For centuries, Ireland produced some of the most faithful Catholics in Europe. Irish monks, in fact, helped spread news of The Church as far East as Germany. Irish priests and monks fought for The Faith throughout Western Europe. Their work brought salvation to millions.
The Romans ignored Ireland. Saxons and Normans periodically invaded. Many of those who moved to Ireland were so impressed with Irish faith and culture that they became “more Irish than the Irish.”
When Protestants seized control of England, their attempts to subjugate Ireland became far more vicious. Despite the worst that Kings and Cromwell could do, the Irish remained solidly, staunchly Catholic. The greater the English oppression, the more solidly Catholic Ireland became.
In the 1800 and 1900s, many Irish Catholics came to America. They took over America’s cities with political machines that still continue to crank out patronage jobs and contracts for America’s well-connected Irish.
Now, in America, the Irish are no longer as faithful. Many practice birth control. Some are “proud” of “becoming advanced”. Many no longer go to Church. Divorces and remarriages are depressingly common in a Test of Faith for Irish Catholics.
While they were in Ireland, they hated the English. “We may be oppressed here, but those Brits are all going to hell, as long as we can stand firm.” Here, without any Brits to be sent to hell for oppressing them and their Catholic faith, their allegiance erodes. Prosperity accompanied by a lack of persecution is a Test of Faith for Irish Catholics.
Odd. It is one of the few times in history that millions of people, over centuries, were welcomed into Heaven by having exploitative neighhbors whose disappearance now cause their descendants to lose that which allowed them to survive.
