Irish Clergy in the 13th Century
Irish Christianity developed in a land that never fell under Roman control. As a consequence, the medieval Irish church, with its strong monastic culture, did not always conform to the…
From: 1188 C.E. To: 1188 C.E.
Location: Cashel, Ireland
Note: This article has been excerpted from a larger work in the public domain and shared here due to its historical value. It may contain outdated ideas and language that do not reflect TOTA’s opinions and beliefs.
From The Topography of Ireland by Giraldus Cambrensis, c. 1188, translated by Thomas Wright.
Of Many Laudable Qualities in the Irish Clergy
We come now to the clerical order. The clergy, then, of this country are commendable enough for their piety; and among many other virtues in which they excel, are especially eminent for that of continence. They also perform with great regularity the services of the psalms, hours, lessons, and prayers, and confining themselves to the precincts of the churches, employ their whole time in the offices to which they are appointed. They also pay due attention to the rules of abstinence and a spare diet, the greatest part of them fasting almost every day till dusk, when by singing complines they have finished the offices of the several hours for the day.
Would that, after these long fasts, they were as sober as they are serious, as true as they are severe, as pure as they are enduring, such in reality as they are in appearance. But among so many thousands you will scarcely find one who, after his devotion to long fastings and prayers, does not make up by midnight for his privations during the day by the enormous quantities of wine and other liquors in which he indulges more than is becoming...There are, however, some among the clergy who are most excellent men, and have no leaven of impurity. Indeed this people are intemperate in all their actions, and most vehement in all their feeling. Thus the bad are bad indeed-- there are nowhere worse; and than the good you cannot find better.
A Sarcastic Reply of the Archbishop of Cashel.
I once made objections of this kind to Maurice, Archbishop of Cashel, a discreet and learned man, in the presence of Gerald, a clerk of the Roman church...I drew a powerful argument from the fact that no one in that kingdom had ever obtained the crown of martyrdom for the church of God. Upon this the archbishop replied sarcastically, avoiding the point of my proposition, and answering it by a home-thrust:
"It is true," he said, "that although our nation may seem barbarous, uncivilized, and cruel, they have always shewn great honour and reverence to their ecclesiastics, and never on any occasion raised their hands against God's saints. But there is now come into our land a people who know how to make martyrs, and have frequently done it. Henceforth, Ireland will have its martyrs, as well as other countries."
Giraldus Cambrensis and Thomas Wright, The Historical Works of Giraldus Cambrensis: Containing the Topography of Ireland, and the History of the Conquest of Ireland (London: H.G. Bohn, 1863).
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