The breastplate of St. Patrick

Baton Rouge is preparing to roll out its 38th Annual Wearin’ of the Green Parade on March 18, kicking off at Hundred Oaks Avenue.

Crowds will beckon for beads, many which will land on trees and tell of the party for some time to come. In a distinct Catholic connection, Bishop Michael G. Duca is set to carry on the tradition of the bishop of the Diocese of Baton Rouge riding in the parade.

St. Patrick Day celebrations are generally intended for fun and even during this solemn season of Lent, Catholics “take a breather” and enjoy themselves. It’s known as one of those points of celebration that dot the Lenten horizon.

While there is a nod toward the day’s namesake, St. Patrick, took seriously his role as a warrior for God. To some, he is even referred to as “the first warrior.”

St. Patrick was born of a Romanized family. The date of his birth is not certain.  At age 16 Irish raiders from his father’s villa, Calpurnus, kidnapped him. He spent six bleak years of slavery in Ireland as a herdsman.

He was fervent in his faith. After dreaming that the ship on which he was to escape was ready, he fled his master and found passage to Britain.

After he suffered a second brief captivity, during which he almost starved to death, he was reunited with his family.

After another dream, he returned to Ireland. When a letter headed, “The Voice of the Irish,” was given to him, he read it and a company of Irish beseeched him to read more. However, he was so moved he could not continue to read.

He eventually went about baptizing and confirming with untiring zeal.

The saint dealt fairly with non-Christians, but he lived in constant danger of martyrdom. On one occasion he was cast into chains. He also suffered when news was sent of his converts being slain or kidnapped by the soldiers of Corticus.

In his writing the “Corticus Letter,” St. Patrick speaks of the Franks as “heathens.” Through St. Patrick some of those “heathens” were baptized en masse. St. Patrick, spoke of himself as evangelizing heathen Ireland.

A well-known prayer “St. Patrick’s Breastplate” (also called the Lorica, form the Latin word for Roman armor) is a prayer to take up in spiritual battle that is attributed to St. Patrick. It is said to call for the armies of heaven to combat the armies of Satan.

If you are deep in spiritual struggle, a favorite Irish saint offers points of wisdom, such as the shamrock, which St. Patrick is said to use to explain the Holy Trinity with each leaf representing the Father, Son and Holy Spirit as well as faith, hope and love.

But he may also toss you his breastplate.

From the St. Patrick’s Breastplate Prayer:

Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.