Welcome to St Brigid's Roman Catholic Church

St Brigid's Church

Welcome to St Brigid's Roman Catholic Parish in the Diocese of Motherwell, Scotland.

St Brigid's is a thriving parish of some 1,600 people, with a proud history in Newmains that stretches back to 1871.

Indeed the chapel/school established here in 1871 is still standing - though it is now a Parish Centre serving the social needs of the whole community.

We became a Parish in 1896 and our present Church was built in 1933. Now we gladly carry the Gospel of Christ into the third millenia.

Visit the heritage section of the website to find out more about the history of St Brigid's.

Words from Father Kelly

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Time moves along I wrote a fortnight ago. I had also just revealed my intention to retire as Parish Priest of St Brigid's at the end of September. A whole month seemed then an ample time to pack my possessions, tidy up the mess I so easily fall into and move on. Now with just over a week to go I write this in a kind of panic.  There is still so much to sort out so I hope my successor as Parish Priest, Fr Stephen Rooney, has an understanding and gentle heart!

Tuesday and Wednesday evenings this week  I will confer the sacrament of Confirmation on nineteen young people now in First year at St Aidan's High School at 7pm on both evenings. I am gratefull to Bishop Joseph for giving me the privilege to celebrate this Sacrament as I come to the end of my own active ministry. I thank the RE Dept at St Aidan's for their co-operation in preparing the young people along with their School Chaplains. Now we pray we can see these days through and the present troubles controlling the spread of the COVID 19 virus do not disrupt our plans again.

We have already managed to celebrate First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion in this month of September. The Staff of St Brigid's School worked hard to prepare the young candidates and make it possible for those Sacraments to be celebrated. I have many happy memories to treasure of the celebrations we have had with the children and Staff of St Brigid's School over now more than fourteen years. I always found the atmosphere there happy and joyful with a strong joy in our Catholic Faith and traditions. A Parish Community has one mission: to make the message of Jesus known and loved, we do this by prayer, reflection and celebration. St Brigid's School and St Aidan's High have helped our Parish fulfill its purpose and helped me greatly as your priest. 

Fr Hugh P Kelly

Parish Prayer to St Brigid

Saint Brigid
You were a woman of peace.
You brought harmony where there was conflict.
You brought light to the darkness.
You brought hope to the downcast.
May the mantle of your peace
cover those who are troubled and anxious,
and may peace be firmly rooted in our hearts and in our world.
Inspire us to act justly and to reverence all God has made.
Brigid you were a voice for the wounded and the weary.
Strengthen what is weak within us.
Calm us into a quietness that heals and listens.
May we grow each day into greater
wholeness in mind, body and spirit.

Amen

St Brigid's Cross

The Saint Brigid’s cross is a custom that marks the feast day of St. Brigid, which falls on the 1st of February, the beginning of spring.

The making of the cross has many meanings and stories; one ritual is that the cross is hung over the door as a way of protecting the household from evil spirits and energies.

Another tradition that is practiced is that a new cross is made each year on St. Brigid's day, and the old one hanging from the year before is then burned to keep fire from the household.