Fr Paul Gooley reads today from the Gospel of Luke (10: 1-12, 17-20) in which Jesus sends out 72 disciples out on mission to tell everyone that the kingdom of God has drawn near. Afterwards, Fr Paul shares a little about the life of St Patrick, whose memorial we celebrate today.

Fr Paul says Patrick was born in Roman Britain around the end of the 4th century and died in Ireland about the middle of the 5th century.

As a missionary bishop, Patrick endured many hardships and faced opposition even from his friends and fellow Christians. Nevertheless, he worked hard to conciliate, to evangelize, and to educate local chieftains and their families.

St Patrick is remembered for his simplicity and pastoral care, for his humble trust in God, and for his fearless preaching of the Gospel to the very people who had enslaved him in his youth.

On this day, Fr Paul invites us to ask, ‘St Patrick…Pray for us!’