The Real Saint Patrick

MARCH 17, around 461 AD, St. Patrick died. As a teenager, the Roman Legions guarding his community in Britain had to be withdrawn to defend Rome, as invading heathen hordes, such as the Visigoths, Ostrogoths, Vandals and Huns, were overruning the borders. Unprotected, Britain was attacked by raiders, who carried away thousands.

Patrick was captured and sold as a slave in Ireland, which was ruled by the Druids, who practiced human sacrifice. For six years Patrick herded animals until he escaped. In his forties he had a dream calling him back to Ireland. In his Confession, Patrick wrote: "In the depth of the night, I saw a man named Victoricus coming as if from Ireland, with innumerable letters, and he gave me one and while I was reading I thought I heard the voice of those near the western sea call out: 'Please, holy boy, come and walk among us again.' Their cry pierced my very heart, and I could read no more, and so I awoke." Patrick returned to Ireland, confronted the Druids, converted Chieftains, and used the three-leaf clover to teach the Trinity.

The Druids tried to ambush and kill Patrick nearly a dozen times: "Daily I expect murder, fraud or captivity, but I fear none of these things because of the promises of Heaven." Baptizing 120,000 and founding 300 churches, Saint Patrick wrote: "Patrick the sinner, an unlearned man to be sure. None should ever say that it was my ignorance that accomplished any small thing, it was the gift of God." In the next century, Irish missionaries evangelized the heathen hordes which had overrun Europe. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hClyvvZh3w&feature=related

As an Irish Catholic I still think we were all better off as Pagans lol... Less guilt.

The book "How the Irish Saved Civilization" by Thomas Cahill is a good concise history of the man, and the Irish.  A good read.

Cahill's book makes the argument that when Christian met Pagan, Pagan won most of the time––hence all those catholic "tradition" type things that the rest of christianity doesn't have.

I understand that it's just a joke, but...

Catholicism is NOT about guilt.  Humility/reverence and guilt are entirely different things.  
I understand how they're easily mistaken, but humility is an attitude and guilt is an emotion.
Moreover, the humble have no cause for guilt.

Your argument is truly enlightening.  

There's a difference.

What its about and whats delivered are two different things. As a relative of Catholic clergy and after years of study debate and research all i got out of it was guilt, fear and dissapointment. Thats me.
I like the idea of a happy loving God not a vengeful fire and brimstone your going to hell god. The Catholic church unfortunately doesnt promote happy times to its parishoners...

Eeeeh as one raised Irish Catholic I used to have enough guilt for twelve people.

I'm in a recovery program.

The man's courageous, humble devotion to God and his fellow man is admirable.

You micks *DO* know St. Patrick was the ONLY one who saw the snakes, dontcha?...

Snakes are really the Irish that refused to convert and were "crushed" and driven out by Paddy and the Converts.