St Patrick’s Breastplate

Webmaster • March 12, 2022

According to tradition, St. Patrick wrote this prayer in the year 433 A.D. for divine protection before successfully converting the Irish King Leoghaire and his subjects from paganism to Christianity. The following is a short extract.


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 when I arise,

Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,

Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,

Christ in every eye that sees me,

Christ in every ear that hears me.


This prayer is called "St. Patrick's Breastplate" because of those parts of it that seek God's protection. It is also known as "The Deer's Cry" or "The Lorica". "...and having on the breastplate of righteousness;” (Ephesians 6:14). Paul compares our Christian armor to armor the Ephesians would have been familiar with, that of the Romans. A Roman breastplate was a metal shield of sorts that strapped on and guarded the soldier’s chest. Within the chest lies our heart. When our heart stops beating we die. Thus, the heart is a key target that an enemy will try to hit to end our lives. Our heart is also symbolic as the home of our spirit. The breastplate we are given to protect our heart is righteousness. Not our righteousness; but Christ’s. We have already gotten God’s approval, He sent Christ to be righteousness for us. No trick or scheme of Satan can take away that righteousness unless we let down our breastplate and bare our heart for him to take. By holding the sacrifice of Christ against our heart as a breastplate, we cannot be lost by attack to the heart.

By Webmaster • October 16, 2026
Holy Family's Humility & Meekness (3a) Jesus as our Teacher, His Incarnation is already a clear evidence of profound humility. As I AM WHO I AM, who could possibly compare to that? Who could make oneself a god and then humble oneself to a creation? Jesus not only took our human nature, being true-God and true human, and dwell amongst us for 33 long years. He did not wish to enter into the world with riches and royal majesty, because He did not come from heaven for such vanities. He came to redeem the world and to guide men on the path of eternal life; and this was done through humility and poverty; thus in these He was born, live and die, in order to destroy in the human hearts the fetters of covetousness and pride, which keep us from blessedness. Thus He was born in a cave, slept in a manger, being a poor immigrant in Egypt, being the son of a poor carpenter, relied on the food and support from some pious women and followers during His Mission, enter Jerusalem on a donkey, being buried in a borrowed tomb. ‘Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you will find rest for your souls.’(Matt 11:29) When Jesus was a child, even He is the incarnated Word, He called Mary and Joseph as His mother and father, and subjected to them as a child to his parents. Because of His parents’ sorrows of finding Him for 3 days, He obediently and humbly hid His Wisdom and Divinity for 18 more years and did not resume His public mission until then. During Jesus’ earthly ministry, His gentleness is a mark aspect for his character. Although his own disciples unendingly accompanied Him during the preaching in different towns and villages, saw him perform miracles, and were being instructed and explained everything by Him privately, they still misunderstood and failed often. To these, Jesus only said: “Unbelieving generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you?” (Mk 9:19) Another time, when the crowd wanted to bring their babies to Jesus but the disciples told them off, but Jesus said them: “Allow the little children to come to me, and don’t forbid them…”(Lk 18:16) Also, when a Samaritan village did not receive them and his disciples asked Jesus whether He wants them to command fire to come down from the sky and destroy those people, Jesus rebuked them, “You don’t know of what kind of spirit you are. For the Son of Man didn’t come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.”(Lk 9:55-6) Reference: The Mystical City of God, Ven Mary of Agreda
By Webmaster • October 16, 2026
Almighty ever-living God, grant that we may always conform our will to yours and serve your majesty in sincerity of heart. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,  God, for ever and ever. Amen.
By Webmaster • October 16, 2026
Your donations help build the Church, support vocations and enable missionaries to carry out their mission in often dangerous and remote places.
By Webmaster • October 16, 2026
Holy Rosary will be held in Our Lady’s Garden at St Peter’s every Sunday in October at 10:45am  Week 3 (18 October) The Sorrowful Mysteries For the most forgotten Holy Souls & our deceased family members Week 4 (25 October) The Glorious Mysteries For the universal Church, Priests & Religious All are welcome to join the full Holy Rosary in the October month of the Rosary!
By Webmaster • October 16, 2026
Organ Music for the Bell Tower As part of our fundraising for the Church Bell Tower, there will be three organ recitals taking place between now and Christmas. They are:  12th November – Tim Lyons All recitals start at 7.00pm and there will be a retiring collection in aid of the Bell Tower fund. Please come and support the music, the organists, and your Parish.
By Webmaster • October 16, 2026
Journey in Faith Becoming a Catholic — RCIA The Parish welcomes enquirers for this new group. Please take a leaflet and speak to one of the Priests. Meetings will take place at 7pm on Wednesdays in the Presbytery, starting on Wednesday 21 October.
By Webmaster • October 16, 2026
Volunteers are needed to help run the Parish night shelter for rough sleepers which is due to open on Friday 4th December. The shelter opens each Friday until the end of March 2027. If you wish to volunteer, or want more information, please contact Peter Sullivan on 07906 10 10 15 or petersullivan46@btinternet.com
By Webmaster • October 2, 2026
Sunday 18th October at 11am Meet Angelo & colleague at the Museum The tour will take about 2 hours. Tickets £10.00 (Please pay on booking) available this weekend from Church porch. Only 15 places available so sign up quickly.  If more people interested then another date could be available
By Webmaster • October 2, 2026
The Council confirm that the new restrictions are not currently active – as the zone is still being delivered. Their contractors are anticipated to be on-site until approximately the end of November. The Council will be sending out a letter closer to the time to all properties advising of a “go-live” date for the zone when enforcement will begin, and will put something on social media. This will be done in advance to provide people with enough time to obtain the relevant permits, and will contain more information on how to obtain permits.  Until the new restrictions are in place the current restrictions apply – weekdays 'two hours free parking’ – Sunday no restrictions in parking areas.
By Webmaster • October 2, 2026
Bell Tower Fundraising - Autumn Fayre Saturday 10th October 11am-3pm St Peter’s Hall (behind Church) Free Entry. All are welcome. We need donations of the following: Raffle prizes; Bottles (alcohol, soft drinks); new/nearly new Toys; Jewellery. Please leave them in the Church porch before Friday 9th October. On Friday 9th October, the Hall will be open from 10.30am to 12noon, and 4pm to 7pm when you can directly bring in your donations and set up your stalls.  Home-made Cakes to the Hall from 10am on the 10th October. Thank you for your support.