March

Saint Patrick (c. 400 AD)
Feast Day: March 17

Saint Patrick's feast day is one of the few feast days still celebrated in the secular world, but there's much more to this saint than three-leafed clovers and everything green. In fact, Patrick is a great example for our March virtues of compassion, faithfulness, and mercy.  Born in Britain but captured at age 16 by Irish pirates, he served as a slave in Ireland for six years before escaping back to Britain inspired by a divine voice. 

Later, he heard the same divine voice telling him to go back to Ireland as a missionary. He trained as a priest and went back to Ireland to serve the Christians there and spread the faith. 

St. Patrick was known for incorporating Irish culture into his preaching (including using the three-leafed clover as a symbol for the Trinity) and a legend tells that he expelled all the snakes from Ireland. The exact date of this great saint's life are not known, but he has exercised timeless influence.

Saint Patrick the Forgiver: The History and Legends of Ireland's Bishop. Ned Bustard. IVP Kids, 2023. (1-2) Compassion, Forgiveness, Mercy, Faithfulness. 
The latest book on St. Patrick, this rhymed tale puts the emphasis on Patrick's forgiveness of the Irish who had enslaved him.

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Patrick: Patron Saint of Ireland. Tomie dePaola. Holiday House, 1992. (K-3) Saint of the Month, Compassion, Faithfulness, Mercy.
The story of Saint Patrick with Tomie dePaola's characteristic storytelling and winsome illustrations.

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Saint Patrick. Ann Tompert. Boyds Mills Press, 1998. (K-2) Saint of the Month, Compassion, Faithfulness, Mercy.
A simple, gracefully illustrated rendition of St. Patrick's story.

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The Story of Saint Patrick: A Story of Unselfish Devotion. Brother Francis Books, 2018. (K-2) Saint of the Month, Compassion, Faithfulness, Mercy.
Part of the Brother Francis series of books on Catholic saints, this book tells the story of St. Patrick's faithfulness to the Irish people.

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BONUS: Patrick's Day. Elizabeth Lee O'Donnell. Illustrated by Jaqueline Rogers. HarperCollins, 1994. (1-2) Saint of the Month, Compassion, Faithfulness, Mercy.
Not a book about St. Patrick but with a quick nod at his story, this is the tale of a young boy called Patrick who thinks that the St. Patrick's Day parade is for him and so he has responsibilities: "If you're a special person with your own special day, there are certain things you have to do—whether you want to or not." When his family disillusions him (telling some of the story of St. Patrick along the way), he is extremely disappointed and tries on being bad for size. He learns his lesson and eventually his community comes along to support him, too. 

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