St Columbkille's Feast Day

Statue of St. Columbkille

The Feast day for St. Columbkille is not on the United States Calendar so we typically do not celebrate it. It is on the calendar in Scotland and Ireland. But people in Scotland and Ireland will not celebrate it this year because it falls on a Sunday and the Sunday celebration takes precedence over this and most feasts.

But this year, as we celebrate the end of construction, Archbishop Lucas has given us a dispensation to celebrate the Feast of St. Columbkille Sunday. This weekend we wil use the prayers from the liturgy for St. Columbkille -- and may be the only parish in the world to do so on Sunday. At some Masses the priest may use the solemn blessing attributed to St. Columbkille. Here it is:

May the Lord be a sure path beneath your feet,
a bright light before you,
a kindly shepherd behind you:
this day, this night and always.

And may the blessing of almighty God,
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
come down on you and remain with you for ever.
Amen.