The St. Patrick’s Day We Need

In two assignments that I had a priest, I had the real blessing of serving with a wonderful man who was born and raised in Ireland. He came to the United States as a young man, became an American citizen, served in the U.S. Air Force, and was totally dedicated to Catholic education. He served as school principal in one parish where I served, and as vice principal in another. His name was Ultan Oman, but he went by “Pat.”
           
Pat’s love for Ireland and the Catholic Faith inspired me in many ways. The teachers who worked under him and the school children who saw him daily loved him very much. He was a no-nonsense, practical man who possessed a deeply spiritual bent that saw through the worldly and materialistic points of view and centered firmly on the power of prayer and the love of God.
           
After one of Pat’s returns to his beloved Ireland, he brought a gift back for me. He handed me a small box. As I opened the box, I saw three words in Gaelic written on a leaflet, “An Paidrin Beag”—“The Little Rosary.” Also in the box was a one-decade rosary. A crucifix in the style of a Celtic cross was on one end of a short chain made of very sturdy metal links. The one Our Father bead and the ten Hail Mary beads connected by the chain were square in shape and made of beautiful green Connemara marble, found only in the West of Ireland. On the other end of the short chain was a simple ring that might be found on any key ring.
           
Pat explained to me that this little rosary was also called a “penal rosary.” It was used by Irish Catholics during those dark days of their history known as the Penal Times. During those years (from about 1540 to 1731) any Irish person going to Mass (celebrated in secret), displaying any practice of the Catholic Faith, or found possessing a rosary could be severely punished, even by death. Pat said that this “little rosary” could be easily hidden from the eyes of officials, often up one’s sleeve.
           
The Irish little rosary is an amazing testimony to the dedication of the Irish people to their faith in God and their love for His Holy Mother. No matter what they might have suffered, they would not give up on what they believed to be true.
           
Pat Oman embodied for me this wonderful spirit of unwavering trust in God and complete dedication to the Faith—no matter what!
           
As we look forward to the celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, perhaps we should not put all the emphasis on parties, parades and festivities. I think St. Patrick himself would give us different counsel. That great Apostle of Ireland would say to us, “Go to Mass on my feast day and receive the Body of Christ. (That was denied to my Irish people during the penal times.) Take out the rosary and ask the Mother of God to bring peace to all people. (The Irish had to hide their rosaries for fear of their lives). To honor me on my feast day, turn back to God.”
           
Now, don’t get me wrong. I am not opposed to festivities on the feast day of good St. Patrick. I would not discourage anyone from enjoying a parade, a jig or reel, or a piece of soda bread. What I am saying is this.  In a world that has seen the invasion of Ukraine, bombings of maternity hospitals, destruction of family life, the abortion of millions of children, the cancel culture and divisive and demeaning speech, I think that a daily life of prayer and works of charity would heal human hearts and make the world more peaceful and loving.  That’s what St. Patrick would want.  That’s the kind of St. Patrick’s Day that we need.


Most Reverend William J. Waltersheid
Auxiliary Bishop of Pittsburgh