Image above of 5th century man in 18th century bishop costume...
Saint Patrick's Day is an Irish bank and public holiday held on March 17th every year, relating to Saint Patrick who made all the Irish become Catholic CE 400 by using shamrocks... so we are told… but historians agree that the man who did this great conversion by bringing the Catholic religion to Ireland was called Palladius (who was married with children), he was most definitely not named Patrick, nor was he Irish and there were no snakes in Ireland for either he or Patrick to eradicate and neither he or Patrick ever mentions shamrocks. As the current calendar is less than 250 years in use it cannot be used to establish dates in the early medieval period so it is highly unlikely that he died on March 17th 460ad. So, what is his true story?
The saint called Paddy/Pat/Patrick was not Irish. Historians agree that Patrick was born in 373 CE giving two possible locations – Dumbarton in Scotland or on the west coast of Roman Britain i.e. Wales. The Romans are said to have exited Britain by 410 CE. Patrick eventually retired to Glastonbury, England, where he died at the age of one hundred and eleven on the 17 March, 460 A.D. These dates do not add up; 460 – 373 = only 87 years of age, so was he 87 or 111 years old when he died? It depends on which spin you read… The man who is so well known to us as St Patrick was originally called - Maewyn Succat or Magonus Saccatus Patricius. His father Calpurnius, had been a deacon and a decurion and his grandfather was a priest, his mother was called Conchessa.
Pope Celestine gave Maewyn Succat or Magonus Saccatus the name of Patrick. The Pope gave him the mission of bringing the Catholic Faith to Ireland. He gave him many relics and other spiritual gifts, and gave him the name "Patercius" or "Patritius". This name is derived from two Latin words pater civium meaning the father of his people. The designation is like Patricus, a Latin / Roman upper class name similar to Patrician. Rome had three classes – Patrician, Plebeian and Paganus. Patrician was the ruling class, while Plebeian was the working and middle class leaving Paganus to be the name / rank for all those who did not obey the rule of Rome.
We are told that he was taken into slavery at 16 years of age and sold in Ireland where he worked as a sheepherder for 6 years but sheep did not exist back then – so he would have been a goatherder... It was during his time as a slave sheep / goat minder that he began to have religious visions. These visions re-enforced (so we are told) his Catholic Faith. During one of these visions he heard voices that told him where he could find a getaway ship. He escaped, went to France where he became a priest and later on he returned to France to become a bishop.
He also burned many Druid books if his confessions are to be believed. 150 Druid Books were burned and on Tara he caused a competition with a Druid Book and the Bible to be thrown into a barrel of water – needless to say the Druid Book sank proving that the Bible was a better book. But hang on, we are repeatedly told that the Druids did not have books!
He also prayed for an old Druid to die – we are told that Arch-Druid Lochru was lifted up high in the air but Patrick knelt in prayer and the Druid fell and was dashed to pieces upon a rock. St Patrick is said to have caused the murders of almost eight hundred Druids. The folk tale of a she-beast called Caoranach that he banished to an island in the middle of Lough Derg in Donegal is accompanied by the tale of a woman who followed him very closely and that after he had banished the she-beast, this woman was never seen again... The pilgrimage today to the retreat centre on Lough Derg is a trick for the followers of this St Patrick religion because it is on the wrong island… the Pagan cave temple on the island that the Catholic Church tried to use was not hospitable to them so them moved their Purgatory to another island in the same lake and achieved some commercial success for a while.
There is a story about Patrick and two Pagan Celtic Princesses – “He also caused two young princesses to die at the Ogulla Well, aka Cliabach Well. Here he baptised Eithne and Fidelma, daughters of King Laoghaire of Tara. They were attending the great Druid school of Cashel Manannáin at Rathcroghan. The two sisters were washing when St. Patrick came upon them. He told them that the only way to see God is after death. St. Patrick then baptized them after which they both died. Not a good plan – this seems to be a cover story for something else.” We are led to believe that Eithne and Fidelma died so they could enter heaven. A church in Tulsk nearby is named after them. Hang on a bit! Two young high-status female Druí Daltaí (student druids) suddenly died after a ‘blessing’ by a christian priest… only a few miles from their Druid school?
We are told – https://sites.google.com/site/catholictopics/s_patrick_and_ireland/eithne-and-fidelma “And so there, within sight of the palace of Cuachan, Patrick baptised them with the waters of the Well of Cliabach. Eithne and Fidelma remained for a while on their knees, deep in prayer. A rough stone altar was made ready and Patrick prepared to say Mass. Before the Mass began the two girls came forward again, saying, "We wish to consecrate ourselves as Spouses of Christ". Patrick received their vows and placed over them the Veil – the first consecrated virgins in Ireland. Then they wished to see the Face of Christ. But Patrick replied, “You cannot do that, until you have tasted the Sacrifice and passed through the Door of Death”. “We desire these things” they replied. Patrick offered the Sacrifice and gave them the Holy Eucharist. Then they closed their eyes, and then they died.”
Ah come on – why would two Pagan princesses - Eithne the Red and Fidelma the Fair, studying at a Druid school (under royal patronage) suddenly want to be spouses / wives of Christ? Why are we told that these two female Druids became Nuns who were automatically brides of Christ in a polygamous marriage that could never be consummated? Why were Virgins marrying a dead man? How come they died after eating Patrick’s sacrament?
Maybe the story needs an outside perspective – two young Princesses: Eithne and Fidelma who were being fostered (living with high status as guests) with Druids Mael and Coplait were attending the great Druid school of Cashel Manannáin at Rathcroghan attended by their armed guards were at the Cliabach Well washing themselves. They are claimed by the church as being among the first converts by Patrick to his tradition. The druid school they were attending is named after the Gaelic version of the sea god that is best known today as Neptune. The school is still visible as raised banks on the west side of Glenballythomas at Cruachan / Rath Croghan near Tulsk in Co Roscommon.
At that time of Eithne and Fidelma, daughters of King Laoghaire of Tara death by baptism the native laws aka Fenechus / Gael Law (aka Brehon law) would have demanded King Laoghaire of Tara seek recompense from who ever was responsible because under Celtic Laws 'whether by accident or by design' his two daughter were dead! But shush! the story was written long after it was supposed to have taken place and really it is just more fake church history.
The designation or title of ‘saint’ for this Patrick has never been acknowledged by any of the Roman Catholic Popes. The Irish church tells us that it was by public acclimation that Patrick got this title. Yet this is just spin. He was called Naomh, which means holy, just as Brigid was holy (ie Naomh) but by being in control of the native language the church changed the meaning of many words and Naomh changed from being holy to being saint. When this happened, no one could say anything because the church wielded the power of life and death and social ostracisation / excommunication against its detractors. Today, we are told that the head of Patrick, like that of Columcille and Brigid rest in a Jesuit Church in Portugal. Their 3 bodies are buried in Downpatrick in the North of Ireland.
Stories claim that when he was 60 years old, St. Patrick choose to go back to Ireland, the land of his slave years - to give the Gael the Catholic word. This was a very advanced age for the time and today the equivalent age may be near 90. His charisma converted many people and in the written records the church scribes tell us that he used the three-leafed shamrock to share the idea of father, son and holy spirit make God. In Ireland, we have five types of 3-leaf-clovers - trifolium dubium (lesser trefoil), trifolium repens (white clover), medicap lupulina (black medick), oxalis acetosella (wood sorrel) and trifolium pratense (red clover). These 5 trefoils have easy to spot differences and most could be found anywhere on the Island but St Patrick never even mentions one of them. Think about this – Patrick never mentions Shamrocks or Seamrogs once, never.
The Irish word for Shamrock is “seamrog” and it means “summer plant”. It grows in the wild all over the northern hemisphere, at high altitudes in the tropics and even in Africa and believe it or not even in South America. Many of these countries have snakes, some of which are huge, others deadly. The type of shamrock given by our Taoiseach to the US president is originally from Morocco, but don’t tell either of them.
Because there is no mention of the three-leaf clover / shamrock in Patrick’s writings we can conclude that this claimed association is quite simply modern propaganda by his promoters. The first written reference to shamrocks in conjunction with St Patrick was made in 1571; over a thousand years after St. Patrick had passed over. The Seamróg became the badge of St Patrick’s Day in 1681 in America. The first written record of the shamrock being a symbol of the Catholic Trinity appears in 1727. So it can be easily understood that the myth of St Patrick had a shamrock symbol added to it only a few hundred years ago – it may be obvious to some that this was a commercialisation tactic as well as displacement of native practices honouring the Spring Equinox.
The shamrock is not the official symbol of Ireland – this honour is reserved for the Celtic Harp. The shamrock now represents the culture of the Catholic Church hero of St Patrick. The shamrock became a symbol of rebellion against the oppression of Queen Victoria, who made it a capital crime (punishable by death) to wear the shamrock. This was probably the most influential reason for the worldwide adoption by Irish people and their sympathisers of the Shamrock as a symbol of Irishness.
Legend has it that Saint Patrick drove all the snakes out of Ireland -- that they all went into the sea and drowned. There is no reason to believe there were actually any snakes in Ireland ever. There is no archaeological proof of snakes anywhere in Ireland at any time in the past. As this knowledge becomes more available we got fed the notion in to our mainstream consciousness that “this is probably an allegory for the driving out of paganism (snakes were a revered pagan symbol in some places)”. But this is just not so for Ireland, there were not and are not any snakes in Ireland so adding in bits of foreign snake lore is just disinformation.
The famous mountain of Croagh Patrick or as its more commonly known in Ireland “The Reek” was a place of Pagan Pilgrimage long before the Christians became Catholic in 325ad. It is a round cone shaped mountain that looks like a pyramid from a distance. This holy mountain is quartzite with seams of gold throughout, it sits on the western seaboard overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and the setting Sun.
Croagh Patrick aka the Reek was once know as Cruchan Aigli or in English; Eagle Mountain, it is 2510 feet above sea level. It has always been a holy place with pilgrimage on the last Sunday of July (during Catholic times), which is of course the wrong day as the Sun magic happens later in the month but the plan was to disconnect the people from the Sun and connect them to a foreign religion. This last Sunday of the month of July is now used because of traditional connection to Lughnasa, the harvest festival of Lugh, a bright god of the Tuatha De Dannan and in his day it may have been called Cnoc Lugh. Archaeological investigations backed up by excavations show that a hill fort with stone ramparts and dwellings and 30 hut sites are to be found on the top of the Reek. There are ancient cooking sites, megalithic tombs, standing stones, burial mounds, ringforts and today’s’ modern Catholic Church. I doubt that many Catholic Pilgrims know that this holy mountain was sacred to Lugh or before that to the great fertility god Crom. Its old name of Eagle Mountain may refer to the practice of excarnation, de-fleshing of the dead by carrion birds before burning of the remains and finally – internment of the remaining bones in an earthen mound. This practice was not uncommon in prehistoric times.
It was on this holy mountain that St Patrick supposedly did his greatest magic – when he summoned a great host of loathsome and venomous creatures and then commanded them to cast themselves over the edge of the mountain, thus freeing the Irish countryside from all kinds of reptiles. This included dragons, snakes and all types of reptiles, none of which ever existed in Ireland. We are told that St Patrick did this by verbal command. The actual truth is that there were no snakes in Ireland and long after he was dead and his head was gone into Jesuit care somebody just added this trick to St Patrick’s name. It was as if the Pagan traditions were still so strong with the Lughnasa pilgrimage to the Reek in August that something had to be done to displace the old ways and such a fantastic story as dragon/snake banishing fitted the bill. It had to be long after St Patrick’s death or else everyone would know it was just made up fantasy.
So, St Patrick’s famous mountain was the most revered place of pilgrimage to the Pagan God Lugh. Hang on a minute – there were no snakes to be banished and he never mentions shamrocks in his writings, no Pope would call him saint and his most famous site is a place of ancient Pagan Pilgrimage! Maybe there was something else that was being occulted from our view by those who would impose a foreign religion on the indigenous practices of our people. The Catholic Church displaced the Pagan Pilgrimage for Lugh with their last Sunday in July, but the holy mountain was seen as holy before they came and will be seen as holy when they are gone too.
The conclusion offered is that this legend of Patrick was fabricated because he did not bring the Catholic faith or Christian beliefs to Ireland, he wasn’t Irish, it is highly unlikely that he could live to be 111 years of age when the usual life expectancy was maybe 40/50ish, he was given immense powers of travelling the entire country building churches and digging wells, killing dragons, snakes and reptiles that did not exist, burning 150 Druid books that did not exist, praying for old Arch Druids to die, killing or causing 800 Druids to be killed, having a female follower who was close to him disappear linked to a she-beast story, causing two princesses to die by his baptism, he never mentions shamrocks in his writings and he was given the totem of a shamrock long after he was dead, his title is not recognized by the leader of his own religion because no Pope would call him a saint and his fabricated importance was set up to displace a Pagan God. His most famous place was and is sacred to the Pagan God Lugh where we can still see incredible Sun and Landscape magic as our ancestors did. The reality today is that on the 17th of March many rivers are dyed green and people wear funny green hats and drink far too much alcohol especially green beer and pretend to be Irish. Do people make drunken fools of themselves on this day because they reckon that is what St Patrick did? He has out lived his usefulness to the Church that fabricated him and has become an alcoholic embarrassment for them – he is now a champion golem to excess commercialism, this is today’s true story of St Patrick.
an old essay refined Earrach 2018
From Irish Medieval History at https://www.facebook.com/Medieval.Ireland/posts/897375146972947:0
Saintly misconceptions - St. Patrick was not Irish, St George was not English and St Andrew was not Scottish. St. David of Wales is the only patron saint who is a native. Every so often one comes across articles which erroneously claim that St. Patrick’s nationality was Welsh, English or British in spite of the fact that Wales and England did not exist in St. Patrick’s time. He was a Romano-Briton meaning he came from a Roman family living in Roman colonial Britain.
Similar maladroitness has led some to claim that St. Patrick did not bring Christianity to Ireland that this honour was achieved by Palladius. Therefore we should be celebrating St. Palladius Day on March 17th. In reality there were two St. Patricks and neither of them brought Christianity to Ireland! Here is the evidence.
The great Irish historian T. F. O'Rahilly's "Two Patricks" theory was first posited in a lecture in 1942 where he playfully stoked controversy in order the initiate academic debate. O'Rahilly like many scholars before noted that a contemporary continental chronicler named Prosper of Aquitaine wrote that Palladius was sent as the first bishop of the Irish by the pope to Ireland in 431AD. Yet tradition tells us that Patrick was ordained bishop and sent to Ireland to convert the Irish in 432AD. O'Rahilly was intimating that the histories of two men had been confused and folded together. The Irish writers of the lives of St. Patrick say, that St. Palladius had preached in Ireland a little before St. Patrick, but that he was soon banished by the king of Leinster and returned to North Britain.
Scottish church tradition holds that he presided over a Christian community there for around 20 years but the Irish Vita Tripartita (The Tripartite Life of Saint Patrick) states that he died at Cell Fine (thought to be modern-day Killeen Cormac, County Kildare), where he left his books, together with a writing tablet and relics of Peter and Paul. Alban Butler, citing Hector Boethius and Camden, says that he died at Fordun, fifteen miles south of Aberdeen about the year 450.
Neither Palladius nor his mission is mentioned in official Roman sources and references to Palladius in later Irish documents derive either from the Chronicle Prosper of Aquitaine or from Book I of Bede’s Ecclesiastical History of the English People dating from 731AD, who also used Prosper as the source of his information. In another entry, written in the later 430s, Prosper appears to allude again to the mission of Palladius in his polemical tract known as Contra Collatorem. He refers to Pope Celestine as having made Britain ("the Roman island") Catholic, while making Ireland ("the barbarous island") Christian. This was in reference, in the first instance, to an earlier episode, in 429, when Pope Celestine dispatched Germanus, bishop of Auxerre, to Britain in order to combat a recent recrudescence of the heresy known as Pelagianism. That mission (again according to Prosper) had been undertaken at the instigation of a deacon named Palladius, who is undoubtedly identical with the man of that name sent to Ireland in 431. It is generally assumed that the mission to Ireland in 431 followed on from the one to Britain in 429, on the basis that the ecclesiastical authorities in Rome would probably have feared for the orthodoxy of any fledgling Christian community in Ireland because of its geographical proximity to the compromised Christians of Britain. It is assumed also that Palladius was, by whatever means, familiar with the situation in Ireland.
When knowledge is absent we fill the gaps with assumptions but the reality is that outside of the references of Prosper of Aquitaine the information is not reliable. Historians consider Prosper of Aquitaine to be a more reliable source of information than the traditional views of the Irish or British because Prosper is neutral. He has nothing to gain and no national cause to promote in relation to these two individuals.
So what exactly did Prosper write? He states in his chronicle entry for the year 431AD “Ad Scotum in Christum credentes ordinatur a Papa Celestino Palladius et primus episcopus mittitur”.
Translated as “To the Irish believing in Christ, Pope Celestine sends Palladius as the first Bishop”.
In plain language Prosper tells us that there were Christians in Ireland before the arrival of Palladius and Patrick, so neither of them were first to bring Christianity to Ireland!
Patrick himself would be allowed to judge all the Irish people on the Last Day...
Patrick, Patron of Ireland
The work of a missionary from somewhere in the west of Britain was crucial to the conversion of Ireland to the Christian faith in the 5th centuryAD. He was a Romanised Celt called Patricius, son of a deacon and grandson of a priest. At the age of sixteen he was seized by an Irish raiding party near his home and brought across the sea to this country, where he was sold as a slave. After several years herding animals in lonely places, he managed to escape, and made his way to the Continent, where he studied for the priesthood. One night in his sleep he dreamed that a voice called to him to return to Ireland and to 'walk once more amongst us'. The compassionate and determined way in which he answered that mystical request has caused him to be known and loved ever since as Naomh Padraig, or Saint Patrick, patron of Ireland.
We know this much of his life-story from one of the few documents written by Patrick himself, his Confessio. But, unfortunately, we know little else of the precise details of his actual mission, for he gives but very scant detail of either time or place. To him his work was principally a spiritual task, the gaining of souls for God, and thus he wrote in a private rather than an annalistic mode. Traditionally the dates 432 AD to 461 AD have been given for his mission in Ireland, and there is little doubt but that his feast-day, March 17, was the date of his death. Although there were some scattered Christian communities in Ireland before his arrival, it is clear that the impetus for the general change to Christianity throughout the land was due to him personally and to his work.
Almost two hundred years after his time, two biographies of him were written, by monks called Muirchú and Tíreachán. Both of these were acquainted with the writings of the saint himself and also with some traditions concerning him. But they invented much, and borrowed material from the Bible and other early Christian literature in order to portray him as a special prophet sent by God to the Irish people. As a result, modern scholars regard these and later mediaeval biographies of the saint as having no historical value, except for the study of how legends develop around the name of a famous person.
These fanciful texts do, however, have some curious accounts which seem to echo the preaching of Patrick himself. For instance, in the Confessio he contrasted the idols of the pagan Irish to the true 'light' of Christianity. He criticised in particular the belief in the divinity of the sun, claiming that 'its brilliance will not endure', and that those who worship it will be punished; and insisted instead on the worship of Christ, 'the true sun who will never perish, nor will anyone who does His will'. It is interesting to note that both Muirchú and Tíreachán tell a story of a fire-ordeal by which the saint showed the superior power of Christianity over that of a pagan druid. According to the story, a servant of Patrick emerged unscathed from the ordeal, being untouched by the fires of paganism, whereas his opponent was totally consumed by the fire of the Christian faith.
In the Confessio, Patrick repeatedly refers to the great 'gift' he has received - meaning the conversion of the Irish people - and remarks that 'whether I receive good or ill, I return thanks equally to God'. Curiously, Muirchú relates a story of how a powerful pagan called Dáire sent a cauldron to Patrick as a gift, but the saint uttered no more than a single word of thanks. The pagan was incensed at this, and had the cauldron taken back, but Patrick expressed the same word of gratitude again. This caused the pagan to reconsider his position, and he gave the cauldron to Patrick to keep, as well as a site on which to build a church at Armagh. It is interesting to note that Dáire was an alternate name for the Celtic father-deity who was more usually referred to as the 'Daghdha', the bountiful god who gave to all from his great cauldron. Since Patrick preached that the Christian God was the true giver of good fortune, it may well be that this story sprang from a confused memory of such teaching.
The most striking story from these early biographies describes Patrick as lighting the first Paschal fire in Ireland. As an account, it is full of high drama. We are told that the High-King Laoghaire had the custom of lighting a fire at the royal centre of Tara on a certain night and that nobody else should kindle theirs before he did so. Patrick had come to the hill of Slane nearby, however, and when Laoghaire saw a fire lighting there he was outraged and ordered that the transgressor appear before him. Then Patrick came to Tara as a great Christian hero, and the High-King and all the royal forces were confounded by his miraculous power.
Several great contests between Patrick and the pagan druids are described, contests in which dramatic changes of climate and environment are brought about by magic and miracles. The saint, of course, triumphs in all of these tussles, which occur in the presence of the High-King at Tara and of all the royal court. The substance of these narratives was borrowed from passages in Christian literature, and it is clear that Patrick was being portrayed as a kind of new Moses triumphing over the Irish potentates, who have all the marks of the Pharaoh and other Biblical tyrants. Indeed, just as Moses caused water to spring from rock at a stroke of his staff, so Patrick is said to have caused holy wells to spring up at different places so as to facilitate the baptism of his converts.
The earliest biographies described the mission of Patrick as taking place in the northern half of the country, but around the 9th century a third account of him was written which extended his mission to the south. As well as the bishopric at Armagh, it was further claimed that he founded the bishopric at Cashel, which rivalled the former in prestige. There is little doubt but that all such accounts of his activities were closely connected with the claims and counter-claims of the two leading power-groups of the period, the Uí Néill dynasty in the north and the Eoghanacht dynasty in the south.
In the 9th century literature we also find the beginning of a celebrated tradition concerning St Patrick. This claims that he spent forty days and nights fasting on top of the mountain of Croagh Patrick in Co. Mayo, and that God became worried lest he might die and thereby leave his mission unaccomplished. The Supreme Being therefore asked him to abandon his fast, but Patrick would only do so on three conditions - that the Irish people would not live permanently under oppression, that the country would be submerged seven years before the end of the world and so be spared the final devastation, and that Patrick himself would be allowed to judge all the Irish people on the Last Day. This tradition, which has Patrick as the special champion of the Irish, persisted down through the centuries and gave consolation to the people in times of misery and distress.
The best-known of all traditions concerning the saint seems not to have originated until the 11th century, when it first appears in biographies of him. This is the belief that he banished the snakes from Ireland. The indications are that this idea was suggested by the many accounts of how the saint banished the 'demons of paganism', and that it was borrowed specifically from a similar motif in the biography of St Honoratus, founder of the island-monastery of Lérins in France where Patrick is said to have studied. The fact that there were no snakes in Ireland was well known from antiquity, and indeed was referred to by the Graeco- Roman writer Solinus two hundred years before Patrick was born.
Later still is the association of the shamrock with him. It was customary in Ireland to use the shamrock as an aperitif, and the placing of some sprigs of it in a toast was no doubt the origin of 'drowning the shamrock on the feast day' of the saint. The actual wearing of the shamrock as a badge on St Patrick's Day is hardly more than a few centuries old, but old enough for some creative mind to notice that its trefoil stem offered a neat parallel to the Christian mystery of the Trinity. Thus we are told that Patrick, being exasperated in his efforts to impress this doctrine on his Irish audience, stooped down and picked up the shamrock, explaining that just as three leaves can spring from one stem so also there are three persons in one God.
The Irish people, however, have not confined their fascination with St Patrick to environmental and theological legends. Down through the centuries they have invented many other stories of a curious and sometimes humorous nature. He is said, for instance, to have met survivors of the epical heroes of old Irish tradition, the Fianna, and to have obtained baptism posthumously for their fellows. It is also claimed that he blessed and cursed various parts of the country, depending on the preferences of the storytellers, and that he ordered that tavern-keepers should always give extra value for money on the day of his feast!
So Patrick, the slave-boy forcibly brought here from abroad, has become to many generations of Irish people the epitome of all that they considered best in their culture - a courageous and protective figure, proficient in miracles, scrupulous in teaching, but full of human kindness and with his own puckish sense of humour.
St Patrick's Day has always had a special meaning for the Irish. The national holiday, which falls on March 17, is an occasion of great celebration not only for the native Irish themselves but also for many- thousands of people of Irish background throughout the world. While the principal parade in Ireland is in Dublin, many cities and towns throughout the country hold parades. Parades and marching band competitions have become the order of the day, and participants come from all over the United States, Canada, Britain and Continental Europe, to join in the festivities. Word of the fun has spread to such an extent that nowadays the period of celebration has increased to a week.
St Patrick kills Druids...
ST. PATRICK AND THE DRUIDS.
Let us see what the biographers of St. Patrick have to relate about the Druids.
A work published at St. Omer, in 1625, by John Heigham, has this story:--"One day as the Saint sayd masse in the sayd church, a sacrilegious magitian, the child of perdition, Stood without, and with a rodd put in at the window, cast down the chalice, and shed the holy sacrament, but God without delay severely punished so wicked a sacrilege, for
the earth opening his mouth after a most strange manner devoured the magitian, who descended alive downe to hell."
Again:--"A certain magitian that was in high favour with the King, and whome the King honoured as a god opposed himself against S. Patricke, even in the same kin that Simon Magus resisted the apostle S. Peter; the miserable wretch being elevated in the ayre by the ministery of Devils, the King and the people looked after him as if he were to scale the heavens, but the glorious Saint, with the force of his fervent prayers, cast him downe unto the ground where dashing his head against a hard flint, he rêdred up his wicked soule as a pray to the infernnall Fiendes."
The Triptartite Life of St. Patrick relates:--"Laeghaire MacNeill possessed Druids and enchanters, who used to foretell through their Druidism and through their paganism what was in the future for them." Coming to certain town, the Saint, according to history, "found Druids at that place who denied the Virginity of Mary. Patrick blessed the ground, and it swallowed up the Druids."
The book of 1625 is the authority for another story:--"Two magitians with their magicall charmes overcast all the region with a horrible darkness for the space of three dayes, hoping by that meanes to debar his (Patrick's enterance into the country." Again:--"Nine magitians conspired the Saint's death, and to have the more free accesse to him, they counterfeited thēselves to be monks putting on religious weeds; the Saint, by divine information, knew thē to be wolves wraped in sheeps cloathing; making, therefore, the signe of the crosse against the childrē of Satan, behould fire descended from Heaven and consumed them all nine." He is also reported to hay caused the death of 12,000 idolaters at Tara.
St. Patrick contended with the Druids before King
Laeghaire at Tara. One, Lochra, hardened the King's heart against the preaching; so "the Saint prayed that he might be lifted out and die, even as St. Peter had obtained the death of Simon Magus. In an instant Lochra was raised up in the air, and died, falling on a stone." This Lochra had, it is said, previously foretold the Saint's visit:--
"A Tailcenn (baldhead) will come over the raging sea,
With his perforated garments, his crook-headed staff,
With his table (altar) at the east end of his house,
And all the people will answer--'Amen! Amen!"
The authoress of Ireland, the Ur of the Chaldees, ventured to write:--"When the Apostle of Ireland went there, the people believed him, for he taught no new doctrine." She thought Druidism not very unlike Christianity. Dr. O'Donovan, upon the Four Masters, observes:--"Nothing is clearer than that Patrick engrafted Christianity on the pagan superstitions with so much skill that he won the people over to the Christian religion before they understood the exact difference between the two systems of beliefs; and much of this half pagan, half Christian religion will be found, not only in the Irish stories of the Middle Ages, but in the superstitions of the peasantry of the present day." Todd sees that worldly wisdom in "dedicating to a Saint the pillar-stone, or sacred fountain."
It is not necessary to discuss the question as to the individual Saint himself, around which so much controversy has raged. They who read theology between the lines of old Irish history may be induced to doubt whether such a person ever existed, or if he were but a Druid himself, such being the obscurity of old literature.
St. Bridget's early career was associated with the Druids. A miracle she wrought in the production of butter caused her Druidical master to become a Christian.
Colgan contended that St. Patrick, by "continually warring with Druids, exposed his body to a thousand kinds of deaths." In The Guardsman's Cry of St. Patric, which declares "Patric made this hymn," we are informed that it was "against incantations of false prophets, against black laws of hereticians, against surroundings of idolism, against spells of women, and of smiths, and of Druids."
The Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland by the Four Masters mentions a number of stories relative to Irish Druids, then believed to have once ruled Erin. St. Patrick was a youthful slave to Milcho, a Druidical priest. Gradwell's Succat, therefore, says, "He must often have practised heathenish rites in the presence of his household, and thus excited the horror of his Christian slave."
St. Columba, the Culdee, was much the same as St. Patrick in his mission work, and his contests with Druids. He changed water into wine, stilled a storm, purified wells, brought down rain, changed winds, drove the devil out of a milk-pail, and raised the dead to life. All that tradition acknowledged as miraculous in the Druids was attributed equally to Columba as to Patrick.
Adamnan of Iona tells some strange stories of his master. One tale concerns Brochan the Druid. "On a certain day, Brochan, while conversing with the Saint, said to him, 'Tell me, Columba, when do you propose to set sail?' To which the Saint replied, 'I intend to begin my voyage after three days, if God permits me, and preserves my life.' Brochan then said, 'You will not be able, for I will make the winds unfavourable to your voyage, and I will create a great darkness over the sea."' The wind rose, and the
darkness came. But the Saint put off, and "the vessel ran against the wind with extraordinary speed, to the wonder of the large crowd."
The Saint wanted the Druid to release an Irish female captive, which he declined to do. But, says Adamnan, "an angel sent from heaven, striking him severely, has broken in pieces the glass cup which he held in his hand, and from which he was in the act of drinking, and he himself is left half dead." Then he consented to free the Irish girl, and Columba cured him of the wound.
My comment - Even if only one claim of murder is true = then Patrick could not be a saint.
(top picture from: http://www.historyireland.com/st-patrick/st-patrick-the-legend-and-the-bishop/ ) interesting story as well.
Saint Patrick: Killer, Imperialist, Fundamentalist
Posted on 15/03/2013 by Seba RouxAs is the nature of scepticism, and my disdain for most examples of patriotic pageantry and religious ceremony, I have long regarded Paddy‘s Day, and the global cult around it, with deep suspicion. I once even wrote an essay – poorly crafted and of dubious accuracy – claiming that Patrick had never existed, not in the way we understand him anyway, and that the vast majority of his life story was a subsequent fabrication. That essay, incidentally, was submitted as part of a First Year History Exam.
Yes, I experienced explosive flatulence upon reading the results. Who doesn’t?
Anyway, I never really gave the bugger, or the myths surrounding his life, much more thought – until, that is, my knowledgeable girlfriend mentioned that, yeah, our Patron Saint probably killed someone. This certainly piqued my interest.
Turns out, those ‘snakes’ St. Patrick banished from Ireland? Yeah, they were probably a metaphor for the Pagans, who had lived here before he introduced Christianity. I always loved the term ‘introduced’, by the way. It conjures up images of a dinner party, where some Pagan returned from Britannia with new ideas in his head is enthusiastically showing off his new find, saying ‘Oh darling, you simply MUST let the teachings of Christ into your life, the ceremonies are positively ADORABLE – and they let us keep our feasts, just with new names and more creatively imaginative legends!’
In fact, our lad Paddy introduced Christianity to Ireland in the same way that Spain & Portugal introduced it to the Americas, or the way Britain introduced their language to over half the Earth’s population. Any Pagans who refused to convert, or to recant their beliefs, were rent asunder. The snakes metaphor works on two levels; first, in Christian theology the snake is frequently another name or identity of the Devil – who, after all, tempted Adam & Eve in the Garden of Eden? – and second, Druids often had tattoos of snakes running down their arms – it was their symbol of medicine & science, just as it is today. Patrick banging his staff on the rocks a la Moses and sending the snakes scurrying into the sea? Some speculate that there was a grain of truth in this; Patrick would demand that some poor Pagan bastard convert, and if the person refused then Patrick would hammer the ground with his staff as a signal to his followers – who would then, dutifully and I’m sure in a holy as FUCK way, tear the resister apart.
“Get ’em, boys!”
So yeah. There’s that. However, it is speculation, based on stories only committed to paper three centuries or so after Paddy’s death. Nonetheless, it makes a shitload more sense than snakes, dontcha think? Plus, the pagans didn’t fade from the scene until around that time, so it makes sense that only when the, let’s be honest, genocide had been completed that people would start admitting that, yeah, we didn’t really mean snakes. Of course, by then, the incredibly literal-minded and gullible people who make up the bulk of the church had already bought the snakes tale, so to speak, hook line and sinker.
Still, it is not incontrovertible fact. There is little in the way of archaelogical evidence to back it up – where are the graves? The evidence of a mass exodus? The next part, on the other hand, has quite a bit of hard factual basis…
One of the less-well-known stories of St. Patrick concerns a ‘she-witch’ who he had banished to Lough Derg. There’s this island in the middle of Lough Derg called St. Patrick’s Purgatory, to commemorate his action in sending Caoranach, the she-beast, to stay there. Now, simultaneously, there are quite a few references to a woman who followed St. Patrick very closely, but it seems that no one ever knew her name. It is mere conjecture, but some believe it extremely likely that she was his consort. Anyway, after St. Patrick stated that he had banished the ‘she-beast’, this woman was never seen again.
Fast-forward to 1998. A documentarian takes a team up to Lough Derg to search for any evidence regarding these murky events. Chillingly, they found a woman’s mummified remains under the water… Carbon Dating placed the body’s lifetime as being around the 7th Century CE. The documentarian was convinced that this confirmed the story’s veracity. Rumour has it that he was given a stern warning by our government to avoid doing anything to change the people’s feeling about their Patron Saint.
“Stone-faced killah, you know it. Now let us pray…”
As well as the glorious Christianity Patrick introduced to Ireland – which is a myth in itself really, since Palladius had been sent before him and was an all-round nicer bloke, by all accounts – the future Patron Saint was also instrumental in teaching the natives Latin…thus laying the groundwork for the eventual inculcation of English, and the general decay of Gaeilge into the minority language it is today. In this particular instance it’s hard to blame him personally for too much of that – after all, somebody else certainly would’ve arrived with a new language at some point, and whatever the lingua franca was going to be going forward, it never looked like being Irish.
All the same, celebrating the life of a genocidal, homicidal, colonialist git isn’t my idea of a festive day. I’m soft like that.
Happy Paddy’s Day!


Trade paperback. Condition: Good. Published by Murray Printing Co. 1903. (Spine taped. Illustrated. Tables. One date circled, several paragraphs have a mark beside them.) , by Anonymous. ... ..
Hardcover. Condition: Very good in good dust jacket. Published by Self Published (Canadian) 1969. (Illustrations, maps. Small piece out of front panel of jacket. Previous owner's signature. Rub..
Trade paperback. Condition: Very good. Published by Konferenz Der Mennoniten in Canada 1957. (Cover creases.) , by A. H. Harder. ... Language: German. ... [Church History, Canadiana, Mennonite..
Oversized paperback. Condition: Very good. Published by St. Vital Parish [circa 1985]. (Photographs.) , by Karen Loscerbo. (With Cathy Muys) ... Locale: St. Vital; Winnipeg. ... [Manitoba, Cana..
Trade paperback. Condition: Very good. Published by St. Luke's Church 1997. (Photographs. Signed by the author.) , by Billie Nodleman. (With Andrew Thomson) ... [Manitoba, Canadiana, Church Hi..
Oversized paperback. Condition: Near very good. Published by Trinity Church 1975. (Corner clipped, Previous owner's label, on front cover.) , by J. W. Scott. ... A history of Trinity Church of..
Oversized oblong paperback. Condition: Very good. Published by Sisters of St. Benedict's Priory 1987. , by Sisters of St. Benedict's Priory. ... History of this priory of the Benedictene Order...
Trade paperback. Condition: Very good. Published by Parish of St. George's-In-The-Pines 1990, 1st thus. (Photographs.) , by Jon Whyte. ... [Church History, Canadiana]..
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Twelve months of giving
The Grand Foundation is happy to launch
Twelve Months of Giving for 2019!
Each month this year we will highlight a different non-profit group and spread the word about all the wonderful happenings that are going on in the communities that Grand Appliance stores are located. The Grand Foundation will support the chosen organization by donating to them and providing information to our supporters about these groups if people also choose to donate, volunteer, etc.
If you would like a chance to be highlighted for the Twelve Months of Giving for 2020 apply now!
LITTLE SISTERS OF THE POOR
The Grand Foundation is happy to feature the Little Sisters of the Poor and St. Augustine Home in Indianapolis, IN for the month of August. We are thrilled to partner with the sisters as they work to compassionately provide care for the elderly.
The Little Sisters of the Poor are an international group of Roman Catholic women founded in 1839. Together with a diverse network of collaborators, they serve the elderly poor in over 30 countries around the world. Their MISSION is to offer the neediest elderly of every race and religion a home where they will be welcomed, cared for as family and accompanied with dignity. This is all reflected in care that is holistic and person-centered.
At St. Augustine Home (the local Indianapolis chapter) the Little Sisters of the Poor nurture communities where each person is valued. The solidarity of the human family and the wisdom of age are celebrated. A spirit of joyful hospitality of embracing ALL with open arms is the foundation of St. Augustine Home. They reject all forms of discrimination and welcome all low-income elderly of at least 65 years of age regardless of race or religion. The Little Sisters of the Poor hold the desire to raise others up and to put their needs before their own. At St. Augustine Home it is their goal that no one die alone.
For more information on Little Sisters of the Poor and ways you can donate and volunteer your time visit their website.
DO A GRAND GESTURE AND DONATE TODAY
If you would like to support Little Sisters of the Poor by donating, click below to learn more.


“You have the right to be treated right.”
M E M E S
“Humility is knowing that even after you give it 100%, you still need God to bless your efforts.”
“Accept who you are today while you work on who you will become tomorrow.”
“I received a mind greater than the one that I lost.” for World Mental Health Day
"When the elephant in the room has met another elephant in the room….and when those elephants have babies that are all grown up…it is beyond time to set yourself and those elephants free…Discuss the issues."
"Despite current circumstances, you are still required to work on your God-given assignment.
"God is able to exceed what is realistic, He can bring the supernatural to pass."
"Some people are not irresponsible, they are just unwilling to respond."
"One of the benefits to learning your purpose in life is knowing what is not your purpose in life."
"The Bible doesn't say that every Christian must be rich, nor does it say that every Chrsitian must be poor."
"Some of the people in your past are there for a reason."
"Be careful when you judge others for you could end up in their situation or worse."
"Sometimes, unanswered prayer is a result of unanswered faith."
My first and probably last post about haters..."Haters will not be satisfied until you hate yourself."


The brand new unmissable adventure novel for fans of Scott Mariani, Dan Brown and Daniel Silva
‘The ingenious construction of the ivory box would ensure that neither wind nor water, earth nor fire would ever defile its precious contents.’
Leiden, Holland, 1996
For historian Peter de Haan and graduate student Judith Cherev, a visit to a local archaeological site to inspect a two-thousand-year-old bronze mask turns into disaster when lead archaeologist Thomas Konijnenberg is found lying in a pool of blood.
Just hours before Thomas had unearthed an ivory casket, far more valuable than anything else found at the site. But he is not alone – someone else knows the value of the precious find.
With Thomas’s life hanging in the balance, he entrusts the box to Peter and Judith for safe keeping. What they discover within the casket will lead them to the beginning of Christianity and expose a secret that will change history. But there are those who will go to great efforts to prevent the story going public, no matter what the cost.


L'Osservatore Romano brings you the inner workings of the Vatican and the priorities of the Holy Father like no other source in the world! Founded in 1861, L'Osservatore Romano publishes papal discourses, texts and documents, reports on the events of the Church and Pope Francis, and provides news of cultural debates and international life from the perspective of the Catholic Church. It publishes special sections to mark each of the Pope's many foreign trips. It's true insider coverage as the newspaper of record for the Holy See.
Customer Service Click here for L'Osservatore Romano customer service. Call (800) 348-2440 Option 2 between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. (E.T.) Monday through Friday. LOsservatore@cambeywest.com
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Mile Addison Wolverine Wingtip Boot 1000 Black Copyright © 1996-2018 Our Sunday Visitor, Inc.


With summertime drawing near, it’s the best time for plenty of human beings to think about stepping into a higher form. But if you’ve been suffering from locating an exercising plan that works for you, perhaps it’s time to begin something new. Try to suit your workout selections to your character trends. The essential part of any exercising plan is selecting activities you could stay with for a long time. Take this quiz to higher recognize your exercising personality, and pick a few activities that give you the results you want.
Exercise can lower your danger of coronary heart disorder, increase your electricity levels, improve your mood and self-confidence, improve your reminiscence, help you sleep higher, and gradually down the aging system. And yet, most folks still find lots of excuses not to exercise. This appears to be, in particular, proper within the church, where willpower to exercising is regularly fallacious for arrogance. The fact is that Scripture encourages us to have interaction in bodily activity in exercise. Considering the several blessings of exercise, it is obvious that God created us to be energetic, that we had been Made to Move.
Many humans are acquainted with 1 Corinthians 6:10-20, in which the Apostle Paul exhorts us to attend to our bodies. Or do you now not recognize that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have got from God, and that you are not your personal? 20 For you’ve got been bought with a price: consequently glorify God on your frame.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NAS95S) While many have heard this verse used to teach that we need to avoid promiscuity, alcohol, tobacco, and tablets, it’s far uncommon that we’re taught that this verse isn’t always just a caution to avoid those activities but is an exhortation to be proactive in worrying for our bodies. We ought to make certain that we preserve our bodies in height condition always. That approach that we are to glorify God, each with the ingredients we devour to gas our bodies, additionally that we are to interact in bodily exercise. In truth, in his first letter to Timothy, Paul says:
For bodily exercise earnings a touch, however, godliness is profitable for all matters, having the promise of the life that now could be and of that which is to come back.” (1 Timothy four: eight NKJV) Some humans take Paul’s words that bodily exercise earnings a little but that godliness are worthwhile for all matters as a dismissal of exercising, which makes for a handy excuse for them to sit down round on their duff. But that is not what Paul is pronouncing. First, we’ve got already visible from 1 Corinthians that God is substantially worried about what we do with our bodies. Second, we ought to consider the context.
But reject profane and antique other halves’ fables and workout yourself in the direction of godliness. For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is worthwhile for all things, having the promise of the existence that now could be any of what’s to come.” (1 Timothy four:7-8 NKJV)Paul instructs Timothy to reject false coaching, which is harmful to us spiritually, and to work out ourselves closer to godliness. Paul then reaffirms the advantage of physical workout to apply it as an example of the more advantage of the non secular workout. Bodily exercising, at the same time as useful in this existence, will now not result in eternal existence. But it nonetheless earnings. I am reminded of Jesus’ practice to the Pharisees.
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you, tithe mint and dill and cumin, and feature left out the weightier provisions of the regulation: justice and mercy and faithfulness. Still, those are the belongings you need to have executed without neglecting the others.” (Matthew 23:23 NAS95S). It is not a case of “both/or” however of “both/and.” We need to work out ourselves physically and spiritually. To anticipate that Paul is teaching in 1 Timothy that Christians should no longer interact in physical exercise is to fall into the Gnostic heresy and ignores Paul’s numerous other references to the blessings of physical field and exercise.
Another fundamental rule of decoding Scripture is that you have to think about the authentic target audience and the space of time. Paul wrote these phrases to Timothy nearly 2000 years ago. Paul and Timothy lived in a time and subculture in which regular bodily hobby was the norm. It has only been within the last one hundred years that hard work-saving gadgets have resulted in a drastic decline in our everyday physical activity. A recent look at Old Order Amish populations, who reject modern conveniences, confirmed that a very excessive level of interest is integrated into their everyday lives. On average, the Amish participated in six instances the bodily pastime finished with the aid of participants in the latest survey of 12 modernized nations.
The Amish were able to expose us just how ways we have fallen in the last 150 years or so in terms of the amount of physical hobby we typically perform,” said David R. Bassett, Ph.D., FACSM, a professor on the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and lead researcher for the examine. “Their way of life suggests that physical hobby performed a critical role in maintaining our ancestors in shape and wholesome.


In buildings which range from the ancient to the very modern, the natural acoustics in places of worship are no longer regarded as high quality enough for the majority of congregations. In addition, with an ever-increasing percentage of those congregations being elderly, facilities for the those with a hearing impairment are increasingly important.
Because of the huge variety in age and construction of churches, the installation of modern induction loop technology is a continuingly perse challenge for both Ampetronic and installation company Scanaudio. But together they have specialised in overcoming such challenges, exemplified by three very different Ampetronic installations which Scanaudio has recently undertaken.
With its original 12th century building nowadays forming an adjacent aisle to a bigger 1906 nave, the Grade 2 listed Holy Trinity Church in the Southchurch district of Southend-on-Sea, Essex, has seen a brand new Ampetronic ILD500 and perimeter loop system installed to replace an infra-red system.
Ironically, the infra-red system had been installed several years ago to replace an earlier induction loop. But experience at Holy Trinity proved that an induction loop provides superior coverage and audio quality, and so Scanaudio was contracted to install the new Ampetronic system.
One of the challenges of the installation was that the loop had to cover the whole main body of the church, which meant two very different approaches in the different ‘eras’ of the building. With it being listed, extreme care also had to be taken to minimise visual intrusion.
“In most church installs, it is a fundamental requirement for the induction loop to cover as much of the main area as possible,” says Scanaudio’s Dee Couchman. “There will be members of the congregation who have been attending for years and they will all have a favourite place to sit. So it is important that nobody is accidentally excluded from the loop’s coverage.”
The floor in the 12th century part of the church is covered with thick carpet, so here the loop comprised copper tape and was laid beneath the carpet. However, the more modern part features a stone flagged floor, so here the 1.5mm tri-rated switch gear cable was used, which was either glued to the stone work at the interface of the floor and wall, or stapled discreetly onto the top edge of a wooden skirting board.
A more modern building which has recently seen an Ampetronic installation is the church of Christ the King in Salfords, Surrey. Here the replacement of a 1980s induction loop system was carried out and, being a late 1950s building, there weren’t the strict guidelines of a listed building with placement of the loop.
“We installed an ILD300 amplifier and perimeter loop, which was very straightforward,” says Dee. “The building had a wooden skirting board all round the main part of the church, so we were able to attach the loop to it and install the equipment very quickly.”
Coming right up to date, the new Methodist church in Wimbledon, London, is a brand new structure that has replaced the Church’s previous, century-old home on the same site.
Because it was a new construction, the technical infrastructure could be ‘designed in’ to the building. The church took the opportunity to contact Scanaudio to install a sophisticated audio/visual system, with an Ampetronic ILD500-powered induction loop as an integral part of the system.
“A new-build project is the easiest type of installation for making the induction loop completely invisible, as you can incorporate it into the fabric of the building before the finishing touches such as flooring are laid,” says Dee.
The loop at Wimbledon Methodist Church takes its feed from the church’s main audio system and is effectively a figure of eight, as the hall can be pided into two by means of a screen


After breakfast at the Hotel, your Guide will take you on tour of the Old City, walk through one of the gates of the walled Old City visiting, The Jewish Quarter: wander through its ancient alleyways lined with many interesting shops and traditional restaurants.
Wailing Wall: Also known as the Western Wall is the most visited and sacred place for the Jewish faith, is all that remains of the four walls built by Herod the Great to support the Temple of Jerusalem.
Via Dolorosa: "The Way of Grief," in Latin. Via Dolorosa is located in the old city of Jerusalem and is a path where Jesus was lead in stifling pain carrying the cross of crucifixion.
Walk the Fourteen stations located along this path, based on events which happened on the way to the Golgotha hill, the site of the crucifixion.
Church of the Holy Sepulcher: Known as the place of both the crucifixion and the tomb of Jesus of Nazareth The church has traditionally been a major pilgrimage center for Christians all around the world.
After a lunch break Continue your tour by visiting:
Mount Zion, A holy site shared by people of Jewish, Christian and Muslim faiths, the Temple Mount is the highest point of the ancient City of Jerusalem. Here you visit The Tomb of King David, The Room of the Last Supper and Dormition Abbey which is a Monastery built in memory of the Virgin Mary.
Later drive to Bethlehem to visit The Byzantine Church of The Nativity: One of the oldest surviving Christian churches, the church built over the assumed birthplace of Jesus of Nazareth. From there also enjoy a view of the Shepherd Fields.
Return to your Hotel.
Jerusalem Gold Hotel or similar


My solo piano Christmas Album will be available on iTunes and also on CD beginning November 24th!
Traditional Christmas songs like "Silent Night", "Angels We Have Heard On High", "In the Bleak Midwinter", "O Come All Ye Faithful", "O Tannenbaum", "What Child Is This", "Away In A Manger", "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel", "Coventry Carol", "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear", "The First Noel", "God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman", "Joy To the World", "O Little Town of Bethlehem", "We Three Kings", and "O Holy Night" all played in a soothing and relaxing style perfect for dinner parties, opening gifts around the tree, offices, lobbies, and falling asleep on Christmas Eve. Great for young kids as well!
If you want a preview, check out this link:
You can download these songs on Nov 24th at:
Or visit me:
Or follow me:


Acts 1:8 in Africa
Here in the U.S. Alliance we hear much about Acts 1:8 - “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Have you ever thought about the fact that the greater Alliance family around the world also shares that vision? West Africa Alliance Seminary (in French, la Faculté de Théologie Evangélique de l’Alliance Chrétienne, or FATEAC) in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, is influencing Africa for the Kingdom.
FATEAC was created in 1992 as a collaboration of five national C&MA churches—Gabon, Burkina Faso, Mali, Guinea, and Côte d’Ivoire—with the purpose of developing church leadership in French-speaking Africa and the goal to influence the rest of the continent. Originally, FATEAC only offered a four-year Master’s program. Now, under the leadership of Issiaka Coulibaly, the school is transitioning from a seminary to a university. “We want to contribute to the leadership development of the society, but with a Christian ethic and worldview,” Dr. Coulibaly explains.
Dr. Coulibaly has been teaching at FATEAC for more than 21 years. In 2012, he was also named dean of the seminary. His additional responsibilities include working with the board and projecting for the future of the school. With the new program, he has been recruiting personnel and students, and he wonders, “Where will they all live when they come here?”
FATEAC built one apartment building for students and faculty, which filled quickly. A second building was begun, but lack of funds halted construction. During this time of transition, the purpose for the building also changed. Short-term housing became the priority, not only for students, but also for visiting professors from around the world, short-term missions teams, and other evangelical organizations utilizing the building for training, retreats, and conferences.
When the administration wanted to borrow money to complete the building project, Ron Julian, board member for FATEAC and team developer for the Africa Region, suggested approaching ADF for a loan through International Ministries. “[FATEAC was] stuck because the building couldn’t get finished,” Ron shares, “and [ADF’s] rates were better than the commercial bank here.”
In the Overseas Lending Program, ADF grants loans directly to the U.S. C&MA for real estate projects recommended by the mission fields.
Dr. Coulibaly is very grateful for their relationship with ADF: “…each step along the way, a person from ADF was helping us understand the process.”
With the ADF loan, FATEAC will be able to finish construction on the second apartment building, furnish that building, and complete site development of their 7.5-acre campus. Future developments include building a library and a medical clinic on campus.
Located between two old villages, FATEAC is well-integrated in the community. Village chiefs and local leadership are invited to special events, and evangelism courses send FATEAC students into nearby neighborhoods. A clinic will complement the relationship by opening doors for evangelism, as well as taking care of people’s physical needs. Reaching farther, the school has impacted French-speaking Africa with graduates in more than 15 countries. And globally, FATEAC influences hundreds of people coming from over 10 countries and impacting thousands of believers around the continent of Africa. “We feel part of a large family with this ADF loan,” Dr. Coulibaly concludes.
With ADF’s help, FATEAC is having an impact for the Kingdom in their own community, in West Africa, and beyond.


Two things tonight.
1. As I have been struggling with doing what is right vs. what is easy, this verse got sent to me today: "For the Lord God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory. The LORD will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right." (Psalm 84:11) I don't believe it's a coincidence, and I have to remember that the Lord doesn't promise us "easy." Looks like "right," here I come.
2. I am devastated for Haiti, and so angry at the people who are saying that it's "because they made a deal with the devil," or "made the wrong god angry." What good can come from saying any of that? There are people dying of thirst, hunger, or because they were crushed by debris...dead laying in the streets...survivors walking around numb trying to find their loved ones. WHY would anyone throw salt in those wounds? People in leadership positions should be the first to stand up and say that Christians will be praying for those affected - NOT giving Christians a bad name by saying such nonsense. It infuriates me. I am praying for Haiti, and hope you'll join me.


On Christmas Day, Grandmaster (2021) had a very fun talk about Jesus – because that is when Christians celebrate Jesus’ birthday. Grandmaster was baptized a Christian before he was enlightened, and so has a great deal of respect for Christianity and all other religions, understanding that each religion has their own reasonings. Canada is also a Judeo-Christian society, and celebrates many of the Christian holidays as national holidays, and so many Canadians are familiar with the story of Jesus’ birth to the Virgin Mary and Joseph. For those who are unfamiliar, the story goes that Jesus had a humble birth in a manger or a stable in Bethlehem. The three kings (or three wise men) followed the Star of Bethlehem in the night sky to bring gifts for this future king. However, the Roman Emperor, afraid of Jesus’ future influence and his possible overthrow of the throne, ordered all newborn babies to be slaughtered, and Mary and Joseph escaped to Egypt. And so we do not hear from Jesus for the next 30 years, until he returns to preach the gospel.
However, it is rumoured that Jesus may have gone to the Himalayas to study Buddhism while he was a young man, for when he returned, he wore long, red and white robes, similar to the garb worn by practicing Buddhist lamas. Jesus also wore a cloth draped over his shoulder and arm, as depicted in many illustrations, that was similar to the meditation cloth worn by Buddhist lamas (and in my perspective, similar to the precept covering). Jesus then preached for three years until he was crucified for his influence, in which he died and was resurrected 3 days later (on what we now celebrate as the Easter holiday – Easter Friday represents his crucifixion and Easter Monday represents his resurrection).
But his magnitude for compassion was immense. Jesus embodied the Bodhisattva spirit of saving sentient beings and having immense compassion. Even in a time of immense suffering (during which his stigmata, or crucifixion wounds, were being inflicted), Jesus had the heart of compassion and humility, he prayed to God to forgive his tormentors for their sins. And thus, the blood he shed during the crucifixion would come to be known as his sacrifice for sins of all sentient beings.
Grandmaster’s history allows him to respect all religions, and in fact, he reveres Jesus as a Bodhisattva. There is a statue of Jesus at the base of the statue of Maha Brahma in the Rainbow Temple. How do we know that Jesus is a Bodhisattva? He maintains a pure and innocent heart, he thinks of other sentient beings and his teachings are the same as the teachings in Buddhist temples, about compassion, and in particular, a verse in Matthew 6:3 (English Standard Version Bible, 2001, Matthew. 6:3)) is roughly translated to:
But when you do merciful deeds, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand does.
This verse is emphasized in many of Grandmaster’s teachings on compassion and of course, non-attachment. We should give with a mind of non-dwelling. We should not attach to the good deeds that we do, compassion should be done from the heart, and for the sake of being compassionate to others, not to be recognized or applauded. Hence, why many donate anonymously to their favourite foundations, in order to benefit others first, not for the goal of being recognized for their donations. In fact, Master Lin Mi, at the Chin Yin temple has even noted that when Grandmaster states: “If people take your outer cloak, you must also give them your inner cloak.” refers to giving everything that you have. When in India, Master Lin Mi tells the story of when he was bombarded by beggars (for example in certain parts of India). He would give everything had to the first beggar. Grandmaster also stated that if your wallet or money is stolen, that one should not be too sad, because money that one can’t spend will still be spent, but only to benefit others. He notes that the purpose of money is to be spent. Even Mother Theresa became a saint because of her compassion. She treated every individual as a God and helped with all of her ability and might, never asking for herself, only to aid others. Because of her equanimity in compassion, she alleviated the suffering of many people at the last stages of their lives.
And so, in the spirit of the Padmakumara, Jesus’ teachings are about the masses, not the individual. So much so that Jesus gave the ultimate gift, his life, in order to benefit (or save) all other sentient beings, and was not attached to the idea of his being a saviour. In the end, people still martyred Jesus for his sacrifice, but rightly so, for Jesus is a true Bodhisattva.
By Yvonne Wong, Ph.D.
English Standard Version Bible. (2001). ESV Online. https://esv.literalword.com/
Living Buddha Lian-Sheng. (25th December, 2021). Expounding the Vajra Sutra 2021. Padmakumara group practice. Ling Shen Ching Tse Temple.


Christ the King Catholic School
In addition to the form below, you will also need the following:
1. A current resume.
2. A cover letter summarizing your interest in teaching at Christ the King School.
3. Educational transcripts.
4. Copy of current teaching license.
Please send to [email protected] or Christ the King Catholic School, 4002 N. Rodney Parham Road, Little Rock, AR 72212
List below name, phone, address and position of four persons able to give information about your qualifications and character. Two references should be professional and two personal.
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OK let us see if dtmaclac will get email and can reply
During their forty years in the desert, Israel was transformed. The Israelites came out of Egypt as emancipated slaves with a vague remembrance of their God and little awareness of their identity. Through a journey of struggle and hardship made possible by the daily experience of God’s ever-present love and provision, they came out of the desert as a people with a faith, a book, and a culture. No wonder the desert became a central theme in the faith life of God’s people. It was not just a place through with they passed; it was how they gained a way of life, an identity; it was part of their very soul.
Here are some of the deserts that have been so formative in the lives of God’s people. Locate
- the Sinai Desert (including the Desert of Sin and Desert of Paran)
- the Negev Desert (including the Desert of Zin)
- the Judea Wilderness
Discovery and Discussion Questions
- When the exodus was coming to an end, what did Moses say was God’s purpose for leading his people into the desert after he had delivered them from Egypt? (See Deuteronomy 8:1-5)What difficulties did God bring upon his people, and how did he care for his people at the same time?
- What kind of relationship did God want to have with his people, and what was required of his people for this kind of relationship to develop? (Exodus 19:3-6)
- Read Psalm 78:10-54 (long passage but fairly dramatic!); Ezekiel 20:6-20; and 1 Corinthians 10:1-11. In light of these passages, discuss the following questions:
a. In what ways were the Israelites dissatisfied with God’s provision and unimpressed by his miracles?
b. In what sense might we respond the same way when we are going through desert experiences?
c. What impact did God want his miraculous provision to have on his people, and what finally got their attention?
d. What do you think is the key to noticing what God may be trying to teach us when we go through desert experiences?
- Despite the sins of his chosen people, how did God prove himself faithful in the desert, and what did he at last accomplish? (see Psalm 77:11-20; Jeremiah 2:1-3)
How does this relate to what God might want to accomplish through our desert experiences?


The Palmers are such a special family to me! They now live elsewhere (as do I), but they were part of the group of people I met in Slidell and went to church with there. They are the reason I went to church in Slidell to begin with! Jason was in a class with two of the aforementioned WACOHs, Amanda and Cheryl. He invited them to his church and they invited me (I think that’s how it went at least). I don’t even know if we visited another church after our first time at Northshore, it instantly felt like home and the Palmers had a lot to do with that! Christie and Jason took the three of us under their wings and became our home away from home. They invited us over for Sunday lunch almost every Sunday, had us over often during the week, and trusted us with their kids. We also got to be in their small group! There were several couples in different stages of life and the three of us – me, Amanda, and Cheryl, single seminary girls. Because of my time in that small group, the things I valued about small groups was forever changed. Being part of an intergenerational/life stage small group was SO life giving. I think segregated small groups can for sure serve so many great purposes (you know I love my college girls!). But I think so much happens when we all just do life together regardless of age, marital status, number and ages of kids and/or grandkids.
Jason and Christie live for the gospel in such a beautiful way. God truly is the center of everything they do. They are amazing parents and I hope and pray if I ever have kids that watching them parent rubbed off on me a little. They are so giving, so caring, and so open to everything God has for them and everywhere He takes them. And they give their all in everything they do! They both served, and I’m sure continue to serve, the Church in SO many ways. From worship team, to women’s ministry, to kids ministry, to set up team and leadership team, to everything in between, they served! And they weren’t just committee member, Sunday and Wednesday Jesus followers, they really lived it out every day in every way and invited people into their lives and to be part of their family. They prayed for us endlessly! And they really cared about every little and big thing we concerned ourselves with and were never too busy to make time for us. One semester they even let Amanda and I live in their house for a month or so. And oh the things they taught me!
They are the most organized people I’ve ever met, and if you know me, that’s saying a lot! My organization is minuscule in comparison to theirs. Jason has (or at least had) a spreadsheet where he kept up with his workouts for YEARS! Jason sat us all down one night and taught us how to budget. He created a template for us and showed us how to use it. I’m pretty sure I’d be homeless right now if it wasn’t for Jason teaching me how to budget. With a little shame I admit that prior to this valuable life lesson with Jason, my bank account was accustomed to seeing red and overdraft fees. I can count the number of times on ONE hand that I’ve overdrafted since then (7+ years ago!). I’ve also gotten to share different versions of that budget template with more friends than I can count! And Christie is the reason I meal plan. Yes, that thing I’m obsessed with now that I try to convince everyone to do. It all started with Christie. As passionate as Jason was about instilling in us the value of a budget, Christie was equally as passionate about how valuable meal planning is. I wrote a post a while back that summed up many of her reasons, and now my reasons – you can read it here (and some here too). She planned for a month at a time and taught me all the ends and outs of meal planning and grocery shopping on a budget. She’s saved me, and many of the others I’ve convinced to meal plan, so much money.
I read this on She Reads Truth last year and was overwhelmed to tears for all the spiritual mothers I’ve been blessed to know, and instantly had to send it to Christie, one of my many spiritual mothers.
“Technically, it was a Bible study. But we didn’t just study God’s word. She taught us how to study God’s word. And not only did she serve us good food. She set aside time at the end of each study to teach basic feed-a-family kitchen skills: how to plan and plant a garden, and that lilacs in bloom are for clipping and sharing, even if it means wrapping the cut stems in wet paper towels and driving them into town for a friend.
Karen was my spiritual mother.
She knew what Paul told Titus about older women training the younger women (Titus 2:3-5). She had nothing to gain, but gave several hours a week to teach us with her words and actions how to keep home, love our husbands and children, and honor the Lord with our words and actions.
No shame. Just kindness.
We are afraid to reach out—afraid to be rejected. Asking for and offering help can feel super vulnerable. You never know how someone is going to respond.
But Sisters, godly women-training-women is absolutely a risk worth taking, whether it looks like roasted chickens and gardening, or coffee dates and spin class. Expect that blessings will follow!”
My life was blessed because of the way Jason and Christie poured in to me. They poured into me spiritually and with all kinds of life-bettering skills. I’m a better human being and WAY more responsible because of the ways they loved me. Christie is still at the top of the list of the people I go to when I am burdened to invite my village to pray with me (something I know I should do more), and I KNOW when I ask without a doubt that her and Jason really do pray. Pouring into a younger generation isn’t as scary to me as I imagine it would be if I hadn’t seen it modeled so beautifully with no complicated frills or titles, just life on life, by Christie and Jason and so many others. I will forever be thankful for the things they taught me, prayers they prayed (and continue to pray) over me, and for the ways they loved me and showed me how to love others and give myself away.
This is part of my 31 People(s) I Love series. I’ll be writing about 31 people/peoples that I adore! Click here if you would like a list of all the posts in this series.


Easter has long passed, and I managed to avoid the overly abundant marketing and consumerism found back home. Japan has failed to join the Easter train. And for a nation that loves it’s gimmicks, sweet treats and cute imagery, it’s surprising that the material side of the festival hasn’t become a hit over here. This year saw Japanese pop star Kyary Pamyu Pamyu release her single entitled “Easter”. This bizarre acid trip of a music video, complete with dancing eggs and UFO’s doesn’t really clarify the religious holiday, instead opting to further confuse the Japanese masses and everyone else for that matter.
As a kid, I fondly remember gathering a substantial collection of chocolate eggs from relatives and friends. But the one thing I really crave around Easter are hot cross buns. The sweet smell of cinnamon and orange zest, the butter slowly melting and the iconic cross decoration are a quintessential part of England’s baking heritage. That being said, the exact origins of the hot cross bun aren’t well defined. Some have linked it back to the Roman period, others to the Saxons, with many connecting them with 14th Century monks of St Albans Abbey. In fact, Elizabeth I is believed to have banned the sale of hot cross buns and spiced breads during Good Friday and Christmas due to its Catholic connotations. But the first real, documented record of the baked good can be found in the Poor Robin’s Almanak back in 1733.
Similarly, the hot cross buns connection to Easter, both in terms of its recipe and general existence are shrouded in historiographical and religious mystery. With the Church of England’s incessant need to relate every baked good to a Christian context, the bread seems to represent communion, the spice related to those used to wrap Jesus’ body, and the cross obvious represents his crucifixion. But the atheist in me simply sees them as a seasonal treat with a cute design. Though I’ll admit that I rarely ponder the significance of my afternoon treat.
Unlike baking pies or cakes, I lack the patience, methodical thinking and precision that’s required in crafting a beautiful sourdough or crusty whole-wheat loaf. So I usually buy hot cross buns from the supermarket. My particular favourite have been Marks and Spencer’s Apple-Cinnamon variety. They might be more expensive than those from Tesco or Sainsbury, but they’re worth it.
God damn it, I wish I had some now.


The ecumenical committee of the downtown churches together we share santa fe's long and rich history of faith we welcome all as members to one christian family in a number of annual ecumenical faith events. Cathedral was formed by lee dorrian after leaving napalm death because he was getting sick of the punk scene and didn't like the death metal direction napalm death was heading towards he met mark griffiths at a carcass show in cardiff and they discussed their love for doom bands like black sabbath, candlemass, pentagram, trouble and so on. The cathedral of the blessed sacrament parish in altoona, pa is a welcoming and compassionate community of believers striving to grow as god's people. Chartres cathedral: chartres cathedral, gothic cathedral located in the town of chartres, northwestern france generally ranked as one of the three chief examples of gothic french architecture (along with amiens cathedral and reims cathedral), it is noted not only for its architectural innovations but also for its. Cathedral of the risen christ catholic school | lincoln, nebraska. Welcome to the mother church of the diocese of columbus - saint joseph cathedral a cathedral is a parish, and here you will find us to be a very welcoming parish. The main church of a bishop's see, containing the cathedra loosely any large, imposing church of, like, or containing a cathedra official authoritative of or like a cathedral.
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Book your tickets online for glasgow cathedral, glasgow: see 2,187 reviews, articles, and 1,548 photos of glasgow cathedral, ranked no31 on tripadvisor among 336 attractions in glasgow. Cathedral [raymond carver] on amazoncom free shipping on qualifying offers cathedral. Cathedral church has been called to be a lampstand church in the southeast texas region god has called us to make disciples who will build and extend his kingdom in this region and beyond we are a presence driven, apostolic center, contending for revival in southeast texas come and see what god is doing here.
Define cathedral: of, relating to, or containing a cathedra emanating from a chair of authority suggestive of a cathedral — cathedral in a sentence. Saint patrick's cathedral, st patrick's cathedral the cathedral of st patrick is a decorated neo-gothic-style roman catholic cathedral church in the united states and a prominent landmark of new york city. Construction of the cathedral started in the early fifteenth century at the site of a great mosque which was built by the moors in the late twelfth century.
Visit the post for more at the cathedral of the sacred heart, there are many opportunities to volunteer. An alternative to sheol the cathedral is a level that becomes available after defeating it lives in the the womb/utero you enter the cathedral via a beam of light shining from the top of the screen it was added in the wrath of the lamb dlc once inside, the player faces a multitude of. Welcome the cathedral basilica of the immaculate conception serves as the mother church for the growing faith community of almost 500,000 catholics, in 144 parishes and missions spread throughout northern colorado. Seven more dons sign national letter of intent the class of 2018 at cathedral catholic high school had seven more dons sign their national letter of intent. 2018 is our 20th year in business since 1998, cathedral has focused on developing innovative technologies and delivering exceptional service. Cathedral high school serves 9-12th grade students and is located in los angeles, ca.
A large cathedral, with many architectural features traditional to such a structure etymology  from cathedral church, from late latin ecclēsia cathedrālis ( church having a bishop's seat ), from ancient greek καθέδρα (kathédra, chair of a teacher, throne ), from κατά (katá, down ) + ἕδρα (hédra. Aachen cathedral aix-en-provence cathedral albi cathedral almudena cathedral altamura cathedral amalfi cathedral amiens cathedral anagni cathedral. Inspired and informed by catholic tradition, our mission is to educate people while inspiring them to virtuous lives.


MEET OUR FOUNDER
Toni Moore, President & CEO
Through her own personal experience with medical crisis and her experience in healthcare administration, Toni stepped out in faith in 2004 and, along with her friend, Brooke Gage, founded Hospitality House of Tulsa based on principles found in the Biblically defined practice of hospitality. After graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Information Systems, Mrs. Moore served fifteen years in hospital administration.
Toni also serves as a board member for the Healthcare Hospitality Network which provides education, networking and certification resources to over 200 hospital hospitality houses nationwide. She speaks locally and nationally to healthcare entities, churches, and corporations regarding hospitality within healthcare, Biblically hospitality and the ministry of hospitality.
Toni and her team are dedicated to solving Oklahoma’s patient and caregiver lodging problem and significantly reducing families’ out of pocket expenses while improving outcomes for Oklahoma hospitals through Boundless Hospitality. She considers it a privilege to serve families in medical crisis through this ministry of hospitality.
Hospitality In Action
TONI MOORE HOSPITALITY
Join me on the Hospitality In Action Blog as we learn the art of putting true hospitality into action in our homes, businesses, churches, communities, and in healthcare. I think you may be surprised at what you find!