BRONAGH


In Kilbroney Valley in Northern Ireland are ruins of a church, a holy well, a shrine and a graveyard which legend and lore relate to Saint Bronagh. As the story goes, Bronagh and her brother each founded a religious community in that region. Her brother becoming a bishop, Bronagh's ministry was taking care of the sailors whose shipwrecks caused them to wash ashore. When her brother was near death, he gave his sister his crozier (a bishops or abbots staff-and symbol of their office). She is one of very few women saints to be pictured with this symbol.[Look closely at her window to the left.]

In the 9th century after a violent storm caused a tree to crash through a building in Kilbroney, a bell was found on the ground. [See the bell in Bronagh's other hand]. It's believed that during penal days, this relic of the life of Bronagh was sealed in the buildings wall to preserve it from destruction. Today, the restored bell is displayed in the Catholic Church is Rostrevor.

Kilbroney Valley seems to be an anglicized name for Cill Broney; 'cill' meaning church, 'broney' meaning of Bronagh. Within Kilbroney Valley in the town of Rostrevor, is the home of Holy Spirit Benedictine Monastery. The monastery was founded in the 1960's by four monks sent from the French abbey of Bec. It is a place of ecumenical witness-inviting catholics and protestants into dialogues of peace.


This is now the second time in my life that as a religious rite I've been asked to choose a new name. As a fourth grade student making my Confirmation, we were directed to choose the name of a saint which the archbishop would use in our blessing. I had recently seen the movie, The Song of Bernadette, about a young girl who saw visions of the Mary the mother of Jesus who shared a message of peace for the world. I chose Bernadette as my confirmation name.

My certificate of final oblation lists my name as Kathleen Bronagh Weller. I was attracted to her at first as my intention was to search for a saint from Ireland. But then added into my choice was the fact that she carried her brothers crozier, which I related to my own ordination as a minister of word and sacrament. And finally her ministry on the fringes of society. Peace River Spirituality Center is also a ministry of the fringes offering ancient rituals (meditaion and silent retreats) and ancient practices (spiritual direction and teaching on classic disiplines) to folks who may feel as though they are tossed to and fro in their spiritual life.

Even now I have the sense that I'm living into this name which though I chose it, feels more like it has chosen me. When I travel to Ireland in August for the WCCM (World Community of Christian Meditation) conference, I'll be spending a few days with my brother monks at Holy Spirit Monastery in Rostrevor and walking where Bronagh walked. "Blessings all mine with ten thousand besides; Great is God's faithfulness" IN HUMBLE JOY, THE CELTIC MONK

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