I have lots of commentage, so I thought I'd take this opportunity to publish your words. Starting off with a Japanese pirate..

lllllll

Sorry!

Referring to my St. Patrick's day question, I'm told...

Patron saint of Australi - Our Lady Help of Christians (according to numerous websites). Is it any wonder they go for St Pat, given their love of short names??

She is indeed. Take five points if you knew the answer.

Another reader takes the answer further...

Australia has four patron saints: the first of these is Our Lady Help of Christians - feast day 24 May; also listed as co-patrons are St Francis Xavier (Apostle to the Far East) - feast day 3 December; St Mary Mackillop - feast day 8th August; St Therese of Lisieux (The Little Flower of Jesus) - feast day 1 October.

This is also true. But did you know this or did you look it up? The point of my question was that most people seem to know about Ireland's national saint and his feast day. In the UK people will also know of Ss. Andrew, David and George and be able to tell you of their feasts. It dawned on me after I posted the question, though, that these days are seen as national days. Australia's national day is Australia Day, which makes a lot more sense in a multi-cultural society than a saint's day. Plus we get the day off work!

On the subject of Formula 1, Caz informs:

Dr T & I tried to look for you on the UK coverage of the GP (we recorded it and then watched it when I got back from Brownie Church parade (yawn, not child friendly sermon or service ... heck the vicar said it where are the children in the parish, hasn't he twigged yet?). Good to see Lewis Hamilton do well, hopefully it continues. From the pages of flickr photos we assumed you enjoyed yourself! Caz

I haven't put up the photos from race-day yet. I need to do some sorting and cropping. My father-in-law and I were in the grandstand on the pit-straight by where Australia's Mark Webber started the race. You assumed correctly. It was a great experience.

I have to wonder how you can have a Brownie Church parade with no children.

Another reader has been been doing some research on the web...

Patron saints of Australia: Francis Xavier, Mary Mackillop, Our Lady Help of Christians and Teresa of Lisieux

A spammer writes...

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Thanks David. But no thanks.

Okay.. last one...

http://www.catholic-forum.com/Saints/pst00047.htm :-)

Thanks for playing!

I wanted to write a long post commenting on some of the points raised in Dragon Parent's Blog, recently (following on some comments made in 2005 over at the café a couple of years ago. I don't have the time right now, but since you're all so responsive at the moment, perhaps some of the readership would tell me if they feel that "non-male" job titles are derogatory. It is something that I had never really considered, being male and all. Perhaps more on this later in the week. I'm off out now.