March 16, 2020
What if we thought about the coronavirus pandemic as the Jews consider the Sabbath— the most sacred of times?
Carissimi:

I share with you this week a poem by Lynn Ungar, written on the 11 th of March.

What if you thought of it
as the Jews consider the Sabbath—
the most sacred of times?
Cease from travel.
Cease from buying and selling.
Give up, just for now,
on trying to make the world
different than it is.
Sing. Pray. Touch only those
to whom you commit your life.
Center down.
 
And when your body has become still,
reach out with your heart.
Know that we are connected
in ways that are terrifying and beautiful.
(You could hardly deny it now.)
Know that our lives
are in one another’s hands.
(Surely, that has come clear.)
Do not reach out your hands.
Reach out your heart.
Reach out your words.
Reach out all the tendrils
of compassion that move, invisibly,
where we cannot touch.
 
Promise this world your love–
for better or for worse,
in sickness and in health,
so long as we all shall live.
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Reflections
Green beer, green food, green clothes. Is there more to Saint Patrick's Day?
By Neil Hargrove

It’s a day to rival New Year’s Eve and  Mardi Gras . In cities all over the world, from Dublin to Sydney to Tokyo, people flock to the streets to celebrate all things Irish and to indulge in parades, beer, and the color green. In fact, some of a child’s earliest memories might even be getting pinched for failing to wear green on March 17—known across the globe as Saint Patrick’s Day.

But how did this simple feast day, which originated on a small island in the Northern Atlantic in honor of a local celebrity, become a widespread celebration that spans the globe?

THE HISTORY OF SAINT PATRICK’S DAY
The legacy of  Saint Patrick  (approximately 385–461 AD) is found, in part, in the celebration of his Saint’s Day, which corresponds to the day of his death, March 17. This day was originally celebrated only in Ireland and was considered a more somber day of remembrance than its modern incarnation.

Around the ninth and tenth centuries, over four hundred years after Saint Patrick’s death, the people of Ireland began to celebrate a feast day to honor him and his missionary efforts in Ireland. Though a feast day certainly marked a time of remembrance for what the saint did, it also granted a reprieve from work and provided a church-condoned reason for celebrating—albeit in moderation.

This is a key element to why Saint Patrick’s Day became so important to  practicing Christians . March 17 falls during the Christian season known as  Lent . During Lent, Christians historically gave up something for a period of forty days (excluding Sundays) until Easter. Saint Patrick’s Day essentially provided an extra “Sunday” where the self-imposed restrictions of Lent were lessened.

THE DEVELOPMENT OF SAINT PATRICK’S DAY
Saint Patrick’s Day continued to be celebrated in the same fashion up until the 1700s. But as the Irish migrated to North America and the rest of the world, they brought with them their Saint Patrick. While it is unclear and debated (in true Irish fashion) how the modern incarnation of Saint Patrick’s Day began, what is clear is that one of the first parades—which surprisingly was not held in Ireland—was put on by Irish soldiers stationed in New York as part of the British Army in 1762. READ MORE
Everyone's Irish on Saint Patty's Day, but who was Saint Patrick? Why celebrate him?
By Neil Hargrove

“The Saints were not superhuman. They were people who loved God in their hearts, and who shared this joy with others.”- Pope Francis
On March 17, people around the world gather to watch parades and toast to good health. Music is played, food and drink are dyed green, and everyone wears the same color—woe to the person caught without green somewhere on their body!

Of course, I’m talking about  Saint Patrick’s Day , which honors the life and accomplishments of—you guessed it—Saint Patrick. But who was this fellow who incites more celebration than Saint Valentine and whose holiday instigates arguably more inebriation than  Mardi Gras ?

EARLY LIFE AND CAPTIVITY
Saint Patrick was born during a time of immense world change. During the last century before his birth around 385 AD, the great Roman Empire—which had dominated the Western world for nearly five hundred years—was inching closer to the verge of collapse. Germanic tribes had made small incursions along the northeastern border of the empire and were itching to conquer and settle the luscious lands on the other side of the Rhine.
In fact, in 410 AD, Saint Patrick and his contemporary Saint Augustine, one of the most influential church fathers, would hear of the sack of Rome—the seat of church and military power—by those same Germanic tribes. Needless to say, Saint Patrick lived in one of the most tumultuous times in history; uncertainty and fear were the order of the day.

Born in Scotland, Patrick grew up as the son of the local decurion (deacon), which was one of the most influential political positions in a Roman town. Sometime between ages fourteen and sixteen, Patrick was captured by an Irish raiding party, taken to Ireland, and sold as a slave. Patrick himself considered this to be righteous punishment for past sins, stating, “I had neglected the true God, and when I was carried off into captivity in Ireland . . . it was well deserved.” READ MORE
Worship with Offerings and Liturgy
POOR BOX 
This weekend's Poor Box support goes to support the Ignatian Spirituality Project.
MASS MUSIC   
Attached is the listing for the music selections at next Sunday's 10:30 Mass.
(No listing until Masses resume)
In the Media
This illustration, created at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), reveals ultrastructural morphology exhibited by coronaviruses. Note the spikes that adorn the outer surface of the virus, which impart the look of a corona surrounding the virion, when viewed electron microscopically. A novel coronavirus, named Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), was identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness first detected in Wuhan, China in 2019. The illness caused by this virus has been named coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Coronavirus: News, Reflections, Analysis. What you need to know.

As news continues to develop about the spread of and response to the coronavirus pandemic, this page will be updated with reflections, analysis, and the latest news. Bookmark this page or sign up for our daily newsletter to stay up-to-date.

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