[continued from previous message]   
      
   own church or monastery, placed these relics inside it. Thanks to   
   Clonard and other monasteries of similar reputation, Ireland became   
   known as “The Island of Saints”. Under the influence of Welsh saints   
   and, originally, St John Cassian in Gaul, St Finnian compiled the   
   first Irish Penitentiary, which, in its turn, influenced St Columban,   
   who compiled his own and more famous version. The Abbot also had a   
   reputation as a brilliant interpreter of the Scriptures.   
      
   St Finnian died of the plague in 549 (others say in 552). His relics   
   remained in the monastery church at Clonard until 887. There is   
   evidence that after his main relics had been vandalized by barbarians   
   in that year, a small portion of his relics were kept in a parish   
   church near Clonard till the 17th century. The monastery flourished   
   till the 9th century and was considered as the second most important   
   monastery in Ireland after Armagh. Unfortunately, following the   
   attacks of the Vikings from the 9th to the 11th centuries, the glory   
   of this monastery faded.   
      
   In Clonard today, visitors can find a statue of St Finnian and a   
   church dedicated to him, which contains stained glass of the saint   
   with his disciples. Only minor ruins remain of the former monastery.   
   In the village of Myshall in Carlow, where according to tradition St   
   Finnian was born, there are ruins of a pre-Norman church, which stood   
   there for many years but was ruined under Cromwell in the 17th   
   century. In the village of Aghowle there are ruins of the ancient   
   monastic church, which was built by St Finnian himself early in the   
   6th century. In the 18th century a new church of St Michael was built   
   near it. An ancient cross of St Finnian has survived in this village   
   as well.   
      
   https://anastpaul.com/2019/12/12/   
      
   Saint Quote:   
   Love consists not in feeling great things but in having great   
   detachment and in suffering for the Beloved.   
   --St. John of the Cross   
      
   Bible Quote:   
   But what went you out to see? a man clothed in soft garments? Behold   
   they that are clothed in soft garments, are in the houses of kings. 9   
   But what went you out to see? a prophet? yea I tell you, and more than   
   a prophet. 10 For this is he of whom it is written: Behold I send my   
   angel before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee.   
   (Matthew 11:8-10)   
      
   <><><><>   
   Let Your goodness, Lord, Appear to Us   
   An Advent Prayer   
   By St Bernard (1090-1153)   
      
   Let Your goodness, Lord,   
   appear to us,   
   that we, made in Your image,   
   conform ourselves to it.   
   In our own strength   
   we cannot imitate   
   Your majesty, power and wonder,   
   nor is it fitting for us to try.   
   But Your mercy reaches from the heavens   
   through the clouds to the earth below.   
   You have come to us as a small child   
   but You have brought us   
   the greatest of all gifts,   
   the gift of eternal love.   
   Caress us with Your tiny hands,   
   embrace us with Your tiny arms   
   and pierce our hearts   
   with Your soft, sweet cries.   
   Amen   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)