Celebration of St. Brigit of Kildare - February 1, 2022 noon EST

 

WELCOME and INTRODUCTIONS:

A warm welcome to this Celebration of St. Brigit of Kildare!

I'm Bridget Mary Meehan from Sarasota, Florida. I was born in Ireland and emigrated with my family when I was 8 to the U.S. We have returned many times to visit family , and hope to return there as soon as COVID is under control. I am a priest serving the Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community in Fl. and on Zoom.

With me is Mary Theresa Streck , from Albany, New York. She is co-founder of People's Catholic Seminary, and a priest serving the Upper Room Inclusive Catholic Community in New York. Mary Theresa and I have celebrated liturgies in Dublin with members of We are Church Ireland from 2015-2019. She will be taking care of the IT for us today.

(For our Zoom participants)

There are 3 parts to each section which consists of a brief introduction, short video, and 5 minute reflection time for prayer, journaling, and/or sharing on chat.

I have shared my pilgrim, notes, videos and more resources featuring some wonderful Brigit stories and legends which we will not have time to cover in 1 hour today. If you'd like to share this program and resource material with family, friends, or groups, you can do so at no cost. If you wish, you can make a donation to grow our mission at https://pcseminary.org/

Opening Prayer:

Aware of the Divine Presence within us and all around us, let us begin our time together with this Celtic Hymn to St. Brigid.

VIDEO: Gabhaim Molta Bride - Celtic Hymn for St. Brigid

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sy7rZ0nwMTc
(English Translation)

I pay homage to Saint Brigid
Beloved in Ireland,
Beloved in all countries,
Let us all praise her.

The bright torch of Leinster
Shining throughout the country.
The pride of Irish youth
The pride of our gentle women.

The house of winter is very dark
Cutting with its sharpness.
But on Saint Brigid's Day
Spring is near to Ireland.

INTRODUCTION- A Sacred Journey

Irish officials announced this past week that February 1 ,the feast day of St. Brigit will be celebrated as a national holiday starting in 2023. Mary Condren, an Irish theologian, who teaches at the Centre for Gender and Women’s Studies at  Trinity College Dublin, believes that this decision reflects the growing interest in Brigit and the role of women play in religion and society.

in an article entitled "Why the time is right to choose Brigid, saint or goddess, to be an icon for women" she writes, "Religious people honour St Brigid, while the disaffected turn to goddess Brigid...In a post-Covid world, we will be able to reflect further on her role, asking how the integration of nature, culture and technology can serve to heal our wounds and the vulnerable earth." https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/why-the-time-is-right-to-choose-brigid-saint-or-goddess-to-be-an-icon-for-women-1.4789132

In 1999, Sister Regina Madonna Oliver and I made a pilgrimage to Ireland on our journey in quest of the Celtic soul. We visited ancient monastic sites and holy wells associated with St. Brigit of Kildare. We interviewed three prominent experts on Brigit, Sister Mary Minehan, a Brigidine Sister in Kildare, Dolores Whelan in Faughart and artist Gail Donovan from Australia for a television program entitled GodTalk that aired in the DC metro area. In this celebration of Brigit, you will see clips of these interviews from my youtube video: "In Quest of the Celtic Soul."We also wrote a book about our on-site encounters in Ireland and Wales entitled: Praying with Celtic Holy Women .(available on Amazon and other online retailers.)

PART 1: BRIGIT: SAINT AND GODDESS- A THRESHOLD WOMAN

The myths, legends and stores about Brigit portray her as a goddess and a saint. Wrapped in the mystery of an older pagan goddess, St. Brigit lived in a time of transition between pagan and Christian beliefs. Although six lives of Brigit were written before the eighth century (and eighty during medieval times), it is difficult to separate fact from legend. Commentators believe that Brigit was born in 494 to a Christian mother and a Druidic father. 

Her symbol was perpetual fire representing wisdom, healing, poetry, metal-working, and the hearth. There are many delightful stories about her that are steeped in the druidic folklore of the early Celtic goddesses.

Some theorize that she may have been a priestess in service to the Goddess Brid (patroness of fire and knowledge in the Druidic pantheon) before her conversion to Christianity .

St. Brigit is a role model for spiritual seekers of all faiths interested in the healing of the planet, equality, justice and the transformation of the human heart.

In this video clip Dolores Whelan reflects on Brigit as a reflection of the feminine divine.

VIDEO:

QUESTION FOR GOING DEEPER:

Pause now for several minutes of reflection. Reflect on what surprised, encouraged or inspired you about this presentation?

What challenges do the legends and imagery of Brigit as goddess and saint raise for patriarchal religion? And/Or describe the impact of the Feminine Divine on your spiritual journey.

Feel free to share any thoughts or insights on chat if you wish.

MUSIC:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kqdt50zOaQ