Today is first day of February, and as always is the feast day of St Bridget one of the few Irish saints.
We grew up knowing about the St. Bridget’s Cross and the confusion in trying to make it correctly, or to make the biggest and best one. According to tradition a new cross is made each Saint Brigid’s Day (February 1), and the old one is burned to keep fire from the house … but of course customs vary by locality as some people keep them for years.
Another local tradition is that you hang a cloth outside for the night before St Bridget’s day, and rub it to any sores that you get during the year, and it will help to make the pain go away more quickly.
Give it a go at making the cross: If you missed the demonstration last Friday in the Library, just read these instructions on how to make a St Bridgets Cross. You will of course need about a dozen rushes to make one. There’s loads of rushes in the fields this year, and the farmers will only be too be glad to see you taking them (in fact take all of them if you want!). Best of luck.
The Haiti earthquake occurred on Jan 12th 2010. Currently there are 170,000 confirmed dead and three million affected by this catastrophic event. As there hasn’t been a concerted effort to raise funds for food/shelter/medicine and everything else that these devastated people need, there will be a church door collection at all the masses this weekend (30th & 31st Jan), and all are encouraged to give generously as the affected people had nothing beforehand, and have even less now. From the parish newsletter last weekend:
