Rector of Knockbreda publishes book on St Patrick
Canon Bill Press, the rector of Knockbreda Parish, recently took a sabbatical and has written Patrick and the Gospel, a new book which seeks to uncover the real Patrick and apply this to modern Christian life and witness.
Bill has had an interest in Ireland’s patron saint for some years now and discovered that he wrote two documents that can be traced back to the fifth century - the Confession and the Letter to the Soldiers of Coroticus.
They are some of the earliest Irish writings and reveal a missionary bishop who was passionate about evangelism and church planting in Ireland.
Bill hopes the book will encourage Christians today in rediscovering who Patrick really was and what he believed as he evangelised Ireland.
“His passion for mission will issue a real challenge for Christians today,” he says. “Reading Patrick will teach us about his utter commitment to the spread of the gospel and should surely move us to prioritise evangelism in our day.
“His surrounding culture was vastly different to ours, of course, but his central message was effective then and the same powerful gospel has been given to us by God. Could Patrick’s wholehearted commitment to the gospel stimulate us to be as evangelistically active as he was?”
Patrick and the Gospel is available for £10 and proceeds go to the Crosslinks Mission Society.
Copies can be obtained from Amazon, Down Cathedral bookshop, The Book Well or directly from Bill at Knockbreda Parish.