March 17^th, is the day, said to have been when St. Patrick, known as the Apostle of Ireland, returned to the Lord.  We call this “Day of Birth”, Dias Natalis in Latin which is the day of birth into heaven. The actual year of his death is disputed, but we know that he did pass away somewhere between 460 and 500 A.D.  Some people would have him living until the ripe age of 120 years.   I suspect not.  Patrick or Padraig was not born in Ireland , but was born in the United Kingdom .  Again, I have read different accounts.  Depending on what source you read, Patrick could have been born in Wales , possibly in England , and even, in Scotland .  Sources agree, he was born in the United Kingdom to parents who were officials of the Roman Empire and he was kidnapped as a young boy, and taken to Ireland .  Interestingly, while in captivity, he came to love Ireland and its people.  Eventually, he escapes as a young man, goes back to the continent, is theologically formed, reconnects with his family, but returns to Ireland as a priest.  Later, he becomes a bishop.  Most of St. Patrick’s ministry is in the northern part of Ireland , but his influence is felt throughout the Emerald Isle.  The county of Armagh , in the North, is considered, the Seat of St. Patrick, and this is where, St. Patrick’s Cathedral is situated.  I visited it, in July of 2011, and it is a most beautiful Church.  The modern day contention is that Christianity was already in Ireland , when Patrick arrived, but there is no doubt, that Patrick, strengthened the Church, and brought many an Irish person to Christ.  One of the famous women, that St. Patrick is said to have converted, was St. Brigid of Kildare.  St. Patrick is famous for his explanation of the Trinity, because he used the shamrock to explain, the three persons in one God.  That is why, you will see statues of St. Patrick holding a shamrock in his right hand.  I had my photograph taken next to such a statue in an old abbey church in Kilkenny.  

Some people would like to relegate St. Patrick to only being “legend,” and that many of the stories about him are seen as legend, but this serves a great injustice,  to the priest, bishop, and mystic that He was, because he was so fully graced by Jesus Christ. When the words about St. Patrick, say that he, chased the “snakes” out of Ireland, it really means, that he was as an Apostle, with Christ, casting out demons as he sojourned around Ireland, taking the message of Christ to the people who could be open, but who often were extremely hostile. St. Patrick wasn’t about converting Christians, he was about converting people who subscribed to an ancient Celtic religion called Druidism. It is believed that it was the druids who were described as “snakes, and so, it is said, that he was, chasing the snakes out of Ireland . I was struck by the physical resemblance between “Moses” and “St. Patrick” with the “long beard”, and the carrying of the “staff”.  Patrick probably felt like he was in a wilderness experience attempting to bring Christ to a “rugged people” in what would have been a very “rugged land”. There are believed to be two authentic letters of St. Patrick and the most famous one is his “Confessio” or Declaration, in which are found details of his life. You will find, Padraig McCarthy’s version of St. Patrick’s “Confession” on the Association of Priests website at http://www.biblical.ie/cyberbooks/ConfPatrk.asp  

It is interesting that by the time, this blog, appears, for St. Patrick’s, Day, we will probably have a new pope.  It is my hope that St. Patrick was all over that conclave and the process of choosing the pope, hopefully, guaranteeing, that the “snakes” were chased out.  

So while St. Patrick lived in the 5^th century and completed his work for Christ .I think,   his intervention, continues and should continue for today!, aside from being present at the conclave. How I see St. Patrick intervening today, is in the work of the new evangelization, helping those, who are commissioned to preach the Word of God and to reform the Church, and probably not just the Irish one!  St. Patrick’s relevance for us today, is also about being a timeless example of what it is to give one’s life for Christ , as well as, modeling for the Church, always, and forever, enduring faith, and the work of spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ.  

St. Patrick, as a member of the Communion of Saints, is a “near and dear” “friend” of mine.  He was a humble, yet, great priest, bishop, and mystic. He so, so, loved the people of Ireland , and I personally, believe, that when, he said, he would never, abandon them, he meant it.  I would stake my life, on the belief, that St. Patrick, is probably assisting the Irish People even from heaven. Truly, he was a priest in the order of Melchizedek, a priest chosen by Christ himself, and one that is forever with Christ!  St. Patrick ought to be an inspiration not only for the people, but also for anyone serving as a priest or bishop in the Church today!.  

I count on Christ and St. Patrick every day.  Everyday, I carry with me, in that, “ladies pocket” of mine, his famous breast plate prayer.  

            I arise today through God’s strength to pilot me.  God’s might to uphold me.  God’s wisdom to guide me

                God’s eye to see before me.  God’s ear to hear me.  God’s word to speak for me.  God’s hand to guard me.

                God’s way to lie before me, God’s shield to protect me.  God’s host to secure me----against snares of devils, against

                Temptations and vices , against inclinations of nature, against everyone who shall wish me ill, afar and anear, alone

                And in a crowd.

                Christ be with me.  Christ before me.  Christ behind me.  Christ in me.  Christ beneath me.  Christ above me. 

                Christ on my right, Christ on my left.  Christ where I lie.  Christ where I sit.  Christ where I arise.  Christ in the

                Heart of every one who thinks of me.  Christ in the mouth of everyone of speaks of me.  Christ in every eye that sees

                Me.  Christ in every ear that hears me.  Salvation is of the Lord,  Salvation is of the Lord.  Salvation is of the Christ.

                May your salvation O Lord be ever with us.  

I often recite the entire prayer before I start my day, but if not, I recite the nucleus of his prayer which is:  

 Christ be with me.  Christ before me.  Christ behind me.  Christ in me.  Christ beneath me.  Christ above me.  

If St. Patrick could pass on a message today to the Irish faithful of God, it might well come from Thessalonians, chapter 3, verse 13.  The scripture is a part of the section entitled:  “Plea for Growth in Holiness” Saint Patrick, I’m sure even from heaven, desires only Christ for the people and that they grow to maturity in Him.  I can “hear” St. Patrick saying:  

            May Christ   strengthen your hearts, making them blameless and holy

                Before our God and Father  

Given the fact, that St. Patrick is the Patron Saint of Ireland, there are Sunday readings for March 17^th in Ireland, a part from the Church Universal  5^th Sunday of Lent Readings, but I thought, the second reading from Philippians, Chapter 3: verses 8-14 of the 5^th Sunday of Lent, was very descriptive of St. Patrick.  The scripture is as follows:  

                Brothers and sisters:  I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ

                Jesus my Lord.  For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish,

                In order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes

                From the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith.               

I want to know Chrsit and the power of his resurrection and the sharing  of his sufferings by bcoming

                Like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead  

Not tthat I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my

Own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.  

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do:  forgetting

What lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of

The heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.  

I can hear St. Patrick reciting and praying this passage, can’t you? and in particular, these  sentences:  

“Brothers and sisters:  I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord”  

and:.  

“….I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus”.

 Indeed, Saint Patrick was only about Christ and unfortunately, who, he really was, is often lost in the secular celebrations of St. Patrick’s Day.  I encourage anyone who would like to know more about St. Patrick, the holy man, the priest, the bishop, and the mystic, to read the many books and web references available.  I have included just a couple below:  

There are a number of on-line sources of information about St. Patrick.

You can find the following on the web:  

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sain _Patrick  

www.history.com/topics/who-was-saint-patrick  (Short videos available on this site)  

Saint Patrick’s Day is particularly memorable for me this year as I have just become an Irish Citizen through the ancestry of my grandfather. I resonate with St. Patrick, who was, and who is, in Christ, He too, is very much my heart, my home, and my hero!  

In honor of St. Patrick, I suggest you listen to the hymn, “Hail Glorious St. Patrick”, which is heard throughout Ireland , on his Feast Day.  Here is the link to a version by the Irish Tenors, one of them being a Canadian named, John McDermott.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTn8PWwB5TM