The following is U.S. Rep. Chris Smith's (NJ-04) statement for the St. Patrick Day Parade. held in Mercer County on March 24, 2018:

           St. Patrick’s Day Parades have long been a great public expression of faith, a celebration of our rich Irish heritage and above all, a recognition of a saint who transformed not only Ireland but the world, providing a way for us to honor, revere and praise one of the greatest saints in all of Christendom. 

            St. Patrick, born in 387, endured six years of slavery in Ireland as a child yet went back after a daring escape to face unremitting danger and crushing setback only to persevere with an indomitable will to preach the good news of Jesus Christ, the forgiveness of sin and the way of salvation.

            With profound simplicity, St. Patrick explained the difficult doctrine of the Holy Trinity with a metaphor—the shamrock. By some estimates, he went on to consecrate no fewer than 350 bishops and establish several hundred churches in a land rife with paganism and druids.

            Ever humble and attributing all success to God, St. Patrick wrote in the Confession: “So how is it that in Ireland, where they never had any knowledge of God but always, until now, cherished idols and unclean things, they have become a people of the Lord, and are called children of God... .”  Concerning his many trials, he said “God watched over me… he protected me and consoled me as a father would his son therefore I cannot keep silent… our way to repay him is to exalt Him and confess His wonders before every nation under heaven.”

            Today, countless believers—not just in Ireland or of Irish decent—trace their Christian roots to St. Patrick’s faithfulness and the Irish missionaries he inspired over the course of centuries who took the gospel worldwide—some even to the point of martyrdom. 

            Today, countless souls are citizens of heaven experiencing the infinite love of God and the fellowship of the angels and saints—including St. Patrick himself—because of this mighty bishop.

           Like many others, my wife Marie and I are the happy beneficiaries of St. Patrick’s evangelization.

            Both of us trace our roots to counties Claire and Cavan—that would be Smith, O’Reilly and Troy—and the Catholic faith that was and remains the centerpiece of our lives.

            Of course the gospel that St. Patrick taught comes with serious obligations to protect the weakest and most vulnerable. Jesus admonished us in Matthew 25 to treat the “least of these” as we would God.

            Gross violations of human rights against Catholics in Ireland have occurred unabated for centuries.  The establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922, however, meant reform and respect in 26 counties but not for the 6 counties in the North.

            Working with many local Irish-American leaders, I put together fact finding trips to Belfast, chaired 15 congressional hearings on human rights abuse especially by the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) and authored laws to condition FBI training on robust vetting of police.

             Working with many local Irish-American leaders, I put together fact finding trips to Belfast, chaired 17 congressional hearings on human rights abuse especially by the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) an authored legislation that suspended FBI training exchange programs with, or training of, RUC officers at US facilities until the British government established a robust process to vet officers engaged in human rights abuses. 

         Three days ago, I chaired yet another congressional hearing on the 20^th Anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement with a special emphasis on unfinished business.

            While significant human rights progress has been made since the April 10^th, 1998 Good Friday Agreement—and the establishment of the Northern Irish Assembly—collusion and cover-up of RUC and British violence especially the assassination of Patrick Finucane remains unfinished business.

            I truly believe that justice will be achieved in the North; however, perpetrators of violence must be held to account so peace and reconciliation can finally be fully achieved.

           And very special thanks to the entire group who planned this year’s St. Patrick's Day parade. All their hard work is much appreciated by everyone in the community.

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