Subj : September 23rd - Saint Adamnan of Iona To : All From : rich Date : Fri Sep 22 2017 10:11:07 From: rich September 23rd - Saint Adamnan of Iona Adam, Adomnan or Eunan as he is also known, was born about the year 625 at Drumhome, County Donegal, Ireland. Nothing is told us of his early life, except that he was related to another well known Irish saint, Columba. He initially entered the monastery he had founded in county Donegal, but was influenced by Columba to go the Abbey of Iona in Scotland where in 679 he became its ninth abbot. In 686 Adamnan was sent to the court of King Aldfrith of Northumbria to negotiate the release of Irish captives. The king had met Adamnan as a child when he had to flee from a usurper at the death of his father King Oswy. Adamnan succeeded in his mission and while in England he visited the monasteries of Wearmouth and Jarrow, meeting St. Bede who was a thirteen year old boy at the time. Adamnan was persuaded by St. Ceolfrith to accept the Roman date of observance for Easter. He also came to accept the Roman practice of tonsure for monks. Upon his return to Iona, Adamnan was unsuccessful in persuading his monks to give up their Celtic observances and subsequently was seen to spend more of his time in Ireland where he had greater success. It was also in Ireland that he was effective in persuading the Synod at Tara in 697 to legislate against the use of women in warfare and prohibiting the killing or taking of women or children as hostages. This would come to be known as "Adamnan's Law." Perhaps Adamnan is best known for his biography of St. Columba, one of the most important hagiographical documents in existence and one of the most complete biographies of the early Middle Ages. Another important document attributed to him is the "De locis sanctis," which is a documentation of a pilgrimage to Jerusalem by a Frankish bishop by the name of Arculf. On his return journey, Arculf's ship was driven off course and he landed off the western coast of Britain and found himself at Iona. Adamnan later presented this book to King Ardfrith. Adamnan died at Iona on September 23, 704. Saint Quote: They are echoes and heartbeats of faithfulness and love. They are shadows of the hopes and joys and sorrows Padre Pio laid down at the foot of the cross on his own personal Golgotha. --Padre Pio Bible Quote: 10 For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. 11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield; he bestows favor and honor. No good thing does the Lord withhold from those who walk uprightly. 12 O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man who trusts in thee! Psalm 84:10-12 RSVCE <><><><> We must always pray, and not faint.--Luke 18:1 5. A man of prayer is capable of everything; therefore, it is of great importance that missionaries should give themselves to this exercise with particular earnestness; and as without it they will gain little or no fruit, so with its help they will become much more able to move hearts and convert souls to their Creator, than by learning and oratorical skill. --St. Vincent de Paul St. Francis Borgia was a man of much prayer, in which he would remain, as if in ecstasy, sometimes for six hours in succession, which appeared to him but a moment; and the mere sight of him in the pulpit would rouse the people to compunction. St. Thomas, St. Bonaventure and the Blessed Albertus Magnus confessed that they gained their learning more by prayer than by study. We read of St. Thomas, in particular, that not being able to understand a text of Scripture, he had recourse to prayer, and while he was praying with great fervor there appeared to him the holy Apostles Peter and Paul and explained the difficulty in a voice so clear and distinct that it was heard by his companion Brother Reginald. ( "A Year with the Saints". September: Prayer) --- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2 * Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4) .