From the desk of the Tar Heel disciple:
March 17, 2026 (#85)
The Confession of Saint Patrick
With the annual return of the feast of Saint Patrick on March 17, the standard memes and promotional images return, emphasizing shamrocks, leprechauns, and green beer. Civic parades are an anticipated cultural (and sometimes political) event in many cities, as are Saint Patrick's Day dinners, featuring corned beef and cabbage in numerous American parishes. And liturgically, unless a diocese or parish counts St. Patrick as its principal patron, in the United States, the memorial (“feast”) of St. Patrick is entirely optional, eclipsed at most Catholic altars by the days of Lent.
Details of the life of Saint Patrick, broadly accepted as having been mostly situated in the 5th century, is debated by scholars and devotees alike. Even a brief search on the internet will show reputable sources proposing different dates for both his birth and death. And, of course, there is the plethora of legends connected to his life which are held as facts by some and improbable hagiography by others.
There are, however, true writings attributed to the saint which are broadly accepted as authentic: the Confession of Saint Patrick and the Letter to the Soldiers of Coroticus. Both are available in book form and online. The Royal Irish Academy maintains a website which features these works in a variety of languages, including English, Latin, and Gaelic. With its wealth of materials, the site includes copies of ancient manuscripts as well as audio versions of these and related texts. It a great site to explore for contextual commentary and even introductory video on the subject: https://www.confessio.ie/#
Saint Patrick's Lorica, also known as the Deer’s Cry or Breastplate, has often been attributed to the saint, but few scholars today would recognize it as such. Nevertheless, it is a powerful prayer for protection that better represents the spiritual heritage of the patron saint of Ireland than shamrocks and leprechauns. It is most worthy of mediation and prayer not only on the 17th of March, but throughout the year.
For an interesting video which provides an introduction to as well as a recitation of the prayer, see: https://www.google.com/search?q=breastplate+of+st+patrick&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS1131US1131&oq=breastpalte+of+&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqCQgDEAAYDRiABDIGCAAQRRg5MgkIARAAGA0YgAQyCQgCEAAYDRiABDIJCAMQABgNGIAEMgkIBBAAGA0YgAQyCQgFEAAYDRiABDIJCAYQABgNGIAEMgkIBxAAGA0YgAQyCQgIEAAYDRiABDIJCAkQABgNGIAE0gEINzMwNWowajmoAgawAgHxBUpG971GVbNt&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:729483bf,vid:S9iNX_LRBow,st:0
The Confession of St. Patrick and other writings, as well as devotional material related to the Patron Saint of Ireland can be found at:
https://inhisname.com/search?options%5Bprefix%5D=last&q=st+patrick
