"It's a Great Day For The Irish"

 ... and a great day to celebrate family roots, memories and traditions. 

In my mind I can still hear my father singing "When Irish Eyes are Smiling" and I say a prayer of Thanks for my Irish Heritage!  

Being Irish Catholic meant that we lived by the church calendar.  We began lent with ashes reminding us of the weaknesses of our temporal bodies and then observed strict fasting and sacrifice.   

However right there, in the middle of lent, came St. Patrick's Day!   

In New York, St. Patrick's Day was considered a special feast day.  School was closed and the rules of fasting and sacrifice were suspended as we celebrated the saint who brought the Catholic Faith to Ireland. 

St. Patrick's Day for me meant watching the parade in New York City and singing and dancing in the St. Patrick's Day festival at St. John's Church in my hometown of White Plains.  Now, living in Maryland, we make our own celebrations – sometimes a party or sing-a-long, but today just a nice dinner and good conversation with friends.  

As I looked around at all the shamrocks and green scarves, bow ties and beads I thought about what being Irish really means to me?  Some have called the Irish a sanguine, happy-go-lucky people and others say we are a melancholy race.  And in a way they are both right.  

But what did I inherit from my Irish roots?   The answer is simple.  Faith!  Faith in God and Faith in Family!

If you want to really understand the Irish, just go to an Irish wake.  Family and friends celebrate with toasts and laughter and stories about the deceased. We celebrate the joy in our own lives, and theirs, because of Faith.  Because we believe, without doubt, that one day we will all be united with family and God in Heaven.  

We truly believe the words from “Danny Boy” 

“… and I shall sleep in peace until you come to me!”

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!!!