Celebrating St. Brigid, secondary patron of Ireland

 In Ireland today we celebrate the great St. Brigid, secondary patron of Ireland. A Naomh Bríd, gui orainn! As well as being renowned for her hospitality and care of the poor, Brigid also founded a school of art, including metal work and illumination of manuscripts. It is fitting to share with you here the painting done by one of my sisters Sr. Marie Paul O' Brien, rip, who in my humble opinion, presents a lovely depiction of Brigid.

In Ireland it also marks the first day of Spring- as nature peeks its head above the ground as buds begin to open and flourish, it is also a new springtime for our faith and for our hope as we look forward to brighter days.

The virtues of St. Brigid are recorded in the homily for her feast in the Book of Lismore:

"She was abstinent, she was innocent, she was prayerful, she was patient: she was glad in God's commandments: she was firm, she was humble, she was forgiving, she was loving: she was a consecrated casket for keeping Christ's body and his blood: she was a temple of God. Her heart and her mind were a throne of rest for the Holy Spirit. She was simple toward God; she was compassionate toward the poor: she was splendid in miracles and marvels...It is she that helps everyone who is in difficulty or danger: it is she who abates pestilences: it is she who quells the anger and storm of the sea. She is the prophetess of Christ: she is the Queen of the South: she is the Mary of the Gael." May St. Brigid intercede in a special way as we continue to fight the modern day pestilence, the pandemic and its effects throughout the world.