Patron Saint

T.O. at Lamland alerted me that Moneybags at A Catholic Life was drawing Patron Saint names for the year for those who request it.

The Saint who chose me this year is St. Patrick! My knowledge of Saints is pretty pathetic. I will have to read up on this popular Saint. In any case, my pastor is of Irish descent and the associate pastor at a neighboring parish is genuinely Irish, complete with the lilt. Both are excellent homilists. It is my pastor who has endeared me to the Irish flavor of Catholicism: kinda gruff, just a hint of rough, but amazingly, unashamingly sweet but not syrupy, and solidly strong.

I do like St. Patrick's "breastplate," of which the following is an excerpt:

Christ to shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that there may come to me abundance of reward.
Christ 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 when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.