March 21st - St. Enda of Arranmore, Abbot

March 21st - St. Enda of Arranmore, Abbot
(also known as Eanna, Endeus, Enna)

Born in Meath; died at Killeany, Ireland, c. 530 or 590; feast day formerly
on
March 16.  In the 6th century, the wild rock called Aran, off the coast of
Galway, was an isle of saints, and among them was Saint Enda, the patriarch
of
Irish monasticism. He was an Irish prince, son of Conall Derg of Oriel
(Ergall)
in Ulster. Legend has it that the soldier Enda was converted by his sister,
Saint Fanchea, abbess of Kill-Aine. He renounced his dreams of conquest and
decided to marry one of the girls in his sister's convent. When his financé
died
suddenly, he surrendered his throne and a life of worldly glory to become a
monk. He made a pilgrimage to Rome and was ordained there. These stories
told of
the early life of Saint Enda and his sister are unhistorical, but the rest
is
not. More authentic vitae survive at Tighlaghearny at Inishmore, where he
was
buried.

It is said that Enda learned the principles of monastic life at Rosnat in
Britain, which was probably Saint David's foundation in Pembrokeshire or
Saint
Ninian's in Galloway. Returning to Ireland, Enda built churches at Drogheda,
and
a monastery in the Boyne valley. It is uncertain how much of Enda's rule was
an
adaptation of that of Rosnat.

Thereafter (about 484) he begged his brother-in-law, the King Oengus
(Aengus) of
Munster, to give him the wild and barren isle of Aran (Aranmore) in Galway
Bay.
Oengus wanted to give him a fertile plot in the Golden Vale, but Aran more
suited Enda's ideal for religious life. On Aran he established the monastery
of
Killeaney, which is regarded as the first Irish monastery in the strict
sense,
`the capital of the Ireland of the saints.' There they lived a hard life of
manual labor, prayer, fasting, and study of the Scriptures. It is said that
no
fire was ever allowed to warm the cold stone cells even if "cold could be
felt
by those hearts so glowing with love of God."

Enda divided the island into ten parts, in each of which he built a
monastery,
and under his severe rule Aran became a burning light of sanctity for
centuries
in Western Europe. Sheep now huddle and shiver in the storm under the ruins
of
old walls where once men lived and prayed. This was the chosen home of a
group
of poor and devoted men under Saint Enda. He taught them to love the hard
rock,
the dripping cave, and the barren earth swept by the western gales. They
were
men of the cave, and also men of the Cross, who, remembering that their Lord
was
born in a manger and had nowhere to lay His head, followed the same hard
way.

Their coming produced excitement, and the Galway fishermen were kept busy
rowing
their small boats filled with curious sightseers across the intervening sea,
for
the fame of Aran-More spread far and wide. Enda's disciples were a noble
band.
There was Saint Ciaran of Clonmacnoise, who came there first as a youth to
grind
corn, and would have remained there for life but for Enda's insistence that
his
true work lay elsewhere, reluctant though he was to part with him. When he
departed, the monks of Aran lined the shore as he knelt for the last time to
receive Enda's blessing, and watched with wistful eyes the boat that bore
him
from them. In his going, they declared, their island had lost its flower and
strength.

Another was Saint Finnian, who left Aran and founded the monastery of
Moville
(where Saint Columba spent part of his youth) and who afterwards became
bishop
of Lucca in Tuscany, Italy. Among them also was Saint Brendan the Voyager,
Saint
Columba of Iona, Jarlath of Tuam, and Carthach the Elder. These and many
others
formed a great and valiant company who first learned in Aran the many ways
of
God, and who from that rocky sanctuary carried the light of the Gospel into
a
pagan world.

The very wildness of Aran made it richer and dearer to those who lived
there.
They loved those islands which "as a necklace of pearls, God has set upon
the
bosom of the sea," and all the more because they had been the scene of
heathen
worship. There were three islands altogether, with lovely Irish names:
Inishmore, Inishmain, and Inisheen.

On the largest stood Saint Enda's well and altar, and the round tower of the
church where the bell was sounded which gave the signal that Saint Enda had
taken his place at the altar. At the tolling of the bell the service of the
Mass
began in all the churches of the island.

"O, Aran," cried Columba in ecstasy, "the Rome of the pilgrims!" He
never
forgot
his spiritual home which lay in the western sun and her pure earth
sanctified by
so many memories. Indeed, he said, so bright was her glory that the angels
of
God came down to worship in the churches of Aran (Attwater, Attwater2,
Benedictines, D'Arcy, Delaney, Encyclopedia, Farmer, Gill, Healy, Husenbeth,
Kenney, Montague).

Article on the Monastic Life of the Aran Islands
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01677b.htm

Troparion of St Enda tone 8
O Father of Irish monasticism, from Candida Casa thou didst settle on
the Isle of Aran,/ where thou didst train Saint Colum Cille and other
glorious Saints./ Holy Father Enda, pray to Christ our God to grant us
His great mercy.

Saint Quote:
I ground my faith upon Jesus Christ, and by Him I steadfastly believe to be
saved, as is taught in the Catholic Church through all Christendom, and
promised
to remain with Her unto the world's end, and hell gates shall not prevail
against it: and by God's assistance I mean to live and die in the same
faith;
for if an angel come from heaven, and preach any other doctrine than we have
received, the Apostle biddeth us not to believe him. Therefore, if I should
follow your doctrine, I should disobey the Apostle's commandment.
-Saint Margaret Clitherow while imprisoned

Bible Quote:
5 For neither did his brethren believe in him. 6 Then Jesus said to them: My
time is not yet come; but your time is always ready. 7 The world cannot hate
you; but me it hateth: because I give testimony of it, that the works
thereof
are evil.  (John 7:5-7)


<><><><>
Dear Angel, ever at my side, how lovely you must be,
to leave your home in heaven to guard a child like me.
When I'm far away from home or may be hard at play,
I know you will protect me from harm along the way.
Your beautiful and shining face, I see not, though you are near;
the sweetness of your lovely voice, I cannot really hear.
When I pray, your praying too, your prayer is just for me.
But when I sleep, you never do, you're watching over me.
Amen.
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