Patrick is Ireland's great 5th century missionary, but he was neither a Roman Catholic nor an Irishman. He was born into a Christian family in the Roman province of Britain about A.D. 389. His father was a "deacon" and his grandfather a priest in the Celtic church; most clergy were married at that time.

In Patrick's mid teens his town near the west coast of Britain was invaded by a band of Irish plunderesrs and Patrick among many young boys was carried away to be sold as slaves. Patrick was sold to a farmer of Slemish, where he herded swine for 6 years.

Patrick had no personal faith in God, but during this time, as he wrote, "The Lord opened the understanding of my unbelief, that, late as it was, I might remember my faults and turn to the Lord my God with all my heart; and He had regard to my low estate, and pitied my youth and ignorance, and kept guard over me even before I knew Him, and before I attained wisdom to distinguish good from evil; and He strengthened and comforted me as a father does his son."

He felt led to escape to the sea-coast and there was a ship that took him to the French Riviera, where he secluded himself in a monastery for a time. Later he went to his home where God called him back to Ireland. First he studied at a church in Gaul and became a deacon. After the age of forty he arrived in Ireland (in 432).

Most people in Ireland were pagans who worshiped the sun, moon, wind, water, fire & rocks. Patrick faced stiff opposition from the druids, but some were converted. There was the issue of "power encounter" which Patrick tried to prove himself a mightier druid than the pagan druids instead of relying on the power of the Christian message. This type of superstitious magic continued for centuries in Celtic Christianity.

Patrick convinced King Loigaire to grant religious toleration for Christians. The converted King's brother granted Patrick land for a church in his domain. By 447, after 15 years of preaching, much of Ireland had been evangelized. He wrote his Confession, which tells us much about his life and times.

Patrick's methods of evangelism:

1. win the political leader in hopes that his subjects would fall in behind him by giving lavish gifts on local rulers.

2. He  placed great emphasis on spiritual growth (unlike many Roman Catholilc missionaries).

Patrick planted some 200 churches and baptized about 100,000 converts and credited God with all his accomplishments.