Today is the feast day of St Brigid
and it’s bitterly cold in Belfast.
I slip into St Anne’s Church of Ireland Cathedral
and walk through the semi-darkness
to the Chapel of Unity.
Stepping into the tiny chapel
I feel bathed in light and warmth
and welcome.

John and Mark, two of the ministers,
greet me with a smile
and our morning service begins.
After reading the Gospel
Mark speaks to us
about St Brigid.
He tells us about Brigid’s dedication
to drawing together
different spiritual traditions
in ancient Ireland –
paganism and Christianity.

As our service continues
I’m struck by the prayers,
so similar to those that I hear at Mass.
I feel very much at home
and I have a strong sense of how much
we all have in common here,
a sense of all being part
of the family of God.

I have a sense that, this morning,
in the Chapel of Unity,
Catholic and Church of Ireland unite.

Isn’t that a wonderful way
to celebrate the feast of St Brigid?

© Claire Murray, 1st February 2017