Saint Patrick's Day: "My name is Patrick."

 

Today's gospel reading, 17 March 

Luke 5:1-11

Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. 

When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.’ Simon answered, ‘Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.’When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. So they signalled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink.

But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, ‘Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!’ For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken;and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.’ When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.

Scared Space

You can find a prayer-aid and gentle reflection for Saint Patrick's Day here: 

https://sacredspace.com/daily-prayer/2025-03-17/

Christian Art reflection for St Patrick's Day 

https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/luke-10-1-12-17-20-2025/

A poem, hymn or prayer of Saint Patrick 

Enjoy this rendition of The Deer’s Cry, also known as The Breastplate of St Patrick, a prayer or hymn attributed to St Patrick. The singer here is Rita Connolly and the music is by Irish composer Shaun Davey.

https://youtu.be/GGHWiAGpIP0?feature=shared

Saint Patrick statue, Croagh Patrick, Co. Mayo

There will be a Gentle Friendship Walk to this statue on Saint Patrick's Day, 17 March, gathering at the Murrisk carpark at 9.45am for a 10am start. All welcome. 

Info. contact Rev. Suzanne 083 800 3233.

Prayers for Saint Patrick’s Day 

 

A Prayer for Ireland

 

Almighty and merciful God, who in days of old didst give to this land the benediction of thy holy Church; Withdraw not, we pray thee, thy favour from us, but so correct what is amiss, and supply what is lacking, that we may more and more bring forth fruit to thy glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

 

Collects of St Patrick’s Day

 

Almighty God, in your providence you chose your servant Patrick to be the apostle of the Irish people, to bring those who were wandering in darkness and error to the true light and knowledge of your Word: Grant that walking in that light we may come at last to the light of everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

 

Hear us, most merciful God, for that part of the Church which through your servant Patrick you planted in our land; that it may hold fast the faith entrusted to the saints and in the end bear much fruit to eternal life: through Jesus Christ our Lord.

These collects (prayers) can be found in the Church of Ireland Book of Common Prayer (2004). 

 

 

Preparing for the St Patrick's Day parade on the Mall, Castlebar.

"My name is Patrick."

Have you ever wondered how we know what we think we know about Patrick and his life and faith, when he lived so long ago and came such a long time ago to Ireland (around 432)? You can read for yourself Patrick's words in the full text of a translation of Saint Patrick's Confessio' , at this link, https://www.confessio.ie/etexts/confessio_english# , extract below, shared with thanks.

1

My name is Patrick. I am a sinner, a simple country person, and the least of all believers. I am looked down upon by many. My father was Calpornius. He was a deacon; his father was Potitus, a priest, who lived at Bannavem Taburniae. His home was near there, and that is where I was taken prisoner. I was about sixteen at the time. At that time, I did not know the true God. I was taken into captivity in Ireland, along with thousands of others. We deserved this, because we had gone away from God, and did not keep his commandments. We would not listen to our priests, who advised us about how we could be saved. The Lord brought his strong anger upon us, and scattered us among many nations even to the ends of the earth. It was among foreigners that it was seen how little I was. 

2

It was there that the Lord opened up my awareness of my lack of faith. Even though it came about late, I recognised my failings. So I turned with all my heart to the Lord my God, and he looked down on my lowliness and had mercy on my youthful ignorance. He guarded me before I knew him, and before I came to wisdom and could distinguish between good and evil. He protected me and consoled me as a father does for his son.

3

That is why I cannot be silent – nor would it be good to do so – about such great blessings and such a gift that the Lord so kindly bestowed in the land of my captivity. This is how we can repay such blessings, when our lives change and we come to know God, to praise and bear witness to his great wonders before every nation under heaven.

4  This is because there is no other God, nor will there ever be, nor was there ever, except God the Father. He is the one who was not begotten, the one without a beginning, the one from whom all beginnings come, the one who holds all things in being – this is our teaching. And his son, Jesus Christ, whom we testify has always been, since before the beginning of this age, with the father in a spiritual way. He was begotten in an indescribable way before every beginning. 

Everything we can see, and everything beyond our sight, was made through him. He became a human being; and, having overcome death, was welcomed to the heavens to the Father. The Father gave him all power over every being, both heavenly and earthly and beneath the earth. Let every tongue confess that Jesus Christ, in whom we believe and whom we await to come back to us in the near future, is Lord and God. He is judge of the living and of the dead]; he rewards every person according to their deeds. He has generously poured on us the Holy Spirit, the gift and promise of immortality, who makes believers and those who listen to be children of God and co-heirs with Christ. This is the one we acknowledge and adore – one God in a trinity of the sacred name.

5

He said through the prophet: ‘Call on me in the day of your distress, and I will set you free, and you will glorify me.’ Again he said: ‘It is a matter of honour to reveal and tell forth the works of God.’

6

Although I am imperfect in many ways, I want my brothers and relations to know what I’m really like, so that they can see what it is that inspires my life.

[.....]

62

I pray for those who believe in and have reverence for God. Some of them may happen to inspect or come upon this writing which Patrick, a sinner without learning, wrote in Ireland. May none of them ever say that whatever little I did or made known to please God was done through ignorance. Instead, you can judge and believe in all truth that it was a gift of God. This is my confession before I die.

https://www.confessio.ie/etexts/confessio_english#

© 2011 Royal Irish Academy. Licensed under a Creative Commons License.

You can also read Patrick's Confession and his Letter to Coroticus in English translation (and in the original Latin also!) here:

https://www.confessio.ie/#

The Saint Patrick statue at the Octagon, Westport. 

Here Patrick is depicted as a young shepherd in Roman attire 

rather than as often portrayed in bishop's mitre and robes.