REMARKS BY PRESIDENT OF IRELAND, MARY McALEESE AT ST. PATRICK’S BASILICA, MONTREAL
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT OF IRELAND, MARY McALEESE AT ST. PATRICK’S BASILICA, MONTREAL WEDNESDAY 7 OCTOBER 1998
St Patrick wrote in his Confession: “May God never permit that it happen to me to lose the people which He has re-conquered in the extreme parts of the world. I pray God that He give me perseverance, and deign to make me a faithful witness to Him until the end of my life for God...From the time when I first knew him in my youth, love of God and fear of Him have grown in me, and until now, by virtue of God’s grace, I have kept the faith.”
The extreme part of the world to which St Patrick referred was of course Ireland which at that time was the edge of the known world. When he became Aspal Mor na hÉireann, great apostle of Ireland, he could not have known that that pagan land would, within a few years become known as the land of saints and scholars, the place where learning would survive when Europe entered its “Dark Age”.
The tradition of learning, of religious life and of missionary activity established then has continued up to the present day. One proof of that is the presence of churches and schools dedicated to St Patrick throughout the world, including of course in Canada.
The nations represented on the flag of Montreal were all part of the life of St. Patrick. He was certainly born in Britain, though we’re not sure exactly where. He was educated in France and spent most of his life in Ireland. When Irish Catholics came to Montreal in the early years of the 19th century like St Patrick they were initially served pastorally by French parishes.
When they established a separate parish in 1817 it was with the support of the Bon Secours, the Recollects on Notre Dame Street and the Seminary of St Sulpice. Since the present church was built in 1847 many of the priests who served here have been Irish, Father Connolly and Father Dowd being two of the best known. During the Famine all of the curates from the parish, including the first priest of the parish, Father Richards, died looking after the many fever victims. I know that many of the Anglican clergy of Montreal lost their lives in the same way and I am very pleased that Bishop Hutchison is here today.
As always, of course, when difficult work was involved woman were brought in. St Patrick’s Orphan Asylum and St Brigid’s Refuge opened in the years after the Famine were intrusted to the care of the Grey Nuns who are also represented here today.
Looking at this church it is remarkable to think that it was built at a time when there was such poverty; it shows how important the worship of God was to the people. This is indeed a beautiful church - a “brown and gold gothic world of soaring beauty”, as the Belfast and Canadian author Brian Moore has described the vast interior.
I am very pleased to be able to meet with some of those connected with the parish and with the Montreal Irish community in general. Although St Patrick’s is a Catholic Church it has been the venue for many ecumenical and cross community activities, including a service held recently to remember and pray for those who died in the Omagh bombing. At times such as that we feel the need to come together as a community, whether it is in Ireland or in Montreal. As twenty eight people stood around the sanctuary here with lit candles, the darkness of that atrocity was overcome a little. May the light of faith continue to shine out from Ireland and from St Patrick’s; may no darkness ever extinguish it.
Thank you.