SAINT PATRICK’S DAY GREETINGS FROM THE CATHOLIC ACTION LEAGUE

Perhaps nowhere else, in what was once Christendom, can an entire nation and its vast diaspora of descendants trace their Catholic Faith and culture — and their prospects for eternal salvation — to the evangelism of a single saint. Our debt of gratitude to Saint Patrick is beyond measure.

Saint Patrick (+461) is the Apostle of Ireland and was the first bishop and archbishop of Armagh. He is also the principal patron saint of the Archdiocese of Boston.

Sent by Pope Saint Celestine I, Patrick, in a single lifetime, transformed the people of Ireland from bondsmen of death dealing Druids to disciples of the Author of Life.

As a consequence, a small island upon whose soil no Roman Legionary ever trod, would help form the character of Christendom by its leadership in the two great civilizational movements of the early Middle Ages—the preservation of the learning of Classical Antiquity, and the evangelization of Europe, known to history as the Conversion of the Barbarians.

The feast of Saint Patrick is not “a municipal festival,” as Judge Hiller B. Zobel erroneously asserted during the Saint Patrick’s Day parade case thirty years ago. Nor is it merely a communal celebration of ethnic pride, as one low wattage, nominally Catholic, ex-state senator once tried to tell us.

We commemorate the feast of our patron saint because he brought the Catholic Faith to Ireland, delivering that nation, and us, from the darkness of paganism, and showing us the fountains “that rise in the heart of Our Savior above.”

Only two Catholic organizations in Massachusetts in the last three decades, the Immaculate Heart of Mary School and the Catholic Action League of Massachusetts, have publicly defended the venerable name of our patron saint from sacrilegious exploitation and coarse trivialization by the enemies of Catholicity.

The silence of our bishops, priests, deacons, and religious is a terrible betrayal, which speaks to cowardice, the loss of Faith, the desire for human respect, and the malign influence of effeminacy in the ranks of the Church.

As the contemporary forces of paganism continue their assault against the Christian character of March 17th, and attempt to deform and de-Christianize our feast day, let us never forget that Saint Patrick’s Day is a Catholic holy day in honor of a Catholic Saint. 

Sancte Patrice, Ora pro nobis.

O God, You deigned to send Blessed Patrick, Your Confessor and Bishop, to preach Your glory to the Gentiles; grant by his merits and intercession, that those things which You command us to do, we may be enabled to accomplish by Your mercy. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.
Collect of the Feast of Saint Patrick from the Missal and Breviary of Saint Pius V

There are only two writings of Saint Patrick extant. The first is his
Confession, while the other is his Letter to the Soldiers of Coroticus. The latter bears a prophetic relevance to the modern crisis of abortion.

In it, our patron saint exhorts Catholics to avoid all fraternization with those who participate in the willful murder of the innocent:“Therefore I ask most of all that all the holy and humble of heart should not fawn on such people, nor even share food or drink with them, nor accept their alms, until such time as they make satisfaction to God in severe penance and shedding of tears…” He goes on to warn that “The Most High does not accept the gifts of evildoers.”

When you see our modern priests, prelates, and Catholic schools giving, unlawfully, awards, honors or platforms to politicians who promote the mass killing of the unborn, please remind them of the words of Saint Patrick!

Sadly, the name of our patron saint will be misappropriated by partisans of the Culture of Death when they gather on March 20th, for the so-called “Saint Patrick’s Day Breakfast.” These proponents of child killing will include Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, Bay State Attorney General Maura Healey, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, Congressman Stephen Lynch and Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley.

Once again, we are happy to present the good Sisters of Immaculate Heart of Mary School, who lightheartedly memorialized their departure from the South Boston parade with this melody to the air of “The Leaving of Liverpool”
entitled “The Leaving of Boston.”