March is the month where we considering the majority of the Lenten Season this year before we move into April and thoughts of Holy Week and the joy of Easter. However, we begin the month celebrating with our Welsh friends on St David’s Day when leeks and daffodils will be seen in many places. We celebrate too with our Irish friends too as we celebrate St Patrick’s Day on the 17th.
Saint David was a native of Wales and was made bishop of Mynyw, now the city of St Davids, during the 6th century David. He was a renowned preacher and teacher and founded a number of ‘Houses’ and monasteries and is the Patron Saint of Wales. March also gives the Patron Saint of Ireland. St Patrick was a fifth-century Christian missionary and bishop in Ireland and was known as the Apostle of Ireland, he shares his role as Patron Saint of Ireland with two others Brigit of Kildare and Columba. Patrick was never formally canonised,nevertheless, he is venerated by the church and by the people around the world.
If you are free on the evening of the 17th March then join us at the Lenten Supper, a wonderful occasion when we have music and potato pie and a great deal of fun.
Of course, we should not forget Sunday 19th March for it is Mothering Sunday, not Mother’s Day which is an Americanism created in 1908 by a lady who wished to celebrate her own mother. Mothering Sunday can be traced back to the 8th Century and in the church, we celebrate this day as we remember our own mothers, the Blessed Virgin and Mother church all of whom sustain us by prayers and constant love throughout our lives.
In the same week we remember St Joseph (20th) and also the Annunciation of the BVM (25th). So, it is a month of saints and month to recall so many people of the past as we move to the Feast of the Resurrection.
Let us use this month to prepare, to put right relationships with God and other people who we have wronged or hurt in any way. We hurt people sometimes without even knowing it perhaps by ill-chosen words, or by doing what we want without care for those we love, or even worse by ignoring people. Put things right, seek forgiveness and then with St David, St Patrick, St Brigit, St Columba, St Joseph, and the Blessed Virgin we can love our Lord knowing that we are doing his will.
May God bless you all.
Reverend Fr. Ronald Croft