Category: Personal Journeys

In my twenties, I found St. Brendan on the cover of a book on Celtic saints that fell off a library shelf to land at my feet. At one point, he even competed with St. Kevin for the most renowned exploits. Brendan visited the isle of talking birds, beached his boat on the back of a whale, and eventually came to rest in the land of the saints, his own version of paradise. Not to be outdone, Kevin held his hand out to shelter a distressed mother bird who laid her eggs in that warm embrace. Fearful of disturbing the nest, Kevin maintained this vigil, holding his precious cargo for weeks through rain and shine, until the baby birds hatched. These two legendary saints thrilled me as a child with their fantastical exploits. As an adult, I fell in love with the pagan aspects of Celtic spirituality: a deep connection to nature, the Divine Feminine, contemplation, and social justice.