"May your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow
and may trouble avoid you wherever you go."
(An Irish Blessing)
    Christ be with me,
   Christ within me,
   Christ behind me,
   Christ before me,
    Christ beside me,
    Christ to win me,
          Christ to comfort and restore me.
    Christ beneath me,
    Christ above me,
     Christ in quiet,
      Christ in danger,
          Christ in hearts of all that love me,
      Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

                --St. Patrick's Breastplate*

*What stands out in his writings is Patrick's sense of being called by God to the work he had undertaken, and his determination and modesty in carrying it out:
"I, Patrick, a sinner, am the most ignorant and of least account among the faithful, despised by many....I owe it to God's grace that so many people should through me be born again to Him."*

~~~ Connie Faust

A TALE OF GOOD SAINT PAT

Begorrah, and I'm Irish,
as Irish as can be;
I love to chat about Saint Pat--
a very good man was he!

When good St. Pat came into town,
they say the snakes turned tail;
"Twas likely an old Irish fable,
told up and down the vale.

They say he dressed in Irish green,
a shamrock in his hand,
and when he danced an Irish jig,
he danced 'cross all Ireland!

Saint Pat was not a braggin' man,
nor kissed he the blarney stone;
He had one hero he boasted of--
'twas Jesus Christ alone!

Let's tip our hats to Paddy dear,
you lads and lassies true ;
May you follow the ways of good St. Pat,
and follow His Savior, too.