Catholic Engaged Encounter Atlanta

St. Patrick and the Shamrock:
The Holy legend tells of the young Patrick, new missionary to Ireland, making use of Irish customs to teach Christianity in a forthright and bold manner. It was the beginning of Spring, the time when daylight equals night's darkness, and the time for Christian Easter. Irish custom, under pain of death, forbade all firelight. But Easter was the time for kindling the Paschal flame. And so Bishop Patrick built a huge bonfire to proclaim the Risen Lord. Leoghaire, King of Tara, had Patrick arrested and brought before all chieftains. It was at this moment, legend holds, that Patrick preached his most memorable sermon. Holding aloft a green shamrock from the Spring fields, Patrick preached on the mystery of the Holy Trinity. Not only did he escape punishment, but he converted Leoghaire, his chieftains and with them the whole of Ireland. The small shamrock became the large symbol of people's faith.
May the peace and love of St. Patrick be with you today and always.

As we approach the feast of St. Patrick, we are reminded of his 3-leaf clover metaphor for the Trinity.

The doctrine of the Trinity helps us to understand the God in whose image we are made: a God who is, in essence, loving relationship – 3 persons in one God. This means that, as people are made in God’s image, we are called to live in loving relationship with all people – to truly be community.

Let us take this opportunity to recall that the doctrine of the Trinity calls us to live in loving relationship with one another just as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are, in essence, loving relationship.

Let us deepen our Lenten experience, grow our relationship with God, and experience the living grace of God in our lives. Consider these ways to explore prayer, alms giving and fasting.

How to Find Time in Your Day for Lent Catholics with little time or energy can still weave moments of spiritual awareness and service into normal daily life during the liturgical season of Lent.

Happy Valentine's Day!
Love is patient, love is kind... it bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 1 Corinthians 13:4,7

The Legend of Saint Valentine
According to legend, the Valentine takes its name from a young Christian priest who lived in Ancient Rome. Like so many of the early Christians, Valentine had been imprisoned because of his faith. Often and longingly he thought of his loved ones and wanted to assure them of his well-being and of his love for them. Beyond his cell window, just within reach grew a cluster of violets. He picked some of the heart shaped leaves and pricked them with the words, "Remember your Valentine," and sent them off by a friendly dove. On the next day, and the next, he sent more messages that simply said, "I love you." Thus did the Valentine have its beginning. And so it has been through the ages- those who love, remember and send Valentines to express their love.

Falling in Love
Nothing is more practical than
finding God, that is, than
falling in love
in a quite absolute, final way.
What you are in love with,
what seizes your imagination,
will affect everything.
It will decide
what will get you out of bed
in the morning,
what you do with your evenings,
how you spend your weekends,
what you read, whom you know,
what breaks your heart,
and what amazes you with joy and gratitude.
Fall in love, stay in love,
and it will decide everything.
Attributed to Fr. Pedro Arrupe, SJ, 28th Superior General of the Society of Jesus (1965–83)