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These were the words of St. Patrick who was born into the lap of luxury and later into utter penury. Born in an influential Roman family in Scotland around the year 385, he was forcefully taken captive and was sold as a slave by the brutal then Irish raiders. Six years of tending sheep in the wilderness in trying circumstances not only had made him tougher but also a man of prayer. Following an inner call, he escaped to France, became a catholic priest and later a bishop. In spite of the hostility he had experience in the hands of the Irish raiders during his sojourn as a captive, he felt the urge to adopt the very same country as his mission field. The rest of his life saw him teaching, cajoling and gently persuading the then Ireland which was in utter chaos into Catholicism and humaneness. The story of Daniel Delany, the Founder of the Patrician Brothers, was none the better. Born in 1747 into an average Irish family, Delany lost his father early in life. As his mother was too poor to look after Delany and an ailing younger son, he was in the care of his maternal aunts. The Ireland of his time was one of lawlessness, impoverishment, lacking in educational facilities and even faced stringent prohibition of the observance of catholic faith and its practice. Brilliant a he was, Daniel was smuggled into France for higher studies. Being sensitive and keenly observant, Daniel has nurtured in himself the desire of becoming a catholic priest to reach out to his countrymen. Brilliant in studies, gifted in the art of writing prose and poetry at ease and a conversationalist par excellence, he became a priest and a lecturer in rhetoric at St. Omer’s college. However, the burning desire of being in his mother country and to meet his kith and kin drove him to Ireland. As a curate of Tullow parish he was pained to see the despicable life of his dear countrymen. Daniel, gradually but gently, exhorted the adults and gathered the children into prayer groups. Besides the religious instruction, he also introduced general education. Sensing the overwhelming response from the old and young alike, Daniel felt the need to make his mission last longer. Thus he hit upon the idea of founding pious organizations to reach out further. On 1st February, 1807 he founded the order of the Brigidine Sisters modeled on St. Patrick, the harbinger of Catholic faith in Ireland with four ordinary men of spiritual caliber. Unfortunately, Daniel could not guide the fledging Congregations for long due to failing health. On 9th July, 1814, he returned to his heavenly master instructing the Brothers "To love God and live together in charity". Left with hardly anything of temporal value but only with the rich legacy of St. Patrick and chivalrous Daniel Delany, the Brothers struggled to make both ends meet in every respect. The passage of time gradually opened new avenues of prosperity, acceptance and with it came more willing members. Soon the Brothers became synonym of quality education providers. By 1846, the Brothers were raring to go overseas to extend the vision and mission of the Founder. Soon the Brothers found themselves in USA, Australia, India, Papua New Guinea, Kenya and lately in Ghana. Even after 200 years, the brothers carry on the work envisaged by Daniel Delany holding to their heart the ethos of St. Patrick and their Founder. The flame lit by a courageous man in the worst of times continues to inspire and see the face of God in the young and in our collaborators. The prayer "Breastplate of St. Patrick" a prayer of seeing Christ in everything and everyone is our shield and the vision of empowering the young of our founder Daniel Delany is our ever guiding light. |
