ST. PATRICK, APOSTLE OF IRELAND, PATRON TO THE WORLD..........

As the enter the last hour of this St. Patrick's Day 2010, I hope, "the lilt of Irish laughter" has filled your day, be it in the wearing of the green, or in the drowning of the shamrock over a pint or a measure, or an Irish breakfast, or (bacon) corned beef and cabbage lunch or dinner, or at a St. Patrick's Day Mass. My St. Patrick's Day began earlier than usual for a Wednesday morning as I drove to St. Rose's / St. Patrick's in South Sacramento, to concelebrate and preach at Msgr. Kavanagh's annual St. Patrick's Day Mass and Irish Breakfast celebration. It was a festive celebration with a full church and a sizable group in the Kavanagh Hall for more than two hours of worship and fellowship. I then headed back to Sacred Heart Parish in East Sacramento to celebrate the Lenten seasonal Mass at McKinley Healthcare Center on 'H' Street, then had a corned beef and cabbage lunch with a pint of root beer (I chose to save my Patrick's day spirit for Joe & Deb Mcamara's annual patronal feast day party on Saturday) at the BonLair British Pub on J Street two blocks down from SacHeart Church, and then tonight the Disciples On The Journey ministry meeting at the home of Martin and Sarah Ruano...I also chatted online, or spoke on the telephone with my friends in Ireland, Fr. Daniel Bollard, Patricia Shortall, Fr. Oliver Maher, all in County Kilkenny; and Stephen and Kay McDaid, in Letterkenny, County Donegal..........St. Patrick's Day PEACE + PRAYERS, Fr. Troy