Priests share important lessons from St. Patrick’s life
To celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, Jersey Catholic spoke with the pastors of the three archdiocesan parishes named for “the Apostle of Ireland.” Read on to discover more about the beloved St. Patrick.
Lesson 1: Faith helps overcome adversity
He may be synonymous with Ireland, but St. Patrick is actually not Irish. In fact, as he recalled in his autobiography “The Confession of Saint Patrick,” Ireland’s future patron saint first arrived in the Emerald Isle as a slave after pirates abducted him from his native Britain when he was 16. Over the next six years he was forced to work as a shepherd, but he wrote that he overcame his despair by turning to God and converting to Christianity. In fact, his faith is what led him to freedom, with St. Patrick writing that God’s voice told him how to find the ship on which he fled back to Britain.
St. Patrick conquering adversity through faith is an example to all Catholics, according to Father Marc-Arthur Francois, pastor of St. Patrick & Assumption/All Saints Parish in Jersey City. Father Marc-Arthur pointed out that St. Patrick was not particularly religious before his enslavement, and he could have easily continued to ignore God and succumbed to his suffering. Instead, he chose to build his faith, which got him through his struggles. Anyone facing hard times should look to St. Patrick for inspiration, he said.
“St. Patrick is a wonderful saint,” Father Marc-Arthur said. “He was very strong in his spirituality, he was very strong in his apostolic life, and he was very strong in his pastoral life. He faced a lot of challenges, but he never lost his focus on Christ and the cross of Christ.”
But St. Patrick is not just a testament to perseverance through faith. As Father Camilo Cruz, pastor of St. Patrick’s Pro-Cathedral in Newark, pointed out, the “Apostle of Ireland” is also a role model of Christ-like love due to his willingness to return to the land of his enslavement and share the gift of Christianity. That level of absolution is rare and extremely commendable, Father Camilo said.
“He went to the very people who hurt him, who kidnapped him, who caused the darkest time in his life, and he saw them as brothers and sisters in Christ who needed to hear about Jesus,” Father Camilo said. “I can’t imagine a more epic tale of forgiveness.”
The life of St. Patrick is also a reminder of God’s constant presence, said Father Ryan Dela Pena, pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary and St. Patrick Church in Elizabeth. Much like St. Patrick always felt the Lord was with him, today’s Catholics should know God is always present for them too, Father Ryan said. They just need to look around.
“Christ is before us not just in a mystical way, but in a real way with regards to our brothers and sisters around us,” Father Ryan said. “I think that’s why St. Patrick was able to put his faith into action as a missionary — he realized the Lord is all around us.”
Lesson 2: Immigrants can make a huge difference
St. Patrick wrote in his autobiography that after he escaped slavery and became a priest, he had a dream in which a man named Victoricus called on him to become “The Voice of the Irish.” So, he returned to the Emerald Isle and set about converting the pagans who populated the area. It was not easy — the saint faced heavy resistance from many of the locals, he recalled — but he persevered, baptizing thousands of people. According to the Catholic News Agency, he even adapted his Christian teachings to make them easier to understand, like using a cloverleaf to explain the Holy Trinity.
Ireland eventually became a region dominated by Catholics, and it is all thanks to St. Patrick. To Father Marc-Arthur, this success reflects the classic immigrant story of a foreigner arriving in a new land, withstanding difficulties, adjusting to the new culture, and ultimately making a positive difference. And the fact that the Emerald Isle remains staunchly Catholic to this day shows the profound impact migrants can make, he said.
On a similar note, Father Ryan pointed out that the diverse makeup of his parish named for St. Patrick demonstrates the unifying nature of faith. He said he finds it “amazing” that he — as a Filipino priest — is serving a majority Hispanic congregation in a church that was originally built for Elizabeth’s Irish immigrants. And he believes this devotion is a testament to the power of God that St. Patrick spoke of centuries ago.
“It just shows that faith goes beyond boundaries,” Father Ryan said.
Lesson 3: All must answer God’s call — even if it scares them
The future “Enlightener of Ireland” was actually quite unsure about his ability to spread the Word, as he recalled in his “Confession.” Though he felt God’s call to become “The Voice of the Irish,” St. Patrick wrote that he was very insecure about his lack of education. He wrote that he worried he would be unable to effectively communicate his thoughts to learned people.
The fact that St. Patrick overcame his fears to launch one of the largest conversion movements in history shows Catholics they too must answer God’s call even if they do not feel “ready,” said Father Camilo. Doubt often makes people afraid to begin their journey into ministry, he said, but they cannot let their worries stop them. God wants them to act, he said.
“We are never ‘prepared’ enough to be disciples,” Father Camilo said. “What Jesus requires is only a small amount of love, faith, and openness. We can all share the gospel. We are living, walking gospels on this earth.”
To Father Marc-Arthur, St. Patrick rising to the occasion to answer God’s call demonstrates how crucial it is for everyone to find His will in their own lives. He said the Lord speaks to everyone, even in their toughest times. People just need to listen.
“It’s up to us to be open to the will of the Holy Spirit,” Father Marc-Arthur said. “We have to pay attention to how and where the Holy Spirit is moving us. God has a greater purpose for all of us.”
Featured image: A statue of St. Patrick at Immaculate Heart of Mary and St. Patrick Church in Elizabeth (Photo courtesy of Father Ryan Dela Pena)
