Yet, there was one man who wasn’t all that impressed with Patrick, and that was Patrick himself.
In reading his own writing, one quality perhaps rises above the rest: humility. Two of his written works survive from antiquity: “Confession” and “Letter to the Soldiers of Coroticus.” Both provide a glimpse of the Apostle of Ireland in his own words.
The humility of St. Patrick is evident in his writings. For instance, he begins his “Confession”: “I, Patrick, a sinner, a most simple countryman, the least of all the faithful and most contemptible to many.”
To hear Patrick tell it, he was slow-witted, sinful, and unlikeable. However, an objective analysis illustrates he was actually brilliant, holy, and loved throughout the nation. Patrick loved the Irish people and the Irish loved Patrick. They also loved God.
In “The Building of Christendom,” Catholic historian Dr. Warren Carroll writes: “The Irish proved, remarkably, almost uniquely receptive to Christianity. Their conversion … was unusually rapid, unusually thorough, and above all peaceful. … The native priesthood, the druids, feared and opposed Christianity but seem to have been almost helpless in the face of its rapid and steady advance.”
Carroll, who is well known for his historical observation that “one man can make a difference,” could certainly point to St. Patrick to defend his claim. Indeed, with the efforts of Patrick, the Emerald Isle experienced a springtime of Christianity. Patrick’s humility, coupled with his trust in God’s love, proved a powerful combination for evangelization.
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