La 'le Padraig

Greetings to one and all for Saint Patrick's Day. I will be somewhere in the UAE with my Capuchin brethren, so it is unlikely that I will find some fellow Irish people to celebrate with. But we will all be united in spirit, le cunamh De.
Tomorrow morning I leave for Dubai to visit the many frairs working in that part of the world. They come from many countries, principally from India and the Phillipines and their task is to offer pastoral care to the millions of immigrant workers in the countries of the Arabian Peninsula. I hear talk of some trouble in Bahrain and rumblings in Kuwait, but , please God, all will be quiet while I am there.
The last few weeks were spent in Austria and Alto Adige, in view of the forthcoming unification of these two provinces. There are few vocations in that area of the world and the hope is that, by combining forces, the brothers there will be able to create something new together. We hope for the best.