St. Brigid Church in South Boston, Honoring Ireland's Patroness Saint
Born around 451 A.D. in Ireland, Brigid's life straddled the transition between pre-Christian Celtic beliefs and Christianity. She is patroness of poetry, learning, healing, protection, blacksmithing, livestock and dairy production.
The Book of Lismore, a 15th century Gaelic manuscript of religious material relating to Ireland's saints, writes this about St. Brigid: "For this was Brigid's desire: to satisfy, the poor; to expel every hardship; to relieve every misery. Now never hath there been one more bashful, modest, gentle, humble, more sage, more harmonious than Brigid. She is the Prophetess of Christ; she is Queen of the South; she is the Mary of the Gael."
The Book of Lismore, a 15th century Gaelic manuscript of religious material relating to Ireland's saints, writes this about St. Brigid: "For this was Brigid's desire: to satisfy, the poor; to expel every hardship; to relieve every misery. Now never hath there been one more bashful, modest, gentle, humble, more sage, more harmonious than Brigid. She is the Prophetess of Christ; she is Queen of the South; she is the Mary of the Gael."
St. Brigid of Kildare Parish in South Boston has an interesting history dating back to the early 20th century. It was originally called St. Eulalia's and served as a mission chapel to nearby Gate of Heaven Parish. A fire destroyed St. Eulalia's in 1933, and it was rebuilt and renamed St Brigid in honor of the mother of the parish pastor, Father Patrick J. Waters.
The new church was designed by Irish-American architect Maurice P. Mead, and built by Charles E. Logue, the Irish immigrant from County Derry who later built Fenway Park. The church was built in Gothic Revival style at a cost of $80,000, using red Harvard brick, granite steps, limestone trim and oak doors, according to the 100h Anniversary Celebration of St. Brigid of Kildare parish published in 2008.
Today the parishes of St. Brigid and Gate of Heaven are combined to better serve the City Point area of South Boston. The joint parishes offer a variety of programs, services and resources to the community, according to parish literature.
In addition to St. Bridgid of Kildare/Gate of Heaven in South Boston, Massachusetts has several Roman Catholic churches named in the Irish saint's honor:
St. Brigid in Lexington, dating back to 1886;
St. Brigid in Amherst, dating to 1871,
St. Bridget's in Framingham, dating back to 1878 and
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