November 14, 2002
St. Laurence O` Toole
Archbishop of Dublin--(1128-1180) LIFE:
Lorcan Ua Tuattil born around the year 1128 at Castledrmot,county
Kildare,Ireland;son of the chief of Hy Murray. Taken as a hostage by King Dermot
McMurrogh Leinster in 1138 when he was ten years old; Dermot later married Lawrence's
sister Mor. Released in 1140 at age twelve to the Bishop of Glendalough, and raised
and educated at the monastic school there. Monk at Glendalough.On the death of
the bishop,who aws also Abbot of monastery,St.Laurence was chosen Abbot
Glendalough in 1153.He governed his community with wonderful virtue and
prudence7 in order to labour more efficiently in the reformation of his
people,gave himself to spiritual retreats.
In 1161 St.Laurance was chosen unanimously to fill the new metropolitan
See of Dublin, he became the first native-born Irishman to hold the see.
Reformed much of the administration and clerical life in his diocese. Worked to
restore and rebuild Christ Church cathedral. As archbishop he accepted the imposition
onto Ireland of the English form of liturgy in 1172. Noted for his personal austerity,
he wore a hair shirt under his ecclesiastical robes, made an annual 40 day retreat in
Saint Kevin's cave, never ate meat, fasted every Friday, and never drank wine - though
he would color his water to make it look like wine and not bring attention to himself
at table. Acted as peacemaker and mediator at the second seige of Dublin in 1170.
In 1171 he travelled to Canterbury, England on diocesan business. While preparing for
Mass there he was attacked by a lunatic who wanted to make Lawrence another Saint
Thomas Beckett. Everyone in the church thought Lawrence had been killed by the severe
blow to the head. Instead he asked for water, blessed it, and washed the wound; the
bleeding stopped, and the archbishop celebrated Mass.
Negotiated the 1175 Treaty of Windsor which made upstart Irish king Rory O'Connor and
vassal of king Henry II of England, but ended combat. Attended the General Lateran
Council in Rome in 1179. Papal legate to Ireland.
Laurence left Dublin for the last time in the spring of 1180 to settle a dispute
between the English and Irish Kings. Henry II, the man responsible for the murder of
St Thomas A Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, received him badly, forbade him to
return to Ireland and took off for his Court in Normandy. Laurence followed him, a
trip which took its toll on the ailing priest. He died in the monastery at Eu in
Normandy in 1180,France,buried at the abbey church at Eu; so many miracles were
reported at his tomb that his relics were soon translated a place of honour before the
altar; his heart was removed and returned to Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, Ireland
& it really does remain to this day ,encased in a silver casket.
Caninized in 1225 by Pope Honorius III
PATRONAGE:
archdiocese of Dublin.
THOUGHT:
St. Lawrence found the greatest part of his flock so blinded with the love of the
world and enslaved to their passions. The greater the blindness, the more desperate
the spiritual wounds of others are, the more tender ought his compassion to be; the
greater his patience and his earnestness in praying and labouring for their recovery
and salvation. He is never to despair of anyone so long as the divine mercy still
waits for his return. If opportunities of exhorting fail, or if charitable
remonstrances only exasperate, so that prudence makes them unseasonable for a time, he
ought never to cease earnestly importuning the Father of mercies in their behalf.
REFLECTION:
"" As a stout staff supports the trembling limbs of a feeble old man, so
does the faith sustain our vacillating mind,let it be tossed about by
sinful hesitation & perplexity.""(St.John Chrysostom)
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