Feast Of "Saint" Patrick

With all the resources available on-line to get even the most rudimentary facts on St. Patrick correct, it's frustrating to see a journalist get so much so incredibly wrong.

From Irish Central: (by Patrick Roberts)

St Patrick was never canonized a saint by the Catholic Church.

The sad news is that St.Patrick never got the official title.

While millions around the world will celebrate St. Patrick's Day on March 17th, the sad fact is that Patrick has never been canonized by the Catholic Church and is a saint in name only.

As writer Ken Concannon stated: "There was no formal canonization process in the Church during its first millennium. In the early years of the Church the title saint was bestowed first upon martyrs, and then upon individuals recognized by tradition as being exceptionally holy during their lifetimes.

“Consequently these Irish saints, including St. Patrick, were never actually formally canonized -- save one. The exception was Fergal, also known as St. Virgil of Salzburg, an 8th century missionary scholar who was officially canonized in 1233 by Pope Gregory IX. Virgil is one of only four Irish saints to be canonized by Rome.

“There was no formal process for canonization in place when Patrick died. He was proclaimed a saint by popular acclaim, probably with the approval of a bishop. The official process for canonization did not come until about the 12th century."

In case you missed the five times it was mentioned, you ought to know that St. Patrick was never formally canonized by Rome. And it's sad news. This goes to show that many people have no interest in actually understanding things about the Church. They look at the saints as having been elected to a Hall of Fame or something, and can't fathom that the saints aren't dead people we venerate, but living members of the Body of Christ. They can't understand that Rome recognized the authority of the bishop in this matter prior to standardizing the canonization process.

Patrick was actually the grandson of a priest back when marriage for clerics was not frowned on.

Holy carp! Priests used to be married!! And it was okay!!!! Stop the freakin' presses!!

His genius was bringing together the old pagan traditions and the new religion together in harmony in Ireland in the 5th century.

His "genius"? What is that supposed to mean? He harmonized "old pagan traditions" and the "new religion"? Excuse me??? St. Patrick evangelized Ireland and nearly single-handedly converted the nation to Catholicism. And what is this "harmony" garbage, anyway? An attempt to make modern pagans feel good about themselves? Pure syncretism and abject ignorance of Church history. This stupid article is evidence as to why the faith is struggling in Ireland.

Patrick was the first major figure to reject slavery and for that alone he deserves proper canonization.

In everything I've read on St. Patrick, I've never seen anything where he rejected slavery. I'm sure he did - but to say that that is the main reason why he deserves "proper" canonization is preposterous. Men and women don't become saints because they take a stand on social issues - it's because their lives were filled with sanctity, heroic virtue, and they served Jesus Christ and His Church, sometimes as martyrs. It's painfully obvious this journalist has no clue about what he's writing - either that, or he wrote this after gulping down too many green beers.

Now there is a Facebook page dedicated to having him properly canonized.

Heaven help us! If Rome won't officially canonize St. Patrick, then Facebook will!


Oh - and Mr. Roberts, should you happen to read this - you might want to mention that your "article" originally appeared in the Irish Central back on January 30, 2011, written by Dara Kelly. I'm pretty sure St. Patrick would frown upon plagiarism, something I'm sure makes him deserving of canonization as well.