9

Mountain Views-News Saturday, March 16, 2024 

CHRISTOPHER Nyerges 

 [Nyerges is an educator and the author of over two dozen books including “Urban Survival 
Guide,” “Extreme Simplicity,” “Foraging Californai,” and other books. More information at 
www.SchoolofSelf-Reliance.com]


ADOPT “CJ”

CJ, is a handsome lynx point 
Siamese with the biggest blue 
eyes you’ve ever seen! At only 
7 months old, he is a loving 
little guy ea-ger to explore. 
He is quite confident even in 
brand new surround-ings. He's 
one of those cats that can get 
along with just about any other 
cat. He loves making muffins 
on soft blankets while he me-
ows at you for affection. One of his favorite toys is the rattling 
Mouse. He just loves to bat it around, sit on it, kick it and chase 
it all over again! CJ has a great appetite so please don't hold back 
on the treats! He is nearly perfect except for the fact that he is 
way too cute! CJ is vaccinated, microchipped, neutered, and 
FIV/FeLV negative. See more beautiful pictures of CJ at

 www.lifelineforpets.org/cj.html where you can also apply to 
adopt him, or use the qr code.


THE REAL SAINT PATRICK

 

Was Saint Patrick a real person? Children are told "Saint Patrick was 
Irish, wore a green suit, talked to leprechans, and while trying to convert 
the pagans with a shamrock, he marched all the snakes out of Ireland." 
Will the real Saint Patrick please stand up?

 

His real name was Maewyn Succat, born around 385 A.D., somewhere in Scotland, or 
possibly somewhere else, as there is conflicting historical data on his exact date and place 
of birth. His baptismal name was Patricius. 

 

Around age 16, he was forcibly taken from his homeland by raiders, sold into slavery in 
Ireland, and worked for the next 6 years as a shepherd. Keep in mind that human slavery, 
as well as human sacrifice, was considered normal for those times. 

 

After six years in slavery, during which he was cold, hungry, and mostly alone, he said that 
an angel came to him in a dream, prompting him to escape and seek out his homeland. The 
voice told Patrick that his ship was waiting. So Patrick actually walked about 200 miles to 
the coast, where his dream indicated a ship would also be waiting for him. Imagine that! 
He took off and walked about 200 miles because of a dream! That’s like you or I getting a 
dream-message that tells us to walk to San Diego! Amazing. Even more amazing was that 
he found the ship, and though he had to finagle his way aboard, he successfully escaped. 
He made his way eventually back to him homeland, and then went to France to become 
a priest and missionary of the Catholic Church. He spent the next 20 years of his life as a 
monk in Marmoutier Abbey. There he once again reported receiving a celestial visitation, 
calling him to return to the land where he’d been enslaved, though now with a mission as 
a priest and converter.

 

Patricius was called to Rome in 432, where Pope Celestine bequeathed the honour of 
Bishop upon him before he left on his mission.

 

Patricius returned to Ireland not alone, but with 24 supporters and followers. They arrived 
in Ireland in the winter of 432. In the spring, Patricius decided to confront the high King 
of Tara, the most powerful King in Ireland. Patricius believed that if he had the King's 
support, he would be free to take his Christian message to the people of Ireland.

 

Patricius and his followers were invited to Tara by the King of Laoghaire. It was there that 
he was said to have plucked a shamrock from the ground to explain to the Druids and the 
King the concept of the Trinity -- The Father, The Son, and the Holy Ghost. 

 

Of course, triads and trinities were a common concept among the Druids. In fact, one could 
argue that the trinity (a term not found in the Bible) was a concept given to Christianity by 
the Druids, rather than the other way around. The Trinity is a universal principle, though 
does not seem to have been a part of the earliest Judeo-Christian teachings. Regardless, 
King Laoghaire was impressed with Patricius. He chose to accept Christianity, and gave 
Patricius the “green light” to spread Christianity throughout Ireland.

 

When Patricius returned to Ireland, he treated the "pagans" with the respect implicit in his 
dream. Part of this respect was attempting to communicate with the Druids on their terms. 
He also blended the Christian cross with the circle to create what is now known as the 
Celtic cross. He used bonfires to celebrate Easter, a Holy Day that Christianity supplanted 
with the already-existing spring equinox commemoration. In fact, he incorporated many 
of the existing symbols and beliefs into his Christian teachings.

 

Patricius spent his last 30 years in Ireland, baptizing the non-Christian Irish, ordaining 
priests, and founding churches and monasteries. His persuasive powers must have been 
astounding, since Ireland fully converted to Christianity within 200 years and was the 
only country in Europe to Christianize peacefully. There was none of the “convert or die” 
hard-sell that was so common elsewhere. Patricius’ work ended slavery, human sacrifice, 
and most intertribal warfare in Ireland.

 

Patricius was also unique in that he equally valued the role of women in an age when the 
church ignored them. He always sided with the downtrodden and the excluded, whether 
they were slaves or the “pagan” Irish.

 

According to Thomas Cahill, author of How the Irish Saved Civilization, Patricius' 
influence extended far beyond his adopted land. Cahill's book, which could just as well 
be titled How St. Patrick Saved Civilization, contends that Patricius' conversion of Ireland 
allowed Western learning to survive the Dark Ages. Ireland pacified as the rest of Europe 
crumbled. Patricius' monasteries copied and preserved classical texts. Later, Irish monks 
returned this knowledge to Europe by establishing monasteries in England, Germany, 
France, Switzerland, and Italy.

 

When the lights went out all over Europe, says Cahill, a candle still burned in Ireland – the 
candle that was lit by Patricius.

 

Veneration of Patricius gradually assumed the status of a local cult. He was not simply 
remembered in Saul and Downpatrick, but he was worshipped. Indeed, homage to Patricius 
as Ireland's saint was apparent in the eight century AD. By then, Patricius had achieved the 
status as a national apostle, completely independent of Rome. He was regarded locally as 
a saint before the practice of canonization was introduced by the Vatican. The high regard 
in which the Irish have held St. Patricius is evidenced by the salutation, still common 
today, of "May God, Mary, and Patrick bless you".

 

Patricius was not Irish, had nothing to do with leprechauns, almost certainly was not 
a drunkard who drank green beer, and didn't drive snakes out of Ireland. In fact, it is 
believed that there were no native snakes in Ireland -- that story is said to be an analogy 
for driving out the so-called “pagans,” or, at least, the pagan religions.

 

Patricius was one of the "greats" of history who nearly single-handedly preserved the best 
of Western culture when much of Europe was devolving into chaos and ruin. He deserves 
far better than 
remembering 
him in the silly 
ways we do 
today, such as 
wearing green, 
pinching each 
other, and 
getting drunk. 
He deserves 
our accurate 
memory. Yet, 
unfortunately, 
as we should 
all have learned 
by now, all of 


Pet of the Week


Michie is a special cat who is looking for a special 
person. This sweet 4-year-old girl has tested 
positively for FIV. Although FIV infections can be 
associated with clinical disease, some infected cats 
can live for many years with a good quality of life. 
Michie is otherwise healthy, so with good care and 
guidance from your vet, she has a lot of life to live 
ahead of her.

Michie is gentle and loving- she purrs whenever 
she sees her friends at Pasadena Humane and nuzzles them for attention. She loves pets 
and treats. She especially loves to combine human attention and a meal- she's a social 
eater!Due to her medical condition, Michie may need to be the only cat in the household. 
Her friends at Pasadena Humane will be happy to answer any questions you might have 
about this wonderful cat and how to care for her. 

The adoption fee for cats is $100. All cat adoptions include spay or neuter, microchip, and 
age-appropriate vaccines.

 New adopters will receive a complimentary health-and-wellness exam from VCA Animal 
Hospitals, as well as a goody bag filled with information about how to care for your pet.

 View photos of adoptable pets and schedule an adoption appointment at pasadenahumane.
org. Daily adoption appointments can be scheduled online. New adoption appointments 
are available every Sunday and Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. Walk-in appointments are 
available every day from 2:00 – 5:00.

 Pets may not be available for adoption and cannot be held for potential adopters by 
phone calls or email.


PASADENA HUMANE'S ADVICE 
WHEN THE NEIGHBOR'S DOG 
BARKS EXCESSIVELY 

Please keep in mind that barking is natural and normal canine behavior, however, when 
barking becomes excessive, it can indicate distress in a dog and become a nuisance for 
neighbors. The main reasons for excessive barking are isolation, boredom, anxiety, 
excitement, and protecting territory. Animal control officers often receive animal noise 
complaints and can only take legal action once a dog has been declared a "public nuisance." 
One neighbor alone cannot succeed in having dog declared a public nuisance. 

The neighbor must sign a petition and collect the signatures of at least two additional 
neighbors who are affected by the noise. From then, each person on the petition must keep 
a log for seven days, documenting the date and time of every instance of excessive noise. 
Each person on the log must be willing and able to attend a hearing and testify against the 
dog owner. It is up to the legal system to determine if the pet is a nuisance. 

Since the process can be long and laborious, they offer an educational approach instead. 
The Pasadena Humane Society enforcement officers recommend the following:

Providing the dog with daily walks and enrichment

Keeping dogs inside when the family is not home

Closing windows and limiting access to visual stimuli and exciting triggers, such as 
people or other dogs walking by

Turning on the TV or radio to provide ambient noise

Hiring a dog walker or going to doggie daycare

The Pasadena Humane society takes barking dog complaint seriously and do everything 
they can by law to work with the neighbors to resolve these complaints. To learn more 
about the process, please contact Pasadena Humane Society by visiting their site.