ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN NOVEMBER
Saints celebrated on the 14th of November
SAINT LAURENCE O'TOOLE, ARCHBISHOP OF DUBLIN, CONFESSOR
Saint Laurence was youngest son to Maurice O’Toole, a rich and powerful prince in Leinster, whose ancestors for many ages had been princes of the territories of Hy-Murray, and Hy-Mal, in the vicinity of Dublin. [12th century]
Laurence was but ten years old when his father delivered him up a hostage to Dermod Mac Murchad, king of Leinster. The barbarous king kept the child in a desert place, where he was treated with great inhumanity; till his father being informed that by such usage his son had fallen into a bad state of health, obliged the tyrant to put him into the hands of the pious bishop of Glendalough, by whom he was carefully instructed in the service of God, and at twelve years of age sent back to his father.
HE THANKED THE GOOD BISHOP
Maurice took Laurence with him, and went to thank the good bishop. At the same time he mentioned to that prelate his design of casting lots which of his four sons he should destine to the service of the church. Laurence, who was present, was justly startled at such a mad superstitious project, but glad to find so favourable an overture to his desires, cried out with great earnestness: "There is no need of casting lots. It is my most hearty desire to have for my inheritance no other portion than God in the service of the church."
SERVING GOD IN THE SERVICE OF HIS CHURCH
Hereupon the father, taking him by the hand, offered him to God by delivering him to the bishop, in whose hands he left him, having first recommended him to the patronage of St Coemgen, founder of the great monastery there, and patron of that diocese, which has been since united to the see of Dublin.
The good prelate performed excellently the part of an Ananias to his pupil, who, by his fidelity in corresponding with the divine grace, deserved to find the Holy Ghost an interior master in all virtues, especially humility and the spirit of prayer.
Upon the death of the bishop of Glendalough, who was at the same time abbot of the monastery, Laurence, though but twenty-five years old, was chosen abbot, and only shunned the episcopal dignity by alleging that the canons require in a bishop thirty years of age.
The saint governed his numerous community with admirable virtue and prudence, and in a great famine which raged during the first four months of his administration, like another Joseph, was the saviour of his country by his boundless charities.
BECAUSE HE CONDEMNED THEIR DISORDERS, THEY TRIED TO SLANDER HIS REPUTATION
Trials, however, were not wanting for the exercise of his virtue. For certain false brethren whose eyes could not bear the refulgency of his virtue, the regularity of his conduct, and the zeal with which he condemned their disorders, attacked his reputation by slanders, to which he opposed no other arms than silence and patience.
Gregory, the archbishop of Dublin, happening to die about the time that our saint was thirty years of age, he was unanimously chosen to fill that metropolitical see, and was consecrated in 1162, by Gelasius, archbishop of Armagh, and successor of St Malachy.
In this exalted station he watched over himself and his flock with fear, and with unwearied application to every part of his office, having always before his eyes the account which he was to give to the sovereign pastor of souls.
HE REFORMED THE MANNERS OF HIS CLERGY
His first care was to reform the manners of his clergy, and to furnish his church with worthy ministers. His exhortations to others were most powerful, because enforced with sweetness and vigour, animated with an apostolic spirit, and strongly impressed by the admirable example of his own life, which every one who had any sparks of piety in his breast, was ashamed to see himself fall so infinitely short of.
About the year 1163, he engaged the secular canons of his cathedral of the Holy Trinity, to receive the rule of the regular canons of Arouasia, an abbey which was founded in the diocese of Arras about fourscore years before, with such reputation for sanctity and discipline, that it became the head or mother house of a numerous congregation.
Our saint took himself the religious habit, which he always wore under his pontifical attire. He usually ate with the religious in the refectory, observed their hours of silence, and always assisted with them at the midnight office; after which he continued a long time in the church in private prayer before a crucifix, and towards break of day went to the burial-place to pour forth certain prayers for the souls of the faithful departed.
HE WORE A ROUGH HAIRSHIRT
He never ate flesh, and fasted all Fridays, on bread and water, and oftentimes without taking any sustenance at all. He wore a rough hair shirt, and used frequent disciplines. Every day he entertained at table thirty poor persons, and often many more, besides great numbers which he maintained in private houses. All found him a father both in their temporal and spiritual necessities; and he was most indefatigable in the sacred functions of his charge, especially in announcing assiduously to his flock the word of life.
To watch over, and examine more narrowly into his own heart and conduct, and to repair his interior spirit, he used often to retire for some days into some close solitude. When he was made bishop, King Dermod Mac Murchad preferred to the abbey of Glendalough, one so notoriously unworthy of that dignity, that he was in a short time expelled, and Thomas, a nephew of the saint, by whom he had been brought up, was canonically elected.
HE ASSISTED AT THE COUNCIL
By the care of this young, pious, and learned abbot, discipline and piety again flourished in that house. And from that time St Laurence frequently made choice of Glendalough for his retreats; but he usually hid himself in a solitary cave at some distance from the monastery, between a rock and a deep lake, in which St Coemgen had lived.
The third general council of Lateran was held at Rome, in 1179, by Pope Alexander III with three hundred bishops, for the reformation of manners, and the extirpation of heretical errors. St Laurence went to Rome, and, with the archbishop of Tuam, five other Irish, and four English bishops, assisted at this council.
Our saint laid before his holiness the state of the Irish Church, and begged that effectual remedies might be applied to many disorders which reigned in that country, and care taken for preserving the liberties of that national church.
The pope was wonderfully pleased with his wise and zealous proposals, and so satisfied of his virtue and prudence, that he readily made the regulations which the saint desired, and appointed him legate of the holy see in the kingdom of Ireland.
LEGATE OF THE HOLY SEE IN THE KINGDOM OF IRELAND
As soon as the saint was returned home, he began vigorously to execute his legatine power, by reforming the manners of the clergy, and making wholesome regulations.
He found the whole country afflicted with a terrible famine which continued to rage for three years. The saint laid himself under an obligation of feeding every day fifty strangers, and three hundred poor persons of his own diocese, besides many others whom he furnished with clothes, victuals, and the other necessaries of life.
A TERRIBLE FAMINE
Several mothers who were reduced so low as not to be able to keep their own children, laid them at the bishop’s door, or in other places where he would see them, and the saint took care of them all: sometimes he provided for three hundred of them together.
Henry II. king of England, was offended at Roderic, the Irish monarch, and our saint undertook a journey into England to negotiate a reconciliation between them. Henry would not hear of a peace, and immediately after the saint’s arrival, set out for Normandy.
Laurence retired to the monastery of Abingdon; and, after staying there three weeks, followed him into France.
HENRY II. GRANTED HIM EVERYTHING HE ASKED
Henry who had always repulsed him, was at length so much moved by his piety, prudence, and charity, that he granted him everything he asked, and left the whole negotiation to his discretion. It was only to obtain this, that charity had made the saint desire to remain longer upon earth.
Having discharged his commission, he was obliged, by a fever which seized him upon the road, to stop his journey. He took up his quarters in the monastery of regular canons at Eu, upon the confines of Normandy, an abbey depending upon that of St Victor’s in Paris.
Going into this house he recited that verse of the psalmist: This is my resting place for ever: in this place will I dwell, because I have chosen it. He made his confession to the abbot, and received the viaticum and Extreme Unction from his hands.
"THIS IS MY RESTING PLACE FOR EVER"
The saint died happily on November 14, 1180, and was then buried in the church of the abbey.
(From Fr Butler's Lives of the Saints)
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