“Although it is not contained in St. Patrick’s own writings, the traditional prayer which we know as St Patrick’s Breastplate, harmonizes with the picture of the saint which we pick up in his own writings,” he continued.
The archbishop said he prays that those who are struggling in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, for whatever reason, will find in St. Patrick “the courage and resilience they need to go on, surrounded, as he was, by the love and protection of God.”
“Thinking about Ireland, north and south, at this pivotal moment in our shared history,” he said, “a time when we look back one hundred years: to separation and partition on this island and all that has happened to divide, grieve and polarize us.”
“Thinking at the same time about the achievements and progress of Irish people, and about the possibilities for lasting peace and reconciliation, for harnessing the beauty and uniqueness of our land, and for building relationships that will bring us closer together rather than divide us – I pray that we will find in St. Patrick a source of courage, shared identity and values and the resilience we need to face with confidence new possibilities for today and tomorrow on this island,” Martin said.
Hannah Brockhaus is Catholic News Agency's senior Rome correspondent. She grew up in Omaha, Nebraska, and has a degree in English from Truman State University in Missouri.