St. Therese Catholic Church

I am a Catholic Christian who grew up in Boston, Massachusetts, with an Irish lineage. I have always loved St. Patrick's Day. The celebrations and the revelry seemed to provide a break from the intensity of our age and an opportunity to celebrate.

Here are some more little-known facts about St. Patrick's Day.

St. Patrick's Day is nearly here, the time has come to join and celebrate the Catholic saint.

Throughout history, Mary, the Mother of God has appeared to select faithful. These enigmatic events are called "apparitions," and many wonder, why do they happen at all?

St. Maximus the Confessor once wrote: 'God's will is to save us, and nothing please him more than our coming back to Him in true repentance.'

We admit that shadows lurk within our hearts.� "I do not do the good I want, but I do the evil I do not want." (Romans 7:18)

Even before COVID-19 struck, countless workers were suffering from economic injustice in numerous ways, such as a very low minimum wage - $7.25 per hour in the U.S. - sweatshop workers in poor countries sewing clothes for name brand companies in rich nations, children laboring in dangerous conditions (see: https://www.hrw.org/topic/childrens-rights/child-labor).

When I was perhaps 13 or 15, my brother went to Marine Corps boot camp in San Diego. I was terrified for him. I wrote him a lot of letters and prayed for him daily. And I performed an important devotion, the Green Scapular or Badge of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Here's what happened...

Each and every day we are called on to become closer to God. We can answer that call with our actions and our prayers. This Lenten Season take a step closer to the Lord with these special Lenten prayers.

Put very simply--Jesus commands us to fast and pray. The saints take fasting seriously and the church commands us to make fasting part of our life. Why not take up this discipline with a new intention. The amazing thing you will discover is not only does it help you physically, mentally and spiritually, but eventually it will bring you added vigor and real spiritual joy.