Welcome:
Presider: Joan M:
We warmly welcome you to the inclusive Catholic Community of Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community. We invite you to pray the liturgy in honor of St. Brigit of Kildare, where it says, “All.” Please have bread and wine or juice with you as we pray the Eucharistic Prayer.
Greeting:
Presider Joan M: We begin our celebration in the name of God our Creator,
the Sacred Source who breathes life into Earth and all her creatures;
and in the name of Jesus our brother,
companion of the poor, healer of the broken,
and prophet of inclusive love;
and in the name of the Holy Spirit, our Wisdom,
the fire that warms, transforms, and calls us into courage and compassion.
Presider Bridget Mary:
Brigid of Kildare,
woman of fire and holy hospitality,
midwife of mercy, healer of bodies and souls,
guardian of the sacred flame that no power could extinguish—
walk with us on our journey.
Ignite our hearts with your courage,
open our hands in generous welcome,
steady our steps in the work of justice,
and teach us to honor the holiness of Earth and one another.
May this gathering renew our commitment to be living icons of the Holy One in our world.
ALL: Amen.
Gathering Song: Light the Fire by Liam Lawton ( Begin at 1:00)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juAeEhRWZRk
There travels forth from the passages of history
A woman’s voice that is heard across the plains,
That calls once more, for a people of new vision
To heal our wounds and green our Earth again,
To heal our wounds and green our Earth again.
She spreads her cloak ‘cross the land and far beyond it,
A shadow cast on a people void of hope.
She speaks of peace and the chains that weigh upon it
And there her light shall glimmer from the oak
And all that binds the people shall be broke.
So light the Fire of God’s desire
Within all hearts, let sorrows end.
So light the Fire of God’s desire
God’s chosen one, Your peace upon us send.
And we today need a prophet of new vision,
To lift the low – the forgotten child to heed,
To be the voice of the wounded and the weary,
To plant anew a fresh and peaceful seed
To dance the dance of God’s own Blessed Bríd.
So light the Fire of God’s desire
Within all hearts, let sorrows end.
So light the Fire of God’s desire
God’s chosen one, Your peace upon us send.
Transformation Rite:
Presider: Joan M:
Holy One,
we come before you aware of our wounds
and the ways we have fallen short
of living as the Christ Presence in our world.
Yet we trust in the love you have placed within us—
a love that heals, forgives, and restores.
(Brief Silence)
Breathe in the tenderness of God.
Breathe out compassion for yourself, for one another, and for our Earth.
Presider and All: Bridget Mary
(Please extend hands in gesture of mutual forgiveness and pray together)
All: God of Compassion,
Mothering and Fathering Love,
through Jesus, our brother,
you show us that nothing can separate us
from your unconditional love.
Through the Spirit—Holy Wisdom, Sophia—
we receive healing and peace.
We forgive one another
and renew our care for each other
and for all creation.
Amen.
https://youtu.be/rbarqE9o8QY
Opening Prayer:
Joan M:
Holy Wisdom,
You stirred the fire in Brigid of Kildare—
fire that healed,
fire that welcomed the stranger,
fire that refused to be extinguished
by empire, fear, or silence.
Kindle that same fire in us today.
May our worship ignite courage,
our bread become justice,
and our table become wide enough
for every body and every story.
We ask this in the many names of the Holy One,
now and always.
All: Amen.
Liturgy of the Word:
First Reading: Mary Kay
A Reading from Prophet Zephaniah 2:3; 3:12-13
Seek God, all you humble of the land! You who have observed the law: Seek justice! Seek humility!
Perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of God’s anger.
On that day, in the midst of ruins, I will leave, as a remnant,
a people humble and lowly.
The remnant of My people will take refuge in My Holy Name.
They will do no wrong
They will speak no lies.
A deceitful tongue will not be found in their mouths. They will pasture and lie down
with none to disturb them.
The Word of an ancient prophet.
All: Thanks be to God.
Response:
You have Anointed me -video by MT Streck
https://youtu.be/vUMdXhZB08U
Second Reading: Andrea
A Reading from Praying with Celtic Holy Women by Bridget Mary Meehan and Regina Madonna Oliver
Brigit of Kildare was born around 450 a.d. at the time of transition from pagan to Christian Ireland. Legends say that Brigit was baptized and named by angels and that she was midwife to the Virgin Mary and godmother of Jesus. (Anachronisms did not disturb the Celtic mind!)
In her early years, she is likely to have worked on a farm, milked cows, and churned butter. Statues often depict Brigit with a cow at her feet. She was seen as the protector of farm animals and guardian of the harvest. When she reached the age of marriage, she rejected the suitors her father had chosen for her, dedicated her life to Christ, and became an abbess.
The story goes that during one Easter season Brigit noted that there was not enough ale for seventeen of her churches. She changed water into beer to make sure that her churches were well supplied for the season.
One time, Brigit even gave the elaborate, feast-day robes of Bishop Conleth to the poor. When the bishop needed his vestments for an upcoming feast day, Saint Brigit gave him another set of vestments similar in both weave and color to those she had given away. Miraculously, Brigit had received replacements from Christ just when they were needed.
Another story told of Brigit involves a basket of apples which were given to her but which she promptly gave to some poor beggars. When her benefactor complained, Brigit replied, “What is mine is theirs.” Even in her early life, Brigit managed to give away valuable items belonging to her chieftain father. Brigit’s strong sense of justice was evident throughout her life.
Generous hospitality, a traditional characteristic of Celtic people, was a hallmark of St. Brigit’s life. Brigit was a woman of abundance. All were welcome at her table of plenty. She saw to it that there was more than enough food, drink, and love to nourish all who came to her hearth and home.
It is this value system that empowers our compassionate outreach in today’s ministry of peace and justice. It enlivens this century’s awareness of humanity as a global village for whose welfare each one of us is accountable.
These are the inspired words of Bridget Mary Meehan and Regina Madonna Oliver in Praying with Celtic Holy Women, and we respond
All: Thanks be to God.
Gospel acclamation: Celtic Alleluia
https://youtu.be/ApCym8o6-gE
Gospel: Joan M
A Reading from the Gospel attributed to Matthew 5:1-12
Glory to you, O God.
Seeing the crowds, Jesus went up a mountain. When he sat down, his disciples came to him. Jesus began to speak, teaching them.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kin-dom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the gentle,
for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will have their fill.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure of heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the kin-dom of heaven.
And blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you and utter all kinds of slander against you, falsely, on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your gift is great in heaven. In the very same way, they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
These are the inspired words of the evangelist, Matthew and we respond:
All: Thanks be to God.
Homily: St. Brigit of Kildare — A Living Icon of Gospel Love
Today we remember St. Brigid of Kildare, a woman whose life continues to inspire contemporary disciples of Jesus to become living reflections of divine compassion, generous hospitality, mutual partnership, and deep love for creation.
Brigit lived the spirit of Jesus with remarkable courage and tenderness. Like Jesus of Nazareth, she welcomed women as full disciples, embraced the poor and the outcast, challenged unjust authority, and made hospitality a sacred act. The stories passed down about Brigit tell us of her radical generosity—food multiplied for the hungry, land shared with the poor, animals protected, and strangers welcomed as Christ himself. These are not quaint legends; they are Gospel truths embodied in a woman’s life.
Brigit’s inclusivity echoes the ministry of Jesus who dined with tax collectors and sinners, who crossed boundaries of gender, class, and purity, and who revealed a God whose love knows no limits. In Brigit’s world—and in ours—belonging is not earned. It is given. Her life proclaims that everyone belongs at the Banquet Table of Love, no matter who you are or where you come from. Here, we are loved totally, tenderly, and passionately in the heart of God.
In this way, Brigit stands in holy continuity with the first disciples—Mary Magdalene, Peter, and the many unnamed women and men who followed Jesus through the ages. Together, they remind us that discipleship has never been about uniformity, hierarchy, or exclusion. It has always been about relationship, courage, and love poured out for the life of the world.
According to early hagiographical sources, St. Brigid of Kildare was consecrated by Bishop Mel, who—according to tradition—mistakenly read the episcopal ordination prayers over her. Rather than retracting the rite, Bishop Mel is said to have affirmed that Brigit received episcopal authority from God. Together with Conleth, Brigit exercised mutual partnership as spiritual leaders of the double monastic community at Kildare.¹
Brigit also calls us into right relationship with creation. Her reverence for the land, for animals, for the rhythms of nature reflects a deeply incarnational faith—one that recognizes the sacred in all that God has made. In a time of ecological crisis, her witness urges us to live gently on the earth, to protect what is vulnerable, and to see creation itself as a partner in praising God.
We have come full circle in our own time. In contemporary inclusive communities, we are reclaiming Jesus’ original vision of discipleship—one rooted in baptismal equality, shared leadership, and mutual blessing. Like Brigit, we are called to trust our God-given gifts and to use them boldly for healing, justice, and reconciliation.
May St. Brigit of Kildare encourage us to open wide our doors, our tables, and our hearts. May her life remind us that Gospel hospitality is not optional—it is the very shape of love. And may we, like her, become radiant reflections of God’s compassion in a world longing to know that it truly belongs.
¹ This account appears in early medieval Irish hagiography, particularly in the Vita Sanctae Brigitae attributed to Cogitosus (7th century), which emphasizes Brigit’s spiritual authority and leadership at Kildare. While historians debate the literal historicity of Brigit’s episcopal consecration, many scholars agree that the story reflects the extraordinary authority Brigit held in the early Irish Church, where abbesses—especially at Kildare—often exercised leadership that surpassed that of bishops. See Cogitosus, Life of St. Brigid; Lisa M. Bitel, Land of Women: Tales of Sex and Gender from Early Ireland (Cornell University Press, 1996); and Joan Chittister, The Liturgical Year (Thomas Nelson, 2009). Feminist theologians interpret this tradition as evidence of early Christian models of shared, non-hierarchical leadership and women’s sacramental authority in the Celtic Church.Top of Form
Bottom of Form
A Communal Statement of Faith: Mary Kay and Andrea
ALL: Please pray together:
Mary Kay and All: We are a people shaped by the Beatitudes,
called to live the Gospel not only in words, but in embodied love, courageous justice, and communal hope.
Inspired by the witness of Saint Brigid of Kildare, we claim this way of life as our witness today.
Andrea and All: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the reign of God.
With Brigid, we trust in God’s abundance.
We loosen our grip on privilege and power, choosing simplicity, shared leadership, and open tables where all belong.
Mary Kay and All: Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
We honor grief—our own and the world’s.
Like Brigid, who tended the sick and welcomed the weary, we stand with those wounded by exclusion, violence, and injustice, believing compassion is holy ground.
Andrea and All: Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
We renounce domination and hierarchy.
Following Brigid’s gentle authority, we practice leadership as service, consensus as wisdom, and humility as strength.
Mary Kay and All: Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they shall be filled.
We commit ourselves to Gospel equality.
In Brigid’s fierce generosity and prophetic courage, we seek a Church and world where dignity is non-negotiable and love is the measure of all things.
Andrea and All Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
We choose mercy over judgment.
As Brigid welcomed the stranger and fed the poor, we forgive, heal, and make room for new beginnings—trusting mercy to be God’s own heartbeat.
Mary Kay and All: Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
We cultivate inner truth and contemplative awareness.
With Brigid, we recognize God in flame and field, in prayer and practice, in bodies and communities made sacred by love.
Andrea: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.
We become bridges where there is division.
Rooted in Brigid’s reconciling spirit, we commit to nonviolence, dialogue, and the patient work of restoring right relationship.
Blessed are those persecuted for justice’ sake, for theirs is the reign of God.
We accept the cost of discipleship.
As Brigid stood firm in her calling, we remain faithful when our witness is misunderstood or resisted, trusting the Spirit to bring new life.
This is our faith.
We believe the Beatitudes are not distant ideals but living pathways.
We believe Brigid’s witness is alive among us—calling us to hospitality without borders, leadership without domination, and holiness woven into daily life.
We commit ourselves—together—
to live the Beatitudes now,
to be a community of equals,
to embody Gospel justice and mercy,
and to witness, with courage and joy,
to God’s transforming love in our world today.
Prayers of the Community
Andrea:
We bring our prayers to the Holy One,
trusting that Sacred Fire still moves among us.
Response:
Holy Wisdom, hear our prayer.
For women who lead, preach, heal, and serve, often unseen or unnamed,
that their gifts be honored and their voices amplified.
Holy Wisdom, hear our prayer.
For the Earth, our common home,
for rivers, animals, forests, and fragile lands,
that we may protect what is sacred and shared.
Holy Wisdom, hear our prayer.
For all who hunger—for bread, dignity, belonging, and hope—
that our communities become places of radical hospitality.
Holy Wisdom, hear our prayer.
For those whose inner fire has grown dim through grief, injustice, or exhaustion,
that healing and courage may be restored.
Holy Wisdom, hear our prayer.
(Joan- MMOJ Prayerbook Intentions)
(Spoken intentions…)
Presider:
Receive these prayers, O Holy One,
and empower us to become the answer we seek.
Amen.
Preparation of the Gifts:
Presiders (raise bread and wine):
Bridget Mary:
Blessed are you, God of all creation. Through your goodness, each one of us has bread and the fruit of the vine to offer at this sacred meal which the earth has given and human hands have made. They will become for us our Bread of Life and Spiritual Drink.
Liturgy of the Eucharist
Mary Kay: Holy One, You dwell in us.
Mary Kayand all: And in every living being.
Andea: Lift up your hearts.
Andrea and all: We lift them up to the Creator in whom all are one.
Mary Kay: Let us give thanks for the gift of life.
Mary Kayand all: Amen, Alleluia
Mary Kay: With the angels and saints we give thanks and praise.
for our oneness with all living beings in the family of God as we sing:
Preface:
Prayer Leader: Andrea
Holy One, you are indeed blessed,
for from the beginning
you have breathed life into creation
and called it good.
You lit the stars,
warmed the womb of the Earth,
and kindled the fire of wisdom
in women and men
who dared to live your justice.
And so we join the community of angels and saints in singing our joyful praise:
All: Holy, Holy, Holy by Karen Drucker piano and video by Linda Lee and Rick Miller
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orKBBIj5LZA
Eucharistic Prayer:
Presider: Joan M
In Jesus, child of Mary,
we saw your compassion made flesh—
breaking barriers,
feeding the hungry,
touching the untouchable,
and trusting women as witnesses, leaders, and friends.
In Brigid of Kildare,
your Spirit blazed again—
in hospitality without limits,
in healing hands,
in a faith rooted in Earth and Gospel alike.
Epiclesis (Calling on the Spirit)
Presider: Bridget M:
Holy Wisdom,
send your Spirit upon this bread and wine,
and upon us.
As we share the bread of life and lift the cup of blessing at this festive meal as we pray
come Holy Spirit deepen your Presence within us
and in these gifts of bread and wine.
May this table ignite holy fire within us—
to heal,
to welcome,
to resist injustice,
and to live as a priestly people
called by baptism, not hierarchy.
On the night before he died,
Jesus gathered with friends at table—
not as ruler, but as companion.
He took bread,
blessed it, broke it, and shared it, saying:
“Take and eat.
This is my body, given for you.
Whenever you do this,
remember me.”
Presider: Joan M and All:
In the same way, Jesus took the cup of wine. He said the blessing, gave the cup to his friends and said, “Take this all of you and drink it. Do this in memory of me.”
Memorial Acclamation
Prayer Leader: Mary K:
Let us proclaim the Mystery of Faith, the sacred presence of our nurturing God:
We remember your life of love,
We proclaim your death to injustice,
We commit ourselves to your resurrection hope.
Prayer Leader: Andrea: We remember the saints in every age, who lived their call to discipleship: Mary, Mother of Jesus, Peter, Andrew, Mary Magdalene, Susanna, Joanna, Brigid of Kildare and all our beloved family and friends. We recall the spiritual legacy of generous giving and gracious hospitality they have passed down to us through the ages. We join in the cosmic dance in communion with all that is, all that was, and all that will be. Through Christ, in Christ, with Christ, all creation leaps for joy!
The Great Amen with Linda Lee Miller
https://youtu.be/Dy76fpfkNsg
THE PRAYER OF JESUS
Presider: Joan
All: Let us pray as Jesus taught us.
O Holy One, you are within, around, and among us.
We celebrate your many names.
Your wisdom come, your will be done, unfolding from the depths within us.
Each day you give us all we need.
You remind us of our limits, and we let go.
You support us in your power, and we act with courage.
For you are the dwelling place within us, the empowerment around us, and the celebration among us, now and forever. Amen.
Adapted, Miriam Therese Winter, MMS
Sign of Peace: THE SIGN OF PEACE
Prayer Leader: Andrea:
Jesus, you said: Peace I leave you, my peace I give you. May we be the peace we wish to see in the world. Let us share a gesture of deep peace and justice with everyone in the circle of life as we bow toward you with hands folded, saying together:
ALL: The peace of Christ be with you. Namaste, Namaste, Namaste.
Litany for the Breaking of the Bread:
Mary Kay and All:
God of love in you, with you and through you, we will love.
God of service, in you, with you, and through you, we will serve.
God of justice, in you, with you and through you, we will do justice.
Presider: Bridget Mary
This is Christ’s table,
not owned, not earned, not restricted.
All who hunger for justice,
all who thirst for mercy,
all who seek healing and hope—
come.
The fire is lit.
The bread is broken.
Love is shared.
( Share Communion with one another saying: You are the Body of Christ. )
Communion Song: An Irish Heart by Tim Janis ( Play 3 minutes of this meditation video)
https://youtu.be/Hib1FX_9rVk
Prayer After Communion
Presider: Joan M:
Holy One,
you have fed us with fire and bread,
with courage and compassion.
May we leave this table
burning with Brigid’s bold love,
walking gently on the Earth,
and building communities
where all are welcome
and none are forgotten.
Amen.
Bridget Mary and All: Prayers of Gratitude, Introductions and Announcements
Final Blessing:
Presider: Joan:
Please extend your arms in blessing as we pray an Ancient St. Brigit Blessing and bless one another:
Presider Joan and All:
We welcome the poor to the feast, for they are God’s children.
We welcome the sick to the feast for they are God’s joy.
Let the poor sit with Jesus at the highest place and the sick dance with the angels.
Presider: Bridget Mary and All
May the fire of Brigid warm your hands and heart.
May the compassion of Christ guide your steps.
May Holy Wisdom dance within you,
today and always.
All:
Amen.
Closing Song: St. Brigid's Fire by Kevin Heider ( Play 3 minutes)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcDScSLTgFI
St. Brigid's Lake of Beer Prayer
I would wish a great lake of ale for the King of Kings; I would wish the family of heaven to be drinking it throughout life and time. I would wish the men of Heaven in my own house; I would wish vessels of peace to be given to them.
Liturgy prepared by Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP
Association of Roman Catholic Woman Priests
http://bridgetmarys.blogspot.com/
www.arcwp.org
www.marymotherofjesus.net
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