtless had chosen another for that great office. To our eyes he appears to have failed in the work that was set him ; but who knows the share he may have had in the rich harvest, through his prayers and holy life? It is not difficult to conceive how painful and laborious was the mission of St. Palladius. lie fled not from labour nor from hardships ; for, where there is sincere love, labour is a pleasure, or else is not felt. It is a proof of sloth and impatience for a man to look back on the past and to count his labours, or even to think too much of his trials and sufferings, in so glorious an under- taking as that of working in the Lord's vine- yard. St. Palladius pressed forward, surmounting every obstacle, even all those which a fierce nation must have opposed to the establishment of the kingdom of Jesus Christ. In reading the lives of the great heroes of Christianity, of the great apostles whom our good God coun with grati ding who; been exar lead! LIFE OF ST. PALLADIUS. 137 God raised up for the spiritual benefit of our country, ought not our hearts to be impressed with the mosthvely sentiments of love and gratitude for his merciful providence in provi- ding us with such holy and zealous men, by whose ministry the light of the true Faith has been conveyed to us, and by whose bright example the path is clearly pointed out that leads to heaven. I ' I v > THE LIFE OF SAINT COMGALL ABBOT. H Saint Comgall was one of the most illus- trious founders of monasticism in the Holy Isle. It is certain that St. Patrick himsf if esta- blished monasteries in Ireland, having without doubt learnt the benefits of the monastic state whilst he was with St. Martin in France. It is also certain that to that state the Holy Isle owes most especially, under God, all its great- ness and renown for religion and learning. Hence St. Comgall must be venerated as one of the greatest benefactors of that Isle. LIFE OFSf. COMOALL, ABBOT. 139 He was born of noble parents, in tbe Norlh of Ulster, in the year 516 ; and was brought up by St. Fintan in his monastery of Cluain- Aidhncch, in Queen s county. The rule of this Saint was very austere. His monks lived on the fruits of the earth only, which they tilled with their own hands. Trained in that school of Christian perfection, of piety and of monas- tic discipline, St. Comgall came forth an ac- compHshed master, and in the year 550 found- ed tbe most celebrated of Irish monasteries the great abbey of Benchor or Bangor, in the county of Down, which was the most numerous and the most important among the Celts of Ire- land, as was that of Bangor in Wales among the Celts of Britain. This latter was in its most flou- rishing condition at the time of the death of St. Dubritius, about the date of the commen- cement of the Irish Bangor. By means of this estabhshment St. Comgall propagated the monastics rule far and wide. At Benchor and in other houses he had under him three thousand disciples. It was at this epoch that the monastic insti- i iO LIFE OF ST. COMGALL, ABROT. tiilc attained its greatest lustre in Ireland, on account of the eminent sanctity and vast learn- ing of its members, who made it truly a holy Isle and a mart of literature. Ireland then abounded in monasteries which were so ma- ny schools of sacred science, and in which countless persons led a retired life, devoted to prayer and penance and to sacred studies. Se- questered from the distractions of secular bu- siness, and even from ordinary intercourse with the world ; conversing freely by contem- plation with God and his Saints purified in heart and mind by their mortified life ; spread- ing sanctity and science around them by their example and instructions — these monks were the giants of old. Among these monasteries Benchor took the lead, and among the masters of piety and learn- ing St . Comgall became one of the most dis- tinguished. All the holy men of that period sought his friendship or acquaintance, and an- cient writers extol his prudence and holiness, and are even profuse in their commendations of him. : - to ' LIFE OF ST. COMGALL, ABBOT. Hi As a tree is known by its fruits, so may St. Comgall be estimated by two of his most emi- nent children, St. Coiumban and St. Gall , who went to spread in foreign lands the teaching of their holy father and master. To disengage themselves more perfectly from the world and all earthly ties, St. Coium- ban and St. Gall with eleven other brethren desired, like Abraham, toyo out of their coun- try and from their kindred and out of their father's house. Having obtained from St. Com- gall with difficulty his leave and blessing, they passed through Britain into Gaul about the year .^83. Coiumban preached in all places through which he journeyed, and the sanctity of his life added great weight to his discourses. He was so humble, that he always contended with his twelve companions for the lowest place. They were all of one mind ; their modesty, patience and charity made them the admiration of all ; if any one of them was guilty of the least fault, they all joined in reforming his error; every thing was in common among them, nor was there heard among them any contradiction or A H2 LIFFOFST. COMGATl., AnmVI harsh word; and in fad,, wherever they look up their abode their example inspired universal piety. St. Columban appointed that his monks should not eat until towards evenlni<, and then only the simplest food-herhs, pulso, or meal moistened in water, and a liitlo bread; and the food to be proportioned to Ihoir labour. Ele prescribed I hat cv(*ry day should V spent in fasting, prayer, reading, and ( pL on Sundays and Festivals ) in manual labour. In his rule heincnlcales obedience, poverty, disin- terestedness, humility, chastity, mortification of the senses and of the will, the never doing any thing according to sell-will, silence, and prudence in discerning between good and evil ; and he adds that he received these rides from his fathers, that is from St. Comgall and others at Benchor. Many other abbots, bishops, and Saints came out of St. Comgair.s nursery. The fervour with which the Irish embraced the Faith at the preaching of Si. Patrick, and the intensity that was imparted to that first fervour by the monastic system, abated not for LIFtOF ST. COMGALL, ABBOT. 143 several ayes, lu (\l^t Marianus Scolus enters ibis remark in his chronicle, " Ireland is filled with holy men. " Nor tlid the reputation of its schools decline. Two Irismen, going to France in 794 were there admired for their incompa- rable learning, and gave Ijirlli to the renowned Universities of Paris and Pavia. King Alfred consulted in 81H three k.uned Irishmen in his projects for tiic advancement of literature in England- The English in those days Hocked to Ireland, as is frequently mentioned in the his- tories of eminent men among them ; thus in the life of Sulgcnus, in the 8fh century, we read, — " With love of learning and examples hred To Ireland, famed, for wisdom, he retired. ' Long did St. (^omgall live to perform his part, under the blessini's of Providence, in sowing the seed that produced so Mi and plentiful a harvest, lie died in the year 001, m the eighty-fifth year of his age, having govern- ed the abbey of lienchor lifLy years, three months and ten days. lie, who desires lo preach in others with / «f \ 144 INDEX success, must first preach to himself by treasur- ing up in his own mind lessons of true piety, by imprinting deeply on his heart the senti- ments of all virtues, and by practising first what he would afterwards teach others. Empty science fills the soul with pride and vain glory, and teaches not the language which infuses virtue into others. INDEX. The life of St. Brldgid 5 The life of St. Columba 21 Translation of the relics of St. Patrick, St. Bridgid and St. Columba 64 Tlio life of St. Malachy 67 Tbe life of St Laurence 0' Tool 99 The life of St. Palladius 125 The life of St. Comgall 138 END. ur- iti- irst pty ses / m 21 64 67 99 125 158 4 >.