Saint Patrick's Day in Boston is a time to celebrate our pride in our heritage, grateful to our ancestors who with great courage came to these shores and made a new life in America. We are grateful for our Catholic Faith that came to our ancestors through the ministry of the Bishop Saint Patrick, Apostle to Ireland.

Saint Patrick was sent as a missionary by the Holy Father to preach the Gospel in Ireland. Patrick also had A great love for the poor and saw evangelization as his number one priority. When you read about Saint Patrick, you learn what type of man he was. He was a man who remained strong in his faith, even in the midst of hard times and adversity. As a slave, he never lost hope -- and as a Bishop, when he was rejected because of his preaching of the Gospel, he never gave up. He kept his eyes fixed on Jesus, and he teaches us to do the same!

I pray that our celebration of this great saint might be for us an opportunity to grow in the faith of this holy man, a faith that gave him extraordinary strength in the midst of life's difficulties.

In the words of an old Irish prayer, I extend my affection and impart my blessing:

May the road rise up to meet you.

May the wind be always at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face,

and rains fall soft upon your fields.

And, until we meet again,

May God hold you

in the palm of His hand.

God bless you, and Happy Saint Patrick's Day



- Cardinal Seán P. O'Malley, OFM Cap. Is Archbishop of Boston