Tag Archives: Irish Saints

Posted in Irish church history

All Ireland Feast Day Champions: An Eclectic team of Irish Saints – 6th November

By

Image Source: Saint Icons: Saints of Ireland icon | Monastery Icons

The material contained herein is the result of personal investigation and endeavour. We are of the opinion that the material put forward is very reasonably accurate, carefully garnered, digested and distilled for our readers edification. We encourage the reader to look elsewhere for corroborative evidence on the topic.

The Feast of All Irish Saints was instituted in 1921, by Pope Benedict XV. It was already a huge privilege to have twenty five new Irish saints recognised by Rome back in 1902, albeit via an informal procedure. In that year we had increased our existing locally acclaimed saints recognised universally. To explain the procedure for recognition of saints lets take a look at three options…

We have

A) Formally canonised saints

B) Informally canonised saints

C) Pre-congregation canonization

A. Formally canonised saints are when there is a solemn public affair in publicising the recognition of someone as a saint. Examples of formally canonised Irish Saints or saints for Ireland are:

  1. Saint Charles of Mount Argus (Dutch) – 5th January
  2. Saint Oliver Plunkett – 1st July
  3. Saint Malachy – 3rd November
  4. Saint Lawrence O’Toole – 14th November
  5. St. Virgil of Salzburg – 27th November

Nb* Irish monk St. Virgil is also known as St. Fergal; an 8th-century missionary scholar who was formally canonized in 1233 by Pope Gregory IX.

B. Informally canonised saints are when there is a recognition of someone as a saint without the solemn public fan fair. It is a recognition via the process of Cultus Confirmation. Listed below are twenty five saints were recognised in 19 June 1902 by the universal church via the process of Cultus Confirmation:

1) Albert from Cashel – 8th January

2) Aidan from Ferns – 30th January

3) Carthach the Elder from Lismore – 5th March

4) Ciarán from Clonmacnois – 5th March

5) Macartan from Clogher – 24th March

6) Laserian from Leighlin – 18th April

7) Assicus from Elphin – 27th April

8) Conleth from Kildare – 4th May

9) Comgall from Bangor – 10th May

10) Kevin from Glendalough – 3rd June

11) Jarlath from Tuam – 6th June

12) Colman from Dromore – 7th June

13) Déclán from Ardmore – 24th July

14) Nathy from Achonry – 9th August

15) Felim from Kilmore – 9th August

16) Muiredach from Killala – 12th August

17) Éoghan from Ardstraw – 23rd August

18) Mac Nisse from Connor – 4th September

19) Finbarr from Cork – 25th September

20) Oran from Iona – 27th October

21) Colman from Kilmacduagh – 29th October

22) Colman from Cloyne – 25th November

23) Finnian from Clonard – 12th December

24) Flannán mac Toirrdelbaig from Killaloe – 18th December

25) Fachanan from Kilfenora – 20th December

The process of Cultus Confirmation is also called equipollent (equivalent) canonization, which consists in decreeing an Office and Mass by the pope in honour of the saint, (Benedict XIV, l, c., xliii, no 14). The Congregation for the Causes of Saints (CCS), instituted in 1969, has the competence to consider such an honour. Ordinarily someone whose cultus has been confirmed is considered “Blessed”. In some cases, the decree grants the title as “Saint”.

The rules instituted by Pope Benedict XIV, on the conditions for an equipollent canonization:
1) Existence of an ancient cultus of the person: namely evidence of an immemorial public veneration (cultus ab immemorabili tempore) of the person at least one hundred years before the publication of the decree.
2) Reliable and constant attestation to the virtues or martyrdom of the person by credible historians.
3) Uninterrupted fame of the person as a miracle worker: the claimed saint maintains a reputation for performing miracles that have continued without exception of the centuries.
These criteria ensure only claimed saints of authentic merit veneration and canonisation.

C. Pre-congregation canonization are when a saint was proclaimed so by popular devotion and recognised as such by a local bishop. This was of the era before the formal canonisation process we have today begun. This pre-congregation canonisation process is no longer promoted today.

Examples of pre-congregation canonisation:

St. Mel of Ardagh – 7th February

Our national patron Ss Patrick, Brigid, and Colmcille, are also saints by acclamation of local bishops.

What a great privilege that we have twenty officially recognised Irish saints by the Roman pontificate via Cultus Confirmation. We celebrate all Irish Saints day on the 6th November.

Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmailby feather
Posted in Irish church history

St. Otteran (Odhran) one of the original monks of Iona – 27th October

By

Image Source from Roaringwater Journal

Material taken from Saint of the Day and also from St. Eunan’s writing on St. Columba.

According to tradition, Otteran lived more than forty years at Silvermines, in Tipperary, erecting a church there in 520. He also served as abbot of Meath, and founded Lattreagh. He was one of the twelve who travelled with St Columba to Iona.

Otteran was of royal Irish lineage and was a kinsman of St. Columba of Tír Conaill (Donegal) in the 5th century. He may have visited Iona before Columba and before the mission there had properly begun. The island of Iona would have been part of the Irish Dál Riada kingdom. The Dalriada colony stretched from western Scotland known as Argyll today, and extended over the Irish sea into Antrim and Down Patrick. Iona would have been reasonably central in this colony, via the sea to its borders which included north eastern Ireland & parts of western Scotland.

The oldest remaining church on Iona is named after St. Otteran located by his tomb, called Reilig Odhráin. He worked in Iona evangelising the people of Scotland. An Irish Calendar from 800 A.D. written by Oengus the Culdee testifies his death. Otteran or Oran (Odhran, = `the pale faced one’) is mentioned to be the first monk who died on the missionary island.

Columba is said to have seen devils and angels fight over Odran’s soul before it ascended into heaven. A popular legend says that Otteran consented to being buried alive beneath a chapel that Columba wanted to build. It was part of an omen that the walls of the chapel would collapse unless a living man was buried below the foundations. So Otteran was consigned to the earth, and the chapel was erected above him.

Otterran is ‘’Titular Guardian’’ of Viking ancestors’ ashes

Otteran was the first Christian to be buried in the old pagan cemetery on Iona. The vikings had long carried their deceased leaders to be buried there.  Iona is the place of repose for over fifty kings and a handful of princes. The norsemen chose Otteran (the viking pronunciation), with the titular guardian of their ancestors’ ashes, and patron of Waterford city in 1096. Also in Iona, began the beginning of that wonderful manuscript the Book of Kells. With the invasion of the vikings, as described in “An Leabhar Breac” this book project had to be moved to Kells in Ireland for completion.

The Irish Martyrologies tell us that saint Otteran is honoured on October 27th as a monk of Hy, a kinsman of St. Columba. Otteran’s died in 548 AD and his tomb is greatly revered in Iona. He is recognised as a saint through the process of Cultus confirmation (equipollent canonization) since 1902 by Pope Leo XIII

Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmailby feather
Posted in Irish church history

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

By

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 a real 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.  

Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmailby feather
Posted in Irish church history

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

By

Material taken and adapted from Omnium Sanctorum Hiberniae: Saint Gall of Switzerland, October 16

Gall was a missionary companion of Columbanus, and they were to have a disagreement. It was a little bit like St. Paul and Barnabas in the book of Acts.

Acts 15: 36, 39 recounts a strong disagreement among two evangelisers, Paul and Barnabas. It says: ”Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.”… They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company”.

Now at the time of the Irish mission in Europe, St. Columbanus was the most outstanding monk in Europe. He brought with him many disciples into the continent to reclaim the Word of God. This was 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; he was a type of right hand man in the missionary expedition. Gall had the unique ability to communicate in a German dialect, enabling him to communicate with German speaking nobles and Barbarians.

On their peregrinatio pro Christo, they crossed over to Europe, and found themselves as a group, arriving onto the shores of Lake Zurich. It was here 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. The Irish monks 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, and now Barbarians were unhappy. 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. The barbarians seeing this, hatched a plan. They hoodwinked Gunzo the local Duke to expel the Irish monks for interfering with fishing and gaming rights. At around the same time, two other of the Irish monks were looking for a lost cow. They were assassinated, and so the monks had to once again take flight.

At this point Gall and Columbanus have their disagreement. They part company, under difficult circumstances. Gall felt unfit and sick and would not continue the journey across the alps, with Columbanus to Italy. Gall was thus forbidden to celebrate Mass as a rebuke, and for as long as Columbanus lived. It was a painful obedience, and Gall returned to Fr. Willimar at Arbon, and recovered his health. Gall was given a suitable hermitage on fertile land and 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 a 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 dispute with Gall and his prohibition of celebrating the Holy Mass. Columbanus therefore 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, before the monks arrived.

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.

Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmailby feather
Posted in Irish church history

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

By

Image Source of St. Canice taken from Pinterest

Much of the material below has been patterned from Omnium Santorum Hiberniae; it’s narration favours a clearer understanding of St. Canice which we deem preferrable.

______________________________________________________

Brief Summary

Canice, also known as Cainnech or Kenneth in Scotland is one of the greatest Irish ascetics and most venerated saints in Scotland after St. Patrick and St. Brigid. He was ascetic in the sense that he lived 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.

_____________________________________________________

The Story of our saint

Canice was born in 515 or 516, at Glengiven, in the Valley of the Roe, in present day Co. Derry. He was descended from Corco Dalann or Ui-Dalainn; a Waterford tribe. The tribe dwelt on an island referred to in the Saint’s Life as “Insula Nuligi,” believed to be Inis-Doimhle on the river Suir. Canice’s father was a bard who settled in Glengiven with his wife Maul, under the favour and protection of the chief of Cianachta. In the ”Irish Saints”, (preserved in the College of Salamanca) Meaula or Mealla is given as name of the mother of St. Canice.

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). He had for his companions, like Columkille, Kieran of Clonmacnoise, Comgall, Brendan, and other notable saints, collectively considered the twelve Apostles of Ireland. 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. There he stayed at Llancarvan Monastery, on the banks of the Severn, under St. Cadoc. St. Canice had the special love and virtue for transcribing the sacred Scriptures. But above all his virtues, he placed great practice in obedience. One Welsh anecdote we can regale, was while Canice was engaged in transcribing, suddenly the monastery bell sounded. The ringing summoned him for another task. Canice immediately left, his unfinished transcribing, and his half formed letter ”o”, and hastened at once to new duties now demanded of him. Thenceforth, the abbot favoured Canice exceedingly.

Canice continued his religious formation in Wales 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. It was his treasure-house of graces, and favourite school where generations of his spiritual children lived and prayed, until old age and burial. The rich pastures of Aghaboe gave her monastery a distinct sense of grandeur.

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 was already friends with St. Columba of Iona from their time in Ireland. Together they travelled through the highland country, preaching and baptizing Picts. Columbia and Kenneth visited King Brude of the Picts and performed successful missionary work. To convert the Picts was to put their lives in great peril; but they succeeded!

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.

____________________________________________________

Anecdotes of Nature

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.

Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmailby feather
Posted in Irish church history

A beatified Jackeen?? And priest of retreats and spiritual works?? Up the Dubs! – 3rd October

By

Blessed Columba Marmion Blessed Columba Marmion Image Source

Blessed Columba Marmion was a Dubliner from Smithfield, 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 the16th June 1881.

Joseph Aloysius paid a visit in 1881 to Belgium, and was enamoured with the liturgical ambience of the Abbey of Maredsous near Namur. After his return to 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, he 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, Joseph Aloysius was there to learn obedience, and to be moulded by a a life of prayer. He took the name Columba in 1891

He first mission was in 1899, with a small team of monks. They were to found the Abbey of Mont César in Louvain. This mission to teach theology was a huge challenge for Columba, 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 in 1914, Blessed Columba sent many monks to England, then to Ireland to complete their studies in a more peaceful environment.  He found a suitable place on the banks of the River Slaney, south of Enniscorthy, in Wexford. His decision to send monks to Ireland 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 gems; where people are brought to God, and God is brought to people. We can also consider going on retreats to nourish our souls. Additionally we can seek out a spiritual director to steer on the path to greater perfection in our lives.

Blessed Columba Marmion passed away during a flu epidemic on 30 January 1923. His remains are in Namur, in Belgium, one hour and a half south of Gheel where Ireland’s St. Davnet is buried. Columba 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. Some of the material has been complemented by Catholic Ireland.Net

Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmailby feather
Posted in Irish church history

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

By
St. Finbarr

St. Finbarr (Image Source)

Much of the information here has been gleaned from omnium Santorum Hiberniae

St. Finbarr was born in Connaught, the son of a skilled artisan, called Amergin of Maigh Seóla from Galway. Finbarr’s mother was a lady of the Irish royal court. They baptized Finbarr as Lochan and sent him to be educated at Kilmacahil, Kilkenny. Lochan later trained in monastic school and was ordained. The monks nicknamed him ”Fionbarr” which is Irish for fair head. A variation of this name is Barry.

St. Finbarr was noted for miracles from childhood. He would grow up to go on a pilgrimage to Rome with St. Colgu, and St. Maedhoc, and twelve others from his monastery. In Rome St, Gregory the Great predicted his election to the episcopate, which happened on his return to Ireland.

In the Irish life preserved in the Brussels MSS, the virtues of Finbarr are narrated in this manner: “His humility, his piety, his charity, his abstinence, his prayers by day and by night, won him great privileges : for he was godlike and pure of heart and mind, like Abraham ; mild and well-doing, like Moyses; a psalmist, like David ; wise, like Solomon; firm in the faith, like Peter; devoted to the truth, like Paul the Apostle; and full of the Holy Spirit, like John the Baptist. He was a lion of strength, and an orchard full of apples of sweetness”.

Hermitage at Gougane Barra

In Ireland Finnbarr evangelized Gowran, Coolcashin and Aghaboe. He founded his first cell on an island at Lough Allua, on a beautiful island at the source of the river Lee in West Cork and South Kerry. This island is now called Gougane Barra (Guagán in Irish means “little fissure”). 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 marshlands of Cork

In 606 Finbarr then moved to the banks of Lough Eirce, and established his chief school and monastery. It became illustrious for learning and sanctity, attracting students and pilgrims from all over Ireland. The monastic site grew rapidly, became a monastic city catering for students, pilgrims, professors and the poor. Finbarr’s monastery became famous in province of Munster and attracted many disciples. The chosen monastic site was built on marshland, where Cork got its name from the original Irish name Corcach Bascain. The River Lee would occasionally overflow its banks and gave the whole surrounding area an immense lake like effect, which was called in those days, ”Lough Eirce”. The City of Cork would later sprawl out around Finbarr’s monastic site, as a town grew and became prosperous. Today the motto for University College, Cork, is “Where Finbarr taught, let Munster learn”. This motto is an artistic 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 present day Church of Ireland Cathedral of St Finbarr.

The passing away of the fair haired Saint

For seventeen years, Finbarr governed his monastery before he felt summoned to his heavenly reward. Around the year 623 AD St. Finbarr died at the monastery of Cloyne in East Cork, founded by his friend, St Colman. The abbey of Cloyne is about 24 kilometres from Finbarr’s monastery in Cork. His remains were later translated to Cork and deposited at the foot of a monumental cross, with his relics encased in a silver shrine for veneration. 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.

Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmailby feather
Posted in Irish church history

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

By

St. Eunan: image source

Nb* Much of the information here is gleaned from Omnium Sanctorum Hiberniae

Eunan was born at Drumhome near Ballintra in south-west Donegal into the Uí Chonaill family around 624. His Uí Néill lineage aligns with Loingsech, king of Tara. Eunan was educated by Columban Monks and he later joined the Iona community as a a novice in 650 before becoming the ninth abbot of Iona in 679. Eunan also became president-general of all the Columban houses in Ireland. During his term of office, he paid three lengthy visits to Ireland which brought about change.

Notable writings.

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

Eunan also wrote a book “De Locis Sanctis” on the holy places, such as 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.

The English influence

On two occasions Eunan visited the court of King Aldfrid of Northumbria. Alfrid as a prince, once upon a time lived many years in exile in Ireland, and Eunan became acquainted with him. Prince Aldfrid was then recalled to the throne of Northumbria. In 686, Eunan went to visit King Alfrid to seek the release of Irish captives at that time. The English king gave a ready and favourable response to this demand; “that a complete restoration of the captives should be made [to Eunan], and that no Saxon should ever again go upon a predatory excursion to Ireland’’. Such a favourable response, no doubt cemented good relations that would foster good tidings for Ireland and England as well as the Church universal as we shall consider below…

On Eunan’s first English visit in 686, he became aware of unresolved conflicts lingering after the Synod of Whitby (664) regarding Celtic observances of the Easter calendar and the Roman observances in England. Eunan understood that the Celtic observance was was similar to St John which was the custom in the Eastern Church. Two years later Eunan visited the court of Aldfrid again, and presented the king with his invaluable work, “De Locis Sanctis,”. Eunan stayed at various religious homes in the north of England, and he became fully acquainted with the correct computation of the Easter calendar according to the Roman observance. In visiting the monasteries of Wearmouth and Jarrow, St. Eunan had lengthy discourses with the Abbot Ceolfrith.

Intervention between Celtic and Roman observance in the Irish Church

From his experience in England, Eunan would make an important contribution to the church universal regarding an reforming the Celtic practices of the their Easter calendar in Britain and Ireland. 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 in Scotland as well as and the Irish Columban monasteries to switch to the roman observance during his office as president. Thus Eunan became a devoted champion of the Whitby Synod. This reform of the Celtic church was a slow progress across Ireland, which was later accelerated by St. Malachy some centuries later.

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

In 697 Eunan visited Ireland a third time, and obtained a decree from the Irish princes that men alone should be subject to military service. This seems to be linked in some way to another notable influence of Eunan; The law of innocents – a type of Irish ‘Geneva Convention’ which was decreed 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 Eunan’s law.

In the Laebhar Breac it reads of four chief Irish laws: “Patrick’s Law, that the clerics should not be killed; Bridget’s Law, that the cattle of thy shall not be killed; Eunan’s Law, that women shall not be killed; and the Law of the Lord’s-day, that it be not desecrated.”

Eunan was a man of great austerities and his ascetic life is compared with the great fathers and hermits of the Egyptian deserts. St. Bede refers to Eunan as “a good and a wise man, and remarkably learned in the knowledge of the Scriptures.”

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

Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmailby feather
Posted in Irish church history

St. Ailbe, the orphaned man cub – 12th September

By

She Wolf with St. Ailbe

St. Ailbe heralds from Munster. He is a patron saint of the diocese of Cashel and Emily and is the also patron of wolves. Ailbe is called Albeus in Latin and Elvis in English.

Ailbe’s story somewhat parallels a Disney film called Jungle book, with it’s two main opposing characters of 1) Mowgli, the good ”man cub” reared by a wolf; 2) Shere Khan, a fearsome bad tiger who went on the hunt for Mowgli.

Now Ailbe was born to a maidservant in the house of Cronan, Lord of Eliach, in County Tipperary. Cronan, disapproved of Ailbe’s birth and directed that the new born be abandoned and exposed to ‘dogs and wild beasts, that the child might be devoured’. But, instead, the baby was found hidden under a rock (Ail) and alive (beo), by a she-wolf who then took him and reared him among her own cubs. Ailbe (which means live rock) would later repay the kindness toward the end of his life when a she-wolf chased by hunters took refuge with him.

Now Ailbe as a young man, met and befriended St. Declan, and the two would become disciples of Palladius, who came to try to evangelise Ireland, before St. Patrick succeeded. “The Life of Declan” says that himself and Ailbe were great friends. They later went to Rome for priestly formation. While returning to Ireland from Rome, Declan met Patrick in the north of the eternal city, in a providential encounter, which would have a later bearing on Ailbe. “The Acts of St. Ailbe” represent Ailbe as preaching in Ireland before St. Patrick. Ailbe was a missionary in Ireland under King Aengus of Cashel. Ailbe was noted for his charity and kindness, as well as his eloquent sermons. He was Abbot and preacher and became a disciple of St. Patrick, according to St. Patrick‘s biographer, Tirechan. He became the first bishop of Emily in Munster and is considered the St. Patrick of Munster.

St. Ailbe’s monastery of Emily, 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 Emily was re-established a Diocesan centre, after the synods of Rath Breasail and the Synod of Kells.

The ecclesiastical monastic site was located at the modern Catholic church and graveyard at Emily. The repose of Ailbe of Imlech Ibuir is recorded as 528 by the Annals of Ulster (within the old monastic grounds). 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.

St. Ailbe feast day is celebrated in the Irish liturgical calendar on September 12th.

Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmailby feather