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Friday, February 3, 2023

St. Brigid of Kildare: Patroness of Ireland and...Reproductive Justice?



On February 1, we celebrated the feast of St. Brigid of Kildare, an early Christian abbess whose popularity among both Irish nationals and Catholics worldwide has grown in recent years. An exciting figure of the Catholic Imagination, Brigid's reemergence as a powerful agent of compassion and self-determination is perhaps due to her rather surprising miracles—including her abortion miracle.
Brigid's abortion miracle can be traced back to her two medieval hagiographies: Vita Prima, her earliest hagiography, and Vita Brigitae (Life of Saint Brigit) published around 650 C.E. by Cogitosus, an Irish monk from Kildare. Although Life of Saint Brigit is not the first hagiography, it’s the one that’s cited the most, possibly because it’s the only Brigid hagiography with an author's name attached to it.

Her hagiographies are also noteworthy for her ability to heal people suffering from numerous ailments, as well as miracles involving animals...and beer!

Why abortion miracles?

Abortion miracles are the norm—not the exception—for medieval Irish saints. Brigid is one of three Irish saints who have abortions miracles attributed to them.

Abortion miracles may work in numerous ways: They comment on sin, sexuality, and chastity. They test our understanding of healing, both physical and spiritual. And for Brigid, they reflect how women, medicine, and agency were intertwined.

Abortion miracles also reshape how we view sexuality and purity as constructs. The women in Brigid's abortion tales needed Brigid so their "chastity" and dignity may be restored. The abortion was a catalyst for relief, healing, and change.
Catholics for Choice recently created a downloadable St. Brigid prayer card! Visit their website to download the card and share it with those who are on their own abortion journey.
Brigid has long been considered a woman of compassion. Many of her miracles include healing others of ailments and nourishing the people in her village. For example, Brigid nourished a woman by turning water into milk.

Her association with pregnancy, including these abortion miracles, and providing nourishment and life to others is why Brigid is known as the patroness of fertility and midwives! As we reimagine Brigid in this contemporary moment, we may also consider her the patroness of reproductive justice.

At Call To Action, we continue to discern our involvement in reproductive justice, including formulating new theologies of abortion and strategizing ways to support abortion access and people who have sought abortions. We call on members to reflect on St. Brigid's life and miracles and remember that everyone is deserving of compassion, healing, and grace.

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