Leader: We come together to pray & to honour Patrick, the
patron saint of Ireland. Let us have the people of Ireland
in mind as we pray & particularly those we know.
Please join in the refrain for the litany which honours all the saints. (Bernadette Farrell – God beyond all names)
Saints of God in glory, be with us, rejoice with us, sing praise with us & pray with us now.
Please listen to Psalm 14 being read after saying the antiphon.
All: I have become a minister of the Gospel according to the bountiful gift of God.
Reader 1: Lord, who has the right to enter your tent, or to live on your holy mountain?
Reader 2: Those whose way of life is blameless, who always do what is right; who speak the truth from their heart, whose tongue is not used for slander, who do no wrong to friends; those who cast no discredit on neighbours, who look with contempt on the reprobate, but honour those who fear you; who stand by a pledge at all cost, who do not ask interest on loans, and cannot be bribed to exploit the innocent.
All: If they do all this, they cannot be shaken.
All: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end, Amen.
All: I have become a minister of the Gospel according to the bountiful gift of God.
Please sing the second psalm as indicated.
Cantors: This is the wise & faithful servant
Whom the master placed in charge of his household.
Side 1: Happy are those who fear our God
And joyfully keep God’s commandments!
Side 2: Children of such as these will be powers on earth;
Each generation of the upright will be blessed.
Side 1: There will be riches and wealth for their families,
And righteousness stands firm forever.
Side 2: Even in the darkness, light dawns for the upright,
For the merciful, compassionate and righteous.
Side 1: These good of heart lend graciously,
Handling their affairs honestly.
Side 2: Kept safe by virtue, they are always steadfast
And leave an everlasting memory behind them.
Side 1: With a trusting heart and confidence in the Lord,
They need never fear evil news.
Side 2: Steadfast in heart they overcome their fears;
In the end they will triumph over their enemies.
Side 1: Quick to be generous, they give to the poor;
Their righteousness stands firm forever.
Side 2: People such as these will always be honoured,
And this fills the wicked with fury.
Side 1: Grinding their teeth, they waste away,
Vanishing like their vain hopes.
All: Glory be to the Father and to the Son,
And to the Holy Spirit
As it was in the beginning,
is now and ever shall be,
World without end, Amen.
All: This is the wise & faithful servant
Whom the master placed in charge of his household.
Lent Reading(Isaiah 49.) followed by silent personal reflection.
This is what the LORD says: “In the time of my favour I will answer you, and in the day of salvation I will help you; I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people, to restore the land and to reassign its desolate inheritances, to say to the captives, ‘Come out,’ and to those in darkness, ‘Be free!’ “They will feed beside the roads and find pasture on every barren hill. They will neither hunger nor thirst, nor will the desert heat or the sun beat down on them. He who has compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water. I will turn all my mountains into roads, and my highways will be raised up. See, they will come from afar- some from the north, some from the west, some from the region of Aswan.” Shout for joy, you heavens; rejoice, you earth; burst into song, you mountains! For God comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones. But Zion said, “God has forsaken me, God has forgotten me.” “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!
Please sing the Magnificat after the Cantor, as indicated.
Cantors: Many will come from the east & the west
To take their places with Abraham, Isaac & Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.
Side 1: My being proclaims your greatness,
And my spirit finds joy in you, God my Saviour;
Side 2: For you have looked upon me, your servant, in my lowliness:
All ages to come shall call me blessed.
Side 1: God, you who are mighty, have done great things for me:
Holy is your name.
Side 2: Your mercy is from age to age
Towards those who fear you.
Side 1: You have shown might with your arm,
And confused the proud in their inmost thoughts.
Side 2: You have deposed the mighty from their thrones,
And raised the lowly to high places.
Side 1: The hungry you have given every good thing,
While the rich you have sent away empty.
Side 2: You have upheld Israel, your servant,
Ever mindful of your mercy-
Side 1: Even as you promised our ancestors,
Promised Abraham, Sarah, and their descendants for ever.
All: Give praise to the Father Almighty,
To his Son Jesus Christ our Lord;
To the Spirit who dwells in our hearts,
Both now and for ever, Amen.
All: Many will come from the east & the west
To take their places with Abraham, Isaac & Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.
Intercessions:
Reader: Tonight we remember the people of Ireland and particularly for anyone we know personally ………. (please mention any names)
Cantors: With St Patrick, let us pray to the Lord
All: Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Reader: Let us pray for those who serve the people of
Ireland in the state & in the Church…… pause …..
Response as above.
Reader: Let us pray for all those known to us who have the
name Patrick…………….(mention any names)
Response as above.
Reader: Let us pray in thanksgiving for the beauty of Ireland
& the good humour of so many Irish men & women.… pause …..
Response as above.
Reader: We pray for people who have died today – for those
who will die tonight, and for those whose anniversaries of death occur tomorrow, remembering especially:
Pause for people to add silently or aloud any further intentions.
Leader begins the Our Father….
Leader: We give you thanks, creating God, for sending St Patrick to preach your glory to the people of Ireland. Grant that we who are proud to call ourselves Christians may never cease to try to live as Christ did & so preach God’s word. We pray in the name of Jesus.
All: Amen.
As we end our prayer together, let us listen to a Gaelic Blessing. (Light in our Darkness CD)