23 July 2024 - Feast of Saint Brigid of Sweden
Mi 7, 14-15.18-20; Mt 12, 46-50
Homily
On 1 October 1999, at the opening of the Synod of Bishops on Europe, Pope John Paul II named three women as co-patrons of Europe: Catherine of Siena, Edith Stein and Brigid of Sweden. The latter is listed as a "memorial" in the universal Church calendar, but is celebrated as a feast day in Europe. All three were women who combined a deep personal relationship with God with an important role in society and the Church.
Brigid, married to Prince Ulf Gudmarson, was the mother of eight children. Widowed at the age of 41, she founded a new religious order, the Order of the Most Holy Saviour, which became known as the "Brigittines", after several years as regent of the kingdom. Having become a nun herself, she moved to Rome in 1350 and lived there for 24 years, working for unity within the Church and preparing the return of the Pope from Avignon to Rome. She is a model of a contemplative in action, knowing how to combine a life of prayer with an ardent and intelligent involvement in the affairs of the Church and society.
Not only did Brigid nourish herself on Sacred Scripture, but she was also graced with numerous "revelations", the authenticity of which was confirmed by several popes and even a Council (the Council of Basel in 1436). A Word received and shared.
In a Europe whose construction remains difficult, she is an example of a life totally given to Christ, firstly as a mother and regent of an entire kingdom, then as a nun concerned with the smooth running of the whole Church.
Armand Veilleux