St. Lawrence O'Toole

St. Lawrence O'Toole

Born about 1128 in the present County Kildare, Ireland;
Died 14 November 1180 at Eu in Normandy

Not actually a son of Dermot II McMurrogh King of Leinster, though he was in a sense permanently anchored to the king, his own sister marring the king. His father was the Chief of Hy Murray, and his mother of the Clan O'Byrne. At the age of ten Lawrence had been taken as a hostage by King Dermot.

In 1140 Lawrence obtained permission to enter the monastic school of Glendalough; in that valley-sanctuary he studied for thirteen years, conspicuous for his piety and learning. So great was his reputation in the eyes of the community that on the death of Abbot Dunlaing, early in 1154, he was unanimously called to preside over the Abbey of St. Kevin at the age of 25.

Dermot II King of Leinster, married Lawrence's sister Mor, and, though the king's character has been painted in dark colors by the native annalists, he was a great friend to the Roman Catholic Church. In fact, he founded an Austin nunnery, of the reform of Aroaise, in Dublin Ireland, with two dependent cells at Kilculliheen (County Kilkenny) and at Aghade (County Carlow), in 1151. He also founded an abbey for Cistercian monks at Baltinglass, and an abbey for Austin canons at Ferns.

Lawrence, through humility, declined the See of Glendalough in 1160, but on the death of Gregory Archbishop of Dublin (8 October 1161), he was chosen to the vacant See, and was consecrated in Christ Church Cathedral by Gilla Isu (Gelasius) the Primate of Armagh early in the following year. This appointment of a native-born Irishman and his consecration by the successor of St. Patrick himself marks the passing of Scandinavian supremacy in the Irish capital, and the emancipation from canonical obedience to Canterbury which it had obtained under the Danish bishops of Dublin.

Lawrence soon set himself to effect numerous reforms, commencing by converting the secular canons of Christ Church Cathedral into Aroasian canons (1163). Three years later he subscribed to the foundation charter of All Hallows Priory, Dublin (founded by King Dermot), for the same order of Austin canons.

Not content with the strictest observance of rules, he wore a hair shirt underneath his episcopal dress, and practiced the greatest austerity, retiring for an annual retreat of forty days to St. Kevin's cave, near Glendalough.

At the Second Siege of Dublin (1170) Lawrence was active in ministration, and he showed his political foresight by paying due deference to Henry II King of England during that monarch's stay in Dublin.

In April, 1178, Lawrence entertained the papal legate Cardinal Vivian, who presided at the Synod of Dublin.

Lawrence successfully negotiated the Treaty of Windsor, and secured good terms for Roderic King of Connacht.

He attended the Lateran Council in 1179, and returned as Legate for Ireland. The holy prelate was not long in Dublin till he deemed it necessary again to visit King Henry II (impelled by a burning charity in the cause of King Roderic), and he crossed to England in September of that year. After three weeks of detention at Abingdon Abbey, St. Lawrence followed the English King to Normandy.

Taken ill at the Augustinian Abbey of Eu in Normandy, he was tended by Abbot Osbert and the canons of St. Victor; before he breathed his last he had the consolation of learning that King Henry had acceded to his request.

He was formally canonized as Saint Lawrence O'Toole in 1225 by Pope Honorius III.

References

https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/saints/lawrence-otoole-666
(Taken from Catholic Encyclopedia)

More about him from https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=365

St. Lawrence, it appears, was born about the year 1125. When only ten years old, his father delivered him up as a hostage to Dermod Mac Murehad, King of Leinster, who treated the child with great inhumanity, until his father obliged the tyrant to put him in the hands of the Bishop of Glendalough, in the county of Wicklow. The holy youth, by his fidelity in corresponding with the divine grace, grew to be a model of virtues. On the death of the bishop, who was also abbot of the monastery, St. Lawrence was chosen abbot in 1150, though he was only twenty-five years old, and governed his numerous community with wonderful virtue and prudence. In 1161 St. Lawrence was unanimously chosen to fill the new metropolitan See of Dublin. About the year 1171 he was obliged, for the affairs of his diocese, to go over to England to see the king, Henry II, who was then at Canterbury. The Saint was received by the Benedictine monks of Christ Church with the greatest honor and respect. On the following day, as the holy archbishop was going to the altar to officiate, a maniac, who had heard much of his sanctity, and who was led on by the idea of making so holy a man another St. Thomas, struck him a violent blow on the head. All present concluded that he was mortally wounded; but the Saint came to himself, asked for some water, blessed it, and having his wound washed with it, the blood was immediately stopped, and the Archbishop celebrated Mass. In 1175 Henry II of England became offended with Roderic, the monarch of Ireland, and St.Lawrence undertook another journey to England to negotiate a reconciliation between them. Henry was so moved by his piety, charity, and prudence that he granted him everything he asked, and left the whole negotiation to his discretion. Our Saint ended his journey here below on the 14th of November, 1180, and was buried in the church of the abbey at Eu, on the confines of Normandy. His feast day is November 14th.