THE

No. 5.

PUBLISHED WEEKLY,

UNDER THE INSPECTION OF CATHOLIC DIVINES.

DUBLIN, SATURDAY, MARCH 15, 1834. VOL. F.

THE glorious apostle and patron of Ireland, was born at Tours, in Gaul, about 373. His uncle was the great St. Martin, bishop of Tours. His father was Calphurnius-his mother's name Conchessa. In 389, being 16 years old, he was taken cap ive in Bretagne, and was brought to Ireland, where he was sold to Mil

cho Huanan, a petty prince of Dalaradia, (in Antrim) Patrick

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fed Milcho's hogs, in which office, the saint tells us, he was frequent in prayer-the love and fear of God inflamed his heart his faith was enlarged-his spirit augmented-he said an hundred prayers by day, and nearly as many by night-he rose in the frost, rain, and snow, and was not slothful, &c. In this way he learned the Irish language, manners, and dispositions, and thus prepared himself for his subsequent labors.

In 395 he was released from his servitude, and returned to his relatives, with whom he remained two years. It was during this time he had that vision in which he saw a man named Victoricius coming to him from Ireland, with a number of letters, one of which contained the words-Vox Hibernigenarum, "the voice of the Irish," and whilst reading it he heard a voice saying-" we entreat thee, Patrick, to come amongst us;" which formed his resolution of being Ireland's apostle.

Patrick, for 35 years, studied under his uncle, St. Martin, by whom he was made deacon. About 403 he went to Rome, where he studied the Scriptures for six years. In 429 he accompanied St. German to expel Pelagianism from Britain; and in 432 was appointed by Pope Celestine to preach to the Irish. He proceeded to Dalaradia, where his old master, Milcho, lived. He next went Southward, Westward, and Northward, until he arrived at Tarah. Here he converted Connall, prince, grandfather to St. Columbkill. In 434 he travelled to Connaught, where he converted the daughters of King Leoghair. Now, in imitation of Christ, Moses, and Elias, he fasted 40 days, and, according to Joceline, gathered the tribes of reptiles and serpents, and drove them into the ocean. Patrick again proceeded Northward, towards the West, to Tyr-Amalgaid (now a deanery in Tuam,) and here converted many thousands amidst striking miracles. Colgan says he founded here above 47 churches. He appointed bishops, ordained priests, and founded nunneries on his course to Louth.In 445 he built a cathedral, enlarged and beautified Armagh, and fixed his archiepiscopal see in it. In 448 he held a synod, and enacted many valuable canons in Armagh. He now passed through Leinster to Dublin, baptized the king and people, and by his "Staff of Jesus" a fountain issued, near which he built a cathedral. cording to the Black Book, quoted by Usher, St. Patrick celebrated Mass in one of the subterraneous vaults, over which Christ Church was subsequently built in 1038. In 454 he founded the

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Church of Ardagh, and consecrated St. Mael its bishop. For six years he made circuits round Ulster, Leinster, and other parts of Ireland. In 461 he made a journey to the Pope, to whom he gave an authentic account of the fruits of his mission. The Pope received him with joy, confirmed him in his apostolate of Ireland, and armed him with legative powers. On his return he passed through Britain, where he destroyed Paganism, excommu-,

nicated the wicked prince, Corotick, and established numerous monasteries and churches. He now for 30 years reviewed his labors, animated his flock, built churches, ordained priests, consecrated bishops, founded monasteries and nunneries, held councils, wrote his confessions, rules and canons, removed abuses, and after due retirement and contemplation, died in the Abbey of Paul, on the 17th of March, 493, in the 120th year of his age, and was buried at Down, which gave rise to that verse

"In Down three saints one grave doth fill→→

Patrick, Bridget, and Columbkill."

Oh! children of St. Patrick, imitate his virtues, and avoid those vices, to the removal of which a long life was devoted. Avoid, as the exercise of demons, drunkenness and intemperance. Remove the image of your apostle from the entrance of your drunken receptacles, as an impious attack upon his sanctity. Be like him, sober and temperate: use fasting and mortification: pray, as he did, without ceasing: be zealous and constant in the divine service, as he was: be just in all your dealings: avoid oaths, cursing, and swearing: follow Patrick as he followed Christ, and beg to see him in heaven.

B.

CAN the enjoyment of my glass be productive of serious injury in this life, and eternal reprobation in the next? I will seriously examine this important question, and either enlarge my draught of pleasure or adopt a prudent bound. I am told that it degrades me in society, and places me below the level of the brute; that it injures my credit, consumes my substance, defeats my industry, wastes my constitution, blunts my faculties, and cuts short my life. That it makes me noisy in debate, obscene in conversation, neglectful of my duties, insensible to dangers, the terror of my kindred, and the disturber of my neighbours. That it deprives me of my friends, and replaces them with sharpers; that it endangers the breach of vows, and the betraying of confidence. That it promotes blasphemy, excites anger, and inflames lust.That it leads to the commission of almost every crime, and frequently terminates in disgrace upon the gibbet.

Drunkards are desired to awake and howl, and weep, in Joel, i. They are mentioned amongst those who shall not obtain the kingdom of God, in Gal. v. and 1 Cor. vi. They are named as persons with whom I should not keep company, or even take my food, in Cor. v. And they are represented as reviling the just in their songs. Psalm Ixix.

Ignorance and error are attributed to drunkenness by the prophet Isaiah, xxviii. and Is. v. he denounces woe to them who rise up early, to follow drunkenness until evening, that they may be in

flamed with wine. Drunkenness is declared to be tumultuous, and those who are delighted with it shall not be wise. (Prov. xx.)——— Those who are given to it shall be consumed. (Prov. xxiii.) 1 am cautioned against this vice, in Eccl. xxxvii. 32; Eph. v. 8; Rom. xiii. 13; Matt. xxiv. 49, and Luke xxi. 34.

Physicians assert that strong drink taken in excessive quantities has a tendency to shorten and destroy life, not only by depraving the appetite and producing a dislike for wholesome nourishment, but also by hardening the provisions which are taken into the stomach, and thereby hindering the operations of those helps which God has provided for a regular digestion, and for the conveyance of nourishment to every member of the body. They attribute palsies, apoplexies, jaundice, insanities and dropsies, to the immoderate use of strong liquors.

St. Paul observes, that persons who strive for pre-eminence in worldly pursuits, are temperate in all things. (1 Cor. ix. 25.) Should those, then, who covet an incorruptible crown be less careful for its attainment? Reason says no; and in future I will endeavour to remember the same apostle's good advice. (1 Cor. x. 31,) by taking the necessary nourishment for my body in such a becoming manner as shall promote the glory of that God who so bountifully provides it for my use.

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MEDITATIONS.

J. H.

[TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH. BY A CATHOLIĆ PRIEST.]

MARCH 16. On the Difference between the Soul and the Body.

1. Our soul is a spiritual substance, which thinks, which reflects, which feels joy or sorrow, pleasure or pain.

Our body is of itself nothing but a dead and inanimate substance. The soul alone is susceptible of life and sentiment.When it is separated from the body, the latter is nothing but a heap of dust and ashes. We can, therefore, enjoy no felicity but in our soul, and we can be happy only through its means.-Now it is certain that the happiness of our soul does not consist in exterior goods, or in the pleasures of sense, for experience teaches us that these are incapable of procuring perfect repose, interior and unchangeable tranquillity.

II. Our soul is an immortal substance, and consequently capable of enjoying eternal felicity.

Therefore, the greatest proof of wisdom is to suffer patiently the evils of this life, in order to escape the evils of the life to come, and to sacrifice, if necessary, the goods of this life, that we may ensure to our souls the possession of future goods. Hence, religion teaches us a maxim-that we should labor to avoid eternal torments with greater care than the brief and transitory afflictions of this life.

MARCH 17.-On our Predominant Passion.

I. We should know our predominant passion since it blinds us when we know it not.

The study and knowledge of himself is not less essential to the formation of a true Christian, than it was considered for the formation of a sage by the principles of human philosophy. If you are ignorant of your predominant passion, you fall into blindness. Though exact and scrupulous in the greater part of the law of God, there will be one point in which you will be guilty of culpable relaxation, and this article of God's law will be always directly contrary to the passion which rules you.

II. We ought to subdue our predominant passion, since the blindness which it produces is culpable.

First, because it is vicious in its principle, as it is the fruit of that fatal ascendancy which we unjustly give our predominant passion. Secondly, because the remedies for it are easy if we wish to use them. These remedies are to consult Moses and the prophets, that is, those who by their office are interpreters of the law of God, and consequently our guides in the way of salvation-to apply to ourselves the censure which we pass every day with so much light and discernment upon the conduct of others. "Physician cure thyself."

MARCH 18-On the Means of Knowing our Predamnant Passions. 1. In order to know them we should attend to their number. For there are some who have many passions which successively domineer over them; and others who have only one passion by which they are continually occupied. Those who have many passions cannot be so easily blinded with regard to their state and condition, as those who have only one, because this multitude of passions by which they are enslaved, makes them commit so many sins that it is impossible for them not to perceive it.

II. We should attend to the different characters which distinguish them.

There are some so gross, and the causes of so many disorders in man, that he cannot but be aware of them. Could David and Solomon conceal from themselves the passion which tyrannized over them, and which made one shed the blood of the faithful Urias, and the other renounce the worship of the true God to adore idols? There are other passions whose disorders are less sensible, since they are in some manner concealed in the windings of the heart, such as jealousy, hatred, vanity, and sloth. These latter easily escape our observation; they deceive and blind us inasmuch as they do not make us feel that we are their slaves.

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MARCH 19.-On Conscience.

I. What is conscience?

St. John Damascene says, "it is that interior law which God