On Tuesday, March 17, 2026, Catholic Central held an all-school Mass in observance of St. Patrick’s Day, with Father Patrick Fulton, CSB, serving as the celebrant.

In his homily, Father Fulton spoke about the significance of St. Patrick’s Day for the Catholic Central community, noting the Irish roots of the school’s founding Basilian Fathers. He also invited student participation, asking what they knew about St. Patrick before sharing key details from the saint’s life.

Father Fulton explained that St. Patrick was born in Britain, not Ireland, into a Christian family. At age 16, he was captured by Irish raiders and taken to Ireland, where he lived in captivity for six years. During that time, he turned to prayer, which became central to his faith.

He later escaped after a dream prompted him to leave, eventually making his way back home. Upon returning, he faced challenges readjusting to life there. According to Father Fulton, St. Patrick later felt called to return to Ireland as a missionary. Despite initial concerns about his lack of formal education, he was ordained and went on to preach the Gospel in Ireland.

Father Fulton emphasized the level of forgiveness required for St. Patrick to return to the people who had once enslaved him and encouraged students to consider how faith can shape life’s direction.

“Can you imagine the depth of forgiveness that you would have to possess to go back to the people that, for all intents and purposes, destroyed your life? That takes incredible strength of character,” Father Fulton said.

He concluded by encouraging students to trust in God’s plan, even when life does not unfold as expected, and referenced the St. Patrick’s Breastplate prayer as an example of that trust.