Week Two  

St. Patrick’s Cathedral, St. Patrick, Human Dignity and Emergency Services

Praying for the Papal Conclave

This week and specifically, today, the Papal Conclave begins, and I will be praying that The Holy Spirit guides the College of Cardinals as they select the apostolic successor to St. Peter and the Bishop of Rome. I will continue to pray for them with special intentions for His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan, the Archbishop of New York who is seated at St. Patrick’s Cathedral.  

St. Patrick’s Cathedral, New York City

On the second day of this year’s Lenten pilgrimage, I attended Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in the New York Archdiocese. The cathedral is dedicated to St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland and the Irish. This cathedral holds a special space in my heart as it was part of my earliest holiday memories when my grandmother would take me there to see the Nativity and to attend Mass. It was also the location where I told my wife that I loved her for the first time.

St. Patrick’s influence on four generations of service  

Being aware and knowledgeable of my heritage has been important to me and my family. As I was thinking about this week’s reflection and the closeness of St. Patrick with the Irish and my family, I came to the realization that my family has demonstrated four generations of service to others with a strong likelihood that there will be a fifth generation. This service has included police officers, constables, soldiers, nurses, and firefighters.  

St. Patrick Legend and Influence

As with other saints, St. Patrick has legend associated with him; the usage of the shamrock in teaching the Catholic Doctrine of the Holy Trinity. I certainly found it helpful when attempting to understand the incomprehensible nature of God, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. There are two written documents that are directly attributed to St. Patrick, St. Patrick’s Confessio and the Epistola. I have read both since endeavoring on this weekly reflection.

St. Patrick’s life was completely dedicated to the Lord, Jesus and the Holy Spirit and thus serving others. St. Patrick was a victim of labor trafficking having been kidnapped, enslaved and sent to Ireland, a land that was completely foreign to him living as “an Alien among non-Roman Peoples, an exile on account of the love of God.” He worked on a farm tending to livestock. During his enslavement he prayed for the strength to endure the physical and spiritual hardships that he was experiencing, conversion of his heart and those of his captors, and of gratitude.    Upon returning from his enslavement in Ireland to his home in Roman Britain where he began to study and entered the priesthood. He became a bishop, returning to the land of his enslavement to forgive and serve those who hurt him. He lived a purposeful life daily, providing practical service to those around him who were in need. This occurred during a time when he would have been surrounded by people who were hostile to strangers and against his beliefs. His actions led Ireland to become the first non-Roman land to become fully Christian and yes, he drove the snakes out of Ireland.

St. Patrick’s Trafficking Resonates Today

Viewing St. Patrick as being trafficked is relevant to the responsibilities of today’s Emergency Services. All victims of trafficking, labor or sexual exploitation must be treated with dignity simply because they exist. According to information shared by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) this position is the foundation of a moral vision of society.

In 2023, after viewing the film “Sound of Freedom” with my then 19 year old daughter, she asked me if I had ever seen the victims of human trafficking as a Firefighter or EMT and immediately I thought that I hadn’t but as we walked to the car I realized I had seen it multiple times throughout my career and I told her that I had but that we hadn’t treated them as a human trafficking event. This led me to write an article that was published by Fire Engineering titled “Human Trafficking Awareness for Fire and EMS”. I have presented to over 250 Firefighters and EMTs throughout the NY Metro region about this topic.

Human Dignity Belongs to All

St. Patrick called for us to value all life and God’s creation, finding ways to serve all we encounter. As a young man I would assist the Deacon of the Parish that my family belonged to go down to the Bowery and help the homeless with donations to the shelters and then distribute sandwiches along the avenue. Before being appointed to the Fire Department, I became an EMT and volunteered for the community that we lived in; stoking a fire to live a life that was dedicated to helping others. I felt the need for immediate gratification and knowing that I had made a potential difference. Of all the careers that I could think of being a firefighter met that requirement.   

Strength, Freedom and An Oath

During St. Patrick’s enslavement he prayed for strength and freedom. These are two elements that are present from the very beginning of the calling. At a member’s appointment the member raises their right hand and places their left hand on the Bible taking an oath to protect the community and the United States from enemies, foreign and domestic; to protect the Constitution of the United States. This oath is taken each time there is a promotion. I was fortunate to take the oath an additional three times with my wife and family alongside me.   

Sacrifice and Love for Neighbor

I previously quoted St. Patrick’s Letter to the soldiers of Coroticus, where he wrote that he was “an alien among non-Roman peoples, an exile on account of the love of God. Further writing that, if necessary, he would sacrifice himself for his neighbors and their children. This writing deserves to be repeated for importance and effect; “If necessary, he would sacrifice himself for his neighbors and their children”, how often do we receive a notification of a firefighter who was severely injured or killed in the line of duty who was either knowingly or unknowingly meeting that standard held by St. Patrick.   

A Reflection on The Future and Human Dignity

Reflecting upon the legacy of St. Patrick on my service I am drawn to his call to uphold human dignity with action. I have been fortunate to have had the opportunities to serve, and they have received numerous lessons, as well as blessings, along the way. This blog will have 34 more entries this year each providing an opportunity to reflect upon the example that a saint has provided or an element of faith that has provided guidance.

May we all continue to find ways to serve others and uphold their dignity, recognizing the sacred in them.

St. Patrick’s Breastplate Prayer

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through a belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
Of the Creator of creation.

I arise today
Through the strength of Christ’s birth and His baptism,
Through the strength of His crucifixion and His burial,
Through the strength of His resurrection and 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 obedience of angels,
In service of archangels,
In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In the prayers of patriarchs,
In preachings of the apostles,
In faiths of confessors,
In innocence of virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.

I arise today
Through the strength of heaven;
Light of the sun,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of the wind,
Depth of the sea,
Stability of the earth,
Firmness of the 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,
God’s way to lie before me,
God’s shield to protect me,
God’s hosts to save me
From snares of the devil,
From temptations of vices,
From every one who desires me ill,
Afar and a near,
Alone or in a multitude.

I summon today all these powers between me and evil,
Against every cruel merciless power that opposes 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 women and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that corrupts man’s body and soul.

Christ shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that reward may come to me in abundance.

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 in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me.

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through a belief in the Threeness,
Through a confession of the Oneness
Of the Creator of creation