NEW POPE FRANCIS SENDS ST. PATRICK'S DAY GREETINGS TO THE PEOPLE OF IRELAND.............

Pope Francis about to celebrate his first Sunday as the Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church which this year is the Fifth Sunday of Lent, but otherwise is commemorated as St. Patrick's Day, the Apostle of Ireland, has recognized the day by sending one of his first official messages of prayer and blessing.  American born Archbishop Charles Brown, the Papal Nuncio to Ireland received from Pope Francis, a formal communication on Friday afternoon to be extended to Irish President Michael D. Higgins, wishing happiness to the Irish people on their national feast day.  The newly elected Roman Pontiff also, "commended the nation to the powerful intercession of St. Patrick", at the start of his pontificate.  The message in the opening days of Pope Francis' ministry as the 266th Successor of St. Paul, may also signal a personal pastoral commitment to the New Evangelization, including the Irish, given the fallout from the sexual abuse scandals and its adverse impact of the Irish people in  their support and adherence to the Catholic Church and substantial decline in Mass attendance in recent years.  This occurring as in other countries during the past decade, in the nation primarily evangelized and converted to the Catholic-Christian Faith by St. Patrick in the 4th and 5th centuries, instilling in the Ireland with a depth of rootedness in the Faith, that made them the. leading evangelists to the World until two thirds through the 20th Century.............tdp