Today November 14

Today is the feast of St. Lorcan Ua Tuathail, known to the world as Laurence O'Toole, (1128 - 1180). He could be the patron saint of kidnap victims, since he was held for ransom for two whole years by the rival MacMurroughs (kind of like the Hatfields to the O'Toole's McCoys). But the difference was -- his father Maurice O'Toole had handed him over to them! He was forced, but still. Laurence was only 10 years old. At first he was treated well and lived in their castle, but later he was taken far away to a hut in a "desert, stony place" and nearly starved to death. Finally, Maurice negotiated his release. Apparently he felt he'd made a deal with God, because when Laurence got home, Maurice announced ominously that one of his four sons was going to be given to God for the priesthood and the boys were going to have to draw lots and the one who got the short straw had to be a priest. Laurence just burst out laughing. (It's good to see a saint laughing.) He said lots weren't necessary, as he'd already decided to be a priest!

He went to the monastery in Glendalough, Ireland, to take his training and remained there as a monk-priest, eventually being elected abbot. Even after he'd been made archbishop of Dublin (the first native Irishman to be so), he returned year after year to that lovely valley to make a 40-day retreat.

Laurence's troubles were only just begun when he assumed the archbishopric. He was cursed to live in interesting times. The blood feud between the O'Tooles and the MacMurroughs had ended with the marriage of Laurence's sister with Dermot MacMurrough. But their troubles hadn't ended there. He beat her -- and worse -- he cheated on her. And not with just anyone, but with another man's wife: Dervorgilla, wife of Tiernan O'Rourke, prince of Breffni. It was enough to cause an invasion of Ireland by the English (the Anglo-Norman invasion). The country was once again torn by war, but once again it was resolved with a felicitous marriage: Eva (Laurence's niece) was married to Richard "Strongbow", leader of the invaders.

During the famine that ensued after the invasion, Laurence, like Joseph, fed the people from the Church's stores. He tried to keep the Norman occupying forces from slaughtering the people when the peace treaty was in peril -- and he walked to the front lines to do so. He was always on the side of the Irish through the many ups and downs of British-Norman rule, and went to Henry II in England on behalf of his people. Henry, however, grew less and less willing to talk to him, so Laurence found himself having to chase him all across France. Laurence grew ill at Eu and died there at the abbey of St. Victor, where his remains are still enshrined. His last words were in answer to a request he write a will: "God knows I haven't a penny under the sun to leave anyone." St. Laurence O'Toole, son of Ireland, pray for us.