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The Lion's Roar

The Official Student News Media of Southeastern Louisiana University

The Lion's Roar

The Official Student News Media of Southeastern Louisiana University

The Lion's Roar

    Show St. Patrick some respect

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    Besides good old St. Nicholas, St. Patrick is arguably one of the most popular saints in the world. On St. Patrick’s Day, everyone is Irish. People think it’s OK to pinch whoever doesn’t wear green, and they use the “holiday” as an excuse to go out and drink green-dyed beer in the middle of the work week. 

    First things first, St. Patrick was not even Irish. He is the patron saint of Ireland, but that’s because he introduced Christianity to the country. 

    According to the Catholic Online website, St. Patrick was born in Kilpatrick, Scotland, but was captured around age 14 and brought to Ireland as a slave. While he tended to sheep in a land of pagan strangers, he turned to God in constant prayer. Around age 20, Patrick dreamed that God told him to flee to the coast, and there he managed to board a boat back to Britain, where his parents were. There he studied the priesthood and was eventually ordained. Later when he was ordained a bishop, he was sent to proclaim the Gospel to Ireland. For 40 years, Patrick and his disciples performed miracles and converted most of the country to Christianity. 

    St. Patrick died on March 17, 461, after living in poverty, traveling and suffering. He died in Saul, Ireland where he had built the first church. The Feast Day of St. Patrick is a day the Catholic Church honors this saint for his faith and dedication to spreading the Word of God. 

    What I don’t understand is why anyone ever thought to take his feast day and turn it into a glorified day to get drunk, on which people must wear green or they will be violently pinched by everyone who sees them. Personally, I think that’s a dumb reason to wear green. You should wear green because you have pride in your university, not because you’re scared some immature soul will pinch you. 

    I don’t know about everyone else, but I don’t think that’s a proper way to remember a saint on the anniversary of his death. If you’re Catholic, you should say a prayer to St. Patrick or go to mass. If you’re not, then you should at least respect the man’s memory and not use his feast day as an excuse to get drunk.

    One thing people have right about St. Patrick’s Day is the symbol of the shamrock. St. Patrick actually utilized three-leafed clovers in Ireland to explain the Holy Trinity, which is three things that work together as one cohesive unit. 

    St. Patrick had complete trust in God to guide him each day of his life. His faith brought him out of slavery in Ireland, and it also brought him back there to convert the entire country. So instead of going to a local bar and getting drunk this St. Patrick’s Day, let’s all try to do something positive and constructive instead. Leave your partying for the weekend, and actually think about the man who has a day dedicated to him every year.

    St. Patrick accomplished so much in his life. We should all strive to accomplish great things, too, and I don’t think anyone will accomplish those things by drinking green beer at a bar on St. Patrick’s Day. 

     
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