The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-03-17

Fire is today partaking in tn,
 observance of her national holy day
 as her claim is paged in history a.
 the first European nation cradlec
 in Christianity and Catholicity
 through the Missionary workings o1
 St. Patrick in the early centuries Though centuries have rolled by
 since that great, eventful age strengthened by Gods own grace the Irish people adhered to that faith though the barriers of violent persecution were often strewn in their pathways. The voice of God always found place in their ut most hearts.
 Not satisfied to confining those graces alone to Ireland, their mis- sionaries were sent forth to all known climes to plant the word of Christ among many heather races
 March IT, in this eventful year will work another day for the Irish people to renew the fulfillment of their annual custom in cementing deeper in the land the teachings of thir patron saint teachings handed down to them from the ear- ly centuries.
 St. Patrick's sole mission was to blight the seeds of Paganism then flourishing in all parts of the land and to substitute the roots of Chris tianity and Catholicity under the guidance of Gods unerring hand.
 Sold in the early years of his life as a slave to wander OCT the bleak hills of Western Ireland, St. Pa trick found himself in land tn- fested with false gods. Although in large numbers they were thrown in his winding pathways, they did not in any degree mar his workings. His only shield to reclaim the land from the grasp of those Drulids was the proof of his teachings with the spirit of God in his heart guiding his footsteps in the midst of those heather Gods.
 Sleepless nights and gloomy days did not seem to retard his tireless footsteps, for within a few short years his untiring energies fully fructified in almost every town and hamlet in the hilly slopes of west ern Ireland. The eagerness of the people as whole to abide by his teachings inspired him to give them the whole fruits of his labors.
 His ambitions to enter higher seats of learning influenced him to visit Rome to complete his ecclesias- tical training under Pope Leo. He returned to Ireland in the year 432 to complete the work assigned to him by his Creator.
 As the early days of spring re- vive the first glow of Nature, in the midst of all the beauty you'll find the Shamrock. The biting winds of winter don't seem to deface its bloom since very little effort is wasted in finding Its glossy leaves. Its great abundance was made pos sible by St. Patrick, as he wished to have that emblem within the reach of all. Blessed for future ages, it's coming was confined solely to Ireland as dying wish of St. Pat rick. How well his memory is stored away in the Irish heart can be seen best on St. Patrick's Day.
 St. Patrick's day is honored in all Christian clinles, not as day of wanton display as many may seem to observe. On the, contrary, it is a day of prayer and veneration. re- viving the teachings of St. Patrick graven in the hearts of the people in the early centuries.
 In the weaning days of his mis- sionary life, St. Patrick plucked from the soil of Ireland the Sham rock, and holding it at arms length, thrice blessed 1t and gave 1t to Ire