Brigantia

STAGE 2 RELIGIOUS STUDIES Assessment Type 2: St Brigid How does St Brigid’s message transcend time and what does it mean to you? St Brigid was one of Ireland’s patron saints, along with St Patrick and Columba. She was a strong, brave woman who was a prophetic leader with a kind heart. She changed the Irish society with her view that education had the power to transform and liberate by creating communities of prayer, education and culture for those in need. Throughout her life, St Brigid carried out the message of Jesus; the message to love, forgive and to be sincere. Jesus said that loving God is the greatest commandment with loving our neighbours being second, (Mark 12:29-31) and St Brigid promoted this. Because she made such an impact on others, this has lead to everyone being entitled to have a relationship with God. The work of the Brigidine Sisters with asylum seekers is just one example of how this message has stayed strong over time (Patheos, 2015). Around 470, St Brigid founded a monastery at Cill Dara (Kildare), commonly known as the "Church of the Oak", served by a group of young women. St Brigid, along with the group of her several companions, is recognized with organizing communal consecrated religious life for men and women in Ireland. She founded two monastic establishments, one for men, and the other for women, and invited Conleth (Conláed), a person living in solitary, from Old Connell near Newbridge, to assist her in Cill Dara as a spiritual minister for…