Posted in Irish church history

Blessed Thaddeus McCarthy, the bishop bedevilled by misfortunes – 25th October

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Thaddeus McCarthy was a bishop twice over, yet he never got the opportunity to properly govern his entrusted flock. Thaddeus was born into Irish nobility at Innishannon, Cork in 1455. He studied in France, and later served in a tribunal in Rome. He was appointed a bishop at only 27, an age that required a special dispensation from the pope. Unfortunately, this appointment proved a big blunder, as the diocese still had its former bishop, whom was presumed dead. Bishop McCarthy travelled back to Ireland with his official papal appointment papers, only to find bishop O’Driscoll still alive and governing the diocese. This did not go down well for either men. There was already bad blood between the McCarthy and the O’Driscoll families, and the existing bishop O’Driscoll took great offence to McCarthy’s claim as bishop. It was a big disappointment for Thaddeus McCarthy, and an embarrassment for Rome. O’Driscoll accused McCarthy of being an imposter, and Rome recognised a mistake had been made. McCarthy’s appointment was rescinded.

After eight years in limbo, and personal suffering which included later excommunication, Pope Innocent VIII finally brought McCarthy back to the fold. He gave McCarthy a second appointment as Bishop, this time of the diocese of Cloyne, in Cork. Justice having been finally secured, McCarthy travelled back to his new diocese, only to discover that an imposter by the name of Fitzgerald had usurped his office. McCarthy tried to take possession of his cathedral, but was impeded by armed men who barred the entrance. McCarthy had to walk from town to town in his diocese, with proof of papal papers declaring him the real bishop. His own family wanted to help with arms, but Thaddeus refused their offer, as it seemed absurd to take up his seat through the use of violence. This caused a rift between him and the his own family.

McCarthy went back to Rome. This time he secured authorization for military support, as he sought to take possession of his diocese. However, on his homecoming to Ireland, he travelled as a pilgrim disguised as a pauper. The Bishop McCarthy was now 37 years old, and worn out from years of fighting to do what God had called him to do, and serve the diocese. Thaddeus died a pilgrim near Turin and was to be buried in a pauper’s grave, save for a supernatural act. A light emanated from his dead body… The local bishop was called, and he testified that he had dreamed of a bishop ascending into heaven. On examination of the body, they discovered his bishop’s ring. The result was that they buried him in the cathedral of Ivrea, near Turin.  Many miracles have been associated with him ever since.

Blessed Thaddeus McCarthy never governed his diocese, nor ordained any priest. However, he did give his life for God, and is today known as the “White Martyr of Munster”, as he ultimately won him a pauper’s death crowned with glory. He is the model for those who may be discouraged by lack of success. It’s better to be faithful than to be successful. He has a recognised status of being Blessed by way of Cultus Confirmation; 26 August 1895 by Pope Leo XIII.

Bishop Thaddeus McCarthy died on 25th October in 1492.  

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An Irish Monk who became a Saint in Switzerland: St. Gall – 16th October

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St. Columbanus was the most outstanding Irish missionary monk in Europe, during the era of the declining roman empire, when the Barbarians began to make incursions into the former roman territory. Columbanus left the monastery at Bangor, County Down, with twelve other monks, of whom St. Gall is the most notable. Columbanus and Gall share good fortunes and bad for twenty years. Gall was a type of right hand man in the missionary expedition, having the unique ability to communicate in a German dialect, enabling him to communicate with German speaking nobles and Barbarians.

During one of their early missions in France, they found themselves being expelled from the territory and put onboard a rowing ship at Nantes, but the ship was blown back to land again, and so they travelled north east and journeyed up the Rhine against the current. They passed to the river Aare and onto the shores of Lake Zurich.

It was at Zurich that Gall gained notoriety. Having witnessed idolatry by a Germanic tribe to Woden, one of the Norse gods. Woden is known as a deity of war, of human wisdom, and of poetry; influencing Anglo-Saxon culture as well as that of the Vikings. Gall not only preached against such idolatry, but set fire to the temple, and threw sacrificial material into the lake. For that reason there was a plan to murder Gall. The team of Irish monks had to flee and they made for Lake Constance, where they then journeyed more until they encountered a priest at Arbon, by the name of Fr. Willimar. This hospitable priest gave counsel as to where the Irish group could settle. They then found themselves, heading across the lake at Bregenz in Austria, on the fertile mountainside plains. There they encountered more Germanic barbarians offering worship to false gods. Again, St. Gall did the same as before; preaching against idolatry, and smashing the statues of the temple. All the idolatrous imagery were thrown to the bottom of the sea. The temple was a former Christian church. The Barbarians were not happy. Reprisal was on the cards, but Gall won many converts, and St. Columbanus rededicated the Christian church, with holy water, holy oils and holy relics, before celebrating mass there.

St. Gall was a good fisherman and mender of nets, providing well for the community. A reprisal came to fruition, as the barbarians hoodwinked Gunzo the local Duke to expel the Irish monks for interfering with fishing and gaming rights. Two other of the Irish monks, were looking for a lost cow, were assassinated, and so the monks had to once again take flight.

At this point Gall and Columbanus part company, under difficult circumstances. Gall felt unfit and sick and would not continue with Columbanus. He therefore gave the strict command that Gall would not celebrate Mass while Columbanus lived. It was a painful obedience. Gall returned to Fr. Willimar at Arbon, and recovered his health. He was given a suitable hermitage on fertile land. He built there a chapel in honour of the Blessed virgin Mary.

Later the local clergy in that region unanimously chose St. Gall to be the succeeding Bishop of Constance, under the promotional influence of Gunzo the local duke. It was the Duke’s way of returning a big favour, as Gall healed his daughter, Fridaburga. The episcopal offer was declined, as Gall could not celebrate under obedience the Holy Mass, and he was not a native to the land. Gall proposed a native deacon who served him well, and reverend John was elected as bishop.

Within a few short years, St. Gaul had a premonition of St. Columbanus’ death at Bobbio in the north of Italy. Columbanus had already regretted his former heated discussion on the parting of Gall with his prohibition of celebrating the Holy Mass. He therefore had sent some monks from his death bed with his staff to gift to St. Gall. Because of the premonition, Gall had already celebrated Mass for the repose of the soul of late Columbanus, just three years after they parted Bregenz.

The hermitage of St. Gall grew into a monastery with the passing of time, then a city, and then a diocese, and finally the Canton of St. Gallen. Today the monastic library boasts a collection of mediaeval Irish manuscripts. The Irish monk who left Bangor so many years before, became St. Gall of Switzerland. His memory is celebrated on the 16th of October. St. Gall died in 630 A.D.

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Posted in Irish church history

St. Canice; the ascetic Irish Saint – 11th October

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Canice, also known as Cainnech or Kenneth in Scotland is one of the greatest Irish ascetics and most venerated saints in Ireland after St. Patrick and St. Brigid. He was ascetic in the sence that he live as a hermit in solitude on islands doing penance. He is patron of Kilkenny, as sometimes he is referred simply as Kenny. Canice was a man of great eloquence and learning, he wrote a commentary on the Gospels, known for centuries as ‘’Glas-Chainnigh’’, or the “Chain of St. Canice”. He established monasteries in Ireland and Scotland.

Canice was born in 515 or 516, at Glengiven, in present day Co. Derry and died at Aghaboe, in Laoise in 600. He was descended from Ui-Dalainn, a Waterford tribe (at Inis-Doimhle on the Suir). The father was a bard who settled at Glengiven with his mother Maul in Cinachta under its chief. The early years of Canice were spent tending to the chieftain’s flocks. God then called Canice to pastor His faithful elect. Soon Canice became a disciple of St. Finnian of Clonard and studied at his monastery, a centre of ascetics. Later Canice lived at Glasnevin Monastery near present day north Dublin city where he became friends with the great ascetics Sts. Ciaran and Comgal under the tuition of St. Mobhi.

When a plague broke out in Ireland the saint moved for a while to Wales where he stayed at Llancarvan Monastery under St. Cadoc. There he continued his religious formation and in c. 545 he was ordained priest. Canice went to Rome for a blessing from the reigning pontiff. He then returned to Ireland and established an important monastery at ‘’Aghaboe’’ in County Laois. ‘’Aghaboe” means “the little field of a cow.” Under St. Canice, Aghaboe became the chief monastery and spiritual centre of Ossory. After 562 St. Canice moved to Scotland, where he is known as St. Kenneth. There he built a great monastery on Inchkenneth (“Kenneth’s Isle”) to the north of Iona in Argyl and Bute. He made the monastery of Inchkenneth his mission centre. St. Kenneth became a friend of St. Columba of Iona, and together they travelled through the country, preaching and baptizing Picts. Columbia and Kenneth visited King Brude of the Picts and performed successful missionary work. St. Kenneth’s name is recalled in the ruins of an ancient church, Kil-Chainnech on Tiree Island.

The saint liked to live as a hermit on small islands. He loved to communicate with nature and animals. Thus, once he ordered mice to go away when they nibbled his shoes; on another occasion he rebuked birds for making a loud noise on a Sunday – and they instantly obeyed their master. A deer solicitously held the saint’s personal copy of the Bible on its horns while he was reading it. That was clever use of his time, doing spiritual reading while in transit. We could take a leaf of out his book, and perhaps while in transit we could read a spiritual book, or listen to a spiritual lecture while driving from A to B.

St. Canice died at the monastery of Aghaboe in the 600. He is celebrated in Ireland on the 11th October, as well as being celebrated in Scotland and Wales.

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Lead kindly light: Henry Newman – 9th October

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Cardinal Henry Newman spent his life in search the light of Truth.

Born in the City of London, 21 February, 1801, the eldest of six children. His religious training, was a modified form of Calvinism, which he received at his mother’s knees. Calvinism is where you believe you are predestined to heaven because you are already blessed with material riches. Henry Newman would read the bible as a kid. At fifteen he underwent a type of “conversion”, based on an idea of God as a ”notion”. He became ordained an Anglican priest in 1824, and was appointed curate of St. Clement’s, Oxford. And here his religious views in which he had been brought up began to disappoint him. Then began a formation period in his new priestly life; a search for the light of truth. In this new formative period, Newman derived new principles and his old Calvinist philosophy dropped away. At the age of 25, Newman said he had met God, not “as a notion, but as a person”.

On his quest to find the light of truth

Newman’s travelled by the Mediterranean sea to the coasts of North Africa, Italy, Western Greece, and Sicily (December, 1832-July, 1833). It was a romantic episode, with many new novelties. In Rome he met a Catholic called  Wiseman at the English College. The eternal city, made a strong impression on him, for Newman found answers he longed for at the bosom of the Catholic church. 

The voyage from Rome to Oxford

During his voyage from the Mediterranean he wrote the tender verses, “Lead, Kindly Light”, which became a very popular English hymn. Newman wrote the hymn amid the stormy seas. Returning to Oxford, he found he was increasingly far from Anglicanism. Henry Newman began studying the Fathers of the Church, common to all denominations, and gathered around him a group of scholars who questioned themselves on important topics such as respect for the tradition of the first centuries. Newman began the “Tracts for the Times”. He produced a type of pamphlet tract, and his controversy really set in at ”Tract 90″. Newman’s position he personally called the “Via Media“. The Anglican Church, he maintained, lay at an equal distance from Rome (Catholicism) and Geneva (Calvinism). The Anglican church he believed was Catholic in origin and doctrine. Tract 90 distinguished the Thirty-Nine Articles (against the corruption of Rome), from the doctrines of Trent. A furious protestant agitation broke out in consequence (Feb., 1841), Newman was denounced as a traitor at Oxford. He lost many long time friends of his protestant faith.

In 1843 he made his decision, he retracted in a local newspaper his formerly severe language towards Rome. He began to see the light of truth, and in September of the same year he resigned as an Anglican priest. Two years later he asked to be admitted to the Catholic Church. Then, after completing his theological studies in Rome, he was ordained a Catholic priest in 1847.

New fruits from the light of truth.

In 1850 Henry founded the Dublin University, and built a special half Byzantine half Roman church in Dublin. His Catholicity shone brightly in Ireland. Newman produced a new translation of the Bible into English. He also founded an Oratory in Oxford dedicated to St Philip Neri, in whose Congregation he had been ordained a priest. We too, even if we are already Catholic, can endeavour to discover the light of truth emanating from the Catholic faith. God may prune us from our old ways of life to make us more fruitful with the rays of truth shining in our hearts.

We ask Our Lady to be our light and guide to the fullness of truth, away from the storm and into the harbour of heavenly happiness.

In 1879, Pope Leo XIII created him a Cardinal. John Henry Newman died at the Birmingham Oratory on 11 August 1890. He was canonised in 2019, and his memory is celebrated on the 9th of October.

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A beatified Dublin priest?? A man of retreats and spiritual works?? Well I never…. – 3rd October

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Bl. Columba Marmion was a Dubliner, born on 1 April 1858. His Irish father was William Marmion and his French mother was Herminie Cordier. Blessed Columba Marmion’s original name was Joseph Aloysius. He became a seminarian at Clonliffe College, Drumcondra in 1874, and completed his studies in Rome where he was ordained on 16 June 1881.

He paid a visit in 1881 to Belgium on his return to Ireland, and was enamoured with the liturgical ambience of the Abbey of Maredsous. In Ireland his Bishop appointed him curate of Dundrum parish, and then professor at the major seminary in Clonliffe (1882-86). He was chaplain at the nearby convent of Redemptorist nuns and at a women’s prison in Drumcondra and Phibsborough.

With the Bishop’s permission set out to become a monk. He returned to the Abbey of Maredsous and was received by Abbot Placidus Wolter in 1886. His novitiate year was difficult, due to linguistical, cultural and regimental challenges. However, Blessed Columba was there to learn obedience, and to be moulded by a a life of prayer.

He first mission, with a small team of monks was to found the Abbey of Mont César in Louvain. It was a huge challenge for him, that required sacrifice. He became the Prior and served as spiritual director and professor to the monks studying philosophy or theology. He also preached retreats in Belgium and the UK, and gave spiritual direction to the Carmelite nuns.

Dom Columba Marmion was elected the third Abbot of Maredsous on 28 September 1909. He was abbot of more than 100 monks, and together they ran a humanities college, a trade school and tended to a farm. His main concern however was giving spiritual retreats. He helped Anglican monks of Caldey (off the coast of south Wales), to convert to Catholicism. During the Great War, Blessed Columba sent many monks to Ireland to complete their studies in a more peaceful environment.  This decision coupled with other more difficult ones led to many anxieties in the community, between diverse nationalities who found themselves sometimes close to the frontier of war… far from a tranquil place.

Blessed Columba has written a trilogy spiritual works including: Christ the Life of the Soul (1917), Christ in His Mysteries (1919) and Christ the Ideal of the Monk (1922). One of his more notable clients was Queen Elisabeth of Belgium. His spiritual works were influential in the twentieth century and they are still studied in the present time by religious around the world.

We too can benefit from these spiritual writings; where people are brought to God, and God is brought to people. We too can go on retreats to nourish our souls. We too can seek out a spiritual director to steer on the path to greater perfection in our lives. Sure we have plenty of Dublin priests in this parish!

Blessed Columba Marmion passed away during a flu epidemic on 30 January 1923. He was beatified in Rome on the 3rd September 2000. The liturgical day of memory in his name is on the 3rd October.

Nb* much of the material found here (though not all), has been sourced from the Vatican Website by a sermon given by St. John Paul Magno.

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The fair-haired saint, patron of Cork. Memory to St. Finbarr – 25th September

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St. Finbarr was born in Connaught. He was the son of an artisan, called Amergin of Maigh Seóla, a skilled craftsman from Galway. Finbarr’s mother was a lady of the Irish royal court. He was baptized Lochan and was educated at Kilmacahil, Kilkenny. Finbarr later trained in monastic school and was ordained. The monks named him Fionbarr (fair head) because of his light hair. He was called Finbarr by some and Bairre or Barr by others. He went on a pilgrimage to Rome with some of the monks, visiting St. David in Wales on the way back

Hermitage at Gougane Barra

He evangelized Gowran, Coolcashin and Aghaboe. Finbarr founded a number of schools, one on an island at Loch Irce, a beautiful place at the source of the river Lee. The island is now called Gougane Barra (Guagán in Irish means “little fissure”) in West Cork and South Kerry. Finbarr lived as a hermit on this small island. It is one of the best-preserved historic hermitage monuments in the diocese of Cork & Ross. The old walls are 4.2 metres thick. There are numerous cells, each 2 metres wide by 3 metres deep. The cloister is 15 metres square.

The marshlands of Cork

In 606 Finbarr founded a monastery near the mouth of the river Lee. This area is marshland, where Cork gets its Irish name. His monastery became famous in province of Munster and attracted many disciples. The City of Cork sprawled out around Finbarr’s monastery, as a town grew and became prosperous. The motto for University College, Cork, is “Where Finbarr taught, let Munster learn”. It’s a generous paraphrase from the origins text in Gaelic. “Ionad Bairre Sgoil na Mumhan” = Finbarr’s foundation, the School of Munster. Finbarr’s monastery is believed to have been situated close to the Church of Ireland Cathedral of St Finbarr.

The passing away of the fair haired Saint

Around the year 623 AD St. Finbarr died at the monastery of his friend, St Colman, at Cloyne in East Cork. His body was returned to Cork city and his remains were encased in a silver shrine. In 1089 they were seized by Diarmait Ua Briain, who later ruled as King of Munster. The shrine and the remains have never been recovered.

St Finbarr’s feast day is celebrated on 25th September. As a Cork city’s patron saint, he is greatly revered. Tradition holds that when he died the sun did not set for two weeks.

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St. Eunan (Adomnán) an Abbot for Synods and change – Memory to St. Eunan – 23rd September

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Family origins

Born at Drumhome near Ballintra in south-west Donegal into the Uí Chonaill family around 624. Eunan’s Uí Néill lineage aligns with Loingsech, king of Tara. Eunan was educated by Columban Monks. He later joined the Iona community as a a novice at Iona in 650. He was become the ninth abbot of Iona in 679. He was also president-general of all the Columban houses in Ireland. During his rule he paid three lengthy visits to Ireland.

Notable writings of St. Eunan.

He wrote “Vita Columbae” on life of Columba. Eunan highlight the St. Columba’s virtues. It is full of memorable details of monks and lay people who came into contact with St. Columba. “Vita Columbae” is considered a most complete biography in all of Europe from early Christianity through to the late Middle Ages.

He also wrote a book “De Locis Sanctis” (on the holy places) – Jerusalem, Damascus, Constantinople and Alexandria based on descriptions received by a French bishop Arculfus, who had been shipwrecked in western Britain and took refuge in Iona.

Intervention between Celtic and Roman observance in the Irish Church

St. Eunan made a number of visits to Northumbria. On his first was in 686, he became aware of unresolved conflicts after the Synod of Whitby (664) between Celtic observances and the Roman observances. Celtic monasteries had a different method for calculating the date of Easter for example. Also a Celtic abbot enjoyed administrative superiority to a bishop. In visiting the monasteries of Wearmouth and Jarrow, St. Eunan had lenghty discourses with the Abbot Ceolfrith of Wearmouth. Eunan understood that the Celtic observance was was similar to St John which was the custom in the Eastern Church. St. Eunan felt it would be better for the universality of the Church for the Celtic monastries to make use of the Roman observance. For eighteen years St. Eunan made it his business to convince Ionian monks as well as and the Irish Columban monasteries to switch to the roman observance.

The law of innocents – a type of old Irish ‘Geneva Convention’

On his third visit to Ireland (697) he assisted at the Synod of Birr. There he convinced the participants that, women, children and clerics should be exempt from war and not be taken prisoners or slaughtered. This came to be known as The Law of the Innocents or Adomnan’s law (Cain Adomhnáin). It’s genesis traces back to a request made by Eunan’s mother Rónnat.

St Eunan died at the Abbey in Iona in 704. He is the Patron of Raphoe Diocese. He is celebrated on the 23rd of September.

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Elvis is a Saint? Memory to St. Elvis – 12th September

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Well the name Elvis is an anglicised version of the name Irish name Ailbe, which was then name given to an Irish Saint who is the patron saint of the diocese of Cashel and Emily. Saint Ailbe heralds from Munster and is the patron of wolves.

St. Ailbe was Abbot and preacher and became a disciple of St. Patrick, according to St. Patrick’s biographer, Tirechan. Ailbe is called Albeus in Latin. The name Ailbe is derived from the Irish words Ail (rock) and beo (alive).

What is known about Ailbe is that he was a missionary in Ireland under King Aengus. He was also the first Abbot of Emily in Munster, Ireland. He is the patron saint of wolves, because in his infancy he was left in the forest to be devoured by the wolves, Ailbe was born to a maidservant in the house of Cronan, Lord of Eliach, in County Tipperary. Cronan, disapproved of Ailbe birth and directed that the new born be exposed to ‘dogs and wild beasts, that he might be devoured’. But, instead, the baby was found hidden under a rock (Ail) and alive (beo), by a she-wolf who reared him among her own cubs. Ailbe would later repay the kindness toward the end of his life when a she-wolf chased by hunters took refuge with him. He ordered that the animal should not be harmed, and gave the wolf and her cubs food in his hall.

Ailbe was noted for his charity and kindness, as well as his eloquent sermons. He is considered the St. Patrick of Munster. “The Acts of St. Ailbe” represent Ailbe as preaching in Ireland before St. Patrick. This is very plausible, as even St. Declan did the same before he met his old friend Patrick in Cashel to settle an important governing ecclesial matter. Declan already knew Patrick from their time in Rome. Ailbe is frequently named as leader among the four “Palladian disciples” all of whom ministered in the south of Ireland before the arrival of St. Patrick. Palladius was the first missionary to Ireland. His four disciples are Ailbe of Emly, Ibar of Begerin, Declan of Ardmore and Ciaran of Saighir. “The Life of Declan” says that himself and Ailbe were great friends, and they both went to Rome for priestly formation. Declan is one of the Déise people, who herald from Wales. Ailbe was also in Wales, where he baptised St. David, patron of Wales.

Ailbe’s tomb, was discovered in Cashel in 580 when St Brendan of Birr came on a visit to inaugurate the new king. The saint’s death is recorded for the year 528 in the Irish annals.

Repose of Ailbe of Imlech Ibuir – The Annals of Ulster 528

St. Ailbe’s monastery known as Imleach Iubhair ‘the lakeside at a yew tree’ went on to become one of the most important ecclesiastical sites in Munster and in later centuries Emly became a Diocesan centre, after the synods of Rath Breasail and the Synod of Kells. The ecclesiastical site was located at the modern Catholic church and graveyard. St Ailbe’s holy well can be found in the north-eastern corner of the graveyard. In 1898 the well supplied the surrounding village. Local memory and historical sources say that in the past the pilgrimage rituals were focused on the holy well and an early medieval cross, known as St Ailbe’s Cross. The cross is located a short distance from the well. The cross was also said to cure back pain. When a person has a pain in his back he would get it cured by putting his back against the stone while praying to St Ailbe.

So there you have it, Elvis is a saint, I bet you did not know that… Are you all shook up?

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Posted in Parish News

Na Moltaí Diaga – Divine praises in Irish

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Iomann ar dtús

Céad míle fáilte romhat, a Íosa, a Íosa

Céad míle fáilte romhat, a Íosa

Céad míle fáilte romhat a Shlánaítheoir

Céad míle míle fáilte romhat, ‘Íosa, a Íosa

Glóir agus moladh duit, a Íosa, a Íosa

Glóir agus moladh duit, a Íosa

Glóir agus moladh duit, a Shlánaítheoir

Glóir, moladh agus buíochas duit, ‘Íosa, a Íosa.

Beannacht ar Sacraimint ró-naofa

V. Bhronn sé aran ó neamh orthu. (salm 78:24) (Alleluia)

R. Gach binneas a bheith istigh ann (Alleluia)

Guimìs:

A Thiarna Íosa Críost, d’fhág tú an eocairist againn

mar chuimhniú  ar do pháis agus ar do bhás.

Go dtugaimid an t-ómos is dual

Do shacraimint do Choirp agus do chuid Fola

Ionas do dtuigfimid an slánú a bhuaigh tú dúinn,

Agus an t-aoibhneas atá I ndán dúinn sna flaithis,

Eisean a mhaireann agus a rialaìonn, mar aon leis an Athair agus leis an Spiorad Naomh, i do Dhia, Trí shaol na saol

R. Amen

Na Moltaí Diaga

Moladh le Dia.

Moladh lena Ainm Naofa.

Moladh le hÍosa Críost, is FíorDhia agus fíordhuine.

Moladh le hAinm Íosa.

Moladh lena Chroí ró-naofa.

Moladh lena fhuil ró-luachmhar.

Moladh le hÍosa i Sacraimint ró-naofa na hAltóra.

Moladh leis an Spiorad Naomh, an tAbhchóide.

Moladh le Mór-mháthair Dé, Muire ró-naofa.

Moladh lena Giniúint naofo gan Smál.

Moladh lena deastógáil ghlórmhar

Moladh le hAinm Mhuire, Maighdean agus Máthair

Moladh le Naomh Iósaf, a céile ró-gheanmnaí.

Moladh le Dia ina aingeal agus ina naomh.

Amen.

Iomann dar críoch

Ag Críost an síol,

Ag Críost an fómhar:

In iothlann Dé

Go dtugtar sinn.

Ag Críost an mhuir,

Ag Críost an t-iasc:

I líontaibh Dé

Go gcastar sinn.

Ó fhás go haois

Is ó aois go bás,

Do dhá lámh’, a Chríost,

Anall tharainn.

O bhás go críoc nach

Críoch ach athfhás,

I bParthas na ngrás go rabhaimid.

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The synod of Rath Breasail and the re-establishment of former Irish diocese.

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The historical context of ancient Ireland.

Ireland was always outside the Roman Empire, due in part to a successful strategy, whereby the Gaelic kings would take hostage, of sons and daughters of nobility, of an invading menace. “Niall and the Nine Hostages” for example gives an insight into this tried and tested method of national defence. St. Patrick and his two sisters where taken hostage by King Niall along with thousands of other victims.

St. Patrick’s apostolic mission to Ireland.

When St. Patrick returned to Ireland on his apostolic mission much later in life, he established dioceses as one would expect. But some centuries after this, a lay administration, known as the ‘’coarb’’ of St. Patrick developed. This admin role was a family heirloom, as a family member took control of the administration of their abbacy, to keep the monastic settlement from the foreign Viking hands. This followed as a result of the historic period of great instability in the Gaelic kingdom. In that epoch, there were seismic ethnic incursions in Ireland, that we find narrated in the ‘’Book of Invasions’’. This book encapsulates a difficult situation for the Gaels, wrought by the Vikings, who as the book recounts, arrived in Ireland ‘’wave after wave after wave’’. The Norse Vikings took hold of Dublin and Waterford, and later the Danes arrived and despoiled the established Catholic sees in Ireland. It was St. Kelly of Armagh who first challenged the family heirloom ”Coarb” model in favour of Rome Rule.

The various synods that changed the ecclesial norms in Ireland

The nation’s formerly established diocese became depleted of bishops and priests. A monastic model eclipsed the diocesan model, and this lasted until the time of the Synod of Rath Breasail of 1111. The Gael’s even had a Celtic observance that declined in favour of the Roman observance after the Synod of Whitby in 664 called by the King of Oswiu in Northumbria. St. Laserian took the leading part in settling the Irish Easter calendar controversy. In the Synod of Magh-lene, he successfully defended the Roman Easter calendar computation. The final break from the Celtic observance to the Roman observance however came slowly, with further persuasive efforts of St. Eunan.

The history and changes brought by the Synod of Rath Breasail

The year 1631 saw the completion of Fr. Geoffrey Keating’s series of moral reflections on death and the conduct of human life, Trí bior-ghaoithe an bháis, and his treatise on the Mass, Eochair-sgiath an Aifrinn. A man called John MacErlean draws attention to the inclusion of significant early ecclesiastical records which would otherwise have been lost. Keating’s history is the only source for the Synod of Rath Breasail at the beginning of the twelfth century when Ireland was first divided into its modern dioceses format we have today.

The Synod of Rath Breasail re-established diocese under the seat of the bigger and more notable monasteries existing in Ireland at the time. The lesser monasteries became subsumed by the more important monastic centres within the confines of the newly established diocesan lines. For example we had the Lismore monastery which was an important centre of learning for the Gaels. The lesser known monasteries became more like parochial centres. Shortly after the death of diocesan promoter St. Malachy, the Synod of Kells followed in 1152 to iron out anomalies still extant, and the four archdiocese in Ireland came into effect. The Waterford diocese was a small diocese of mainly Danish folk and some members of the Déise folk. Lismore and Waterford were then separate diocese as the peoples where still so culturally diverse. It was only much later did the two diocese amalgamate, and Lismore being the bigger diocese was given the lead name of the Lismore and Waterford diocese. After the reformation period the names were switched to the Waterford and Lismore diocese, which still stand today.

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