See
Bartholomew
Moroni's Vila .
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v5
1607; togetherwithfourchaptersinanAppendix,treating on different festivals instituted to his honour ; on the time in which our saint flourished; on his country; and on his writings.
At the loth of May, the Bollandists have published notices of St.
Cataldus.
'^ These are edited, by Father Godefrid Henschenn.
^5 We have also accounts of this holy bishop, in Bishop De Burgo,^^ in a "AMemorial of Ancient British Piety,"=^7 in
" Britannia Sancta,^^ in Rev. Alban Butler,^? and in " Les Petits BoUan-
'° See "Supplementum et Castigatio ad Scriptores Trium Oidinum S. Francisci a Waddingo, aliisve descriptos ; cum adnota- tionibus ad Syllabum Maityrum eoramdem ordinem. " Opus Post-humum Fr. Jo : HyacinthisBaralere. Minor. Conventual. Sac. Theolog. Magistri, p. 178. Roma, fol. 1806.
" This work was intituled, " Miracula S. Cataldi, ex vetustissimis Exemplaribus fide- lissime desumpta, stylo modice immutato. " This work was published, at Rome, A. D.
1614.
'= Among the Colgan MSS. , in the Fran-
ciscan Library, Dublin, 1 iind a transcript, in Colgan's handwriting, in 12 folio pages- only a part of the First Book, written in Latin Hexameter verse.
»3 See "De Probatis Sanctorum Vitis,"
-'5 lie gives a prefatory commentary of '•• In "Catalogus Sanctorum et Gestorum two paragraphs, and next introduces His-
tomus iii.
eorum ex diversis Voluminibus Collectus," lib. iv. , cap. 142.
'5 He was born at Florence, March 2ist, 1595, and he died at Rome, May 19th, 1670. He belonged to the Cistercian Order, and he was called to several high positions in the Church.
'* The first edition of " Italia Sacra," ap- peared at Rome, in fol. , a. d. 1643 to 1662, in nine volumes.
'7 The second edition was enlarged and emended by Nicolas Coleti, and it appeared at Venice, in ten folio volumes, from A. o. 1717 to 1722.
'^ See Tarentina Metropolis, cols. 117 to 1 25. References are here made to the second
toria Inventionis et Translationis, auctore Berlengerio Tarentino, et forsan aliis, ex Codicibus MSS. , in three chapters, and thirty-six paragraphs, with notes. Then follows an Appendix, De Inventione Lin- gua; S. Cataldi et Libri ab co scripti, two adtliiional paragraphs, with notes. After- wards, we find, Inquisitio de aetata et gestis S. Cataldi in V'ita, in eleven paragraphs.
'^ See " Officia Propria Sanctorum lliber- nix, "at March viii. Officium in Fesio S. Cataldi. pp. 1 8 to 27.
'^ At p. 76.
^* See part i. , pp. 285, 2S6.
^ See " Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and
other princip. il Saints,'" vol. v. , M. iy x.
edition.
'' In " Catalogus Sanctorum Italice. "
^° This account has been published by the
Bollandists, who state, however, that as taken from Manuscripts, differing in the order of narrative, it was not easy to decide, what had been written, by Berlengerius, and what had been inserted, by other writers. These Acts the Bollandists received from Father Nicolas Beatillo, of Naples.
=' See " De Scriptoribus Hibemiae," lib. i. , cap. i. , pp. 6 to 8.
^ See " Britannicamm Ecclesiarum An- tiquitates," cap. xvi. , pp. 392 to 397.
=3 See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernice," Martii viii. Vita S. Cataldi, Episcopi et Confessori? , pp. 540 to 562.
-* See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Mali X. , pp. 569 to 578.
May 10. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
187
distes,"3° as also, in the Dictionary of Christian Biography ;3i besides a great number of other writers record various particulars, relative to this holy bishop.
It is almost universally admitted, that Cathaldus was born in Ireland ;
for, not alone are there early authorities to quote, in support of this claim, but his name seems resolvable into Cathal, which was one common among the prelatesandprincesofourIsland. 3^ Wherefore,Colganthinks,thatCathaldus should be the proper Latinized form of his name. Contrary to the most clear and convincing testimony, and with contradictions in his statement, suffi- ciently notorious to destroy nearly all of his assertions,33 Dempster has falsely pretended, that Cataldus was a native of Scotland. After quoting the words of Dempster, who says he was born there, that he had been educated in St, Fillan's Monastery in Knapdalia, and that having his birth among the moun- tains of Scotland, which retained the name of Ireland, gave rise to an opinion, that Cathaldus was a native of our Island, although born in lona, &C. 34 Ussher remarks, not to mention the absurdity of mountains in lona, which have no existence, this Island never obtained the name of Ireland ; and moreover, as St. Philan, or Fillan, lived some ages after our saint's time, this latter could not have been educated by the former, and who, perhaps, never hadamonastery,inthatplace,calledKnapdaiia. 35 Inlikemanner,Colgan
repeats these reasons, urged by Ussher, to disprove Dempster's contradictions. In addition, the Scottish " Saint Stealer " allows, that Cathaldus passed over to Ireland, where he remained for some time; thence, it is asserted, and from the Islands, and from Anglia, he took twelve companions with him, to enter upon his Apostolic career, which continued until at least a. d. 361, supposed to be the year for his departure. In another part of his History, Demp- ster likewise admits, that Fillan flourished in the year 703. 3^ A much greater difference of opinion exists, among writers of our saint's Acts, regard- ing the period at which he flourished. According to some writers, 37 during the reign of Con, in the second century, Ireland sent forth the famous St. Cathaldus, to preach the Gospel of Christ, before he became bishop and
3° See "Vies des Saints," &c,, tome v,, Xe Jour de Mai, p. 425.
3' Edited by Dr. William Smith and Henry Wace, M. A. , vol. i. , pp. 421, 422.
3^ See Colgan's " Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nise," viii. Martii, n. i. , p. 544. Colgan cites many instances, from the Annals of the Four Masters, for proof of his assertion.
33 See Dempster's " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Scotorum," tomusi. , lib. iii. , num. 278. s* For these assertions, Dempster cites the authority of a MS. in the Ambrosian Lib-
are sufficient to discredit his account, with- out any additional remarks from Colgan. These scarcely increase the weight of his other reasons. For, in labouring to prove, that neither in Ireland nor in Scotland, before A. D. 361, could twelve Bishops be found, he omits the possibility of England in addition being able to furnish this number, and the fact, after all, that Dempster does not make Bishopsofoursaint'scompanions. Ofafar different cliaracter is the positive testimony, adduced by Colgan, to prove our saint an Irishman, if such proof were at all required. It will be unnecessary, in this place, to do more than merely refer the reader to Colgan's dissertation, on the country of Cathaldus, to
rary, depending on the statement of Father
George Lesley, a Capuchin. Besides this
account, Alexander >Iill, in a Preface to the
succession to the church of Dunkeld, states,
that Cathaldus discharged the duties of be found in the Third chapter of his Appcn- Bishop for a long time, in the country around dix. There, it is shown, that not only the Dunkeld and Dumblaine, according to authors of this saint's Lives, as published by Dempster ; and this statement is said to be him, but a great number of other writers, proved, from local Manuscript Acts, and concur in the statement, that Cathaldus was from the testimony of Veremund, a Priest.
See " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Scoto- rum," tomus i. , lib. iii. , num. 278, pp. 163, 164.
35 See " Britannicarum Ecclesiarum An- tiquitates," cap. xvi. , p. 393.
3* These contradictious and mistatements
a native of Hibernia. See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hibernia," viii. Martii, Appen- dix ad Acta S. Cataldi, cap. iii. , pp. 561, 562.
3? The Vita S. Cataldi, and Bruodin, p. 879, are quoted.
38 g^g Ferrar's " History of Limerick,"
—
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 10,
patron of Turentum in Italy. 3^ Some writers will have it, that St. Cathaldus arrived from Ireland, in Tarentum, ad. i6o,39 or i66;4o Ughelli ' has the latter date ; others have a. D. 170—such as Bartholomew '^ and Bonaventure*3 Moroni. But, as author? ;, who place Cathaldus in the second century, remark of him, in their accounts, that he visited the sepulchre of Christ, at Jerusalem, before he came to Tarentum ; and, as we do not find, that the Holy Land had been much frequented by pilgrims, before the Empress Helena discovered Christ's tomb, a. d. 326 ; our saint's arrival at Tarentum must have been subsequent to that period. -*^ Whilst advancing this position, Caraccioli^s hazards also an opinion, that Cathaldus lived subsequent to the arrival of the Goths, in Italy, viz. , after a. d. 500. This is also an opinion of Alexander ab Alexandro. ^^ If we are to credit the accounts, in the Life of St. Cathaldus, that before leaving Ireland, when departing for Italy, the- year 500 or 520 might have elapsed ; about these periods, Ireland must have had, at least, one hundredcontemporaneousbishops. -*? Atorabouta. d. 630,4^afterhisexpul- sion Irom Rathen, St. Mocluida,'*^ or Carthage, founded Lismore, according to the Annals of Tigernach,5° of Clonmacnoise,5' of Ulster,S2 and of the Four Masters. 53 As it is stated, in the same Life, that our saint studied at Lis- more,54 and taught in its schools,55 he must have lived even later. Coigan thinks, that our saint could not have been a teacher of English, Scotch, Gauls, and Germans,56 before a. d. 636, at which time, it is probable, St. Carthage died ; and before which period, English and German converts were not found in sufficient numbers, to have left their own country for Ireland, to receive education at her schools. ^? The period of Cataldus has been referred even to die eighth century,s^ Again, the Meliridis, mentioned in the Life . md
pari iii. , chap, iii. , p. 184.
^9 In the Preface to his History of Taren-
tum, Juhn Juvenis states, that Cataldus
from Ireland effected the conversion ot
Pagans in Tarentum, about 160 years after
our Lord's Ascension, Anicetus being mx," viii. Martii. Appendix ad Acta . S.
Sovereign Pontiff, at the time.
*° In another part of this work, the author
tells us, that during the same pontificate, in the year of our Lord 166, Catlialdus entered Tarentum. See Joannes Juvenis "' De Anti- quitate et Varia Tarentinorum Fortuna," lib. viii.
' See "Italia Sacra," lomusix. Tarentina Metropolis, col. 124.
•• Larlholumew Moroni says, that Cathal- dus entered Tarentum, about the year of the Incarnation 170, when Pope . \nicetus ruled the Church, and Antoninus the Philosopher governed tlie I'. mpire.
See Bartholomew Moroni's Vila . S. Calaldi, ca]). xiv. . in Col- gan's "Acta Sanctorum Hibernia;," viii. Martii, p. 548.
*3 " . Syrus Anicetus sacrarum pondera rerum
Suslinet, ct Princeps Aurelius eminct — orbi. "
"Cataldiados,"lib. ii.
** The Bollandists remark, that they found a marginal note, referring his arrival there to " anno Di. xvi," instead of to " anno ci. xvi," whicli connected it v\ilh tlie time of P'ii)e Anicetus.
Cataldi, cap. ii. , p. 560.
** See Ussliers Index Chronologicus, at
A. D. ucx. KX. , " Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Antiquitates. " p. 537.
« See his Life, at the 14th of May. 5° These have the date 636.
5' At A. D. 632.
5» See at A. D. 635.
S3 See at A. D. 631, the expulsion from Rathen recorded, in Dr. O' Donovan's etli- tion, vol. i. , pp. 252, 253.
5-t St. Cartage founded it, when driven from Rathen.
55 According *o Dr. diaries Smith, this happened after the death of . St. Carthage. See "Ancient anil Present Slate of the County and City of Waterford," chap, iii. , p. 28.
"Sec " Oihcium S. Calhaldi," Noct. ii. , Lect. iv.
5' See Colgan's " . \cta Sanctorum Hiber- nice," viii. Martii, p. 557. . Mso, Appendix, cap. ii. , p. 561.
5^ . See Thomas D'Arcy M'(«ce's" Popular History of Ireland," Book i. , chap, viii. ,
^5 In his Neapolitan Annals, published, a. d. 1626.
^* See "Genialium Dierum," lib. iii. , cap. 15.
P-
51-
59 See Coigan s " Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
•' . See Colgan"s " Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
niie," viii. Martii, Appendix, cap. ii. , p. 561.
'° However, Bonaventure Morini insinua- tes, that RIeltridis was a King in Ulster :
" Postera fulgebat roseis Aurora qua- drigis,
Cum videt Oltonios consurgere navita portus
*° Achlenna is a name given to the mothers of St. Fintan, of St. Columbus and of St. Lugdius. See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hibernice," viii. Martii, nn. 3, 4, p. 544.
^^ Moroni derives the names of both his parents from Greek works, evxi\ and A^rycr;, which means "piety" and "wisdom. " Vita S. Cataldi, lib. i. , cap. i.
alnos. "
hb i. , cap. 143, p. 544.
69 In " Vita S. Cataldi," lib. i. , cap. i.
^° " Officium S. Cataldi," Lect. iv .
7' Colgan, who has apparently corrected
——
May io. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 1S9
Office of our saint,59 appears to have been identical with Moelochtrige, chief- tain of Nan-Desii, who bestowed Lismore upon St. Carthage, and who, in all probability, survived this saint. ^° It is said, that on the death of this Meltri- dis, Cathaldus received the lands of his chieftanry,^' as a grant from the king, and that these were divided into twelve Bishoprics, presided over by an Arch- bishop. ^^ Hence, it might be probable, that Cathaldus did not leave Ireland, before the year 640. ^^
The father of Cathaldus was named Eucho or Euchu,^'* and his mother's namewasAthena^'= orAchlena,^^accordingtothesaint'sActs. ^^ According to Peter de Natalibus, the town in which he was born was called Cataldus. ^^ In his Life of our saint, Moroni says, that the name of the town in which he was born, was called Rachau, by some writers, and that it was a place of some note, in the province of INIunster ; while, by others, it was designated as Cathandum. With these latter, he seem to coincide. The name Cathaldus Rachau, he supposes, will apply to our saint's episcopal See, and not to the place of his birth. It must also be confessed, that to me his wordings and deductions, regarding this passage, in our saint's Life, are by no means lumi- nous. ^9 In the office of Cathaldus, his place of birth is called Catandum, which is said to have been a town of Numenia 7°—a mistake ? for Mumenia,^^ Momonia,Murnonia,MononiaorMunster. 73 Aplace,calledBallyCathal, or Cathalstown, which exists in the Diocese of Killaloe, Barony of Ormond, and County of Tipperaay, is mentioned by Colgan, wdthout stating, how- ever, this to have been the locality for our saint's birth. 74 There is another place called Ballycahill, in the same county, at the borders of Kilnemanagh and Kinelegourty Baronies. 75 A place, called Kill Cathuil, that is, the " cell of
unde improbus
lUusus Furiis, geminas emiserat niffi," Martii viii. Vita S. Cataldi Episcopi,
Fluctibus e mediis ; ante Tyrannus,
^^ See Colgan's " Acta Sanctorum Ilibcr-
—" Cathaldiados," lib. i.
*' See Officium S. Cathaldi, Lect. v.
*^ See Moroni's Vita S. Cathaldi, lib. i. ,
cap. viii.
^^ See Colgan's 'Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
nice," viii. Martii. Also, Appendix cap. ii. ,
PP- 547-557, 561-
** Among the Irish, the names Euchu,
Eucho, Echa, and Eochaidh, frequently for /;/, iu the beginning, and it comes into
occur. Thus, in Jocelyn's Life of St. Patrick, we find Echu and iluchus. Other hagio- graphershave Euchodius and Eucliadius, as also Euchus. In the Irish languge dh is aspirated and not pronounced, and there- fore in Colgan's opinion, the Latin writers passed them over, as having no force.
the middle afterwards.
7- That southern province of Ireland, in
which St. Cathaldus was born, and in which Lismore, where he was educated, is placed, was called by ancient writers Mumenia.
'5 These latter are the more more modern names, by which the Province is designated. *5 If instead of Athena, we read /Ethna or See "Acta Sanctorum Plibernias," viii.
Ethenea, either of these names were familiar tothelrish. Thus, also Ethnea was mother of St. Columba, of St. Maidoc, of St. Aid, of St. Critan, according to St. ^ngus, in his tract, on the Mothers of the Irish Saints, lib. iv. , cap. 13, 21, 58, 84.
Martii, n. i, p. 555.
? • See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernise," viii.
Martii, n. 2, p. 544.
75 See Rev. Ur. Lanigan's Ecclesiastical
History of Ireland," vol. iii. ,cap. xviii. , sect, xi. , n. 131, p. 125. The Doctor adds : " But,
this mistake in the Life, by Moroni, adds in a note, that here an error crept in, which the author placed among his errata, thus endea- vouring to emend it, z-vAiox NuvienicE,\iQ. gives Mononia', but even so, it is faulty. For the letter n beginning the former is substituted
igo LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May io.
Cathald," existed in Munster, besides a castle named Dun-Callaind, near Waterford, and a town called Callaind, on the confines of Leinster and Mun- ster. But, Colgan does not undertake to decide, which—if any—of these places had been identical with Cathandum,? ^ nor even to define the spot or particular territory, in which the saint was born. 77
We are informed, by Moroni, that in the time of the Emperor Adrian, or a little after Tarjan's death,7^ a certain wise man, named Dichus, gifted with a spirit of prophecy, had visions regarding the future greatness of Cathaldus. 79 However, this was a period much too early for any prophet to have lived in Ire- land, and who was also said to have been a cotemporary of our saint. ^° Hence, if we admit this account of such miraculous events, preceding and accompany- ing the birth of Caihaldus, Dichus must have lived at a much more recent period. This prophetic seer, Moroni tells us, observed a bright light over the house, in which our saint's mother resided, and at that time, she was about to give birth to her son. Having a Divine premonition, regarding the sanctity and actions of the future saint, and his mother's sufferings, Dichus hastened to Achlena's house to offer consolation. But, he was refused admission, at the time, as Achlena was alone, and her husband absent. However, from without, Dichus is said to have addressed Achlena, in these words : " Be of good courage, most happy mother, nor reprove the Almighty for his dis- regard of you, during the pains of childbirth, nor fear approaching death, nor the want of all necessaries; for, you shall bring forth a son, the propagator of true religion, and not alone an honour to his parents and country, but even an ornament to all Ireland, and, likewise, he will become the continual patron of a foreign people. "^' Achlena shortly afterwards gave birth to our saint, and she died from the pains of childbirth. It is said, her infant, falling on a stone
within the chamber, impressed the form of his tender head, even on the rock,^^ which yielded for a time like softened wax,^3 and afterwards retained its former rigidity. Not appearing to have suffered from the effect of his fall, the infant arose, and embraced his parent's lifeless body. Again, it recovered animation. With his finger, likewise, he pointed to the impression made in the stone. ^-t
An infancy, thus miraculously commenced, led to a youth of virtue
besides its being far distant from Lismore, the name of the saint's native spot is usually written Catandum. "
7° See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernire," viii. Martii, n. 2, p. 544-
'7 Owing to a similarity of name with Cathandum, and because they are in the Munsler province, where the writers of St.
" Britannia Sancta,^^ in Rev. Alban Butler,^? and in " Les Petits BoUan-
'° See "Supplementum et Castigatio ad Scriptores Trium Oidinum S. Francisci a Waddingo, aliisve descriptos ; cum adnota- tionibus ad Syllabum Maityrum eoramdem ordinem. " Opus Post-humum Fr. Jo : HyacinthisBaralere. Minor. Conventual. Sac. Theolog. Magistri, p. 178. Roma, fol. 1806.
" This work was intituled, " Miracula S. Cataldi, ex vetustissimis Exemplaribus fide- lissime desumpta, stylo modice immutato. " This work was published, at Rome, A. D.
1614.
'= Among the Colgan MSS. , in the Fran-
ciscan Library, Dublin, 1 iind a transcript, in Colgan's handwriting, in 12 folio pages- only a part of the First Book, written in Latin Hexameter verse.
»3 See "De Probatis Sanctorum Vitis,"
-'5 lie gives a prefatory commentary of '•• In "Catalogus Sanctorum et Gestorum two paragraphs, and next introduces His-
tomus iii.
eorum ex diversis Voluminibus Collectus," lib. iv. , cap. 142.
'5 He was born at Florence, March 2ist, 1595, and he died at Rome, May 19th, 1670. He belonged to the Cistercian Order, and he was called to several high positions in the Church.
'* The first edition of " Italia Sacra," ap- peared at Rome, in fol. , a. d. 1643 to 1662, in nine volumes.
'7 The second edition was enlarged and emended by Nicolas Coleti, and it appeared at Venice, in ten folio volumes, from A. o. 1717 to 1722.
'^ See Tarentina Metropolis, cols. 117 to 1 25. References are here made to the second
toria Inventionis et Translationis, auctore Berlengerio Tarentino, et forsan aliis, ex Codicibus MSS. , in three chapters, and thirty-six paragraphs, with notes. Then follows an Appendix, De Inventione Lin- gua; S. Cataldi et Libri ab co scripti, two adtliiional paragraphs, with notes. After- wards, we find, Inquisitio de aetata et gestis S. Cataldi in V'ita, in eleven paragraphs.
'^ See " Officia Propria Sanctorum lliber- nix, "at March viii. Officium in Fesio S. Cataldi. pp. 1 8 to 27.
'^ At p. 76.
^* See part i. , pp. 285, 2S6.
^ See " Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and
other princip. il Saints,'" vol. v. , M. iy x.
edition.
'' In " Catalogus Sanctorum Italice. "
^° This account has been published by the
Bollandists, who state, however, that as taken from Manuscripts, differing in the order of narrative, it was not easy to decide, what had been written, by Berlengerius, and what had been inserted, by other writers. These Acts the Bollandists received from Father Nicolas Beatillo, of Naples.
=' See " De Scriptoribus Hibemiae," lib. i. , cap. i. , pp. 6 to 8.
^ See " Britannicamm Ecclesiarum An- tiquitates," cap. xvi. , pp. 392 to 397.
=3 See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernice," Martii viii. Vita S. Cataldi, Episcopi et Confessori? , pp. 540 to 562.
-* See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Mali X. , pp. 569 to 578.
May 10. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
187
distes,"3° as also, in the Dictionary of Christian Biography ;3i besides a great number of other writers record various particulars, relative to this holy bishop.
It is almost universally admitted, that Cathaldus was born in Ireland ;
for, not alone are there early authorities to quote, in support of this claim, but his name seems resolvable into Cathal, which was one common among the prelatesandprincesofourIsland. 3^ Wherefore,Colganthinks,thatCathaldus should be the proper Latinized form of his name. Contrary to the most clear and convincing testimony, and with contradictions in his statement, suffi- ciently notorious to destroy nearly all of his assertions,33 Dempster has falsely pretended, that Cataldus was a native of Scotland. After quoting the words of Dempster, who says he was born there, that he had been educated in St, Fillan's Monastery in Knapdalia, and that having his birth among the moun- tains of Scotland, which retained the name of Ireland, gave rise to an opinion, that Cathaldus was a native of our Island, although born in lona, &C. 34 Ussher remarks, not to mention the absurdity of mountains in lona, which have no existence, this Island never obtained the name of Ireland ; and moreover, as St. Philan, or Fillan, lived some ages after our saint's time, this latter could not have been educated by the former, and who, perhaps, never hadamonastery,inthatplace,calledKnapdaiia. 35 Inlikemanner,Colgan
repeats these reasons, urged by Ussher, to disprove Dempster's contradictions. In addition, the Scottish " Saint Stealer " allows, that Cathaldus passed over to Ireland, where he remained for some time; thence, it is asserted, and from the Islands, and from Anglia, he took twelve companions with him, to enter upon his Apostolic career, which continued until at least a. d. 361, supposed to be the year for his departure. In another part of his History, Demp- ster likewise admits, that Fillan flourished in the year 703. 3^ A much greater difference of opinion exists, among writers of our saint's Acts, regard- ing the period at which he flourished. According to some writers, 37 during the reign of Con, in the second century, Ireland sent forth the famous St. Cathaldus, to preach the Gospel of Christ, before he became bishop and
3° See "Vies des Saints," &c,, tome v,, Xe Jour de Mai, p. 425.
3' Edited by Dr. William Smith and Henry Wace, M. A. , vol. i. , pp. 421, 422.
3^ See Colgan's " Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nise," viii. Martii, n. i. , p. 544. Colgan cites many instances, from the Annals of the Four Masters, for proof of his assertion.
33 See Dempster's " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Scotorum," tomusi. , lib. iii. , num. 278. s* For these assertions, Dempster cites the authority of a MS. in the Ambrosian Lib-
are sufficient to discredit his account, with- out any additional remarks from Colgan. These scarcely increase the weight of his other reasons. For, in labouring to prove, that neither in Ireland nor in Scotland, before A. D. 361, could twelve Bishops be found, he omits the possibility of England in addition being able to furnish this number, and the fact, after all, that Dempster does not make Bishopsofoursaint'scompanions. Ofafar different cliaracter is the positive testimony, adduced by Colgan, to prove our saint an Irishman, if such proof were at all required. It will be unnecessary, in this place, to do more than merely refer the reader to Colgan's dissertation, on the country of Cathaldus, to
rary, depending on the statement of Father
George Lesley, a Capuchin. Besides this
account, Alexander >Iill, in a Preface to the
succession to the church of Dunkeld, states,
that Cathaldus discharged the duties of be found in the Third chapter of his Appcn- Bishop for a long time, in the country around dix. There, it is shown, that not only the Dunkeld and Dumblaine, according to authors of this saint's Lives, as published by Dempster ; and this statement is said to be him, but a great number of other writers, proved, from local Manuscript Acts, and concur in the statement, that Cathaldus was from the testimony of Veremund, a Priest.
See " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Scoto- rum," tomus i. , lib. iii. , num. 278, pp. 163, 164.
35 See " Britannicarum Ecclesiarum An- tiquitates," cap. xvi. , p. 393.
3* These contradictious and mistatements
a native of Hibernia. See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hibernia," viii. Martii, Appen- dix ad Acta S. Cataldi, cap. iii. , pp. 561, 562.
3? The Vita S. Cataldi, and Bruodin, p. 879, are quoted.
38 g^g Ferrar's " History of Limerick,"
—
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May 10,
patron of Turentum in Italy. 3^ Some writers will have it, that St. Cathaldus arrived from Ireland, in Tarentum, ad. i6o,39 or i66;4o Ughelli ' has the latter date ; others have a. D. 170—such as Bartholomew '^ and Bonaventure*3 Moroni. But, as author? ;, who place Cathaldus in the second century, remark of him, in their accounts, that he visited the sepulchre of Christ, at Jerusalem, before he came to Tarentum ; and, as we do not find, that the Holy Land had been much frequented by pilgrims, before the Empress Helena discovered Christ's tomb, a. d. 326 ; our saint's arrival at Tarentum must have been subsequent to that period. -*^ Whilst advancing this position, Caraccioli^s hazards also an opinion, that Cathaldus lived subsequent to the arrival of the Goths, in Italy, viz. , after a. d. 500. This is also an opinion of Alexander ab Alexandro. ^^ If we are to credit the accounts, in the Life of St. Cathaldus, that before leaving Ireland, when departing for Italy, the- year 500 or 520 might have elapsed ; about these periods, Ireland must have had, at least, one hundredcontemporaneousbishops. -*? Atorabouta. d. 630,4^afterhisexpul- sion Irom Rathen, St. Mocluida,'*^ or Carthage, founded Lismore, according to the Annals of Tigernach,5° of Clonmacnoise,5' of Ulster,S2 and of the Four Masters. 53 As it is stated, in the same Life, that our saint studied at Lis- more,54 and taught in its schools,55 he must have lived even later. Coigan thinks, that our saint could not have been a teacher of English, Scotch, Gauls, and Germans,56 before a. d. 636, at which time, it is probable, St. Carthage died ; and before which period, English and German converts were not found in sufficient numbers, to have left their own country for Ireland, to receive education at her schools. ^? The period of Cataldus has been referred even to die eighth century,s^ Again, the Meliridis, mentioned in the Life . md
pari iii. , chap, iii. , p. 184.
^9 In the Preface to his History of Taren-
tum, Juhn Juvenis states, that Cataldus
from Ireland effected the conversion ot
Pagans in Tarentum, about 160 years after
our Lord's Ascension, Anicetus being mx," viii. Martii. Appendix ad Acta . S.
Sovereign Pontiff, at the time.
*° In another part of this work, the author
tells us, that during the same pontificate, in the year of our Lord 166, Catlialdus entered Tarentum. See Joannes Juvenis "' De Anti- quitate et Varia Tarentinorum Fortuna," lib. viii.
' See "Italia Sacra," lomusix. Tarentina Metropolis, col. 124.
•• Larlholumew Moroni says, that Cathal- dus entered Tarentum, about the year of the Incarnation 170, when Pope . \nicetus ruled the Church, and Antoninus the Philosopher governed tlie I'. mpire.
See Bartholomew Moroni's Vila . S. Calaldi, ca]). xiv. . in Col- gan's "Acta Sanctorum Hibernia;," viii. Martii, p. 548.
*3 " . Syrus Anicetus sacrarum pondera rerum
Suslinet, ct Princeps Aurelius eminct — orbi. "
"Cataldiados,"lib. ii.
** The Bollandists remark, that they found a marginal note, referring his arrival there to " anno Di. xvi," instead of to " anno ci. xvi," whicli connected it v\ilh tlie time of P'ii)e Anicetus.
Cataldi, cap. ii. , p. 560.
** See Ussliers Index Chronologicus, at
A. D. ucx. KX. , " Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Antiquitates. " p. 537.
« See his Life, at the 14th of May. 5° These have the date 636.
5' At A. D. 632.
5» See at A. D. 635.
S3 See at A. D. 631, the expulsion from Rathen recorded, in Dr. O' Donovan's etli- tion, vol. i. , pp. 252, 253.
5-t St. Cartage founded it, when driven from Rathen.
55 According *o Dr. diaries Smith, this happened after the death of . St. Carthage. See "Ancient anil Present Slate of the County and City of Waterford," chap, iii. , p. 28.
"Sec " Oihcium S. Calhaldi," Noct. ii. , Lect. iv.
5' See Colgan's " . \cta Sanctorum Hiber- nice," viii. Martii, p. 557. . Mso, Appendix, cap. ii. , p. 561.
5^ . See Thomas D'Arcy M'(«ce's" Popular History of Ireland," Book i. , chap, viii. ,
^5 In his Neapolitan Annals, published, a. d. 1626.
^* See "Genialium Dierum," lib. iii. , cap. 15.
P-
51-
59 See Coigan s " Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
•' . See Colgan"s " Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
niie," viii. Martii, Appendix, cap. ii. , p. 561.
'° However, Bonaventure Morini insinua- tes, that RIeltridis was a King in Ulster :
" Postera fulgebat roseis Aurora qua- drigis,
Cum videt Oltonios consurgere navita portus
*° Achlenna is a name given to the mothers of St. Fintan, of St. Columbus and of St. Lugdius. See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hibernice," viii. Martii, nn. 3, 4, p. 544.
^^ Moroni derives the names of both his parents from Greek works, evxi\ and A^rycr;, which means "piety" and "wisdom. " Vita S. Cataldi, lib. i. , cap. i.
alnos. "
hb i. , cap. 143, p. 544.
69 In " Vita S. Cataldi," lib. i. , cap. i.
^° " Officium S. Cataldi," Lect. iv .
7' Colgan, who has apparently corrected
——
May io. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 1S9
Office of our saint,59 appears to have been identical with Moelochtrige, chief- tain of Nan-Desii, who bestowed Lismore upon St. Carthage, and who, in all probability, survived this saint. ^° It is said, that on the death of this Meltri- dis, Cathaldus received the lands of his chieftanry,^' as a grant from the king, and that these were divided into twelve Bishoprics, presided over by an Arch- bishop. ^^ Hence, it might be probable, that Cathaldus did not leave Ireland, before the year 640. ^^
The father of Cathaldus was named Eucho or Euchu,^'* and his mother's namewasAthena^'= orAchlena,^^accordingtothesaint'sActs. ^^ According to Peter de Natalibus, the town in which he was born was called Cataldus. ^^ In his Life of our saint, Moroni says, that the name of the town in which he was born, was called Rachau, by some writers, and that it was a place of some note, in the province of INIunster ; while, by others, it was designated as Cathandum. With these latter, he seem to coincide. The name Cathaldus Rachau, he supposes, will apply to our saint's episcopal See, and not to the place of his birth. It must also be confessed, that to me his wordings and deductions, regarding this passage, in our saint's Life, are by no means lumi- nous. ^9 In the office of Cathaldus, his place of birth is called Catandum, which is said to have been a town of Numenia 7°—a mistake ? for Mumenia,^^ Momonia,Murnonia,MononiaorMunster. 73 Aplace,calledBallyCathal, or Cathalstown, which exists in the Diocese of Killaloe, Barony of Ormond, and County of Tipperaay, is mentioned by Colgan, wdthout stating, how- ever, this to have been the locality for our saint's birth. 74 There is another place called Ballycahill, in the same county, at the borders of Kilnemanagh and Kinelegourty Baronies. 75 A place, called Kill Cathuil, that is, the " cell of
unde improbus
lUusus Furiis, geminas emiserat niffi," Martii viii. Vita S. Cataldi Episcopi,
Fluctibus e mediis ; ante Tyrannus,
^^ See Colgan's " Acta Sanctorum Ilibcr-
—" Cathaldiados," lib. i.
*' See Officium S. Cathaldi, Lect. v.
*^ See Moroni's Vita S. Cathaldi, lib. i. ,
cap. viii.
^^ See Colgan's 'Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
nice," viii. Martii. Also, Appendix cap. ii. ,
PP- 547-557, 561-
** Among the Irish, the names Euchu,
Eucho, Echa, and Eochaidh, frequently for /;/, iu the beginning, and it comes into
occur. Thus, in Jocelyn's Life of St. Patrick, we find Echu and iluchus. Other hagio- graphershave Euchodius and Eucliadius, as also Euchus. In the Irish languge dh is aspirated and not pronounced, and there- fore in Colgan's opinion, the Latin writers passed them over, as having no force.
the middle afterwards.
7- That southern province of Ireland, in
which St. Cathaldus was born, and in which Lismore, where he was educated, is placed, was called by ancient writers Mumenia.
'5 These latter are the more more modern names, by which the Province is designated. *5 If instead of Athena, we read /Ethna or See "Acta Sanctorum Plibernias," viii.
Ethenea, either of these names were familiar tothelrish. Thus, also Ethnea was mother of St. Columba, of St. Maidoc, of St. Aid, of St. Critan, according to St. ^ngus, in his tract, on the Mothers of the Irish Saints, lib. iv. , cap. 13, 21, 58, 84.
Martii, n. i, p. 555.
? • See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernise," viii.
Martii, n. 2, p. 544.
75 See Rev. Ur. Lanigan's Ecclesiastical
History of Ireland," vol. iii. ,cap. xviii. , sect, xi. , n. 131, p. 125. The Doctor adds : " But,
this mistake in the Life, by Moroni, adds in a note, that here an error crept in, which the author placed among his errata, thus endea- vouring to emend it, z-vAiox NuvienicE,\iQ. gives Mononia', but even so, it is faulty. For the letter n beginning the former is substituted
igo LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [May io.
Cathald," existed in Munster, besides a castle named Dun-Callaind, near Waterford, and a town called Callaind, on the confines of Leinster and Mun- ster. But, Colgan does not undertake to decide, which—if any—of these places had been identical with Cathandum,? ^ nor even to define the spot or particular territory, in which the saint was born. 77
We are informed, by Moroni, that in the time of the Emperor Adrian, or a little after Tarjan's death,7^ a certain wise man, named Dichus, gifted with a spirit of prophecy, had visions regarding the future greatness of Cathaldus. 79 However, this was a period much too early for any prophet to have lived in Ire- land, and who was also said to have been a cotemporary of our saint. ^° Hence, if we admit this account of such miraculous events, preceding and accompany- ing the birth of Caihaldus, Dichus must have lived at a much more recent period. This prophetic seer, Moroni tells us, observed a bright light over the house, in which our saint's mother resided, and at that time, she was about to give birth to her son. Having a Divine premonition, regarding the sanctity and actions of the future saint, and his mother's sufferings, Dichus hastened to Achlena's house to offer consolation. But, he was refused admission, at the time, as Achlena was alone, and her husband absent. However, from without, Dichus is said to have addressed Achlena, in these words : " Be of good courage, most happy mother, nor reprove the Almighty for his dis- regard of you, during the pains of childbirth, nor fear approaching death, nor the want of all necessaries; for, you shall bring forth a son, the propagator of true religion, and not alone an honour to his parents and country, but even an ornament to all Ireland, and, likewise, he will become the continual patron of a foreign people. "^' Achlena shortly afterwards gave birth to our saint, and she died from the pains of childbirth. It is said, her infant, falling on a stone
within the chamber, impressed the form of his tender head, even on the rock,^^ which yielded for a time like softened wax,^3 and afterwards retained its former rigidity. Not appearing to have suffered from the effect of his fall, the infant arose, and embraced his parent's lifeless body. Again, it recovered animation. With his finger, likewise, he pointed to the impression made in the stone. ^-t
An infancy, thus miraculously commenced, led to a youth of virtue
besides its being far distant from Lismore, the name of the saint's native spot is usually written Catandum. "
7° See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernire," viii. Martii, n. 2, p. 544-
'7 Owing to a similarity of name with Cathandum, and because they are in the Munsler province, where the writers of St.
