Athlone Conference 2024: Living the Faith in the Footsteps of St Bridget
On 31 August 2024, at a conference commemorating the 1500th anniversary of St Bridget's death, a panel of speakers explored the relevance of this great saint today. The apostolic zeal and power of prayer that supported St Bridget in converting Ireland enables to be faithful apostles carrying the torch of faith today in our increasingly pagan country.
Fr Sherry outlined how St Bridget helped to secure the country’s initial conversation from paganism to Catholicism and the virtues that exemplified the saint’s life, still necessary today to live out our Catholic faith. A SSPX sister explained the necessity of the contemplative life of a religious, a hidden but powerful daily supplication to God supporting every missionary endeavour. Mrs Connolly showed how a woman can devote herself to her greatest mission in life; the protection, nourishment and supporting of life, exemplifying how the true notion of the feminine nature can be reclaimed and lived in the world today. Mr Kennedy Hall gave the final talk, explaining how the SSPX — a missionary society adhering to the perennial Faith of the Church, devoted to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and the restoration of the Catholic priesthood — carries this missionary spirit forward in the pagan world today in the same spirit of the first missionaries in Ireland to restore all things in Christ.
St Bridget of Kildare is credited with pioneering female monastic life in Ireland and together with St Patrick and St. Colmcille is one of the country’s three patron saints. St Bridget was born during the lifetime of St Patrick and founded the first convent in Ireland. Her convent greatly prospered and many of her nuns had been sent by her to make new foundations in other parts of the island, for the instruction of the pagans converted by the preaching of St Patrick. St Bridget was very active assisting those who needed help whilst devoting much time to prayer and maintaining continual interior recollection.
About the Speakers
Fr David Sherry: The Spread of the Faith in Ireland
Fr Sherry is the District Superior of UK, Ireland & Scandinavia. He was born in 1981 in Cavan, Ireland. He entered the Seminary of St. Curé d'Ars, Flavigny, France in 2001 and was ordained priest at the Seminary of St Pius X, Ecône, Switzerland in 2007. The first five years of priesthood saw postings in St Michael's School in Burghclere, Carluke in Scotland, and then Athlone in Ireland as prior. In 2013, Fr Sherry was appointed headmaster of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Academy, New Hamburg, Canada. In 2020 he was then made District Superior of Canada until 2024 when he was appointed District Superior of Great Britain & Ireland.
A SSPX Sister: The Religious Life in a Pagan World
The Congregation of the Sisters of the Society of Saint Pius X was founded in 1974, when the first sister received the religious habit. Their activities facilitate and complete the apostolate of the Priestly Society of Saint Pius X in priories, missions, schools, retreat houses, retirement and nursing homes or seminaries. In addition to household tasks, the Sisters undertake a variety of works: teaching in schools, offering catechism classes in schools and parishes, running camps and summer activities, directing parish choirs and women’s groups, etc. The founders, Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre and Mother Marie-Gabriel Lefebvre, his sister, were both missionaries in the Congregation of the Holy Spirit.
Mrs Gina Connolly: Reclaiming Feminity
Gina has a Degree and a Masters in Theology from the Pontifical University, Maynooth where she also studied History and Latin. She has a Postgraduate Certificate in Education from the University of Ulster, Coleraine. Gina has taught at primary and second level schools and at third level where she specialised in Dogmatic Theology and Religious Education methodology. While her oldest children were pre-school, she worked as a freelance journalist and writer for Catholic publications and as an occasional speaker at conferences, where time allowed. She is a mother of six and is currently a full-time Mum to her four youngest children, whom she home educates.
Mr. Kennedy Hall: The Missionary Society of the SSPX
Kennedy Hall is a Catholic author, journalist, podcast host and broadcaster. He is the author of several books, including Terror of Demons: Reclaiming Traditional Catholic Masculinity and Lockdown with the Devil. He has a growing YouTube channel where he hosts The Kennedy Report. He is married with a growing family and lives in Ontario, Canada.
