Unit 1

What Does it Mean to Show Respect?

Student Example

Profiles of Respect

---

Some estimate that there are about 46 million slaves in the world today.  India has the highest number of slaves. Slavery has been around for thousands of years, but why is it now uncommon in the Western world? Individuals such as Maewyn Succat had respect for others and made a difference. 

Around 400 CE, at age 16 Maewyn Succat was abducted from his village in the Roman British Isles by pirates.  He was put on a slave ship headed for Ireland.  After he arrived, Maewyn was sold to a chieftain named Milchu. He spent six years tending his master's flocks on the slopes of the Slemish Mountain. He escaped and traveled 200 miles across Ireland's to the coast where he found a ship ready to sail, but was initially refused passage. He was eventually allowed aboard. Maewyn returned to his home and family.

This was not the end of his story.  Maewyn changed his name to Patricius and decided to go back and help the people who had made him a slave. His family and friends were sad to see him go, but he was determined to return to Ireland to make a difference. He set sail in a small ship and when he arrived in Ireland, things began to change.  

"No-one has a right to enslave another human being," he said. "Riches which a person gathers unjustly, will be vomited out of that person’s stomach.... Just as cloud of smoke is blown away by the wind, so the those who gather wealth unjustly, will disappear."

Many myths and legends have grown up around this hero of Ireland, the reason why we celebrate St. Patrick's day. One of the famous legends is that Patrick drove all the snakes out of Ireland. While Patrick did not chase literal snakes, in fact, Patrick did help drive the snake of slavery out of Ireland.