Brigidine Sisters
Encyclopedia
The Brigidine Sisters are a global Roman Catholic congregation
, founded by Bishop
Daniel Delany
in Ireland
on February 1, 1807. There were six founding members of the order, all of whom were originally catechists: Eleanor Tallon, Margaret Kinsella, Eleanor Dawson, Judith Whelan, Bridget Brien and Catherine Doyle.
The mission of the Brigidines is the education and evangelisation of youth. An earlier congregation linked to Saint Brigid had been founded in the fifth century AD, and had lasted until the Reformation
; Bishop Delany considered the establishment of this new congregation to be merely a refounding of the original one. In order to demonstrate this continuity, he brought an oak sapling with him from Kildare
and planted it in the grounds of the new convent in Tullow
, Co. Carlow.
In 1809, he sent three of the sisters from Tullow to Mountrath
in Co. Laois, where they founded a convent and school which survives to this day. In 1842, another house was established in Abbeyleix
, also in Co. Laois. Then, in 1858 a layman in Goresbridge offered to help finance a foundation in his parish. The Paulstown and Ballyroan foundations soon followed.
In 1883, in answer to a request from a bishop
in New South Wales
, six sisters from Mountrath went to Australia. They founded their first establishment in Coonamble, New South Wales
. From there branches quickly spread to the dioceses of Sydney
, Bathurst, Canberra-Goulburn
, Perth
and Brisbane
as well as to the archdiocese of Wellington
, New Zealand
, in 1898.
The Brigidine motto is Fortiter et Suaviter, which is Latin
for "Strength and Gentleness".
Congregation (catholic)
The term "congregation" has three usages specific to the Roman Catholic Church. One concerns the Roman Curia, the other two concern religious institutes.- Roman Curia :...
, founded by Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
Daniel Delany
Daniel Delany
Daniel Delany was the Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin. He was born on the first of two sons into a farming family in January 1747...
in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
on February 1, 1807. There were six founding members of the order, all of whom were originally catechists: Eleanor Tallon, Margaret Kinsella, Eleanor Dawson, Judith Whelan, Bridget Brien and Catherine Doyle.
The mission of the Brigidines is the education and evangelisation of youth. An earlier congregation linked to Saint Brigid had been founded in the fifth century AD, and had lasted until the Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
; Bishop Delany considered the establishment of this new congregation to be merely a refounding of the original one. In order to demonstrate this continuity, he brought an oak sapling with him from Kildare
Kildare
-External links:*******...
and planted it in the grounds of the new convent in Tullow
Tullow
Tullow is a town in County Carlow, Ireland. It is located on the River Slaney where the N81 road intersects with the R762.-History:There is a statue of Father John Murphy, one of the leaders of the 1798 Rebellion, who was captured near Tullow and executed in the Market Square on 2 July...
, Co. Carlow.
In 1809, he sent three of the sisters from Tullow to Mountrath
Mountrath
Mountrath is a small town in County Laois, Ireland. Bypassed by the M7 motorway in 2010, the town lies on the R445 midway between Dublin and Limerick, exactly 96.5 km from both cities.In 2006 it had a population of 1,435...
in Co. Laois, where they founded a convent and school which survives to this day. In 1842, another house was established in Abbeyleix
Abbeyleix
Abbeyleix is a town in County Laois, Ireland about from Portlaoise and located on the N77 national secondary route. Formerly the N8 National Primary Route ran through the centre of the town, making Abbeyleix an infamous bottleneck on the Dublin-Cork corridor with up to 15,000 vehicles passing...
, also in Co. Laois. Then, in 1858 a layman in Goresbridge offered to help finance a foundation in his parish. The Paulstown and Ballyroan foundations soon followed.
In 1883, in answer to a request from a bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, six sisters from Mountrath went to Australia. They founded their first establishment in Coonamble, New South Wales
Coonamble, New South Wales
Coonamble is a town on the central-western plains of New South Wales, Australia. It lies on the Castlereagh Highway north-west of Gilgandra. At the 2006 census, Coonamble had a population of 2,549...
. From there branches quickly spread to the dioceses of Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Bathurst, Canberra-Goulburn
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of CanberraGoulburn is a Latin rite archdiocese located in the Australian Capital Territory and the South West Slopes, Southern Tablelands, Monaro and South Coast regions of New South Wales, Australia...
, Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
and Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
as well as to the archdiocese of Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, in 1898.
The Brigidine motto is Fortiter et Suaviter, which is Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
for "Strength and Gentleness".