Due to the unusual structuring of Irish society, early Celtic Christianity’s basic unit of ecclesiastical organization became monasteries. Each tribe had its own monastery, and an abbot was placed in charge of the communities. Though some priests were often present to perform sacraments, the abbots had the ultimate authority. Essentially, the most “distinctive feature of Celtic Christianity was its profound monastic character,” which included the austerity with which monasticism was viewed (47). Life in solitude was also common in Irish Christianity, and those who were able to successfully live as hermits were given great reverence. Lastly, Celtic Christianity revolutionized the practice of penance, transforming it from a public practice to a private act. The faithful were called to offer a confession of their sins, no matter how small, to their superiors in a one on one setting. This also led to the development of handbooks of penances, booklets that both specified the gravity of a variety of sins, and offered ways in which the sinner could be forgiven.

The Penitential of Cummean spells out in great detail different variations of sins, and suggests what one can do to return to favor with God. These transgressions include gluttony, fornication, and anger, among others. Penitential likely goes into such deep detail to provide as much clarification as possible for how one can obtain forgiveness, depending on the nature and degree of the offense. Irish monastic society at the time was extremely strict and structured, and Penitential may have believed the lengthy descriptions to be of the utmost importance. This text is described by the author as being medicine, due to the fact that it was believed to be a remedy for the illness one experienced in sin. Clearly, Irish society, which so valued this penitential system, was wholeheartedly devoted to Christianity, as they believed it to be the ultimate source of righteousness. Finding favor with God was seen as the most important thing for an individual to achieve, and this document was looked upon as a pathway for salvation.

Further, a document entitled The Rule of Monks by Columbanus was produced to clarify the manner in which monks were to live their lives. Among the values listed in this document are obedience, silence, poverty, chastity, and discernment. As mentioned by Madigan, those monks who were able to stay in silence for long periods of time were looked upon with extreme respect. Sexual ethics were highly prioritized as well, as outlined in both the Penitential of Cummean and the Rule of Columbanus. These values seek to promote the monks in the community to “love God with all our heart … and our neighbor as ourselves” (246). The command of obedience, for example, could have served to bring the monks closer to God, due to the fact that obedience can lead one on the path of discipleship, according to the document. Similarly, it is written that “the cultivation of righteousness is silence and peace” (247). This is why the monks strived to live in tranquility, because they believed that in silence, they were demonstrating their love for God. Chastity was likewise said to strengthen one’s relationship with the divine, as God favored a mind that was undefiled and free of lust (249). Additionally, the values of the monk were said to bring the monk and his neighbor closer together, as by virtue of their pure and holy lifestyle, they could therefore learn humility and patience from one another (256). Judgment was not to be passed between the monks, as that was seen as the job of the Father. This particular code aimed at strengthening the bond between the monk and God and the monk and neighbor, and like the Penitential of Cummean, it utilizes great detail to convey the intended message.