Celtic Christianity and its Monastic Influence on the Church

Introduction

Before the predominant model of monasticism began by St. Benedict
of Nursia at Monte Cassion in 520 A.D., monasticism had another
model in the newly converted Celtic lands of the Far West -
introduced by St. Patrick (ca. 461 A.D.). The monasteries of
Celtic Christianity became centers of ecclesiastical life as well
as great schools of learning. The leaders of Celtic Christianity
were famous abbots like: Sts. Samson, Cadoc, Gildas, and David.
They carried their monastic ideal across most of Europe: Luxeuil
in ca. 590 A.D.; Jumieges in France; Stavelot and Malmedy in
Belgium; St. Gall in Switzerland; and Bobbio in Italy. These
monasteries were founded by the Irish monks.

St. Patrick Christianizes Ireland

After being carried as a slave to Ireland around ca. 401 A.D.,
Patrick became acquainted with both the country and the language.
Upon returning to England in 407 A.D., writings say that he
probably became a monk in the monastery of Lerin, then became a
cleric in Auxerre, and eventually was sent as a missionary to
Ireland where he acted as bishop. St. Patrick not only converted
the Celtic tribes well but also organized it ecclesiastically.
Because of his monastic formation, a monastic character became
typical of Irish Christianity. It was the monasteries that became
the religious center for each of the numerous Celtic tribes.
Aside from the monastic leaders already mentioned in the previous
paragraph, other great holy founders of the Irish Church are:
Finnian, Columban the Elder of Hy, Comgall of Bangor, Brendan,
Kevin, and Columban the Younger.

Irish Catholicism and private confession

In the sixth century, the monastic ideal that blossomed in Ireland
became popular. Monasteries eventually became advanced schools of
intellectual life and piety. The island produced countless saints
and scholars and was called the "Insula Sanctorum". This golden
age of the Irish Church lasted until about 740 A.D. It was from
this Irish monasticism that the entire Catholic Church inherited
the practice of private confession. The custom of private
confession was first practiced by the Irish monks, who eventually
recommended it to the lay faithful because they asked for advice
on spiritual matters. Private confession became an instrument of
spiritual guidance.

A monasticism which has a missionary spirit

In spite of its strong anchoritic (hermit) character, Irish
monasticism also had a strong missionary spirit. Holy pilgrimage,
the "Perigrinari pro Christo", was their ascetic ideal. This
active Irish missionary monks were especially active in
northwestern Germany, in Franconia, in Thuringia, Alemannia,
Swabia, and Bavaria. Among the better known missionary monks
were St. Kilian of Wurzburg (martyred in 689 A.D. with Colonatus
and Totnanus), Pirminius (d. 753 A.D.), Corbinianus of Freising
(d. 725 A.D.), Fridolin of Sackingen (ca. 600 A.D.), Trudpert of
the Untermunster valley (d. ca. 607 A.D.), Rupertus of Worms
(d. ca. 718 A.D.), Emmeranus of Regensburg (d. 715 A.D.), Findan
of Rheinau (d. 878 A.D.), Furseus (d. ca. 647 A.D.), Eligius
(d. ca. 660 A.D.), Amandus, Lambert, and Hubertus.

Conclusion

After learning this summarized history of monasticism in the
Celtic Church, we see that the monastic charism is like a prism
with many colors. Each color of the monastic charism represents
a specific monastic spiritual tradition that has sprung from the
following of Christ and His gospel. Of the many monastic ideals
(such as that of St. Basil in the East, the monks of the desert
in Egypt, and the Benedictine monks of the West), the specific
contribution of Irish monasticism to the whole Church is a more
sophisticated and ascetic striving for perfection through the
individual guidance given in private confession. Now that Vatican
II prescribes also communal penitential services, private
confession remains and still continues to be a cherished tradition
of the Church to this day.