Can you love Saint Patrick's day even if you're not Catholic?
147854
I am in the exact same boat as you. I too am very irish, but choose not to follow the catholic religion nor do I drink. I do however, love St. Patricks day. It is a day to celebrate about beig happy and loving your life. I need no other reason.
926930
St Patrick is known as the patron saint of Ireland. True, he was not a born Irish.But he has become an integral part of the Irish heritage, mostly through his service across Ireland of the 5th century.\n\nPatrick was born in the later half of the 4th century AD.\n\nThere are differing views about the exact year and place of his birth.\n\nAccording to one school of opinion, he was born about 390 A.D.,\nwhile the other school says it is about 373 AD. Again, his birth place is said to be in either Scotland or Roman England.\n\nHis real name was probably Maewyn Succat.Though Patricius was his Romanicized name, he was later came to be familiar as Patrick.\n\nPatrick was the son of Calpurnius, a Roman-British army officer.\nHe was growing up as naturally as other kids in Britain. However, one day a band of pirates landed in south Wales and kidnapped this boy along with many others. Then they sold him into slavery in Ireland. There was there for 6 years, mostly imprisoned.\n\nThis was when changes came to him. He dreamed of having seen God.\n\nLegend says, he was then dictated by God to escape with a getaway ship.\n\nFinally, he did escape and went to Britain. And then to France.\nThere he joined a monastery and studied under St. Germain,\nthe bishop of Auxerre. He spent around 12 years in training.\nAnd when he became a bishop he dreamed that the Irish were calling him back to Ireland to tell them about God.\n\nThe Confessio, Patrick's spiritual autobiography, is the most important document regarding this. It tells of a dream after his return to Britain, in which one Victoricus delivered him a letter headed "The Voice of the Irish."\n\nSo he set out for Ireland with the Pope's blessings. There he converted the Gaelic Irish, who were then mostly Pagans, to Christianity. He was confident in the Lord, he journeyed far and wide, baptizing and confirming with untiring zeal. And, in a diplomatic fashion he brought gifts to a kinglet here and a lawgiver there,but accepted none from any.\n\nIndeed, Patrick was quite successful at winning converts.\nThrough active preaching, he made important converts even\namong the royal families. And this fact upset the Celtic Druids.\nPatrick was arrested several times,but escaped each time.\nFor 20 years he had traveled throughout Ireland, establishing monasteries across the country. He also set up schools and churches which would aid him in his conversion.\nHe developed a native clergy, fostered the growth of monasticism, established dioceses, and held church councils.\n\nPatrick's doctrine is considered orthodox and has been interpreted as anti-Pelagian. Although he is not particularly noted as a man of learning, a few of his writings remain extant:\nhis Confession, a reply to his detractors, and several letters.\nThe Lorica ("Breastplate"), a famous hymn attributed to Patrick,\nmay date to a later period.\n\nBy the end of the 7th century Patrick had become a legendary figure, and the legends have continued to grow since then.\nThere are many legends associated with St Patrick.\nIt is said that he used the three-leafed shamrock to explain the concept of the Trinity; which refers to the combination of\nFather, Son, and the Holy Spirit. Hence its strong association with his day and name.\n\nLegend also has that, Saint Patrick had put the curse of God on venomous snakes in Ireland. And he drove all the snakes into the sea where they drowned.\n\nTrue, these are mostly legends. But, after some 1500 years,\nthese legends have been inseparably combined with the facts.\nAnd together they have helped us know much about the Saint and the spirit behind celebration of the day.\n\nPatrick's mission in Ireland lasted for over 20 years.\nHe died on March 17, AD 461.\nThat day has been commemorated as St. Patrick's Day ever since.\nThe day's spirit is to celebrate the universal baptization of Ireland.\nThough originally a Catholic holy day, St. Patrick's Day has evolved
244942
It actually depends on their diocese.  I know the bishop in ours offered a special dispensation that allows Catholics to eat corned beef on St. Patrick's Day.  Our Irish and Catholic population is pretty large, so it was a big deal.  I'm not Catholic and I don't really get it, but there you go.
246471
Saint Patrick went into Ireland spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ and some people started making big tales/miracles about St. Patrick. Like the most well known of him sending out the snakes out of Ireland. So he became a hero and they honor him using his name. =>
226665
im a mexican american and f*cking love irish people!\nyeah!
108229
Honestly, be sure you've got lots for people to eat as irish fare is made to go great with beer/ale.  We always had great St. Patty parties!  The right mix of people and a stern lecture to leave firearms and moonshine at home (neither were listened to with more than politeness ;)  In any case, irish stew, corned beef and cabbage, irish soda bread....all spectacular fare for such an event and you don't have to do it all.  Lots of people welcome the opportunity to show off their best dish or are happy to help with your menu.  Good food, Good drink, Good friends.  That's how to celebrate St. Patrick's day!
179720
How nice of you.  Happy St. Patty's day to you too!  I love this day when everyone is Irish and can celebrate!
321699
you don't worship as a catholic...you "pray to" and "honor Mary, the mother of God"..............
1164372
I'm not catholic..but I liked John Paul. I think he stood for Christian values...and I love the story of his life
273869
I'm pretty sure it doesn't mean eating corned beef and cabbage and drinking green beer.\n\nTo any and all of you who may be looking in on YA from the Emerald Isle, I imagine you all having a serious laugh on the ridiculous way us Yanks celebrate St. Patrick's Day.  I have Irish blood in me, and can only imagine the kind of heartache many of my fellow Irish men and women have known in the centuries of "the troubles" you have endured.
219453
b/c nobody REALLY celebrates St Patricks day...everybody just use it as an excuse to drink - a lot. They really couldn't care less about St Patrick or the history of the day.  If you go out and ask people on the street what the day is about...i bet very very few ppl would even come close to having a clue.
367147
Yes, I celebrate it. While it's not an officially recognized holiday in the US, it is celebrated by pagans here. We refer to it as Beltane more often than May Day.
761430
I am Catholic.  There are many organizations at school and other places where people of all faiths get together to pray, have fun, and serve others.\n\nI hope that you are able to do this in your town.  If not, take the first step and invite the Catholics to participate in some community service project or celebration.  It is a great time of the year to start.
178226
My middle name is Patrick, I think they created this holiday for me! (thats what my mommy told me)\n\nActually, it originated in Ireland from an old mythical tale- and YES, some DO celebrate it in some parts of Ireland.
204922
Yes.\n\nI'm a Godmother to one of my nieces and also to a friend's daughter and both of those Godfathers were not Catholic.  This was 37 and and 30 years ago!\n\n(By the way, I'm no longer Catholic!)
749122
Im catholic but I wouldn't expect people to get offended because Im sayin something positive, I am pleased when I hear people wish me a happy Eid or any other non-Christian religious festival. People who would take offence are often ignorent bitter people. Btw bless you was a Catholic thing that came around during the time of the black death as sneezing was one of the first signs and the pope ordered everyone to be blessed when they sneezed so as to keep the plague at bay ... or so im told.
359563
Saint Patrick was originally a Roman born young man in occupied England.  He was captured by raiding Irishman and forced to work in Ireland where he realized they were a savage nation that needed to know Jesus.  After returning to England he became a priest then returned to Ireland to live a nomadic life preaching and converting Ireland, his effect was massive - the Billy graham of his day.  Because of his nomadic lifestyle and first missionary status he is the patron saint of travelers and people living in foreign lands.  so fondly remembered by Irish immigrant to USA - the rest is modern history.\n\nPS he never chased any snakes out of Ierland - there never have been snakes in the British isles and Ireland