The daughter of a pagan king and a Christian slavewoman who had been baptized by St. Patrick, Brigid of Kildare was born out of wedlock in Ireland in the year 453. Her mother was sold to another owner, but part of the contract was for Brigid to one day be returned to the king. As a youth, Brigid was baptized and raised in the faith. Around the age of 10, she was returned to the king as a servant girl, and at every opportunity she gave his riches away to the poor. Furious, the king arranged to sell her, but the Christian king who was to buy her convinced her father to set her free. She quickly entered the religious life and started convents all over Ireland before she died at the age of 70.
CHALLENGE
As a child, St. Brigid of Kildare helped her mother work in their master’s dairy, and she often gave away milk to the poor. Today, celebrate St. Brigid of Kildare as the patron saint of dairy workers as well as her patronage of children born out of wedlock: find a pregnancy resource center near you, and make a donation of baby formula.
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