We celebrate our church's Celtic heritage on this feast day, which honors the great Scotsman himself [yes, he was Scottish], the bishop and missionary Padraic.
Almighty God, in your providence you chose your servant Patrick to be the apostle of the Irish people, to bring those who were wandering in darkness and error to the true light and knowledge of you: Grant us so to walk in that light that we may come at last to the light of everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
[Note: I know that it should be tomorrow that we remember Padraic, but he has been transferrred to Saturday the 16th this year because the 17th falls on a Sunday and all Sundays are feast days dedicated to Our Lord and Savior. In other words, Paddy gets bumped by Jesus.]