Feast of St Patrick

St Patrick’s Day was the holiday I loved most when I was young. I always wore a big bunch of shamrock because I saw it as a badge of my identify. It defined who I was and how I saw myself – poud to be Irish and proud of the faith St Patrick is credited with bringing to these shores. It’s why I chose Patrick as my Confirmation name.

We tend to see pride in a negative way, as one of the seven deadly sins, but it has a positive aspect also. It’s about appreciating who we are and acknowledging what we have to celebrate. And that’s what people at home and around the world do on St Patrick’s Day. We take pride in our Irishness.

Of course, that pride took a battering in recent years following our economic meltdown. Thousands of young people who should be celebrating at home today are instead celebrating far from home. Life continues to be a struggle for thousands who are in debt or without work.

What would St Patrick say if he returned to Ireland today? I think he would highlight all the good things we should be proud of: our extraordinary generosity, which is even more extraordinary in hard times; the strong community spirit in our towns and parishes; the wonderful creativity of so many people, which expresses itself in arts, music, culture, business and sport; the resilience we have shown in the midst of all our hardships.

All of these he would tell us to celebrate. And I think he would encourage us to use these strengths and resources to build a more just society, that can offer a decent future to all our people.

Pride in the Church has also taken a battering. For so long we were proud of our missionary tradition, of the wonderful work Irish missionaries have done in every corner of the world, not only to build up the faith, but also to introduce education and health care. And we were proud of our own faith that had stood firm over centuries.

Now we look on a tarnished Church, crippled by scandal, from which so many people have walked away.

What would St Patrick say about the Church in Ireland today? I think he would highlight all the good things that are happening in the Church that we should be proud of: parents who try to pass on the faith despite all the challenges; activists like Fr Peter McVerry who are standing alongside the most vulnerable in our society; organisations like the St Vincent de Paul who are the face of Christ to so many hard-up people; catechists, volunteers, and all who give of their time to be involved in parish life.

All of these he would tell us to celebrate. And he would remind us that whatever about losing faith in the Church and its leadership, we should never lose faith in God. He would tell us to hang onto our faith, for we can be certain that we will need it. It was his faith that sustained Patrick in his difficult times. God will be there for us always, too.