"I, Patrick, a sinner!" Thus the patron saint of Ireland begins his own confession. St. Patrick knew
he was a sinner and found salvation in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ.
It surprises many to learn that Patrick was neither Irish nor Roman Catholic. Probably a Scotsman,
his loyalty lay with the ancient church of Britain which never came under papal yoke.
Patrick was born around 389 A.D. At the age of 16 he was kidnaped by pirates and taken to
Ireland where he was enslaved. Patrick tells his own story simply and beautifully in his
Confession, translated into modern-day English:
"I, Patrick, a sinner, rude, unfaithful, and despicable. My father, Calpurnius, has a small farm
near where I was captured. Although I was almost 16 at the time, I was ignorant of God. They
brought me into captivity in Ireland with several thousand men. This we deserved because we had
departed from God. We had not kept His commandments, and we disobeyed our teachers who had
reproved us for our own good.
"The Lord was angry with us and dispersed us among many nations where strangers saw my
depravity. It was there the Lord helped me sense my unbelief, remember my faults, and restore
my whole heart to Him. God saw how mean I was and pitied me because I was so young and
ignorant. He kept me before I even knew Him or could discern good from evil, and He
strengthened me as a father would his son.
"I cannot keep quiet about how God blessed me in my captivity. His reward was allowing me to
exalt and confess His wonders before every nation under heaven.
"There is no other God, nor was there ever before, nor shall there be after Him, except God the
Father. His Son, Jesus Christ, existed with the Father. He created visible things, was made Man,
vanquished death, and now exists in the heavens. God gave Him power over things in heaven,
things in earth, and things under the earth. Every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord
and God, whom we believe shall come to judge the living and the dead.
"God will render to everyone according to his deeds and pour the Holy Spirit upon us abundantly
as a gift and pledge of immortality….
"Before I was humbled, I was like a stone that lies in the deep mud. Then God the Almighty lifted
me up on high and placed me on His side. I should shout thanks to the Lord for His benefits that
man cannot even estimate. May everyone, great and small, consider the Christ who roused me,
a fool, from amid those wise and skillful in the law and inspired me to serve this nation faithfully.
"I’ll voice without fear the gift of God, the eternal consolation, and spread abroad everywhere the
name of God. I will leave this knowledge to my Gaelic brothers and children, whom I have
baptized.
"After I came into Ireland, I worked daily feeding sheep, at night I prayed, and God’s love and
fear increased in me…. I remained in the woods and mountains and got up before dawn for
prayer."
After about six years of slavery, Patrick managed to escape. He eventually made it back to Britain.
In the year 432, at the age of about 43, he obeyed the call of God to return to Ireland as a
missionary; there he remained for the rest of his life. Patrick writes concerning his evangelistic
labors:
"It is good that we fish diligently, as the Lord teaches us, saying:’Follow Me, and I will make
you fishers of men.’ Therefore, we should spread our nets so a multitude may be taken for God….
I seek no honor from any of you. God’s honor is sufficient for me. In the present world, God has
exalted me more than I can measure. I was not worthy for Him to do this for me. Poverty and
calamity suit me much better than riches and delicacies. Indeed, if I desire riches, which I do not
have, I am unhappy. I expect daily either massacre, entrapment, reduction to slavery, or
something else.
"But I pray for those who believe and fear God. If anyone considers reading this that I, Patrick,
an uneducated sinner, have written in Ireland, let them never say that it is my ignorance. This is
my confession before I die."
After serving his own generation, by the will of God, for 33 years, Patrick died on March 17,
465. Seldom have native ability and spiritual gifts been more remarkably combined than in this
Spirit-led, self-denying missionary of the cross.
His difficult experiences as a slave did not embitter him against the Irish, but rather prompted him
to bring them to Christ. During his first year in Ireland, Patrick faced intense opposition, but he
was crowned by wonderful success. Many came to know the Lord and were baptized.
About a year after Patrick began his work, King Leogaire and his princes summoned him to
celebrate a Druid festival at Tara. The Druid priests filled with rage against him and declared they
would destroy him through enchantment and magical spells if he dared come. But nothing daunted
Patrick. He brought a company of young men whom he was training for ministry into the king’s
presence, singing a hymn now known as "The Breastplate of St. Patrick" (see accompanying
article), which was a statement of his faith.
Patrick believed in salvation by faith in Christ alone. The Church was to him the entire body of
believers, not a worldly system with a powerful and haughty hierarchy imposing its rule over the
laity. Christ was all in all.
Patrick’s testimony resulted in the conversion of the King of Tara and many others. From there
Patrick preached the gospel in Tailtan while the heathen celebrated a pagan festival. He was ever
engaged in preaching the gospel, baptizing and teaching the converts, and gathering them into
churches.
Patrick’s labors resemble the Apostle Paul’s missionary journeys. Often in danger of losing his
life, he endured much physical suffering and evangelized the greater part of Ireland. This one time
swineherd, the greatest missionary of his day, knew and loved the gospel of Christ, which alone
is the power of God unto salvation.
In this faith Patrick lived and died, leaving behind a great host to be his "crown of rejoicing" in
that day.
(Adapted from The Real Saint Patrick, published by Loizeaux Brothers, Inc., P.O. Box 277,
Neptune, NJ 07754. Used by permission.)