Returning home to Clonfert from the Isle of the Blessed brought Brendan renown, but we hear nothing further of his companions. With a certain sadness, we realize that they are not even named in the telling of Brendan's journey. Yet, these companions rode on the back of the leviathan, were fed by God's special emissaries, saw angels singing as birds and visited the Isle of the Blessed with their abbot. Surely, just as Brendan did, they also took some souvenirs of that island — bits of fruit or precious stones — and brought them home where they may have shared them with others or quietly treasured them in private. Still, we never hear any more of them after their return to Clonfert — whether they left the monastery again as missionaries or pilgrims, whether they chose to live as hermits or whether they quietly returned to the routines of monastic life. While Brendan is crowned with glory, his companions fade into the mists of anonymity.
 
         We know these holy companions received their share of graces during their travels. Inspired by Barrind’s story and their love for Brendan, they generously and enthusiastically offered to join their abbot on his own pilgrimage but only through prayer would they have been able to remain faithful to that commitment during their years of  difficult travel. Brendan's companions learned self-control and patience by working together with one another within the tight confines of their boat, and their abbot’s wisdom — shown in so many strange and dangerous situations — strengthened their ability to submit gently to his commands. They became kinder and more compassionate when they saw God's mercy towards terrible sinners or witnessed the deaths of their friends. Finally, they experienced a joyful sense of peace as they walked on the Isle of the Blessed before returning home. These are all fruits of God's holy Spirit, the hallmarks of a saintly life.
 
         Yet, while the spiritual gifts these monks received during their travels with Brendan must have benefited their community in many significant ways, the contributions of these saintly companions remain hidden with their names. In all likelihood, Brendan's companions were respected — perhaps even admired — in their home community after their return from the Isle of the Blessed. But much of this recognition probably came from their association with the monastery’s famous and saintly abbot, and at least some of those who came to them for blessings and spiritual guidance would have been seeking a surrogate for the saint. Still, even if these monks lived in the shadow of a great spiritual adventure, their lives would never have been reduced to this one event. God does not waste his gifts and each of these hidden saints received the graces they needed to help build the kingdom of God through their own choices and actions.
 
         So, it remains vitally important that we recognize the contributions of hidden saints — both in these earlier Celtic churches and in our own. While we are inspired by the adventures and achievements of the great Celtic saints, we also need to respect the contribution of countless individuals who practiced and preserved the Celtic traditions of prayer in private over the centuries. We certainly learn from the example and teachings of famous Celtic saints like Brendan, Brigid, Columba, Ita or Patrick. But the prayers preserved by generations of anonymous individuals kept the Celtic spiritual traditions alive, allowing their revival in the last century or so. Recognizing the importance of these hidden saints encourages us to act with greater humility and generosity as we share the spiritual gifts we have received with others. It also reminds us to acknowledge those people in our own lives who have shown us the face of Christ through their quiet gestures of kindness or faith, the saints who humbly continue to build God's kingdom without fanfare.

— an excerpt from A Journey to the Land of the Saints

To return to the Part 3 start page, please click here.
To return to the program main page, please click here.