SAINTS CORNER - The Bishop with a Breastplate: The Story of Saint Patrick

Hello! It's Julia again! We are decorating our school for our Saint Patrick's Day party! We have made shamrocks with gold glitter and have put Irish flags all over our school! Sometimes, with all this fun, it's hard to remember the story of Saint Patrick and why we celebrate it in the first place!

Saint Patrick is one of the most popular saints. His feast day is celebrated all over the world! But, did you know that Saint Patrick actually wasn't from Ireland? He wasn't! He was captured by slave traders and he had to leave his home in the country of Wales. He lived in Ireland until he was twenty, herding sheep. He left when God told him that a ship was waiting to take him back to Wales.

One night, Patrick had a dream. In the dream, he was begged to return to Ireland. Patrick was inspired to become a priest. When he was ordained a bishop, he returned to Ireland. At first, many of the Irish were skeptical about his religion. They clung to their old pagan beliefs. Saint Patrick was able to convert them, and he built many churches in Ireland. He preached in Ireland for forty years!

Saint Patrick used shamrocks to explain the Trinity to the Irish. He showed them how the shamrock has three leaves, one for each member of the Trinity. If you look close enough, you can see that each leaf on the shamrock is shaped like a heart!

Saint Patrick taught us a special prayer. It is called Saint Patrick's Breastplate.

Saint Patrick's Breastplate

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.

Saint Patrick, PRAY FOR US!