T
x
o f P s atrick e r u t n e an d v d A Pa e h
Based on the life of St. Patrick Written by Brigette Hartges Illustrated by Krystal Van De Hey
Illustrated by Krystal Van De Hey
Written by Brigette Hartges
T
x
o f Patrick s e r u t n e an d v d A Pa e h Based on the life of St. Patrick
This book was produced in the Fall of 2014 at St. Norbert College in De Pere, WI. This book is a collaboration between design and teacher education students. It is typeset in Trebuchet MS and was digitally printed by the college print center. All illustrations were produced by Krystal Van De Hey using colored pencil, watered-down acrylic paint and chalk pastels, then they were scanned into photoshop for minor editing and placed into InDesign.
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I jaunted over to Patrick, my life-long owner and best friend. Patrick and I did everything together—from playing ball, to walking to school, or roaming around the cobblestone streets of Britain; whatever it was, we always had a good time because we were together. I nuzzled up next to Patrick, who was sprawled out in the field overlooking the sea, twirling a three-leaf clover between his fingers as we waited for his father, a deacon, to return from the church.
“Isn’t this neat?” Patrick asked, with a look of wonderment on his face.
I leaned in to sniff the new discovery, and it was at that moment that I heard it—thumping feet in the distance, growing louder and louder, coming towards us at a daunting pace.
The hair on my back stood straight up, and I could hear the gruff voices of men getting closer and closer.
Before I knew what was happening, two burly men grabbed Patrick and tied his hands together with a course rope. Patrick struggled to get away, and I tried with all of my might to help him, but the men were just too strong. I whimpered despairingly as I watched them take Patrick away from me.
What was I thinking? I had to follow them! I scampered behind, making sure not to be seen by the pirates.
As they approached the edge of the sea, the men hurled Patrick into their ship, and just as it was making it’s way into the vast grey-blue waters, I jumped on board and stayed by Patrick’s side. I could see the worry in his eyes, and I nestled close as raindrops began to trickle down Patrick’s face. I dozed off to sleep wondering if we would ever see home again.
When I awoke, we were in a place that I had never before seen. The fields were green and the hills rolled softly, but I still knew that we were a long ways from home. Later, we would find out that we had been taken to the pagan land of Ireland.
I followed behind as the pirates ushered Patrick into a damp, drab barn. Their firm voices made words which Patrick and I did not understand, but soon, Patrick would realize the outline of his new life—he would tend the sheep and the fields, and he would not complain.
Every day, Patrick took the sheep to the pasture, making sure that they were protected and well fed. He watched over them as if they were his own sheep, and he was willing to protect them with his life. Being in the fields all day long gave Patrick plenty of time to think. He missed his family and friends dearly, but deep inside, he felt an even greater emptiness—he felt a part of his heart missing. He longed for something more than just his family and friends—even I couldn’t make him truly happy.
It was then that Patrick started praying. He had always known about God, but had not really trusted in Him, or had him as a friend. All of that changed when Patrick’s life that he had always known was taken away. I saw Patrick get down on his knees every morning, and I heard his songs of praise carried through the fields on the breeze. Every day, I saw Patrick filled with joy, a joy that he had never known before.
Patrick and I continued to tend the fields day after day, and day after day, our friendship grew. The joy that Patrick now had because of his relationship with Christ kept me inspired, and we never gave up hope. After six years of being in Ireland, Patrick learned the language and customs of the people.
One night, as Patrick was in a deep sleep, he suddenly awoke and jumped up off of the ground. “Pax! We need to go!” We left with the clothes on our back, and headed towards the coast. Patrick explained that God had appeared to him in a dream, telling him that it was time to leave Ireland. Completely trusting in his Lord and Savior, he risked the long journey to the coast, with no food and no water. He also risked punishment of being caught, but Patrick didn’t care, he just knew that he had to listen to the Master of the Universe.
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And so we hopped on board, and returned the same way we had come before, except this time, there was a ray of light in Patrick’s eyes and in his heart.
When we finally reached Britain, Patrick ran to his home and embraced his family—they were reunited at last! Patrick told them all about his adventures in Ireland, and about how what he had experienced changed his life.
“Sometimes,” he said, “God uses things that seem bad, to lead you closer to His heart.”
Through spending time talking and listening to God in prayer, Patrick felt a calling to become a priest. He studied long and hard in order to reach this goal, and it paid off.
Not only did he become a priest, but he became a bishop, and about 28 years after he was reunited with his family, he felt God calling him to go back to Ireland and to share his joy, truth, and love, with the people who were suffering there.
Patrick and I sailed back to Ireland, and did just that. Although he was scared, he knew that the Lord was with him, keeping him safe and guiding him along the way. He now knew that the purpose of his life was to share love, and to help others see the light. He shared God’s word with the very people who had made him a slave. He realized that even though they had taken away everything he once had, they had also given him everything he had ever wanted, by allowing him to completely rely on God.
Patrick wanted to share that with all of Ireland. By sharing the good news of Christ, and by living as an extraordinary example of love and service, Patrick helped thousands of people find the joy that he found in the love of Christ!
He built churches all over the country, and even helped Kings and Queens to find hope and love in the truth of God. Patrick continued his mission for the rest of his life, with me by his side, but more importantly, with the Lord in his heart.
“Christ beside me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ within me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me.� ~Saint Patrick