Saint Who?
Saints Who Abandoned Riches
Saint Laurence O’Toole
Bishop († 1180)Feast: November 14
Lawrence O’Toole (also spelled Lorcán Ua Tuathail) was the youngest son of an Irish chieftain. During a dispute between his father and the king of Leinster, ten-year-old Lawrence was sent as a hostage to Leinster. For two years, the boy was imprisoned and even starved. When his father found out about the mistreatment, he threatened reprisals until Lawrence was released into the care of the bishop of Glendalough.
His experience of suffering apparently affected the young boy deeply. Lawrence’s decision to renounce his position and become a monk had profound effects on the Irish Church and indeed all Ireland.
Lawrence was only twenty-five years old when he was named abbot, and he showed himself to be such a prudent and virtuous leader that he was made an archbishop at thirty-three. As bishop, he was a dedicated reformer who worked to ensure that his priests were worthy ministers of the Church. But he became best known as a peacemaker, as he negotiated between Irish and English princes and kings (including the one who had imprisoned him) and resolved disputes between Irish bishops and the pope. A man of true forgiveness, he even pardoned a mentally ill man who tried (and failed) to assassinate him.
King of Peace, give us the wisdom to bring
peace to troubled situations today.
