Happy St Patricks Day!!!!

Who Was St. Patrick?
St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, is one of
Christianity's most widely known figures.
But for all his celebrity, his life remains somewhat
of a mystery.
Taken Prisoner By Irish Raiders
It is known that St. Patrick was born in Britain to
wealthy parents near the end of the fourth century.
He is believed to have died on March 17, around
460 A.D.
Although his father was a Christian deacon, it has
been suggested that he probably took on the
role because of tax incentives and there is no
evidence that Patrick came from a particularly
religious family.
At the age of sixteen, Patrick was taken prisoner
by a group of Irish raiders who were attacking
his family's estate.
They transported him to Ireland where he spent
six years in captivity.
Guided By Visions
After more than six years as a prisoner, Patrick
escaped.
According to his writing, a voice
—which he believed to be God's
—spoke to him in a dream, telling him it was time
to leave Ireland.
After escaping to Britain, Patrick reported that he
experienced a second revelation—an angel in a
dream tells him to return to Ireland as a missionary.
Bonfires and Crosses
Familiar with the Irish language and culture, Patrick
chose to incorporate traditional ritual into his
lessons of Christianity instead of attempting to
eradicate native Irish beliefs.
For instance, he used bonfires to celebrate Easter
since the Irish were used to honoring their gods
with fire.
He also superimposed a sun, a powerful Irish
symbol, onto the Christian cross to create what
is now called a Celtic cross, so that veneration
of the symbol would seem more natural to the
Irish.
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VISIT THE ST PATRICKS DAY PARADE IN TORONTO
Toronto St. Patrick's Day Parade
March 19th 2006This year's parade begins at 12 noon,
starting from Bloor Street West & St. George, proceeding
along Bloor, down Yonge Street and finishes at
Nathan Philips Square on Queen Street West.