"PATRICK CAME from Britain. It is worth remembering," the Catholic primate Cardinal Seán Brady has said in a sermon to mark the occasion.
Speaking at St Patrick's Roman Catholic Cathedral in Armagh, he said: "Today, because of Patrick, millions of people are proud to say, 'I am Irish'... today, Irish people, across the world celebrate the blow-in saint who brought us the Good News of Jesus Christ."
He contiued: "there, in his native Britain, Patrick received his early education. From his father and mother, and grandfather, he learned those virtues which would help him all his life ... Patrick proves to us that our first, and often most important teachers, are our parents."
His hope "on this St Patrick's Day, is that more and more Irish people, who have lost their connection with the faith, will rediscover it and rediscover what St Patrick called the joy and love of faith," he said.
The cardinal was speaking on Saturday night when the solemnity of St Patrick was celebrated by the Catholic Church this year as St Patrick's Day [today] falls in Holy Week. As the days of Holy Week rank above all others in the Church's liturgical calendar, the solemnity had to be transferred from its usual date. It also meant that as it was transferred from its normal date the celebration of St Patrick on March 15th was not a holy day of obligation.
