Rectory Ramblings - Father Patrick
| Sunday March 15, 2009 |
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Dear Parishioners,
This week we celebrate the feast days of two of the greatest Italian saints, Saint Patrick and Saint Joseph. This
week I will concentrate on Saint Patrick since his feast day is March 17. We will look at Saint Joseph in my
next letter.
Saint Patrick, what a great saint! It’s always nice when someone named after you is made a saint. (That was a
joke in case you didn’t pick up on it.) Many of you know Saint Patrick was not Irish. He was most likely born
in Britain and was from Roman heritage. We know very little about him, but what we do know for certain
comes from his own writings. We have two of Saint Patrick’s writings, the Confession and Letters to the
Soldiers of Cortices.
The Saint tells us that when he was sixteen he was kidnapped and brought to Ireland where he worked as a
shepherd. After six years of slavery Patrick managed to escape first to France and then back home. He went to
Ireland against his will as a wild young man who turned away from God but when he left his energy and zeal
was for the Lord. When he finally got home he was so happy to be with his family but his time there would be
short lived. He says that the voices of the Irish haunted him. He couldn’t get this people or their strange
language out of his mind. He heard them cry out to him to bring them the Gospel.
Patrick was so moved he began preparation for the priesthood so he could return to Ireland to bring them
Christ. After his ordination and because of various circumstances Patrick was sent back to Ireland as a
missionary Bishop. In Patrick’s zeal for the Lord Jesus he converted the Irish to the Catholic Faith.
These days the Church is in desperate need of more Saint Patricks. Young men and women who have such
zeal for the Lord Jesus that there is nothing too great that they wouldn’t sacrifice for the sake of the Kingdom.
We need young men to say yes to the Lord as priests and young women to say as consecrated and religious
women.
Saint Patrick is not only the patron Saint of Ireland; he is also the patron Saint of the Archdiocese of Boston.
Therefore Cardinal Sean has asked us to pray a special novena through the intercession of Saint Patrick for an
increase of vocations to the priesthood and religious life.
Novena to St. Patrick
O Glorious St. Patrick, who was sent to the people of Ireland to spread the faith and spend
your life in loving service to God and His people we now turn to you Patron of Boston, to
intercede for us.
Help us clasp unto our hearts, this day, the healing strength of the Trinity. May the example of
your life, preaching and prayers inspire fervent and loving followers of Jesus in our
Archdiocese. May your prayers obtain for the grace to work together in building up the
Church in Boston.
Pray for us to be open to the Holy Spirit and to live the vocation to holiness by loving God
above all things and our neighbors as ourselves.
Intercede for us with the Master of the Harvest to send an abundance of workers into the
fields. May your prayers obtain for us more devoted Priests, Deacons and Religious to serve
God and His Church. Amen
Please take some time this month to pray this novena for this important intention.
God bless you.
Father Patrick |