I
came to the Irish people to preach the Gospel and endure the taunts
of unbelievers, putting up with reproaches about my earthly
pilgrimage, suffering many persecutions, even bondage, and losing my
birthright of freedom for the benefit of others. If I am worthy, I am
ready also to give up my life, without hesitation and most willingly,
for Christ’s name. I want to spend myself for that country, even in
death, if the Lord should grant me this favor. It is among that
people that I want to wait for the promise made by him, who assuredly
never tells a lie. He makes this promise in the Gospel: “They shall
come from the east and west and sit down with Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob.” This is our faith: believers are to come from the whole
world.
– Saint
Patrick of Ireland from "The Confessions of Saint Patrick"
Saint
Patrick of Ireland's
patronage: Ireland;
against snakes; against ophidiophobia; archdiocese of Boston,
Massachusetts; diocese of Burlington, Vermont; engineers; excluded
people; fear of snakes; diocese of Fort Worth, Texas; diocese of
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; archdiocese of New York; Nigeria; diocese
of Norwich, Connecticut; ophidiophobics; diocese of Portland, Maine;
diocese of Sacramento, California; snake bites.
