Born during the fifth century, St. Enda inherited control of a large territory in present-day Northern Ireland from his father, Conall. His sister, St. Fanchea, had embraced consecrated religious life and looked unfavorably on the battles and conquests of her brother. She tried to persuade Enda to lay down his arms and be at peace. He agreed, however, only if she would give him a young girl in the convent for a wife. When Enda discovered that his fiancee had died, he lost all interest in his life and gave up his claim to the throne. He left Ireland for several years, embarking on a transformative journey that led him to embrace the monastic life. During this period of reflection and spiritual growth, he dedicated himself to the rigorous discipline of monasticism, ultimately leading to his ordination as a priest.
On Enda's return to Ireland, he requested his brother-in-law Aengus, the king of Munster, to grant him land for a monastic settlement in the Aran Islands. The monks who lived in this monastery lived a hard life of work, prayer, fasting, and studying the Scriptures. He also founded a monastery in the Boyne Valley and several others throughout the island. With St. Finnian of Clonard, Enda is considered the founder of monasticism in Ireland. During his lifetime, Enda's monastic settlement on the Aran islands became an important pilgrimage destination and a center for evangelizing surrounding areas. St. Enda died in old age around the year 530.
St. Enda, obtain for us the grace to overcome the love for worldly matters and a genuine love for the Kingdom of God. Amen.
Prepared and updated by:
Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,
Penampang, Sabah Malaysia.
No comments:
Post a Comment