Happy Saint Patrick's Day

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Saint Patrick (c. 390 - 460)^[2] (Latin: Patricius,^[3] Irish: Naomh Pádraig) was a Roman Britain-born Christian missionary and is the patron saint of Ireland, along with Brigid of Kildare and Columba. He was educated at a monastery and school of divinity founded by Illtud (now Llantwit Major).

When he was about 16 he was captured by Irish raiders and taken from his native Wales as a slave to Ireland, where he lived for six years before escaping and returning to his family. After entering the Church, he later returned to Ireland as a missionary in the north and west of the island, but little is known about the places where he worked and no link can be made between Patrick and any church.

By the eighth century he had come to be revered as the patron saint of Ireland. The Irish monastery system evolved after the time of Patrick and the Irish church did not develop the diocesan model that Patrick and the other early missionaries had tried to establish.

The available body of evidence does not allow the dates of Patrick's life to be fixed with certainty, but it appears that he was active as a missionary in Ireland during the second half of the fifth century. Two letters from him survive, along with later hagiographies from the seventh century onwards. Many of these works cannot be taken as authentic traditions. Uncritical acceptance of the Annals of Ulster would imply that he lived from 340 to 460, and ministered in what is modern day northern Ireland from 428 onwards.

Saint Patrick's Day (17 March) is celebrated both in and outside of Ireland, as both a liturgical and non-liturgical holiday. Outside of Ireland, it can be a celebration of Ireland itself. In the universal Roman Catholic Church it is an optional memorial, though in the dioceses of Ireland it is a both a solemnity and a holy day of obligation.

The Church on the Hill ~ 1752

In this engraving (click photo to enlarge) that was produced from a rather primitive sketch by John Moale in 1752, we see the fledgling new development called Baltimore Town. In their wisdom the Vestry of St Paul's Church decided to relocate from what is now Dundalk to Lot 19 in the new town. This parcel was on high ground at the northern end of town. The most prominent building in Moale's representation is the first church that was built on the exact same site as our present Old Saint Paul's.

Desiderata and Old Saint Paul's

For text and some info go to-

http://www.fleurdelis.com/desidera.htm
Desiderata is Latin for "Things to be Desired."

My name is Fred Craig. As the current Junior Warden of Old Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church in Baltimore I am responsible for oversight of “buildings and grounds” that are owned by our historic church. You can be well assured that my list of things to be desired is quite extensive and has grown during my four years as the Junior Warden. Money has always been elusive for bricks and mortar needs and is not becoming less so during the current economic trials. I have two more years to serve as Junior Warden and "have the intention" to blog about what is going on in the physical realm of our church. The “Desiderata” an inspirational writing that has often been mistakenly associated with our church has provided me with a name for this blog that I will use to relate facts, fables and history about our buildings and grounds and hopefully generate interest and participation on the part of the parishioners. I welcome your comments and participation.

Fred Craig