Signs of the Times  

    "A saint is a sinner who keeps on trying."                            Anonymous

    "The only difference between the saint and the sinner is that every saint has a past and every sinner a future."                                                                   Oscar Wilde


      "Saints are persons who make it easier for others to believe in God."    
                                                                                            Nathan Soderblom

       "A true saint is a divine landscape or picture, where all the rare beauties of Christ are lively portrayed and drawn forth.  He hath the same spirit, the same judgment, the same will with Christ."
                                                                                             Thomas Watson

        "The way of this world is to praise dead saints and persecute living ones."
                                                                                           Nathaniel Howe

      
        St. Patrick was born towards the close of the 4th century in a village called Bonaven Taberniae which seems to be the town of Kilpatrick, on the mouth of the River Clyde, in Scotland between Dumbarton and Glasgow.  He calls himself both a Briton and a Roman, or of a mixed extraction, and says his father was of a good family stock.  Some writers call his mother Conchessa, and say she was a niece to St. Martin of Tours.
       In his sixteenth year, he was carried into captivity by certain barbarians, who took him into Ireland where he was obliged to keep cattle on the mountains and in the forests, in hunger and nakedness, amidst snow, rain and ice.  While he lived in this suffering condition, God had pity on his soul, and quickened him to a sense f his duty by the impulse of a strong interior grace.  The young man had recourse to Him with his whole heart in fervent prayer and fasting; and from that time faith and the love of God acquired continually new strength in his tender soul.  After six months spent in slavery under the same master, St. Patrick was admonished by God in a dream to return to his own country, and informed that a ship was then ready to sail soon.
       He went at once to the seacoast, though at a great distance and found the vessel but could not obtain passage, probably for want of money.  The Saint turned towards his hut, prayign as he went, but the sailors, though pagans, called him back and took him on board.  Ater three days' sail, they made land but wandered 27 days through deserts and were a long while distressed for want of provisions, finding nothing to eat.  Patrick had often spoken to the company on the infinite power of God; they therefore asked him why he did not pray for their relief.  Animated  by a strong faith, he assured them that if they would address themselves with their whole hearts to the true God, He would hear and succor them.  They did so, and on the same day met with a herd of swine.  From that time provisions never failed them, till on the 27th day they came into a country that was cultivated and inhabited.
      Some years afterwards he was again led captive but recovered his liberty after two months.  When he was at home with his parents, God maniested to him, by diverse visions, that He destined him to the great work of the conversion of Ireland.  The writers of his life say that after his second captivity, he traveled into Gaul and Italy, and saw St. Martin, St. Germanus f Auxerre, and Pope Celestine, and that he received his mission and the apostolic benediction from this Pope who died in 432.  It is certain that he spent many years in preparing himself for his sacred calling.  Great opposition was made against his episcopal consecration and mission, both by his own relatives and by the clergy.  These made him great offers in order to detain him among them and endeavored to affright him by exaggerating the dangers to which he exposed himself amidst the enemies of the Romans and Britons, who did not know God.  All these temptations threw the Saint into great perplexities; but the Lord, whose will he consulted by earnest prayer, supported him and he persevered in his resolution.  He forsook his family, sold his birthright and dignity, to serve strngers and consecrated his soul to God, to carry His name to the ends of the earth.  It was in this disposition he passed into Ireland to preach the Gospel, where the worship of idols still took place.....

to be cont.....