I agree with this. It was a very Catholic act, the belief in the power of prayer coupled with personal hardship.
As a 'cradle' Catholic partly educated at rigorous Catholic schools I find Patrick instantly recognisable as a pre Vatican 2 typical Catholic child, encouraged to think in terms of Catholics and non-Catholics. The latter, so we were taught/indoctrinated, could get to Heaven but it was far harder for them. Once this idea of natural spiritual superiority has taken root it takes years of shifting. Also, I seem to remember that Patrick shows surprise that C of E types seem to wear their religion lightly and know so little about it. The bit where Mrs Marlow says the children have to occasionally turn up at church to save her embarrassment is light years away from the Catholic who would attend come what may or risk the future of their immortal soul.
Things are different now, of course, but I think AF characterises her Catholics in a very true way for the time she was writing.
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As a 'cradle' Catholic partly educated at rigorous Catholic schools I find Patrick instantly recognisable as a pre Vatican 2 typical Catholic child, encouraged to think in terms of Catholics and non-Catholics. The latter, so we were taught/indoctrinated, could get to Heaven but it was far harder for them. Once this idea of natural spiritual superiority has taken root it takes years of shifting. Also, I seem to remember that Patrick shows surprise that C of E types seem to wear their religion lightly and know so little about it. The bit where Mrs Marlow says the children have to occasionally turn up at church to save her embarrassment is light years away from the Catholic who would attend come what may or risk the future of their immortal soul.
Things are different now, of course, but I think AF characterises her Catholics in a very true way for the time she was writing.