person of Patrick

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  • Person of Patrick in the Confession
    • Introduction
      • Personal & emotional account of his life and achievement.
      • Thomas F O'Rahilly "statement of Patrick's personal faith".
      • An admirable and lovable human.
    • Humility
      • We detect he feels unworthy and inferior
      • Recognises gaps in his education "everyone can see from my style of writing how little training in the use of words I got"
      • Admits sinfulness, "We neither keep his commandments"
      • Received a lot without arrogance. "I am Patrick, a sinner, most unlearned, the least of all the faithful and utterly despised by many"
    • Determined and Courageous
      • He can be assertive, he faced many dangers and difficulties during his mission
        • Tells us himself his life was at risk 12 times
      • speaks out against gossip and his critics
        • Accused of being ill-educated, blundering, arrogant, self-seeking, sinful and unworthy of his position in the church
      • John Gwyna: "works of one who feels he has been mispresented"
      • Physically strong,  man of enormous energy
        • had to cope with Ireland's climate and terrain
      • C5th Ireland heavily afforested. Travel  by boat
      • Often came up against the power of the druids when trying to introduce a new faith
      • Determined In decision to never leave his flock to return home caused him great personal sacrifice
    • Strong faith
      • willingness to praise and thank God continually
        • "I give unwearied thanks to God"
          • Thankful for his conversion, he wouldn't change any of it as he was brought to God
      • Mystic who felt God's presence in every turn of the road, he prayed almost continuously
        • "In a single day I would say as many as 100 prayers".
      • Feels God supported and assisted him in his life
        • "Guarded and protected me as a father would a son"
          • Cahill: "God was palpable to him, and his relationship to him was very, very close"
      • Frequent interventions by the Holy Spirit in dreams or visions
        • Life long openness to the world of God through the bible allowed Patrick to become God's vessel to speak out for what is right and condemn wrong
    • Compassionate and Vulnerable
      • Kind and generous
      • Respect for women, this was unheard of in Ireland at the time
        • "But greatest is the suffering of these women"
      • sympathetic to victims of slave trade
      • Noel Dermot O'Donoghue says his compassion stems from the fact he "has in himself a certain vulnerability".
      • describes himself as 'utterly worthless' and 'imperfect in many ways'.
      • capable of friendship and forgiveness, great compassion, warmth and sympathy.
    • Conclusion
      • Able to cope due to determination and dedication as a disciple of God
      • 'Dynamic and magnetic man'
      • Humble man aware of his limitations and proud of his achievements
        • 'netted many thousands

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