Icon by Aloysius McVeigh rsm (Ireland)
Our Newfoundland Irish history and culture have brought to us the veneration of Irish saints. St. Patrick, St. Brigid and St. Columba are the three well known and celebrated saints in Ireland. That tradition has been carried across the ocean to us by our ancestors. Some of the church buildings in Newfoundland have stained glass windows of these saints.
The communities of St. Bride’s and Kilbride bear the name of St. Brigid. Our own St. Bride’s College and St. Bride’s Convent were named in her honor and placed under her patronage. Many of our sisters were baptized or received a version of the saint’s name.
In the 21st century more attention has been given to St. Brigid, possibly in response to a greater focus on feminine spirituality, ecology and social justice.
Bridgid is supposed to have died February 1, 524. On the 1500th anniversary of her death Ireland is celebrating! Last year, February 1 was declared a public holiday.
Download the liturgy here
This song, Cill Dara Brid (Brigid of Kildare) has been was written to celebrate Brid’s 1500th anniversary. It has been filmed entirely in Co. Kildare.
Nuestra historia y cultura irlandesas de Terranova nos han traído la veneración de los santos irlandeses. San Patricio, Santa Brígida y Santa Columba son los tres santos más conocidos y celebrados en Irlanda. Esta tradición nos ha llegado a través del océano gracias a nuestros antepasados. Algunas iglesias de Terranova tienen vidrieras de estos santos.
Las comunidades de St. Bride’s y Kilbride llevan el nombre de Santa Brígida. Bride’s College y St. Bride’s Convent fueron nombrados en su honor y puestos bajo su patrocinio. Muchas de nuestras hermanas fueron bautizadas o recibieron una versión del nombre de la santa.
En el siglo XXI se ha prestado más atención a Santa Brígida, posiblemente en respuesta a una mayor atención a la espiritualidad femenina, la ecología y la justicia social.
Se supone que Brígida murió el 1 de febrero de 524. En el 1500 aniversario de su muerte, Irlanda está de celebración. El año pasado, el 1 de febrero fue declarado día festivo.
Descargar la liturgia aquí
In remarks after the Angelus on Sunday, Pope Francis explained that the Year of Prayer is dedicated “to rediscovering the great value and absolute need for prayer, prayer in personal life, in the life of the Church, prayer in the world.” He added that the Dicastery for Evangelization will be preparing materials to assist in celebrating the Year.
When approving these work guidelines, Pope Francis said, “the Synod is about synodality and not about this or that theme… The important thing is how the reflection is done, that is, in a synodal way”.
Mary O’Regan was born in 1824 but her exact birthplace in Ireland is unclear. We know that she came to St. John’s sometime before 1843, because her marriage to Peter Redmond of Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford on November 20, 1843, is recorded in the Marriage Register at the Archdiocesan Archives in St. John’s. Peter Redmond died a few years later and we know nothing about Mary until she entered the Sisters of Mercy in October of 1850. At that time the fledgling community consisted of