Welcome to the home of Saint Brendan’s Way. St Brendan is our namesake, and we consider him a symbol for all that is great about the Celts, the people who populated Wales, Scotland, and Ireland several centuries ago.
They held a view of reality that could be compared to a journey. St Brendan traversed the seas, perhaps as far as Newfoundland, and is the considered the saint of travelers. In addition, we consider him the saint of the spiritual pilgrimage and a symbol of life as a journey.
A person need not hail from the early Celts to value a St Brendan view of the world. As you read some of the essential elements to Celtic Christianity, spirituality, and way of life, it may cause a quiver in your soul even if you’re not a Celt by descent. You may already view life in a Celtic way, and not even know it.
- Life as a journey—traveled, discovered, and experienced with God and others, even if the way is perilous
- Love of nature and wonder for the elemental as reminders of God’s presence and might
- Christ as the Sovereign over creation and the Victor over evil
- A realization that humanity, individual and collective, posses a divine spark—the image of God
- Thin veil between heaven and earth, the spiritual and material, and the sacred and the secular
- An appreciation for ordinary life, time, actions, and place as holy—fostering “every day” awareness of God
- The Kingdom of God as a present reality, even tangible or material
- The Church as an expression of the Kingdom of God, not in exile, but a “City” all its own
- The Church as a living, breathing organism—like a vine with branches (some in need of pruning)
- Time and space as both chronos (chronology) and kairos (mystical and unbounded)
- An admiration and enjoyment of great stories, whether heard, read, or seen
- An appreciation for rituals and symbols, especially the symbols of our faith
- Belief that God is reconciling all things to himself, which includes humanity and all creation
- An emphasis on the ties that bind—kinship, friendship, anamchara (soul friend), community, and hospitality
- The converging of three significant streams within Christianity (represented by the symbols—Word, Spirit, and Sacrament) into one great river.
Some of the more cryptic statements may need additional explanation (something coming in future posts). Nevertheless, these distinctives may have left you feeling, “This Celtic Christianity reflects my view of life and faith”? If these Celtic dimensions speak to you, then you are more Celtic than you know and could easily travel the way of St Brendan.
Any person who affirms the goodness of creation and the wonder of the Creator, who longs to have a deep and intimate bond with the Lord of All, and who wishes to experience the fullness of God in all reality shares an affinity with the Celtic Christian way of life. You have arrived at the head of a wonderous path—Saint Brendan’s Way. We invite you to journey with us.
Céad Míle Fáilte! Welcome a thousand times over!