[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 42 (Wednesday, March 17, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2878-S2879]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  ST. PATRICK, PATRON SAINT OF IRELAND

  Mr. BROWNBACK. Mr. President, today is St. Patrick's Day. It is 
interesting to me that when people think of St. Patrick's Day, they 
think of Irish, of Ireland and green and spring and those sorts of 
things, much more than we think of St. Patrick.
  I was looking up today and asking for some information on St. Patrick 
himself.
  St. Patrick of Ireland--this is on a web site. It is fascinating. I 
do not think most people realize about St. Patrick, but he is one of 
the world's most popular saints, as people know, along with St. 
Nicholas and St. Valentine. The day is one cherished by everyone, 
particularly the Irish.
  There are many legends and stories of St. Patrick. This is his story. 
I will go through it briefly.
  He was born around 385 in Scotland, probably Kilpatrick. His parents 
were Romans living in Britain in charge of the colonies. As a boy of 14 
or so, he was captured during a raiding party and taken to Ireland as a 
slave to herd and tend sheep. Ireland at this time was a land of Druids 
and pagans. He learned the language and practices of the people who 
held him.
  During his captivity, he turned to God in prayer, and he wrote:

       The love of God and his fear grew in me more and more, as 
     did the faith, and my soul was rosed, so that, in a single 
     day, I have said as many as a hundred prayers and in the 
     night, nearly the same.
       I prayed in the woods and on the mountains, even before 
     dawn. I felt no hurt from the snow or ice or rain.

  Patrick's captivity lasted until he was 20, when he escaped after 
having a dream from God in which he was told

[[Page S2879]]

to leave Ireland by going to the coast. There he found some sailors who 
took him back to Britain, where he was reunited with his family.
  He had another dream--and this is just fascinating and miraculous to 
me--in which the people of Ireland were calling out to him, ``We beg 
you, holy youth, to come and walk among us once more.'' This, again, 
was the land where he was enslaved and from which he escaped.
  He began his studies for the priesthood. He was ordained by St. 
Germanus, the Bishop of Auxerre, whom he studied under for years.
  Later, Patrick was ordained a bishop and was sent to take the Gospel 
to Ireland where he had been enslaved. He arrived in Ireland on March 
25, 433. One legend says that he met a chieftain of one of the tribes 
who tried to kill Patrick. He converted the chieftain after he was 
unable to move his arm and so he became friendly to Patrick.
  Patrick began preaching the Gospel throughout Ireland, converting 
many. He and his disciples preached and converted thousands and began 
building churches all over the country. Kings, their families, and 
entire kingdoms converted to Christianity when hearing Patrick's 
message.
  Patrick by now had many disciples, several of whom were later 
canonized, as was St. Patrick.
  Patrick preached and converted all of Ireland for many years. He 
worked many miracles and wrote of his love for God in confessions. 
After years of living in poverty, traveling, and enduring much 
suffering, he died March 17, 461. He died at Saul, where he had built 
the first church.

  That is the story of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland.

                          ____________________