Patrick is one of the great missionaries of all times; the church he founded in Ireland itself became missionary and eager to share its faith throughout the whole world. Patrick was one of the first people to take a public stand against slavery.

How did he bring the Gospel to Ireland without the back-up of money or soldiers or a great culture? He used his intimate knowledge of the language and the Irish culture and his personal love for Christ. He was one of the first in ancient times to speak against slavery; this might be because he himself had been a slave in Ireland. His faith has been spread by the Irish people throughout the world and his feast day is celebrated everywhere with great panache and humor and affection. We share with you a few lines from his famous autobiography known as the Confession of St. Patrick written way back in the 5th century.

May it inspire you to read all of that work when you get on opportunity because it contains the clues to true missionary endeavor.

St Patrick Writes...

In Ireland as a slave

When I had to come to Ireland I tended herds every day and I used to pray many times during the day. More and more my love of God and reverence for him began to increase. My faith grew stronger and my zeal so intense that in the course of a single say I would say as many as hundred prayers, and almost as many in the night. This I did even when I was in the woods and on the mountains. Even in times of snow or frost or rain I would rise before dawn to pray. I never felt the worse for it; nor was I in any way lazy because, as I realize, I was full of enthusiasm.

His Escape

In my sleep there one night I heard a voice saying to me: “it is well that you fast, soon you will go to your own country.” After a short while I again heard a voice saying: “Look, your ship is ready.” It was a quite a distance away, about two hundred miles; I never had been to the place, nor did I know anyone there. I ran away and left the man with whom I had spent six years. The power of God directed my way successfully and nothing daunted me until I reached that ship.

The day I arrived the ship was set afloat and I spoke to the boatmen in order that I might be allowed to sail with them. But the captain was annoyed and he retorted angrily: On no account are you to try to go with us.” When I heard this I left them to go back to the hut where I was lodging. On the way I began to pray. And before I had ended my prayer I heard one of them shouting after me: “Come quickly, those men at once and they began to say to me: “Come on, we will take you under our guarantee; make your bond of friendship with us in any way you wish.”

Prayer Answered

After three days we came to land and for twenty-eight days we made our way through deserted country. Supplies ran out and the party was the worse for hunger. The next day the captain said to me: Tell me this, Christian. You say your God is great and all-powerful; why then can you not pray for us? As you see we are suffering from hunger; it is unlikely indeed that we will ever see a human being again.” I said to them confidently: Turn sincerely with your whole heart to the Lord my God, because nothing is impossible for him, that this day He may send you food on your way until you are satisfied; for he has plenty everywhere.” And with the help of God so it happened. Suddenly a herd of pigs appeared on the road before our eyes; they killed many of them and stopped there for two nights. They were well-fed, as were their dogs, and had their bodies restored to vigor, for many of them had grown weak and had been left half-dead along the way. After this they gave profuse thanks to God and they held me in great esteem.

Pagan Sacrifice

From that day they had plenty of food. They even found wild honey and offered me some. One of them said: “This is offered sacrifice.” Thank God, from then on I tasted none of it. As well as food for the journey He also gave us fire and dry weather every day until we met people ten days later.

Strange Spiritual Experience

That same night when I was asleep Satan tempted me with a violence which I will remember as long as I am in this body. There feel on me as it were a great rock and I could not stir a limb. How did it occur to me in my ignorance to call on Elijah? Meanwhile I saw the sun rising in the sky, and while I was shouting “Elijah! Elijah!” at the top of my voice the brilliance of that sun fell suddenly on me and lifted my depression at once. I believe that I was sustained by Christ my Lord and that his Spirit was even then calling out on my behalf. I hope this is how it will be in my time of trouble, as he said in the Gospel. On that day, the Lord declares, it is not you who will be speaking; the Spirit of your Father will be speaking in you.

Call of the Irish

On another occasion, a few years later, I was in Britain with my relatives who has welcomed me as if I were their son and earnestly begged me that I should never leave them, especially in view of all the hardships I had endured. It was there one night I saw the vision of a man called Victor, who appeared to have come from Ireland with an unlimited number of letters. He gave me one of them and I read the opening words which were: the voice of the Irish’. As I read the beginning of the letter I seemed at the same moment to hear the voice of those who were by the wood of Voclut which is near the Western Sea. They shouted with one voice: “We asked you, boy. Come and walk once more amongst us.” I was cut to the very heart and could read no more, and so I woke up. Thank God, after many years the Lord answered their cry.