LR church has affinity for St. Patrick

The image of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, is featured on the bronze front doors of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York.
The image of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, is featured on the bronze front doors of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York.

St. Patrick’s Day has become synonymous with shamrocks and green beer for many, but the day has a spiritual significance at St. Edward Catholic Church in Little Rock.

For 10 years, the congregation has celebrated the life of the fifth century saint with a special Mass. Father Jason Tyler said the tradition began in 2004 in collaboration with the Irish Cultural Society of Arkansas, organizers of today’s annual Rock to North Little Rock St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

Several parishioners are members of the society and wanted to have a Mass to honor the saint, as well as to share Irish culture with fellow parishioners and the community.

St. Patrick is one of three patron saints of Ireland. The others are St. Brigid, whose feast day is celebrated on Feb. 1, and St. Columba, whose feast day is observed June 9.

As with many saints, Patrick’s history is one filled with legends. One of the most popular is that he drove all the snakes, a representation of evil, out of Ireland.

“What we know was that he was a bishop in Ireland and is credited with spreading the faith there,” Tyler said.

But the man so entwined with all things Irish wasn’t Irish at all. He was born in England. Legend has it that Patrick was captured by raiders and taken to Ireland to work as a slave. He eventually escaped but felt called by God to return and spread the teachings of Christ. He lived there until his death in A.D. 464.

Another tale often told about Patrick is that he used the three-leaf shamrock to teach others about the Trinity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Tyler said.

The St. Patrick’s Day Mass will be at 9 a.m. Sunday and will include Irish music, songs and dance, all reverently done in keeping with the tone of the Lenten season.

Tyler said that during the offertory procession two Irish dancers will perform a simple dance while the bread and wine of the Eucharist is brought forward.

“It’s noble simplicity to lift us up to the mystery being celebrated,” he said.

After Mass is when the real celebration kicks in, Tyler said.

“We’ll go downstairs to the cafeteria where we’ll have Irish soda bread, lots of songs and dancing,” he said. “It’s a lot of fun.”

Dancers from the McCafferty School of Irish Dance and the O’Donovan School of Irish Dance will perform and refreshments of Irish soda bread, scones and tea will be served. Visitors are welcome.

The church is at 801 Sherman St. in downtown Little Rock. Information is available online at saintedwards.net.

Religion, Pages 12 on 03/16/2013

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