"It's nearly beyond one's imagination to think of the influence that one lowly, slave, shepherd (St Patrick) has had in almost every corner of the world", so writes Pat McCarthy of Cork, Ireland. He is so right. The name of St Patrick is everywhere you find a descendant of the Irish People.

A pictorial cancellation will be available at the St Patrick, Missouri post office March 1-30, 2008. The date changes daily. The cancellation will feature an American Eagle holding a banner that reads 'St Patrick Post Office 1858-2008' and another banner with '150 Years'. The lettering reads 'Happy Saint Patrick's Day Station, March 1, 2008, St Patrick, Mo. 63466'. There is no charge for the cancellation. Please specify your mailing date. Customers who want their envelope returned under protected cover should include a large, stamped, self-addressed envelope.

The St Patrick post office will be open from 8am to 5pm on March 17. Stamped, self-addressed envelopes requesting the pictorial cancellation may be mailed to: Postmaster, St Patrick, Missouri 63466 USA. If you want the shamrock cachet on your envelope, please mail to: Shrine of St Patrick, Box 34, St Patrick, Missouri 63466 USA. The shamrock cachet (designed by Father O'Duignan in 1936) will be placed on your envelope by Shrine volunteers and then given to the Postmaster for the postmark on your specified mailing day. St Patrick greetings sent out on his anniversary, from his name city, changes an ordinary envelope into a collector's item.

The Shrine of St Patrick will sell a specially designed envelope with a greeting card inside. The commemorative envelope features an American Eagle holding a large banner that reads 'Town - 175 Years - Post Office 150 Years' and a small banner that bears the name of 'St Patrick'. The greeting card has a short story of the first settlers, Richard and Rose Riney, the pastor, Fr B P McMenomy, that obtained the St Patrick Post Office, and John McSorley, the first postmaster of the St Patrick Post Office. The envelope sells for $1.00 USD. This will include the envelope, first class postage, pictorial cancellation, shamrock cachet, and a St Patrick's Day greeting card. Church volunteers will address the envelope, write the return address of the sender, sign the card with your name, and mail it any day in March you specify, if you request it.

The envelope can be mailed only on the day listed on the postmark unless it is mailed under separate cover. Customers who want the postmarked envelope returned under protected cover should include a large, stamped, self-addressed envelope. Please make all checks and money orders payable to: Shrine of St Patrick, as all proceeds go to the Shrine. The mailing address is: Shrine of St Patrick, Box 34, St Patrick, Missouri 63466 USA. A different envelope, card, and postmark are offered each year.

The Shrine postcards may be addressed, stamped, and mailed for $.50 cents each. A plain postcard sells for $.25 cents each. There are seven postcards available - Shrine of St Patrick in summer, Shrine of St Patrick in winter, inside statue of St Patrick, outside statue of St Patrick, St Patrick stained glass window, Greetings from St Patrick, and a new Shrine of St Patrick postcard (photo by Daryl Buechting).

A limited quantity of previous March 17 postmarked envelopes are available for $1.00 each. The old envelopes are collector's items. The 1984, 1986, and 1988 envelopes are sold out. These old envelopes must be mailed under separate cover, so please include a large, self-addressed, stamped envelope with your order.

The envelopes, postcards, Shrine souvenirs, and a History of St Patrick booklets will be sold all day March 17 in the Shrine basement.

For additional information contact: Ellen Krueger, Publicity Chairman, Route 1, Box 55, Canton, MO 63435-9637 USA. Phone: 660.754.6028

Disclaimer: The Jane Ellen Official Website in no way profits from the sale of these postal or souvenir items. Please DO NOT contact me with any questions or orders; instead, please address all correspondence to the Publicity Chairman at the address given above. The Shrine of St Patrick is a charitable institution, and this information is provided as a public service.