ST. BRIDGET
thus to want to associate with the lowly rather than
with her social equals, but that made no difference to
Bridget. Society has always been about the same in
its magnification of trivialities no matter what the
stage of civilization and Bridget was one of those
who realized the truth of the Scriptural expression
fascinatio nugacitatis obscurat bona, ‘‘the witchery
of trifles obscures what is worth while in life.”
Strange as it may seem at that period in the
world’s history Bridget insisted on finding the oppor-
tunity to live the life of the mind and the spirit
rather than to follow after the cult of things and
fortunately Patrick was able to help her so effectively
that she was prompted to take up the task of found-
ing a religious community in which her Irish fellow
country women might have the opportunity to seek
happiness apart from marriage. Her parents were
very much opposed to this idea of hers and all those
around her who liked the beautiful kindly girl whose
gentleness of disposition and care for others had
endeared her to all hearts showed unmistakably
that they too felt that her place was with her parents
and her friends rather than in what they considered
the narrow limitations of a religious community. It
has often been remarked that not infrequently it is
just those who become convinced of their vocation to
a religious life whose charming dispositions make
them the most missed by their relatives and render
separation from them seem all the harder for friends
who know them well. There are those even who
do not hesitate to say that some of the others who
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