Praying with St. Patrick: Journeying in His Footsteps

Praying with St. Patrick: Journeying in His Footsteps By Katherine Spillman Purpose This session encourages high school students to consider the life and mission of St. Patrick, patron saint of Ireland, and connect his journey with God to their own lives. Through reflection on the idea of pilgrimage, the youth examine how God is working in their lives through experiences and encounters. With personal writing time, large and small group conversation, and an arts-based activity, this session works best with a group of no more than twenty-five. Keep small groups at no more than five participants. Component: Prayer Session at a Glance 7:00 pm Welcome and Introductions 7:05 pm Opening Prayer and Community Builder: Over the Mountain 7:20 pm Activity 1: Walking with St. Patrick 7:55 pm Activity 2: Prepare to Proclaim Good News 8:10 pm Closing Prayer 8:20 pm Announcements and Refreshments 8:30 pm Good Night! Extend the Session A Walking Prayer (30 minutes) Find a scenic location nearby: a park, a wooded walking trail, a spot by the water, etc. Frame this experience by reminding the youth about how each year, thousands of people go on walking pilgrimage up Mt. Croagh to connect more deeply with St. Patrick. This small walk we take today is done in this spirit. Invite the youth to unplug, not having phones or music players. For the next twenty minutes have the youth go for a walk alone (not with friends) and simply be quiet and notice nature, surroundings, etc. Encourage the youth to converse with God as if walking with friend, or simply to be quiet and listen. Once the participants return, invite the youth to reflect on this experience: What did you notice? Were you able to connect with God? Was this walk a form of prayer for you? (why or why not?) Conclude this time together with a musical prayer: On a portable music player, play the Notre Dame Folk Choir Walking Prayer. Page 1

Taking It Home: Connecting with Families Invite families to pray part of St. Patrick s Breastplate (see Handout 2) at meals. They can create a placard to adorn the dining table and assist them in reciting the prayer together. Reflect and discuss the themes from this session as a family: With what do I need God s help and direction with this week? As St. Patrick demonstrates by his life, how can I give God the power and control when I feel powerless and uncertain? Find a new place to travel to as a family. Consider perhaps a garden, a new church, a place nearby that is a quiet, holy place. Explore together and share your experiences of this family pilgrimage. Materials Needed Icon or image of St. Patrick (suggested) Adhesive nametags Pens Resource 1, Saint Patrick Timeline Colored large index cards Masking tape Sharpie marker Writing paper or small individual notebooks/ journals Paper cutouts of a shield for each participant: https://www.activityvillage.co.uk/decorate-the-shield Markers Copies of Handout 1, Climbing the Mountain Copies of Handout 2, The Breastplate of St. Patrick Small flat rocks (different shapes and sizes are fine) A/V equipment (e.g. LCD projector and screen, laptop, speakers) to play music and videos Internet access to the following YouTube videos o Croagh Patrick Pilgrimage (1964) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwxgthx7ijq o Croagh Patrick Climb https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0aagrh4324 o The Breastplate of St. Patrick https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdcdvhfgdc0 Candle Wicker basket Music playlist for closing prayer; consider inviting a musician to assist by playing the music live on the guitar or keyboard Bible (to be read from during service) Page 2

Prepare in Advance Preview the two YouTube videos that describe the pilgrims of Mt. Croagh (also known as the Reek ). Choose segments from the YouTube video Croagh Patrick Climb if you are constrained for time. Print copies of Handout 1 and Handout 2 for all participants Create the St. Patrick timeline, writing the key events of Patrick s life on the colored index cards. Refer to Resource 1 (St. Patrick timeline). Invite two young people to read Scripture for the opening and closing prayer. Meet with them prior to the session to review their roles. Set up the meeting space with chairs placed in a large circle. Have small tables set up that will be used for art activities. Set up tables for sign-in and refreshments. Have one or two people at the sign-in table with a check-in sheet and the nametags. At the center of the room, prepare a prayer focus by covering a small table with a cloth. Place the Bible, a large pillar candle, and the image of St. Patrick on the table. Session Outline Welcome and Introduction (5 minutes) Greet participants as they arrive. Use adhesive nametags so everyone will know each other s name. Introduce yourself and any other adult or youth leaders. Then introduce the session by saying, in your own words: Welcome everyone! St. Patrick s Day decorations are abundant right now with shamrocks galore, the color green, and leprechauns about: it seems like everyone is Irish! Tonight, we ll consider how not only is it great to be Irish, but how wonderful it would be if we could be like St. Patrick, listening to God s call and bringing Christ to others. We ll spend time exploring a bit more about Patrick s life, and how he can inspire us to draw closer to God through prayer. We will also learn about a special pilgrimage a religious journey- which many believers who are devoted to St. Patrick take each year to draw closer to the saint and Christ. We will consider how our daily experiences are part of our personal pilgrimage, where we take steps to deepen our faith. Opening Prayer (7 minutes): Prayer Leader: Let us remember that we are always in the holy presence of our loving God, who called upon St. Patrick to spread the Good News to Ireland and teach the Trinity we begin our time together in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Listen carefully to the words from the Book of Peter, as it speaks of the call to service and to proclaim God s goodness, something St. Patrick heeded: Page 3

Invite a volunteer to proclaim the reading from 1 Peter 4: 7b-11. Allow a few moments for quiet reflection after the reading has been proclaimed before saying, in your own words: As you listen to these words from Sacred Scripture, consider how does God call you in this moment? Are you called to be a preacher? An agent of love? One who serves others with deeds of kindness? St. Patrick spent much of his young life as a slave in the hills of Ireland, tending sheep and cattle. He had much opportunity to be resentful of his lot in life, but instead, in his loneliness, he turned toward God in serious prayer. He yearned to understand God s plan for him. I imagine we all have felt the same way! Years later, after Patrick had escaped captivity, he responded to the God s call to return to Ireland to be the preacher to the people who once enslaved him. His zeal for God was apparent, and although he had no formal education, he related to the people s concerns and customs and therefore connected deeply with their lived experiences. We hear in this reading from the Book of Peter, whoever serves let it be with the strength the God supplies. St. Patrick always knew that it was God who was in charge, even though Patrick achieved great success in having Irish converts. As you think about your calling, how are you inviting God into your story? How are you letting God accompany you on the path? Prayer Leader: God, who instilled Patrick with fervor for the faith, give us courage to follow You more closely. Help us to turn to You more readily in times of loneliness, uncertainty, and need. May Your Spirit guide us to deeper relationship with others and You. Help us to trust in You as our journey unfolds. We ask this through your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen. Community Builder: Over the Mountain (8 minutes) Invite the youth to find a seat in the circle of chairs and the youth leader stands in the center of the circle. Introduce this icebreaker, with the following instructions: There is a famous and holy mountain in Ireland called Mt. Croagh, also known as the Reek in County Mayo. Legend tells us that it was on this mountain that St. Patrick drove the snakes out of Ireland to show God s power. We will learn more about the significance of this holy place later tonight, but to start, we are going to play a game that embraces the idea of a mountain. Every person finds a chair in the circle. One person (the caller) stands in the center of the circle and states Go over the mountain if you have ever/ never. For example: Go over the mountain if you have ever traveled to Disneyworld! Or Go over the mountain if you have ever had stitches! For everyone who has done the suggested item, they (and the caller) must find a new chair. One person will be left standing and is the new caller. We will play this game a few times and hopefully we ll learn a little more about those that are here with us tonight! Any questions? Ready, set, go! Page 4

Note to Leader: It may be helpful to have you be the first caller so the youth get a sense of the game. Play a few rounds of the game. Activity One: Walking with St. Patrick (35 minutes) Step 1: (5 minutes) Hand each person a colored notecard that contains a fact from St. Patrick s life. The youth will collaborate to form the timeline of St. Patrick s life, posting the cards in order in the front of the room. Introduce this activity, by stating the following: What do you already know about St. Patrick? Perhaps you heard he drove the snakes out of Ireland? Or taught the concept of the Trinity using a shamrock? It helps us to get a quick overview of his life before we dive into deeper conversation about this relationship with God. Our task is to put the shuffled index cards in correct date order. In doing so, we ll get a sense of St. Patrick s life. Who has the card that indicates St. Patrick s birth in 389 AD? Who thinks he/she has the next card in St. Patrick s life? Let s see if we can get all these cards in order! Note to Leader: As cards are placed in order, be sure to read the text out loud, providing a basic template for Patrick s life (utilize Resource #1 for correct order) Step 2: (30 minutes) Invite the youth to move their chairs to the small tables. Each participant should have a notebook/ paper and a pen. Gather around the A/V equipment to view the videos. Introduce the activity with the following words: St. Patrick returned to Ireland after becoming a priest. He traveled the countryside proclaiming the Good News and spreading Christianity. He drew close to God through fasting and prayer. Today, pilgrims from all over the world, travel to Ireland to follow in the steps of the beloved saint. They yearn to craft their lives like Patrick, deepening their faith in God through acts of prayer, sacrifice, and service. We are now going to watch a short film that gives you a sense of what this pilgrimage is like. Invite the youth to turn their attention to this short film. Play the YouTube video, Croagh Patrick Pilgrimage (1964) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwxgthx7ijq Once the video has played, invite the youth to begin some shared reflection, by suggesting: Even though this film is from long ago, it gives you a sense of the journey that many people choose to undergo to draw closer to God. Do you think that you would ever undergo such journey? What do you think draws people to decide to do such a pilgrimage? Page 5

Field some answers from the group for a few minutes, helping them process the experience they witnessed. Now help the youth to begin to incorporate the mountain experience in their own lives, by saying the following, or something similar: There is a beautiful quote that I would like to share with you from the Carmelite sisters that captures the appeal of seeking a connection with St. Patrick s spirituality and this image of journeying toward God: People today seek spirituality. Some find a value, a meaning for their lives which continues to sustain them. Others try on spiritualities like new clothes, and abandon them when they become tired of them. Patrick shows us a spirituality, which is very simple. He is loved, blessed and called by God and he responds. Patrick had stickability. His holy mountain in the West of Ireland Croagh Patrick has many lessons for us. We can see its majestic summit from a distance. But as we begin to climb, the summit vanishes and all we can see is the intervening slope. The summit is often covered by fog. For ordinary people Croagh Patrick is quite a difficult climb, and it demands grit and determination to get to the top. Patrick can lead us to ascend life s mountain where, like Moses and Patrick, we meet the living God (Source: http://www.carmelites.ie/stpatrick.html) Even though we may never climb an actual mountain on a pilgrimage, all of us can relate to this idea of climbing a mountain. All of us have lived experiences where we faced a challenge and a climb in our lives a decision, a loss, a hope, etc. and we yearn to seek answers. Or we are excited about the journey that lies ahead of us, curious who will join us on the path. In a few minutes, we will each spend a bit of time writing in our journals with some prompt questions. I d like to show you another short film that shows a young man (in more modern times) who climbs Mt. Croagh. As you watch this film, take in the beautiful scenery and note the terrain. This attention to detail will help you with your later reflection. Show the segments of YouTube video, Croagh Patrick Climb https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0aagrh4324 Invite the youth to now consider their mountain experiences. Give the youth about ten minutes to write in their journals, using Handout 1, Climbing the Mountain. Activity Two: Prepare to Proclaim the Good News (15 minutes) Once the youth have finished their individual writing, invite the group s attention to the front of the room. Introduce the next activity by stating the following, in your own words: St. Patrick recognized that nothing would be accomplished without his trust and reliance on God. His Irish audiences were often hostile as giving up long-practiced pagan beliefs and traditions were not easy. You can imagine at times he was frightened. Patrick was a humble man, aware of his weaknesses and that his power came from God alone. If we look to his supposed words in the famous prayer the Breastplate of St. Patrick, he proclaims: Page 6

I arise today Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, Through belief in the Threeness, Through confession of the Oneness of the Creator of creation It is only with God that he protects himself. Think about your life: what protects you in times of uncertainty, when things feel difficult? What words would you proclaim or write on your breastplate for protection? It is helpful for us to have words of comfort in a time of need. We are going to spend a few minutes now creating our own shields of protection. Spend some time reading though the Breastplate of St. Patrick, the prayer written with the inspiration of St. Patrick. Perhaps some of those words speak to you or create something entirely your own! Hand out the cutouts of the paper shields along with Handout 2, The Breastplate of St. Patrick. Invite the youth to write with markers some words and/or images that he/ she would cloak themselves as a reminder of God s protection. Once the youth finish the project, invite a few participants to share their shield. Closing Prayer (10 minutes) Light the candle and place it in the center of the table. Place a wicker basket in front of the prayer table. Bring the small stones and markers to the prayer circle, passing them out to the participants as they gather for closing prayer. Gather Prayer Leader: Tonight, we have reflected on how the life of St. Patrick, and how his holiness and reliance on God has encouraged others to follow in his footsteps. We too are called to be evangelizers spreaders of the Good News- to a world in need. As we begin our prayer, let us ask God to give us the courage to be like Patrick, embarking on a journey that has both joys and challenges, but to trust that God will be our companion. We begin in the name of Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Sing the opening song The Summons (Spirit and Song, OCP), or another appropriate gathering song about how we must devote our whole selves to God and God s work. Listen Invite a volunteer to proclaim the reading from Mark 9: 2-8. Allow a few moments for quiet reflection after the reading has been proclaimed. Respond Prayer Leader: Page 7

We hear the story of the Transfiguration in this Gospel passage from Mark. This is a mountaintop experience for the apostles, Peter, James, and John. Can you imagine their wonder at seeing Jesus in dazzling light and in experience of God s glory? Yet, we also hear how the apostles did not fully understand what this mountain experience meant: Peter wants to pitch tents so they can stay on the pinnacle. And yet, the apostles must go back down to live their lives and proclaim the wonder they have experienced. As we have been praying with St. Patrick tonight, I wonder if Patrick ever wished that he could stay on Mt. Croagh and not have to go back to the hard work of evangelizing the Irish people in small towns. St. Patrick knew deeply his call to follow Christ, he had refined his prayer life in the lonely fields as an enslaved shepherd. He recognized that God asked great things of him. In his Confessions, we read how Patrick experienced his call: I was like a stone lying in deep mud; and he that is mighty came and in his mercy lifted me up, and raised me aloft and put me on top of the wall. And therefore I ought to shout out aloud and return something to the Lord for the great mercy he has shown me now and for all ages We too have a call: to use our unique gifts and talents to bring God more fully into the world. To help others know Christ by the way in which we live our lives. Each of you received a stone tonight, a simple stone that is not noticeable. And yet: remember that St. Patrick called himself just a muddy stone that God placed in position of leadership? We too can be stones that are placed on the top of the wall. Write the word on your stone that you believe is the gift that you are called to share with others. For example: patience, a kind heart, my inquisitiveness, etc. Give the participants a minute or so to reflect and write the word on their stone Play some quiet instrumental music as participants write. After a few minutes, invite participants to share aloud their word as they drop it in a basket by the prayer table as an offering. Continue playing music softly to encourage a prayerful environment. Go Forth Prayer Leader: We ask you, loving God, to help us embrace a life of mission. Infuse us with a spirit of zeal, and help us to be generous in the way we offer our time and gifts to others. May St. Patrick, who responded courageously to your call, inspire us to be willing to reach out others, to share the Good News and bring Your message of love, acceptance, and peace. We ask this in Jesus name. Amen. Sing the closing song, The Breastplate of St. Patrick https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdcdvhfgdc0 Page 8

Announcements and Refreshments (10 minutes) Make any announcements and invite the participants to stay for socializing and refreshments. Links and websites in this session were successfully accessed on January 3, 2017. This session was written by Katherine Spillman, Director of Staff Formation at Xaverian Brothers High School, 800 Clapboardtree Street, Westwood, MA 02090, (617)251-4446 (cell), kspillman@xbhs.com Page 9

Handout 1 Climbing the Mountain Questions to reflect on in your journal: v What experience feels big and important to me right now- what is the mountain I am climbing? v What might be the steep parts I encounter? Think about the rough terrain. In other words: what will be challenging? v Who could accompany me for part of the journey? v When I look out around me on my mountain what beauty can I see? What am I hopeful for? v When I reach the pinnacle of the mountain, what do I hope to find? Page 10

Handout 2 The Breastplate of St. Patrick I arise today Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, Through belief in the Threeness, Through confession of the Oneness of the Creator of creation. I arise today Through the strength of Christ's birth with His baptism, Through the strength of His crucifixion with His burial, Through the strength of His resurrection with His ascension, Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of doom. I arise today Through the strength of the love of cherubim, In the obedience of angels, In the service of archangels, In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward, In the prayers of patriarchs, In the predictions of prophets, In the preaching of apostles, In the faith of confessors, In the innocence of holy virgins, In the deeds of righteous men. I arise today, through The strength of heaven, The light of the sun, The radiance of the moon, The splendor of fire, The speed of lightning, The swiftness of wind, The depth of the sea, The stability of the earth, The firmness of rock. I arise today, through God's strength to pilot me, God's might to uphold me, God's wisdom to guide me, God's eye to look before me, God's ear to hear me, God's word to speak for me, God's hand to guard me, Page 11

God's shield to protect me, God's host to save me From snares of devils, From temptation of vices, From everyone who shall wish me ill, afar and near. I summon today All these powers between me and those evils, Against every cruel and merciless power that may oppose my body and soul, Against incantations of false prophets, Against black laws of pagandom, Against false laws of heretics, Against craft of idolatry, Against spells of witches and smiths and wizards, Against every knowledge that corrupts man's body and soul; Christ to shield me today Against poison, against burning, Against drowning, against wounding, So that there may come to me an abundance of reward. Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise, Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me, Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me. I arise today Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, Through belief in the Threeness, Through confession of the Oneness of the Creator of creation. Page 12

Resource 1 The Life of St. Patrick In advance of the first activity, write each date with description on a colored index card. Mix up the cards, inviting the youth to put the timeline in correct order. Note to Leader: the dates are only estimates, not much is known about the life of Patrick 389 AD - Patrick is born in Britain (possibly near Wales). Britain was ruled by Rome at this time. 403 AD - Carried off by pirate and sold as a slave to Ireland 409 AD - Patrick escapes captivity and returns to Britain Between 409-444 AD -Become a priest and consecrate a bishop by St. Germanus at Auxerre in Tours, France Between 409-444 AD - Returns to Ireland, bringing the Good News to the Irish people 444 AD - Patrick establishes the key church of Ireland in Armagh 461 AD - Patrick dies in Strangford Lough (Northeast Ireland) Source: http://www.carmelites.ie/stpatrick.html Page 13