Attend Mass, pray for emigrants, Irish bishops say in St. Patrick’s Day statement
March 17, 2014
The bishops of Ireland have issued a statement for St. Patrick’s Day.
“We pray through the intercession of our national patron, St Patrick, for the faith and well-being of the people of Ireland,” the bishops said. “Saint Patrick was called to serve and bring God to a people far from his homeland. As Saint Patrick’s Day is a Holy Day of Obligation for Catholics in Ireland, the best way to honor him is to attend Mass.”
“In 2014 we celebrate our national Saint’s day in the midst of an ongoing economic recession which has resulted in domestic heartbreak throughout Ireland for many individuals and families due to the pressure of unemployment and emigration,” they continued. “As the plight of Patrick, himself a migrant, has been faced by many Irish people who have struggled to live and integrate into new cultures, we encourage all the faithful to pray for migrants at home and abroad as many face challenges arising from displacement and poverty.”
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