Celebrating Saintly Diversity

   Have you noticed the political correctness police even patrol the calendar pages? What was once St. Valentine's Day is now just Valentine's Day? Before you know it, today will be plain old Patrick's Day. 
   Now if I had my way, we'd celebrate more saints' days and I'd start with saints who are already visible in Gwinnett County.
   Like St. Stephen the Martyr, who has a Lilburn church named after him. St. Stephen was stoned to death for standing up to the powers that be. His feast day is December 26, a good time to think ahead to New Year's resolutions and ways we might emulate the courageous man.
   The Welsh community in Gwinnett already celebrates St. David's Day. This patron saint of Wales is remembered on March 1 with musical festivities. (Info: Gillian.Cooper@fco.gov.uk)
   We also have Saint David's Community Church in Lawrenceville, which is named for another David, the hero of the Old Testament. Forgiveness is a major theme at Saint David's. Pastor Gregg Kennard said, "David had an understanding of forgiveness. He did some dark things, but was restored in God."
   The congregation does not designate a special day for Saint David, but then that makes every day a good day to work on forgiveness. And shouldn't we all?
   A newcomer to Gwinnett is St. Columba's Episcopal Church under construction at Johns Creek. St. Columba, a priest and poet, established churches in northern England and now a church in northern Gwinnett bears his name. The patron saint of poets, his feast day is June 9. Father Tripp Norris of St. Columba's said, "According to legend he died holding and reading the psalms." 
   Now I know Cindy Murphy comes up with all kinds of clever ideas for promoting the Gwinnett County Public Library. I'm sure she could come up with a cool politically correct way to celebrate poets and their patron saint. 
   A Lawrenceville church bears the name of my favorite saint, St. Lawrence. No, it's not because Larson means son of Lawrence, but because St. Lawrence had such a sharp sense of humor. So sharp, he died laughing. You see, St. Lawrence was the church treasurer, and when the prefect asked to see the treasures of the church, St. Lawrence showed him the poor and the lame. The prefect was not amused and ordered him to be grilled to death. In his last dying breath, St. Lawrence said, "I'm done on this side. You can turn me over now."
   St. Lawrence's Day on August 11 is commonly celebrated with - yes, a cookout. (C'mon! St. Lawrence would love it!)
   But since St. Patrick is still the only saint recognized on the secular calendar, it might be fun to celebrate by doing something politically incorrect. Like beating up a snake. (Uh-oh, maybe I shouldn't have said that. If the PETA people read this, St. Patrick will end up not having a day at all.)

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