British and Irish Saints' Month
Beloved brothers and sisters in Christ, In these days of March the Church in these islands remembers a constellation of holy saints who sanctified the lands of Britain and Ireland. Their lives remind us that holiness is not distant or foreign, but has taken root here among our own people, that the light of Christ once shone brightly in these lands and continues to shine through their prayers. 1 March We begin with the holy bishop David of Wales (+589), whom we commemorate on the first of March. He was a great ascetic and teacher of the Church in Wales. He founded monasteries where prayer, fasting, and manual labour formed the heart of Christian life. His monks lived simply, working the land and praising God. His final words to his flock were: “Be joyful, keep the faith, and do the little things.” In this simple teaching he reminds us that holiness is found in faithfulness in the small and ordinary duties of life. 5 March Saint Piran (c. 480) is honoured especially in Cornwall as a b...