The Decatur Daily Review from Decatur, Illinois • Page 13

Decatur, Illinois, Monday, March 17, 1980 Irish-Americans mark special day 4 Just w20 was this St. Patrick, anyway? Decatur Daily Review Lifestyle Section By JERIE JAYNE Herald and Review Lifestyle Writer WTio is St. Patrick anyway? The answer depends on who is asked. The Rev. Donald Meehling, of German descent and pastor of St.

Patrick Church, gives this answer: "The man who brought Christianity to Ireland." Replies from some local American-Irishmen: Dave O'Brien, 62 Tennison Court, of Irish descent but not Catholic, "I don't really know who he is. I probably have heard of him but I usually wear green on St. Patrick's Day." Mabel O'Brien, 1096 W. Decatur St. "Well, my maiden name was Smith, so I'm not really Irish.

No, I really don't know. Who is he?" Guy O'Brien, 1367 S. 44th American-Irish and Catholic. "He's the Catholic saint who killed all the snakes in Ireland." Tim Nolan, 361 N. College president of Sons and Daughters of Ireland.

"St. Patrick actually was Polish," he said light-heartedly. "Now, wait a minute. Maybe that's the pope. I don't know how St.

Patrick got to be a saint. Maybe he isn't a saint. My brother knows much more about this than I do." Patrick Nolan, 62 Eastmoreland Drive. He is Tim's brother and a member of Sons and Daughters of Ireland. "St.

Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland. Didn't he chase the snakes out of Ireland?" bishop. In 432 Patrick became a missionary to Ireland, where he spent the rest of his life. St. Patrick's Day is the observance of his death.

He is credited with driving snakes out of Ireland and taking Christianity to Ireland without bloodshed. Meehling identifies St. Patrick as Ireland's apostle. What about the snakes? "There are, as a matter of fact, no; snakes in Ireland. Whether St.

Patrick drove them out or not I don't know," he said. Meehling explained that a panel in St. Patrick Church signifies what the saint stands for. "His symbols are a bishop's staff and miter (hat) and the shamrock and the snakes." he said. The three-leafed shamrock is significant because St.

Patrick used it to display the Trinity, the basic doctrine of the Christian religion of God in three persons. "He used it to show to them that three could be one," Meehling said. At St. Patrick Church today the Mass and Divine Office, the official prayer life of the church, focused on the life; and example of SL Patrick. "In Ireland, St.

Patrick's Day is almost like George Washington's birthday. It is really intimately bound as a civil holiday because most of the people in Ireland are Catholic," Meehling said. Louise "Wegi" Nolan, Patrick's wife. "I can't say I'm 100 percent Irish; my mother would kill me. I'm 80 percent Irish and 20 percent German.

"St. Patrick was the patron saint of Ireland and a national hero. He's acclaimed a hero because he drove out all the snakes and demons. St. Patrick's Day has become a fun thing for the American-Irish." Saturday marked the third annual St.

Patrick's Day parade in Decatur, organized by the Sons and Daughters of Ireland, which was formed for that purpose. Wegi and Patrick Nolan have a special reason for celebrating St. Patrick's Day this year his name is also Patrick. He is their 1-year-old son, born on (you guessed it) St. Patrick's Day, March 17, 1979.

"He walked in his first parade this year," said his father. "It's really a very special day for us," Wegi added. Wearing green on St. Patrick's Day is such a deeply ingrained tradition for Irish-Americans that the person of St. Patrick gets lost in the celebration.

According to historians, he was believed to have been born in 387 in Kil-patric, Scotland. Supposedly his original name was Maewyn, but some authorities claim Patrick is the Anglicized form of the Roman name Patrivus. At 16 he was captured by Irish pirates and sold as a slave to a Druid chief in what is now County Antrim. Ireland. He worked as a sheepherder six years and became a devout Catholic before escaping at age 22 and entering the Monastery of St.

Martin in France. He studied there 18 years and was later ordained a priest and consecrated a fell Wl! VU i I 1 "A fl'l Kv 1 JB8 II SS 0A fh HP ic vv i 4 if' A 4x a 7 5rr A V- 1::., U-X 2. "-of- i II. I m. in ml A i I A 5 1 I i 'A "I A 1 A- i I a A I i A 's I-.

1 1 1 I -V "rmm-A The symbols of St. Patrick are displayed in this panel, above, at St. Patrick Church, 407 E. Eldorado St. The snakes represent St.

Patrick's legendary feat of driving the snakes out of Ireland. The staff and miter (bishop's hat) symbolize his consecration as a bishop. His symbol is a shamrock because he used it to explain the Trinity basis of Christianity. v-' rv The Pat Nolan family, right, is celebrating St. Patrick's Day today.

In front are Patrick Nolan, 1, and Beth Nolan, 3. In back are Wegi and Pat Nolan. Pageant finals tonight Barbara A. Bolton. 22, of Ore ana, George Franklin Smith, 2375 S.

Lost and Suzan May Smith, 19, Decatur, Bridge Road. are competing in Joliet for the title The official preliminary to the of 1980 Miss Miss U.S.A.-Miss Universe Pageant, Miss Bolton is a daughter of Mrs. the Joliet contest is being held at Lottie Bolton of Oreana. the Rialto Theater. Finals of the pageant will be tele-Miss Smith, a freshman at South- vised at 7 p.m.

today. Cablevision ern Illinois University-Carbondale, Channel 9 will carry the pageant lo- is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. cally. The Rev.

Donald Meehling, far right, is shown with bas relief of St. Patrick baptizing a Celtic pagan. The relief is above the main entrance to St. Patrick Church. (Staff photos by Doug Gaumon) -KV i i fAAA Consumer Testing earns a 'stop order' r1- 6.1 I CI Suzan May Smith Barbara Bolton The Wft Redford I Files With Barbara Redford getting a refund from NPC Fashions in Warren, Pa.

I have ordered clothing from them in the past and had no problems in returning the merchandise if not wanted. I've been pleased with most of their clothing. On Dec. 26 I ordered several items, paying $29.90. I received only one blouse in one package.

I later got a letter stating they no longer had the pants and jacket in my size because of such a big demand. Unfortunately; I didn't keep this letter. I've written the company two letters asking for a refund on this matter. Still nothing. No letters, no refund, no explanations.

Thank you for any help in getting my $19.95 refund. Mrs. J.G., Bethany ANSWER. Well, the check was for $19 85 10 cents short. But you'll consider the matter closed.

It's time to be thinking about your Spring and Summer Wardrobe. So before you make some costly replacement, check with us to get your old threads looking like new again. CONSUMER TESTING CENTER FILE. The U.S. Postal authorities have obtained a "stop order" on this company and will not deliver mail to it or other firms involved, according to the Better Business Bureau of Metropolitan New York.

Consumer Testing also does business as Inflation Fighter's Kits Gift Box, Shoppers Boutique, Regency Stationers. The various addresses involved in-. elude 501 Fifth 9 E. 41st 310 Madison 30 E. 42nd 395 Fifth all in New York City, as well as addresses in Stamford, and Par-amus, N.J.

It's not clear whether the stop order extends beyond Consumer Testing Center and Inflation Fighters Kit. That order means that no new members or new orders can be accepted. It also means that requests for information about non-delivery of orders or requests for refunds will not be delivered. Consumers who have not received merchandise as ordered can send the details of their problem and copies of canceled checks to one of two agencies: The BBB of New York, 257 Park Ave. South, New York, N.Y, 10010, or the Postal Inspector, Box 555, GPO, New York, N.Y.

10001. Some questions have been raised sale of my stereo (reported in Feb. 27 File) I finally received a check, only to find that it bounced, with no funds. But here is the happy ending. The company has changed hands and the new owners made the check good.

So there are a few honest people in Decatur. Mrs. Decatur NEW QUESTION. The Decatur Auction Co. has had three consignments from me since December and January, but I have heard nothing.

I finally reached the new manager and he said he would try to get all the people their money. He told me my check should be in the mail, but it hasn't arrived. If you can help, I would appreciate it very much. Mrs. R.B., Decatur RESPONSE.

Yes, the new ownership is doing everything possible to resolve any problems before the sale of the company is finalized later this week. Customers should contact Larry Stevens at 428-9172 to discuss any holdover problems. At least one of Mrs. B's checks has now arrived and the others are being processed. QUESTION.

I've got a problem in ft I about the use of the word "free" in the firms' advertising when postage and handling charges as well as an initial fee are charged. In fact, if a customer took advantage of all 600 "free" gifts in one catalog, he would pay $102 in shipping charges. There also has been some question about the use of particular manufacturers' names in this advertising. Some of the brand-name companies pictured in the advertising have said they have made no special arrangements with the Inflation Fighters Kit nor authorized the use of their names. At least one reader actually received a refund from Inflation Fighter's Kit in February.

So there's room for hope. DECATUR AUCTION FILE. Follow-up letter. After having so much trouble with the Decatur Auction Co. over the Send your problems, questions and requests in writing to the Redford Files, 1553 W.

Main Decatur, 111. 62522, or the Herald and Review, Box 311, Deca: tur, 111. 62525. Be sure to include phone number, name, address, pertinent details and photocopies, if possible. Initials or a pseudonym will be used for publication.

666 W. Eldorado Phone 429-4418 Pick Up and Delivery.