The beautiful prayer of St. Patrick, popularly known as "St. Patrick's Breast-Plate", is supposed to have been composed by him in preparation for this victory over Paganism. Appropriate for today's secularized western societies. Literal translation from the old Irish text. For full biography visit www.xr.com/stpatrick

I bind to myself today

Photo: Doris Fritschmann

A new television news report as well as tests showing the severity of water contamination near the Valcartier military base has aroused the curiosity of Quebec's health minister.

Gregory Herbert is a 12-year-old boy. He fell ill suddenly at the age of 10. Several organs were attacked, including his eyes, brain, kidneys and heart, by a genetic mitochondrial disease that is rather unknown to doctors.

Thanks to the Children's Wish Foundation, Gregory will experience his fondest wish and participate in the Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament this month.

Newspapers reported last week that the federal government ordered a study of the environmental impact of making ethanol and biodiesel. The main reason for that study was evidence of harmful environmental effects from ethanol plants and amid growing criticism of biofuel technology.

Sales rose by three percent in 2009 in the provincial real estate market in 2009. Overall, there were a total of 79,185 MLS(R) sales transactions, according to the Quebec Federation of Real Estate Boards.