In honor of the feast of St. Brigid, here are inspiring and powerful programs to highlight the traditional Catholic faith in Ireland: The Story of St. Brigid of Ireland, Discovering St. Patrick; Hope: The Story of Our Lady of Knock; Bravery Under Fire (the inspiring tale of Servant of God Father Willie Doyle), and the Penal Laws movie Faith of Our Fathers. 

The Story of St. Brigid of Ireland 

St. Brigid is one of the three patron saints of Ireland, alongside St. Patrick and St. Colmcille. St. Brigid, born in the fifth century in Faughart, County Louth, is the patron saint of livestock, babies, new mothers and nuns.

In this uplifting program, learn stories of her many accomplishments. An inspiration to Catholic women, St. Brigid was a religious foundress, a helper of the poor and an intercessor for the people of Ireland. 

Oral and folk tradition recount that St. Brigid made a cross from rushes or reeds to explain Christianity to the faithful in much the same way Ireland’s patron saint, St. Patrick, used a shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity. The crosses are traditionally made on Jan. 31 and blessed on Feb. 1, her feast day.

Discovering St. Patrick

Follow an inspiring journey through the breathtaking landscapes of the Emerald Isle, guided by the inspiring Brothers of St. John Father Nathan Cromly as he leads a group of Catholic pilgrims in this captivating EWTN documentary. 

Stepping into the rich tapestry of Ireland’s spiritual heritage, Father Cromly and his adventurous companions leave behind the enchanting tales of shamrocks and snakes, embarking on a pilgrimage that follows the divine path set by St. Patrick himself. 

This remarkable journey isn’t just about tracing the footsteps of a saint; it’s about experiencing the transformative power of faith that led to the conversion of an entire nation.

Hope: Our Lady of Knock

Hope is an engrossing docudrama that examines how Knock, a small Irish village in county Mayo, has become a pilgrimage site visited by more than a million people every year and has welcomed two popes. 

Life changed for the inhabitants of Knock on a rainy night in August 1879, when 15 witnesses observed a silent, two-hour vision of the Virgin Mary, St. Joseph, St. John the Evangelist, a lamb, and a cross on the gable wall of the parish church. 

This award-winning docudrama examines what life was like in Ireland at that time and the hardships and suffering the Irish people were going through. Dramatizations are intertwined with interviews of pilgrims, people who have experienced healing and relatives of original witnesses.

Bravery Under Fire

Watch, too, the inspiring story of Servant of God Father Willie Doyle, a fearless Jesuit military chaplain who served and died on the battlefield in World War I.

Father Willie enlisted as a chaplain in the British Army in 1915 because he wanted to be on the battlefield when soldiers most needed a priest.

He was so brave on the front lines that he ran countless times into no man’s land to drag fellow soldiers to safety.

But he was a jovial character too and equally popular with soldiers of other faiths.

He died in no man’s land, as he lived, trying to help wounded comrades. 

Faith of Our Fathers

This compelling EWTN original film chronicles Father John Loughran, a Catholic priest in Ireland defending the faith against the oppressive and unjust Penal Laws. In the face of unrelenting pursuit and persecution, he is protected by his faithful flock.

Catholicism endured in Ireland, thanks to the brave priests who hid from the authorities and ministered in secret. 

This powerful film transports viewers to 18th-century Ireland. Don’t miss this gripping portrayal; it is inspiring, faith-filled and transformative viewing.