In conversation with Sr Briege McKenna
In the town of Newry, Northern Ireland, a girl named Briege McKenna entered the convent of St Clare at the age of 15. Religious life was a calling she felt deeply. At just 17, Sr Briege began to experience pain in her hands and feet. What was initially thought to be growing pains turned out to be something much more serious – rheumatoid arthritis. “They put me into casts for two years to see if they could stop the deformity,” she shared in a conversation with The Irish Catholic. She remained committed to her vocation, making her final vows at 21, despite the debilitating condition.
The story of Sr Briege McKenna could have ended there but her journey took an unexpected turn during a retreat in 1974, a moment that would change not only her life but also the lives of others around the world. “I was at a weekend retreat, and in that retreat, I didn’t pray for healing,” she said. “I just asked to fall in love with Jesus.” This simple plea led to a profound spiritual experience. “There’s a difference in knowing all about Jesus and knowing him personally,” she reflected. It was during this retreat that Sr Briege asked Jesus to reveal Himself to her.
Pressure
“I felt pressure on my head… my feet straightened, and my elbows,” she described. “I jumped up, and all I remember saying was, ‘Oh, Jesus, I believe in you.’” This healing marked a significant turning point in her life. “From being a regular Catholic nun… everything in my life changed.” The transformation was not just physical. It was a deepening of her faith and an awakening to the spiritual gifts that would define her ministry in the years to come.
Word of Sr Briege’s healing and new ministry quickly spread. She began to receive invitations from around the world, as people wanted to hear her story and receive her prayers. Her ministry was not limited to the laity. It extended to priests. Over the years, Sr Briege spoke at various conferences, retreats, and gatherings, always emphasising the importance of the priesthood. She met Pope John Paul II seven times, spoke in Rome, and even shared a stage with Mother Teresa. Despite the scandals that have shaken the Catholic Church, Sr Briege’s commitment to the priesthood has never stopped. “I never lost the love and the reverence for the priesthood and for what the priesthood is,” she said.
Have I ever given a gift that is not perfect? Now I’m going to show you from heaven’s sight what a priest is”
As her healing ministry grew, Sr Briege noticed a troubling trend. Many people were coming to her for help when they should have been turning to their priests. “I started to think, you know, it’s confession,” she said. This realisation led her to a critical view of the priesthood, particularly when she saw priests failing to address the issue of sin. It was a moment of frustration that led to a deep encounter in prayer. “I went into the Chapel one day… I was fed up with the priests. What’s wrong with the priesthood?” she asked in prayer. The response she received was clear and undeniable, “What do you mean what’s wrong with priesthood? Have I ever given a gift that is not perfect? Now I’m going to show you from heaven’s sight what a priest is. The priesthood is not a job, It’s a call. It’s a vocation.”
Experience
This experience was a turning point for Sr Briege. She came to understand that the priesthood is a divine calling, not merely a job or profession. “The priesthood is not a job, it’s the priesthood of Christ… It’s a vocation,” she said. Despite the human flaws that priests may exhibit, the priesthood itself is sacred. “I saw Jesus showing them… I’m going to give you power to make my presence alive. Even though they’re sinful, He still gave them such a trust.”
I want you to encourage them and remind them that humility is to magnify and acknowledge my priesthood”
Sr Briege also had a vision of a future crisis in the Church, one that, she believes, has already started. “I saw this image of a vast desert and people were crying… And He said, ‘A time is coming when there will be a great famine in the Church…Many people will reject the priesthood… A time is coming, when many priests will see it as humility to deny my power…A time is coming when many people will wonder why there’s no vocations,’” she told this paper. This famine, she believes, will be spiritual in nature, coming from a widespread rejection of the priesthood. This vision has only strengthened her determination to support priests and encourage them to embrace their call fully.
Dedicated
Despite the many challenges she has faced, Sr Briege remains dedicated to her mission. “He said, I want you to go into the world, and I want you to speak to my priests and bishops… I want you to encourage them and remind them that humility is to magnify and acknowledge my priesthood,” she said. This message, she believes, is more critical now than ever, especially in a time when the priesthood is under intense scrutiny.
Over the years, Sr Briege’s ministry has taken her to countless countries and communities, always at the invitation of local bishops or priests. She has given retreats to thousands of priests across all continents, always with the goal of deepening their understanding of their vocation. “I have met thousands of great priests, thousands here in Ireland. I’d go to as far away as to Papua New Guinea and there’s Irish priests. And you go all over Africa, Irish priests. You go all over Australia, Irish priests.” she said. Reflecting on her experiences, she acknowledges the challenges that the priesthood faces but remains hopeful and committed to her mission. “All of that is erased by the media”.
I went to minister to some priests in prison to try and get them to see the mistakes they’ve made and to repent”
In Sr Briege’s view, the key to overcoming these challenges is a deep, personal relationship with Jesus. “90% of the crisis… happens because you no longer have this intimacy with Jesus,” she said. She believes that prayer and a close relationship with Christ are essential for anyone, especially priests, to live out their vocation faithfully.
One of the more challenging aspects of Sr Briege’s ministry has been her work with priests who have struggled, including those accused of serious offenses. “I went to minister to some priests in prison to try and get them to see the mistakes they’ve made and to repent,” she shared. This work, she believes, is vital to the mission of the Church. “We have hundreds of priests who are broken men,” she said. Sr Briege has witnessed the loneliness and isolation that many priests face, which has only strengthened her determination to offer them support and guidance.
Sr Briege has also been a vocal advocate for the youth. In her view, young people are often misunderstood in their spiritual needs. “We underestimate what the youth want,” she said. “They want to commit their lives to Jesus.” While she acknowledges that the number of young nuns has decreased, she pointed out that there are still glowing religious communities. She also highlighted the importance of the vestments in religious life, “The habit doesn’t make the nun, but we do need to give witness.” The author of Miracles do Happen explained that, for the youth to approach freely the priests and religious figures, it is important to visibly show their commitment to the Faith they have dedicated their lives to.
Youth
Sr Briege trusts that priests play a crucial role in engaging the youth, particularly through their homilies. “Father, you have 15 minutes to market the best product anybody ever could… You have 15 minutes to market the gospel. It’s alive, it’s real.”
Central to Sr Briege’s message is the importance of understanding the Catholic faith in its fullness, particularly the Eucharist. “Every day I say to them here in Ireland, for centuries, Jesus has been giving us a blood transfusion of His body and blood… It’s a mystery, but it is the same,” she said. This deep reverence for the Eucharist is something she believes is often overlooked or misunderstood, and she has made it a key focus of her ministry.
‘I never imagined that my life would take this path,’ she said. ‘But I know that everything has been part of God’s plan’”
In her interactions with people, Sr Briege often encounters those who are drawn to the Catholic faith but feel disconnected from it. “I said to a woman [protestant], you’re on the wrong ship… You have to get back on the ship that Jesus founded,” she recalled. “I have one foot on the ship. I’m in the RCIA,” the same woman shared with Sr Briege months after. Bringing people back to the Catholic Church is a mission she takes seriously, though she admits it is not always easy.
Grace
As she looks back on her life and ministry, Sr Briege McKenna sees a journey marked by suffering and profound grace. From the young girl who entered the convent at 15, to the nun who was miraculously healed and called to a global ministry, her story is one of faith and dedication. “I never imagined that my life would take this path,” she said. “But I know that everything has been part of God’s plan.”
