Feb 15 Berach, d. 495 (and his mentor, Kevin, as an aside)

Thom and Jack,
Good Morning, I love you
110203, 1119


February 15

Berach d. 595
(Angels and Saints, Catholic Encyclopedia Online, UndertheOak)

Berach was raised by his uncle, St Freoch. Berach was of the tribe of Cinel Dobtha. Most of his life was spent in the Diocese of Elphin. Being raised by an uncle… being part of a clan. When we lived on Boynton Street in Portland, my Aunt Julia and cousin Marty lived with us for about a year. When we first moved back to NYC, we lived with my Uncle Walter and his family for a while so that Ken and I could start school at the beginning of the year but my folks hadn’t yet found us a place to live. Be forever the best brothers in all the world….

Berach’s sister, Midabaria, grew up to be a saint. St. Midabaria, was abbess of a nunnery at Bumlin (Strokestown), of which she is venerated as patroness.

His first teacher was Saint Daigh of Iniscaoin, County Louth, and it was while a student there that Saint Berach worked one of his most famous miracles.

Daigh sent him to a certain mill in Magh Muirtheimhne with a sack of wheat to grind it, and he found a woman and a boy of the people of the territory before him at the mill, they having with them a sack of oats to grind it ; and Berach asked of them their turn of the mill, but they did not give it to him, and they put together the oats and the wheat into the mill, and a division was made between them in the mill through the miracles of God and of Berach, so that the wheat was on one side and the oats on the other side without the admixture of the meal of the one with that of the other.

In his early days, Berach spent some time there and performed many miracles.

For these reasons, Daigh sent Berach to learn from St. Kevin. (See below for an excursion into Kevin’s life.) It does matter to whom you give your loyalty, from whom you learn, who you imitate. Find yourself a Kevin. Discern thoroughly, choose wisely.

He spent seven years at Glendalough at the end of which Saint Kevin took Saint Berach to Bishop Etchen for ordination. Afterwards Saint Berach had a vision that he was to leave the monastery of Saint Kevin and follow a deer which would lead him to the site where he was to found his own hermitage.

Berach built his church at Cluain Coirpthe since known as Kilbarry where Berach is the patron saint. St. Berach built an oratory at Cluain where he was made Abbot. Berach’s holy life attracted pilgrims to Kilbarry from all parts of Ireland.

Orthodox Hymn of Saint Berach:

Troparion of St Berach tone 1
Disciple of our Father Kevin,/ teacher of Orthodox piety and radiance of all Connaught, O Father Berach,/ by thy life and example thou didst bring many souls to Christ./ Wherefore we pray thee to intercede for us that our souls may be saved.

< An ancient prayer which we should take to heart today. By our life and example is how we not only make our own way to God but we also bring many souls to Christ. >



St Kevin – an aside as mentor St Berach

Kevin, according to tradition, was born at the Fort of the White Fountain in Leinster, Ireland, of royal descent. He was baptized by St. Cronan and educated by St. Petroc.

< Y’all were baptized by Kevin O’Connell, S.J., now a missionary pastor in Amman. You were educated, formally, for grammar school, by the Dominican Sisters. Unfortunately, your education since Overbrook, as well as in your mother’s house post-divorce, has been contrary to our Catholicism. Let Kevin, saint and today’s priest, help you be faithful. >

Kevin was ordained, and became a hermit at the Valley of the Two Lakes in Glendalough. After seven years there, he was persuaded to give up his solitary life. He went to Disert-Coemgen, where he founded a monastery for the disciples he attracted, and later moved to Glendalough.

Kevin made a pilgrimage to Rome, bringing back many relics for his permanent foundation at Glendalough. He was a friend of St. Kieran of Clonmacnois, and was entrusted with the raising of the son of King Colman of Ui Faelain, by the king.

Many extravagant miracles were attributed to Kevin, and he was reputed to be 120 years old at his death. His feast day is June 3rd.

I love you,
Dad
1159