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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The weeks move on and our Easter Season is almost over. We have celebrated the joyful Alleluia of Easter against a backdrop of this strange but extremely dangerous virus known as Covid-19. It has brought sickness and death to many countries, it has brought about the suspension of normal life in our own country and  all over the world and has created doubt, anxiety and even brought total failure to some of the biggest companies in our world today. And yet as Christians we still cry out in Faith, Hope and Love our Easter Joy as we sing Alleluia.

We have much knowledge and yet at the same time very little. As I write this I have just read on the BBC News App some reflections from top Doctors and Scientists about how this Virus completely baffled them in the way it affected its victims and how it was a leap into the darkness of unknowing when trying to help those who became really unwell while other victims did not suffer much effects at all.

Our lives are always full of the question "Why". It lies at the heart of all scientific research. It is part of every person's journey of life from our personal relationships with each other, when we disappoint or let down our nearest and dearest, the question is "Why". When we look over the fence at our neighbour and become jealous of the lifestyle they have again we ask "Why" and we can think of many other examples.

Just now we are all restless under  lockdown. It goes on and on and so the question "Why" arises. Our Political leaders, our Medical leaders all ask us to be patient and this disease will be brought under control. We can also look at our Leader in Faith. His Patience, His Endurance, His suffering and Death are the ways He asks us to follow. Today He speaks to us about the Glory He will receive from His Father for doing His Will. He speaks to us of the Glory that awaits us if we believe and trust in Him. As we approach Pentecost we ask the Holy Spirit for His gifts to be renewed in us that we do not live in fear but in Hope. We continue with His grace to cry out in joy "Alleluia". We never lose sight of Jesus' promise "I will not leave you orphans".             

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.