Patron Saint of Ireland - Patrick

BUT!  Then you hear or read of those who proclaim that St. Patrick was never officially declared a Saint by the Catholic Church - and most of us then say, um, WHAT?! While it is true that St. Patrick was not declared a Saint, in the same manner, most other Saints have been so declared - one must look at the REASON his canonization was different. The fact is, in the first millennium the formal canonization process had not been fully developed. However, to proclaim he was never officially canonized is simply NOT TRUE! The fact of the matter is, in ancient times, starting about 787 A.D., a new church had to have a relic from a Saint before it could be consecrated.

In 1177, a knight named John de Courcy built a new monastery and he, with Bishop Malachy, applied to Pope Urban III for permission to have the remains of Sts. Patrick, Brigid, and Columcille moved to the new monastery. An investigation was conducted and a Solemn Translation (elevato corporis) was approved. Pope Urban sent Cardinal Vivian with his official commission for the verification of the sanctity of the persons (Patrick, Brigid, and Columcille), followed by an all-night vigil prior to moving the remains. For the day, this WAS an official declaration of sainthood by and through the Catholic Church (McCormick, 2011). 

The process of declaring one a saint has changed many, many times throughout the ages, most recently in 1983 and 1997 (McCormick, 2011). So, while St. Patrick's official canonization was not according to the modern means - he was most definitely recognized as a Saint of the Catholic Church and BY the Catholic Church in 1177 A.D.

References

McCormick, M. (2011). St. Patrick IS a Saint! Ancient Order of Hibernians.                https://aoh.com/2011/03/01/st-patrick-is-a-saint/ 

Second Sunday of Lent

Lent is our season of Exodus. The Hebrews spent 40 years in the desert with Moses before they could enter into the Promised Land. Jesus spent 40 days fasting in the desert before He entered into Holy Week - His Passion and death - and our redemption. We spend 40 days in penance in remembrance of our Lord and His 40 days of preparation for the jubilation of Palm Sunday, the trials of Holy Week and the glory of His Resurrection on Easter Sunday. 

The readings for the Second Sunday in Lent include the Transfiguration of our Lord. Jesus went up on the mountain with Peter, James and John and while there they were joined by Moses and Elijah, each of whom had their own Exodus as well. Of course we know of the Exodus of Moses from the Book of Exodus, which he wrote. When Moses went up on the mountain and saw God, the glory of God was reflected in his face that his face shown bright (Exodus 34:29-35) so bright that Aaron and the others could not look upon it. This radiance was just the reflection of God - but when Jesus went upon the mount and the Transfiguration took place, His face radiated and so did His clothes - not in reflection, but as the source of the Light (Luke 9:29). They saw Jesus speaking with Moses and Elijah and then a voice from Heaven stated, "This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased" (Luke 9:35). The Apostles with Him fell to the ground and when they looked up, Moses and Elijah were gone.  Elijah's Exodus was a bit different, as he did not experience death, but was just taken into Heaven (2 Kings 2:11). Moses was at the mount to represent the Law, Elijah was there to represent the Prophets. They were there with Jesus to show the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets in Jesus, the Christ. 

So as Lent proceeds we are reminded of this glorious event of Transfiguration - with God revealing Himself through His Son as a reminder that He is the Light of the World. As our struggles through this life proceed and as we travel through Lent offering up our little sacrifice(s) as a constant reminder through this season of what Jesus went through for us - we are assured of the Resurrection and the Promise.

This year the Feast of St. Patrick also falls on this Sunday, but his feast day is superseded by the Second Sunday of Lent. I will conclude this entry with an Irish prayer:

May God give you...
For every storm, a rainbow,
For every tear, a smile,
For every care, a promise,
And a blessing in each trial.
For every problem life sends,
A faithful friend to share,
For every sigh, a sweet song,
And an answer for each prayer.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!