The Real Saint Patrick
3-19-11
On 3-17-11, we listened to the Contrast radio program teaching entitled, "The historical St. Patrick (Patrick a true believer with the Gospel of Grace)" by Richard Bennett. My initial notes after hearing the tape--St. Patrick, commonly known as the apostle of Ireland, left behind a beautiful testimony and beautiful words. He was born in approximately 373 A.D. and died in the late 400s (I've seen different dates for his death). According to Richard Bennett, a sound researcher and former Roman Catholic priest who is now saved, Patrick's testimony for the Lord Jesus Christ was strong. Today as we listened to a cassette tape recording about St. Patrick, Mr. Bennett likened Patrick to the apostle Paul and read excerpts from Patrick's "Confession."I could not find the Contrast recording online, but did happen upon other teachings by Richard Bennett, a former Dominican Roman Catholic priest and Irishman.
In his, "The Legacy of the True Historical Patrick," Mr. Bennett gives insight into the character and mission of Saint Patrick. Saint Patrick went to Ireland to bring the gospel of Jesus Christ and to establish churches therein. In this work, Mr. Bennett, who ministers to Catholics, proves that Patrick was not Catholic and that he was not a bishop of Rome. He also reveals how the papacy, some 600 years later, was able to finally get a foothold in Ireland by the secular sword. The section subtitled, "Embezzlement of the Legacy of Patrick" shows how "papal Rome began to unleash military power to bring Ireland under her control." Having authorized the invasion of Ireland in 1155 A.D., the pope (Adrian IV) called upon king Henry II of England to
"extirpate the vices that have there taken root, [in Ireland]...saving to St. Peter and the holy Roman Church the annual pension of one penny from each house." [1]Links:
- The Legacy of the True, Historic Patrick by Richard Bennett
- Richard Bennett's testimony In my estimation, this is the story of the torments of one sincerely trying to find God in the Roman Catholic system by adherence to her blasphemous doctrines. This is so sad and so oppressive--I really began to feel this about two thirds of the way through the testimony. How much can the soul bear? How many assaults sustained and incessant? The earlier portions of the testimony served to enlighten and build bridges in my understanding in a number of areas, e.g.,
- why we are still learning about Aristotle and his methods (something I've wondered about--why we still learn what I call "Greek" including mythology)--his philosophy, logic, etc.
- how the great inequalities that have arisen out of Roman control are seemingly used in order to get priests (steeped in using their own "logical mind" and psychology to minister to people) and the oppressed to wholeheartedly subscribe to Marxism through the preaching of "Liberation Theology." Richard Bennett did this after thinking about how to help people. He was not trained in the scriptures. He was trained to use logic and his logic and readings eventually led him to Marxism/communism. The power is capitalizing on the plight of the long-oppressed. They preach that wealth should be redistributed more fairly which sounds good to the poor. It sounds like a way out. I have a book here that falls right in line with this idea--"Derechos de la Mujer Indigena" (Rights of the Indigenous Woman, Centro de Documentacion e Informacion de los Movimientos Sociales del Ecuador).
- The Confession of Saint Patrick Here Patrick left on record what he did with his life.
- Berean Beacon Richard Bennett's ministry's excellent and informative website
[1] This is the bull (copied from http://avalon.law.yale.edu/medieval/bullad.asp, emphases ours)--The Bull of Pope Adrian IV Empowering Henry II to Conquer Ireland. A.D. 1155
(Lyttleton's "Life of Henry II.," vol. v. p. 371.)Bishop Adrian, servant of the servants of God, sends to his dearest son in Christ, the illustrious king of the English, greeting and apostolic benediction. Laudably and profitably enough thy magnificence thinks of extending thy glorious name on earth, and of heaping up rewards of eternal felicity in Heaven, inasmuch as, like a good catholic prince, thou dost endeavour to enlarge the bounds of the church, to declare the truth of the Christian faith to ignorant and barbarous nations, and to extirpate the plants of evil from the field of the Lord. And, in order the better to perform this, thou dost ask the advice and favour of the apostolic see. In which work, the more lofty the counsel and the better the guidance by which thou dost proceed, so much more do we trust that, by God's help, thou wilt progress favourably in the same; for the reason that those things which have taken their rise from ardour of faith and love of religion are accustomed always to come to a good end and termination.
There is indeed no doubt, as thy Highness doth also acknowledge, that Ireland and ALL other islands which Christ the Sun of Righteousness has illumined, and which have received the doctrines of the Christian faith, belong to the jurisdiction of St. Peter and of the holy Roman Church. Wherefore, so much the more willingly do we grant to them that the right faith and the seed grateful to God may be planted in them, the more we perceive, by examining more strictly our conscience, that this will be required of us.
Thou hast signified to us, indeed, most beloved son in Christ, that thou dost desire to enter into the island of Ireland, in order to subject the people to the laws and to extirpate the vices that have there taken root, and that thou art willing to pay an annual pension to St. Peter of one penny from every house, and to preserve the rights of the churches in that land inviolate and entire. We, therefore, seconding with the favour it deserves thy pious and laudable desire, and granting a benignant assent to thy petition, are well pleased that, for the enlargement of the bounds of the church. for the restraint of vice, for the correction of morals and the introduction of virtues, for the advancement of the Christian religion, thou shouldst enter that island, and carry out there the things that look to the honour of God and to its own salvation. And may the people of that land receive thee with honour, and venerate thee as their master; provided always that the rights of the churches remain inviolate and entire, and saving to St. Peter and the holy Roman Church the annual pension of one penny from each house. If, therefore, thou dost see fit to complete what thou hast conceived in thy mind, strive to imbue that people with good morals, and bring it to pass, as well through thyself as through those whom thou dost know from their faith, doctrine, and course of life to be fit for such a work, that the church may there be adorned, the Christian religion planted and made to grow, and the things which pertain to the honour of God and to salvation be so ordered that thou may'st merit to obtain an abundant and lasting reward from God, and on earth a name glorious throughout the ages.