The Order of Saint Patrick of Armagh
The Order of Saint Patrick is a religious Order of Priests, brothers and sisters who follow an almost 1600 year-old tradition of spirituality.
We follow Christ by living the evangelical vows of Poverty, Chastity, and Obedience. Our mission is to provide more than shelter for women and children who have suffered from abuse. In order to truly care for the whole person we also provide for medical and psyciatric/psychological care to allow for the cycle of abuse to be broken.
People of Irish descent in many parts of teh world celebrate St. Patrick's day enthusiastically. The wearing of green clothing is observed on that day by many who have nothing to do with Ireland and have little to no knowledge of Patrick's achievements. About the only thing most people can cite is the fiction that he chased all the snakes off the emerald isle.
Patrick was the son of a fourth-century, Roman civil servant on the west coast of Britain. When he was sixteen, raiders kidnappedhim and sold him as a slave in Ireland where he became an unwilling and unpaid shepherd for six years. During the lonely hours of tending sheep and herding cattle in the desolate hills of the north, Patrick became devout, spending much time in prayer and meditation.
Escaping Ireland on board a sailing ship, Patrick foun his family and began to study for the priesthod in Gaul. For fiteen years he lived in a monastery. Ireland remaind on his mind though, and visionary dreams convinced him his purpose in life was to return to the Irish people and preach the gospel. Only a few of the Irish people had become Christian by 432. WOrking with other missionaries against tremendous difficulties, Patrick preached in remote portions of the island where the gospel had never been proclaimed. God's love replaced natural resentment. Pagan druids and even a few Chrisitans opposed his missionary activity, but Patrick's preaching produced great results.
Patrick baptized thousands, ordained hundreds of Irish clergy, and founded several monasteries. He setup up a system of churches whereby the Irish would keep faith alive and revitalize the Church in Europe during the dark ages.
Saint Patrick is credited with having been a major force in Ireland’s conversion from paganism to Christianity. St. Patrick can also be credited with the spread of Christianity that continued after his death, sometime during the end of the fifth century, through the inspiration his works provided to those who followed him. Among the Irish clergy who left their homes to spread the gospel, just as Patrick had done, was Colum Cille, better known by his Latin name, Columba, the author of the monastic rule for our Order.
Patrick’s influence on the spread of Christianity throughout Europe cannot be overstated. By the early 8th century zealous Irish monks, inspired by Patrick, had spread the gospel far and wide as evidenced by manuscript sources in France at Echternach in Alsace. Ninth and tenth century manuscripts originating in churches and monasteries east of the Rhine river also mention St. Patrick and attest to the growing awareness of his life and works. In addition, references to St. Patrick are made in several tenth and eleventh century liturgical manuscripts compiled at Regensburg in Bavaria, Germany.
THE RULE of SAINT PATRICK
translated by Archbishop Healy
click below:
The Rule of Saint Patrick.pdf