St. Brigid's Day Celebration 2024
St. Brigid's Day Celebration 2024
Exhibition of ‘Daring to Hope’, Irish Sisters Embracing the Unknown, (1923- 2023).
The Embassy’s special guests for this year's St. Brigid’s Day celebration was a delegation from the Association of Leaders of Missionaries and Religious of Ireland (AMRI). The Embassy together with our friends from St. Isidore’s hosted AMRI’s exhibition entitled ‘Daring to Hope’, Irish Sisters Embracing the Unknown, (1923- 2023).
The exhibition tells the multifaceted story of Irish sisters over the last century. The sisters served across the globe in healthcare, education and social services, often working with the most vulnerable communities.
This social history project was the initiative of a voluntary group, who, with the support of the Association of Leaders of Missionaries and Religious of Ireland (AMRI) Executive Council, assembled the exhibition, which has been put on display around Ireland and now here in Rome.
Ambassador Frances Collins and the Embassy team were extremely grateful to the Irish Franciscans at St. Isidore’s College, led by Guardian Fr. Mícheál MacCraith OFM, for allowing us to use the magnificent Aula of the College to host the exhibition. We had a full house for the event on the evening of St. Brigid’s Day. Ambassador Collins introduced the exhibition and spoke about the contribution of Irish missionaries over the last 100 years. Sr. Denise Boyle fmdm and Dr. Toni Pyke of AMRI both spoke in more detail about the panels and Sr. Denise shared some illuminating vignettes from her own years of work in different countries. The event was a great success and was attended by members of the Irish religious community based in Rome, friends of the Embassy, officials from the Roman Curia, and members of the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See.
The previous day the delegation which included Acting Secretary General Gerard Gallagher, Justice, Peace and Ecology Coordinator Dr. Toni Pyke, Sr. Denise Boyle fmdm, and Sr. Louise O' Rourke pddm attended Pope Francis' General Audience and had the honour of presenting the Pope with a St. Brigid's Cross.
The day after St. Brigid's Day the exhibition was hosted by the International Union of Superiors General (UISG) where it was viewed by Sisters of several congregations from around the world. AMRI and the Embassy team wish to thank Sr. Pat Murray ibvm and all at UISG for their hospitality and engagement with the exhibition.