Two boys went to stay with their uncle, an auctioneer, and one day he let them come with him to a sale held at an old-fashioned country-house. All sorts of people crowded into a big room, farmers and shop-keepers and parsons' wives, and dealers from London in fur-collared overcoats, smoking cigars.

Various lots of furniture and odds and ends were bid for, and went for a few pounds or shillings. One grand-looking picture was put up of a military gentleman in a fine gilt frame, and the boys were sure it would fetch a lot, and were disappointed when the local inn-keeper got it for seven and six.

Then a dirty-looking little picture in a shabby and broken frame was put on the table. It seemed to be a portrait of a child, but you could hardly see what, it was so old. 'Lot twenty-five,' said somebody.

'Fifty pounds' was the first bid, and the boys could hardly believe their ears. The London dealers sat up and began to bid against each other, and in five minutes the picture had reached thousands of pounds: at last it went for £65oo.

Going back in the car, the boys asked their uncle why the dingy little picture fetched all that money.

'Because it happens to be by a great artist. Anything from his hand is of immense value.'

'Well, it wasn't much to look at!'

'Ah, it'll look very different when the restorers have taken centuries of dirt off it. Then you'll see its beauty. Very likely some day you'll see it hanging in the National Gallery.'

Every human soul is of infinite value, because it is the work of God.

It is an image and likeness of God Himself, and however tarnished it may be it only needs cleaning for its beauty to be seen.

Because of this, Our Lord valued us so greatly that He bought us with the infinite price of His Precious Blood. That is why He is our 'Redeemer.'

- Rev. F.H. Drinkwater, Catechism Stories Part I: the Creed (1939)

photo by brandi sims / flickrCC

Today we celebrate the feast of St. Patrick. In our secular culture, St. Patrick (and his feast day) is remembered simply for his connection shamrocks, leprechauns and green beer. In fact, St. Patrick was a native of Britain. While still a teen Patrick was captured and taken to Ireland; he spent six years there as a slave. After escaping and returning home, Patrick had a vision. As he later wrote:

I saw a man coming, as it were from Ireland. His name was Victoricus, and he carried many letters, and he gave me one of them. I read the heading: "The Voice of the Irish." As I began the letter, I imagined in that moment that I heard the voice of those very people who were near the wood of Foclut, which is beside the western sea—and they cried out, as with one voice: "We appeal to you, holy servant boy, to come and walk among us.

Patrick, now a bishop, returned to Ireland where he baptized thousands, ordained native priests, and converted the sons of kings. He won over the people who had once enslaved him and is now the patron saint of the Emerald Isle.

Like the Irish of the 4^th century, our diocese is waiting for a bishop who will “come and walk among us.” It has been extraordinarily heartening to see and hear of the many people around the diocese who are praying for our new bishop through intercessions, litanies and the Eucharist. Whoever he is, our new bishop has been cloaked in the prayers of the faithful and entrusted to the care of our Blessed Mother. And we pray that, like St. Patrick, he will teach us to walk in the joyful company of the Triune God.

Lord God,
you are our eternal shepherd and guide.
In your mercy grant your Church of Springfield in Illinois a shepherd
who will walk in your ways
and whose watchful care will bring us your blessing.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.