Today, we celebrate the Feast of all the Saints of Ireland.
Renowned as being the land of Saints and Scholars, Ireland has over 300 Saints, one for almost everyday of the year.
Yet, only 4 Saints – St Malacy, St. Lawrence O’Toole, St. Oliver Plunkett and St. Charles of Mount Argus – have been formally canonised.
All other Irish Saints, including St. Patrick and St. Brigid, are Saints by acclamation of the local Church.
Pope Benedict XV beatified Oliver Plunkett in 1920 and also during his papacy the Feast of All the Saints of Ireland was instituted. The same Pope also granted Ireland the honour of having a litany of its native Saints approved for public recitation.
Only four Saints, St Malachy (1094-1148), St Lawrence O’Toole (1128-80) and St Oliver Plunkett (1625-81) and St Charles of Mount Argus (1821-93), have been officially canonised. All the other Irish Saints, such as Saints Patrick and Brigid, are Saints as it were, by acclamation of the local Church.
The scope of this feast, while it includes canonised Saints, is wider. It also includes those who had a reputation for holiness and whose causes for canonisation have not yet been completed, such as Blessed Thaddeus MacCarthy, Blessed Edmund Ignatius Rice and the Servant of God Matt Talbot and people like Legion of Mary envoys Edel Quinn and Alfie Lamb, whose causes have already been introduced. But it also includes those whose lives of sanctity were known only to their families, friends or members of their parish diocese or religious community.
