Thanks, Barry, for enlightening all of us poor and ignorant folks. I am not sure how we all got along before someone with your absolute knowledge of all that is important came along. NOT!

Now, sit down, grab yourself a Coke, and smile. There you go.

I know that this is hard for you to get, but everyone knows that St. Pat wasn't Irish (or should I say Oirish so you get it?). No one here suggested any different. But what he is, is one of the three Patron Saints of Ireland. Quick ..... can you tell me the other two? Good lad.

Second, you are right and wrong on your contention about his Catholicism. I will begin with the wrong part. He was a Bishop of the Catholic Church. That means he absolutely was a Catholic. You are probably correct in that he wasn't really what we would call a Roman Catholic as he was monastic (as was the Irish Catholic "church" at the time). The Roman Church, much later (probably 700 or 750 years after Patrick) took control of the Irish Church, and established itself as the dominant form. I have heard conjecture that Patrick would have become a Protestant had he been alive. I don't know if that would be true, as no one does. It is conjecture, nothing more. But the fact that he was a Catholic of his times cannot be disputed.

For what it is worth, the Irish Catholic Church, IMO, should have survived. It incorporated many of the much older teachings in a way that makes a great deal of sense to me. I have, and continue to study the teachings of Patrick and his followers, and find they are more in line with my own personal sense of faith and beliefs. This subject could be a whole website of its own.

Third, you indicate he may have been gay. Right. But there is no record of that, nor is it important. Using intellectually correct rules of debate, your comment is known as a gratuitous assertion.

But thanks for jumping in,

Mick