It took me an age to get this article and translation of Cogitosus's
Vita Brigitae. When possible I will get a copy up on the Daughters of the Flame site along with the Liam de Paor translation that is now there. Look for the brilliant yellow button below to download the pdf. For now, I will just jot a couple of notes and give you the citation so you can track it down yourself.
By the way, in the introduction Connolly says they are preparing a longer work on the
VB. Anyone know if this was ever done? A quick search has yielded nothing.
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‘Cogitosus's "Life of St Brigit" Content and Value’
Sean Connolly and J.-M. Picard The
Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, Vol. 117 (1987),
pp. 5-27
In his preface to a translation of Cogitosus’s Vita Brigitae, the author briefly discusses
Cogitosus and his relationship to Brigit and to Kildare, and his presumed era of
writing. Only three other works of this nature are available from the 7th
c (Tirechan, Collectanea, Muirchu, Vita Patricii, both re St Patrick; Adomnan,
Vita Columbae), with Cogitosus’s likely
the earliest. VB is of particular
interest to historians because it shows that in the 7th c Kildare
was claiming for itself primacy over all the monasteries in Ireland, and
because of what it tells about monastic life. It is of interest to
archaeologists because of its references to continental trade, road-building
practices, the construction of mills, and the physical layout of Brigit’s
church.
Reminding us that the Irish Church was only two centuries
old at the time of writing, Connolly examines the work’s “catechetical
aim” of teaching religious values, particularly of faith and charity, to Irish Christians.
Repeatedly Brigit’s great faith enables her to perform
miracles (all attributable to God’s power, not her own). Other recurring values
are chastity and obedience, and her faith is shown in her devotion to prayer—the
secret of her ability to intercede with God being her ceaseless, single-minded prayer—and
to evangelism. This emphasis on preaching is supported in Vita I (Vita prima Sanctae Brigitae) as well. (VI apparently written nearly a century later).
The second main value emphasised is charity, which expresses
itself in numerous miracles, many of which are modelled on Biblical stories, which
show “her concern for the poor, the oppressed or the embarrassed, or simply her
guests, whether friends or strangers” (pg 9).
The language of the article is easily accessible to
non-expert readers, and the ideas simple, with plenty of examples (mostly brief
notations of where they can be found in the text, some with fuller explanation).
He lays out with clarity his argument that Cogitosus in his Life has not simply “just strung
together at random a series of miracles of folkloric interest to entertain his
readers” (pg 6), but is purposefully directing his audience to a fuller
understanding of and commitment to specific monastic virtues. Without
familiarity with the Life itself some
of the references, not being fully explained, lose some of their impact. It might
be preferred to read the Life first,
or to reread the introductory material once having read the Life.
