In the month of March, we are entirely within the Lenten season, a season of penance leading up to Our Lord’s Passion, Death, and Resurrection. Traditionally, Lenten penance has comprised fasting, prayer, and almsgiving. The liturgical color for Lent is violet, except that rose may be worn on the Fourth Sunday, Laetare Sunday (March 14). March 28 is Palm Sunday. Good Friday is a day of fast and abstinence; all the Fridays of Lent are days of abstinence. Check with your local parish or diocese for Lenten regulations on abstinence and fasting, for greater opportunities for confession, and for Lenten devotions such as Stations of the Cross.
MAJOR SAINTS AND FEAST DAYS OF MARCH
| March 3 | Katherine Drexel | |
| March 7 | Perpetua and Felicity, Martyrs | |
| March 17 | Patrick, Bishop | Memorial |
| March 18 | Cyril of Jerusalem, Bishop and Doctor | Memorial |
| March 19 | Joseph, Spouse of Mary | Solemnity |
| March 25 | Annunciation of the Lord | Solemnity |
IRISH SAINTS OF MARCH
March 5 Kieran of Saighir, Bishop (d.c. 530)
This saint is also known as Kieran (or Ciaran) the Elder and is one of several sainted Kierans. Details of his life are sketchy and disputed, and many fanciful stories revolve around him. He lived for a time as a hermit, attracted a number of followers, and built a monastery which developed into the town of Saighir. He is considered the first bishop of Ossory; he may have been one of the twelve bishops consecrated by St. Patrick. St. Piran (or Perran), a Welsh hermit whose feast is celebrated the same day, is sometimes confused with him.
March 6 Fridolin, Abbot (6th century?)
Reportedly an Irish priest who preached throughout Ireland and then wandered through Gaul preaching, Fridolin settled near Poitiers. He is credited with the recovery, guided by a vision, of the remains of the founder of St. Hilary’s monastery there. He rebuilt the monastery, which had been destroyed during the barbarian invasions, and was elected abbot. He later settled on Sackingham, an island in the Rhine, and built a monastery, a convent, and boys’ school there, serving as abbot of the monastery. He was known as the Wanderer, or the Traveller.
March 8 Senan, Bishop (d. 560)
At least one authority on the subject lists twenty-two St. Senans and separating the details of their lives is not easy. This man is known as Senan of Scattery Island. He was of Munster origin and lived the life of a warrior before hearing a call to religious life. After tutelage under an abbot named Cassidus, Senan was sent to St. Natalis, abbot of Kilmanagh in Ossory. Like many Irish saints, Senan made a pilgrimage to Rome, and on his journey home, made the acquaintance of St. David of Wales, whose staff Senan bore back to Ireland. After spending some time in a community at Inishcarra, Senan was directed by divine signs to found a community on Scattery Island (Inish Cathaigh) in the estuary of the Shannon. He was supposedly consecrated a bishop at some point, but no one knows over what see or when.
March 10 Kessog, Bishop and Martyr (6th century)
Kessog, or Mackessog, came of Munster royalty. He went to Scotland to preach the Gospel and was consecrated a bishop there. He is said to have suffered martyrdom, but exactly how or where is uncertain. The Scots formerly invoked him in battle, before St. Andrew replaced him in this regard, and he is depicted in iconography as an archer. Several place names in Scotland testify to his veneration there in Catholic times.
March 10 Himelin (d.c. 750)
Little is known of this saint, except that he died in the Low Countries as he was returning from a pilgrimage to Rome. A local parish priest nursed him in his final illness, which was marked by miraculous events.
March 11 Oengus, Abbot and Bishop (d.c. 824)
Oengus, or Aengus, entered the monastery of Clonenagh at Leix, then well-known for its size, learning, and sanctity. A few years later, he took up the life of a hermit a few miles away. Still later, he moved along to the abbey of Tallaght, near Dublin, where for years he concealed his identity from the abbot. This was probably in order to be able to lead a more retiring life, since over the years his reputation for sanctity had spread and brought him unwelcome attention. Toward the end of his years, Oengus returned to Clonenagh, where he was reportedly made abbot and bishop. In his final years, Oengus completed his metrical hymn in honor of the saints, the Felire, over which he had labored for many years. Oengus died at his nearby hermitage. He is known as the Hagiographer, because of his hymn, and the Culdee (God’s Vassal), due to his strict asceticism.
March 13 Mochoemoc, Abbot (7th century)
Mochoemoc was the nephew of St. Ita, under whose tutelage he grew in the spiritual life until she sent the young man to St. Comgall at Bangor Abbey, County Down, where he was ordained. Comgall seems to have set Mochoemoc the mission of sowing a new establishment, and in fact Mochoemoc founded several. His best known foundation was at Liath-mor in County Tipperary. The saint lived there to an advanced age.
March 13 Gerald of Mayo, Abbot (d. 732)
Gerald was an Englishman, a Northumbrian monk of Lindisfarne. After the Synod of Whitby imposed the Roman Easter observance over the Celtic one, a decision which Colman could not abide, a group of English novices accompanied St. Colman and his Irish followers back to Ireland. A community was established on Inishboffin. Though the Irish and English monks of the foundation agreed on liturgical usage, they evidently disagreed on enough other matters to cause Colman to erect a separate house on the adjacent Mayo coast for the English monks. It is not known whether Gerald was an original English member of Colman’s group or came later; many English monks did come later, as the place had a reputation as a “school for the Saxons.” Colman was at first abbot of both house, but was succeeded by Gerald as abbot of the English one. Gerald is sometimes said to have been a bishop, but it is likely that this results from confusion over the likelihood that Gerald enjoyed some sort of privileges as a protector and patron of his countrymen in Ireland. Gerald probably lived to see the imposition of the Roman Easter usage upon his abbey.
March 16 Finnian Lobhar, Abbot (d.c. 560?)
Finnian was said to be of Munster royalty, though he was born in Leinster, from which his mother hailed. His dates are far from certain. Finnian gained a reputation as a miraculous healer. He obtained the title “Lobhar”–Leper–after he willingly took on the disease to cure a young man afflicted by it. He may have ended his days as abbot of Clonmore.
March 17 Patrick, Archbishop (c. 389-c. 461)
Most of us know at least the outline of the story of the Apostle of Ireland, and at least some of the legends about him. The son of Calpurnius, a Romano-British official, born somewhere in the Roman province of Britain, he was carried off into slavery by Irish raiders when he was about 16. After serving as a shepherd for 6 years, probably in Mayo or Antrim, he escaped, and made his way to Gaul. He seems to have studied at the monasterey of Lerins, 412-15, and was probably ordained c. 417. Patrick harbored the desire, encouraged by a vision which he experienced, to return and evangelize the pagan Irish. In about 432, consecrated bishop by St. Germanus, he was sent back to Ireland to carry on the work of St. Palladius, who had died the previous year. Most of the remainder of his life was spent in this task, as he travelled throughout the island, encountering the potentially deadly opposition of many pagan chieftains and the Druidic priests. In 442 and 444, he visited Rome. He made Armagh his episcopal see, cementing its role in the history of the Irish Church. Besides his many conversions, Patrick brought the Irish Church into closer union with Rome, encouraged the study of Latin, and raised the standards of scholarship in general. Among surviving writings, we have his Confession, an answer to some of his detractors, which contains many details of his life, his Letter to the Soldiers of Coroticus, denouncing murders committed by Welsh Christian marauders against their fellow Christians in Ireland, and his prayer, The Lorica. Patrick’s tomb is believed to be at Downpatrick, with Saints Brigid and Columba.
March 18 Frigidian, Bishop (d.c. 588)
Frigidian was an Irish priest, who during a pilgrimage to Italy, resolved to become a hermit on Monte Pisano near Lucca. Eventually he unwillingly accepted the bishopric of Lucca under pressure from the pope. He fled the Lombard invasion of Lucca, returning later to rebuild the cathedral destroyed by the barbarians. He was noted for his solicitude for the suffering and sick, even those among the conquerors, many of whom he converted. Frigidian retired to his hermitage from time to time. He also founded and presided over a community of clergy, later organized as canons regular, who even five centuries later were seen as models for reform. He is better known in Italy as Frediano, and is still the patron of the cathedral of Lucca.
March 18 Christian, Abbot (d. 1186)
Christian was a disciple of St. Malachy and would appear to be one of the four men who remained behind at Clairvaux, taking the Cistercian habit, when Malachy passed through there returning from his pilgrimage to Rome. Malachy, desirous of bringing the Cistercians to Ireland, applied to his friend St. Bernard, who sent Christian and several French monks. Christian became the first abbot of the first Cistercian house in Ireland. It is possible that Blessed Christian was bishop of Lismore and papal legate in Ireland.
March 22 Enda, Abbot (c. 450-c. 530)
Enda was a warrior, possibly of Oriel in Ulster, whose sister, St. Fanchea, was a consecrated virgin. Fanchea persuaded him to give up raiding and violence and adopt Christianity, and later to embrace the monastic life and the priesthood. Enda may have studied abroad, in Scotland or Britain, and may have been to Rome. He established perhaps the first Irish monastery, at Killeany on Inismor, in the Aran Islands, and became its abbot. The monasterey became a pilgrimage site as well as a center from which evangelization spread back to the mainland of Ireland. Enda founded several other monasteries and shares with St. Finnian of Clonard the title Father of Irish Monasticism.
March 26 Macartan, Bishop (d.c. 505)
Little is known of this saint. He is considered the first bishop of Clogher, and may have been consecrated by St. Patrick.
FROM THE LORICA OF ST. PATRICK
I arise today through the strength of heaven: light of sun, brilliance of moon, splendor of fire, speed of lightning, swiftness of wind, depth of sea, stability of earth, firmness of rock.
NEWS OF INTEREST:
–On February 5, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that California may not ban indoor religious services, but must apply the same standards to churches as to commercial enterprises. The Court allowed that the State may restrict some activities such as singing. In a concurring opinion, Justices Thomas and Gorsuch stated that they would favor removal of all right to impose restrictions. The dissenting opinion of Breyer, Sotomayor, and Kagan would have upheld the State’s authority to issue an outright ban on indoor worship.
–Despite this ruling, Santa Clara County has reimposed a total ban on indoor services, alleging that its standards differ from those of Governor Newsom.
–On February 10, the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court upheld the right of religious institutions to appont employees who adhere to its teachings. St. Andrew the Apostle parish of the Archdiocese of Chicago had been sued by a school employee who was fired following her contracting of a same-sex marriage.
–LifeSiteNews has been “permanently” banned from YouTube, allegedly because of fostering false information about the COVID-19 epidemic.
–February 11: Anna Stephens, President of Cardinals for Life, a pro-life student organization at Catholic University of America, has resigned from her position, stating that she was pressured into indefinitely postponing an appearance by Abby Johnson. The pressure was allegedly brought to bear by Father Jude DeAngelo, OFM Conv, a chaplain to the group. Abby Johnson is the former Planned Parenthood clinic director whose conversion to the pro-life movement is chronicled in the movie Unplanned. Johnson, a convert to Catholicism, is apparently being “cancelled” by activist groups who have fastened on some of her remarks regarding possible police practices and her mixed-race son, characterizing her as a racist. She is also considered to be “homophobic.” The appearance did occur anyway, since the College Republicans took up her sponsorship.
–Five bishops who chair committees with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) have written a letter to Congress opposing the Equality Act (H.R. 5). The five, their sees, and their committees are Michael Barber, Oakland, Catholic Education; Archbishop Paul Coakley, Oklahoma City, Domestic Justice and Human Development; Cardinal Timothy Dolan, New York, Religious LIberty; David Konderla, Tulsa, Promotion and Defense of Marriage; and Archbishop Joseph Nauman, Kansas City, Pro-Life Activities. The bishops decried the imposition of “novel and divisive viewpoints” regarding gender, and expressed their concern about the consequences for the pro-life movement, religious employees and charities, freedom of speech, women’s sports, and sex-specific facilities such as gyms, restrooms, and homeless shelters. Nevertheless, the House passed the measure February 25, with the support of all the Democrats and 3 Republicans.
[Sources consulted for this report include: Butler’s Lives of the Saints, complete edition, ed. and rev. by Herbert Thurston and Donald Attwater; 4 vols. (New York, 1956); The Liturgy of the Hours According to the Roman Rite (New York, 1975); The National Catholic Register; ewtn.com; catholic.org; priestsforlife.org; catholicnewsagency.com.]
A Happy St. Patrick’s Day to All,
Patrick J. Lally
lally8404@hotmail.com