The Ancient Irish Church [pp. 764-772]

Thte Ancient
we are writing, were great naviga tors.
Dr. Greith paints in glowing colors
the life of St. Columba and his labors
in Ireland, the Hebrides, and Scotland, as well as the discipline and
rules of the Abbey of Hy, which was
founded by him. We cannot enter
into details, but refer the reader to
Dr. Greith's book. Columba was
born on the 7th of December, 521.
In the first half of his life, Ireland
was the scene of his zeal; the second
half was spent among the Scots and
Picts. In Ireland he founded Durrow, Derry, and Kells. He went
with twelve disciples to Caledonia in
the year 563. Christianity among
the Scots had degenerated; and the
Picts were still pagans. The king of
the Picts, Brudrius, gave him the
island of Iona or Hy, where his
works began which God crowned with
wonderful success. He soon became
the beacon light for all the faithful
priests and laity of Ireland and Caledonia. He visited Ireland to counsel his noble relatives, settle their
disputes, or oversee the churches and
monasteries which he had established,
and travelled among the Picts preaching the Gospel, founding monasteries,
and erecting churches which should
consider Iona as their mother. He
built thirty-two churches, Jo most of
which monasteries were attached, in
Scotland; and eighteen among the
Picts, in the space of thirty-three years,
(563-597.) Even during his lifetime
he was so celebrated that, from all
sides, princes, nobles, bishops, priests,
monks, and the faithful of all classes
ran to him for counsel in their difficulties, consolation in their distress,
and help in their necessities. Columba fought against the superstition
of the Picts, the cunning of their magicians, and the wickedness of lawless men. Princes' sons, whose fathers had lost their lives and crowns
Irish Church.
771
in battle, went to Iona to lay their
grievances before Columba, and to
each one according to his need, the
saint gave consolation and hope. The
common people brought their children
to him, to ask him to decide their vocation. It was not an unusual spectacle to see kings and nobles lay
aside the insignia of their greatness
at Iona, and break their swords before
its altars. Columba's prayers were
very powerful. His blessing controlled the elements and the forces of
nature. He seemed to rule nature as
a lord. He had also the gift of prophecy. He died June 9th, A.D. 597.
His departure from life was made
known to many holy men in different
parts of Ireland and Scotland at the
same time, who declared that "Columba, the pillar of so many churches,
had gone to-night to the bosom of
his Redeemer." The isle of Iona
was illuminated by a heavenly light,
emanating from the countless angels
who came down to take up the happy
soul of the saint to the bosom of his
God.
The Irish monasteries increased
wonderfully during the sixth century.
Finnian's monastery at Clonard, as
already mentioned, contained 3000
monks; and that of Bangor and Birr
had the same number; St. Molaissi
had i5oo monks around him; Colombanus and Fechin had each 300;
Carthach, 867; Gobban, Iooo; Maidoc, Manchan, Natalis, and Ruadhan,
each I50; Revin and Molua were
each the head of several thousand.
There was no common rule for all
those convents, like that which St.
Benedict wrote for the religious of
his order, (A.D. 529.) Each monastery had its own laws. Columba had
made no special rule for Hy or for
his other monasteries. St. Colombanus was the first who collected and
methodized the customs and traditions of Irish monastic life.