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Dear Brothers and Sisters in
the Lord:
Today, September 9th is the patronal feast day of our parish. Saint
Kieran was the son of Beoit, a carpenter and chariot builder. He was the
spiritual student of Saint Finian of Clonard and Saint Dermot. He
was also considered the most learned monk at Clonard. He tutored the
daughter of the king of Cuala and lived for seven years as a hermit at
Inishmore with Saint Enda. He was a monk at the abbey of Isel in central
Ireland but was run off by his brother monks because his charity to the
local poor was so great that it threatened to bankrupt the abbey.
He lived for a while with eight other hermits on Inish Aingin. He
established the Clonmacnoise abbey in West Meath, and served as its
first abbot. He was the spiritual teacher of Saint Comgall of Bangor.
He placed that house under a singularly austere rule, referred to as the
Law of Kieran to draw those monks who felt a need to ignore the physical
world completely. The house was known for centuries as a center of
Irish learning and thought. Saint Kieran was a reputed miracle worker. A
mere 7 months after establishing Clonmacnoise, Kieran died, perhaps of
the plague.
Because of his prominence in the early Irish church, St. Kieran is known
as one of the “Twelve Apostles of Ireland.” So, today let us continue to
ask for St. Kieran’s intercession and help. He was a man of great faith,
learning and humility. May we all imitate him and together ask, “Saint
Kieran, pray for us.”
Yesterday was the solemn
feast of the Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The blessed Mother along
with St John the Baptist are the only saints whose births we celebrate
besides that of Our Lord’s nativity. These two were important
participants in God’s plan of our salvation and so Holy Mother Church
recognizes this with these celebrations. God can do much with us through
the presence of His grace and our co-operation. Let us continue to seek
Mary’s intercession and help.
Mary, Mother of God pray for
us. |
