THE OLD - Old Wirral.com

THE OLD CHURCHES OF WIRRAL
she never washed her hands or her
virgin ;
face or her feet amongst men ; she never
looked a man in the face ; she never spoke
without a blush. She was abstinent,
innocent, generous, patient ; she joyed in
God's commandments ; she was steadfast,
lowly, forgiving, charitable. She was a
consecrated vessel for keeping Christ's
body ; she was a temple of God ; her heart
and her mind were a throne of rest for the
Holy Ghost. Towards God she was
simple ; sionate ;
towards the wretched compas-
her miracles and wondrous deeds
like the sand of the sea ; her soul like the
sun in the heavenly city among quires of
angels and archangels, in union with
cherubim and seraphim,
in union with all
the Holy Trinity, Father and Son and
Holy Ghost. I, the writer, beseech the
Lord's mercy through St. Bridget's intercession.
Amen."
Many similar stories of saints exist
which deprecate the married state and
praise virginity, a phase in the history of
the church which has been suggested as an
intentional stimulus for the recommendation
of clerical celibacy. Thus it is
related of St. Bridget that she was so
beautiful that all men desired her. She
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