Coffee & Saints

Born: circa 480 – County Waterford, Ireland
Died: January 15, 570 – Killeedy, Ireland (now Newcastle West in Co. Limerick)

What I appreciate about St. Ita of Killeedy:
As a teenage girl she had a strong enough faith to stand up to her parents and plead to not be wed as they wished; but instead to enter the religious life with their blessing.

Coffee Order:
She was a teacher, ran a convent, cared for women in need, and raised a young boy from infant hood to six years old. Her life was busy! Therefore I think she would choose mint tea as this helps us relax.

Coming from a long line of Irish heritage, I would be very excited to meet today’s Saint who hailed from the same island that the majority of my own family comes from. I want to ask her about the culture that she grew up in – she was of a noble Irish family and born near what is now County Waterford. Was she close to her family? What did she find enjoyable as a young girl? Being that Ita was born in the year 480, little is known of her childhood. This is why I would love to meet with her for a coffee; to catch a glimpse into her life!

I think that Saint Ita would choose a hole-in-the-wall coffee shop; the kind run by a family. She would be able to look past the shiny exterior and fancy drink selections of the more popular cafes in the area and would see the beauty in the simplicity of a local small business. I think that she would strike up a conversation with the barista as she waited for her drink to be made; listening to them tell their own story.

For her drink order, I picture Saint Ita choosing mint tea. The reason I think she would choose something so simple is that her life was spent with working hard for others. Mint tea is relaxing, it helps us winddown. Living such a busy life means that moments of rest are so important, and I think she recognized this.

When born, her name was not Ita. Her parents named her Brigid and they called her Deidre. Ita was the name given to her when she was canonized. The name Ita comes from a word that means “thirst for holiness”; you will soon see why this name is so fitting for our Saint!

Ita received a vision as a young girl in which she was handed three stones. She spent a long time pondering the meaning. One night she had a dream where an angel appeared to her and explained that the three stones represented the Holy Trinity. This led to her feeling called to serve the Church. I wish to see her expression as she thinks back to her own childhood and receiving such a call. Had she any idea that she would make such a difference with her life?

Her father found a suitable partner for her and arranged her marriage. Her parents were probably thrilled to have her get married and continue the lineage. However; our Saint did not wish to be married as she felt God asking her to take vows of the religious life. I cannot imagine that this was easy for her; after all, her parents and family were planning on a wedding, children, and a life of domesticity.

In my career as a youth minister I have always loved to work with teenagers because my adult volunteers and I have the opportunity to watch a young person make the Catholic faith their own. It is a profound moment when a teenager realizes that this is their faith, not just their parents. I can only imagine the look on her parents faces when their young daughter approached them to say that she did not wish to be married. Was she trembling? Was she fidgeting with her fingers? Was she able to say her piece in a strong voice or a low murmur?

As a parent, naturally I do have dreams for my children. I picture each one graduating high school, attending college, getting a job that they love, being married in the Catholic Church, and blessing our family with more children. This is a natural way to see the progression of our own kids. So I think there was probably some shock and hurt from Saint Ita’s parents as she broke the news to them. They would have been picturing this for so long and now they were being told that things were not going to happen that way.

This moment and conversation is so profound to me because it literally is a moment of Saint Ita taking her faith into her own hands. She was able to stand up to the customs that her parents wished for her and instead chose to follow God’s call. I hope that if one of my children approached me to say that they were going to enter the religious life that I would be filled with joy for them. But I also think that I would have some fear. What if it did not work out? What if they became unhappy? What if I was not allowed to speak to them as often as I wanted to? I think her parents would have had similar fears – they were human after all!

Thankfully, her parents trusted her and allowed her to end the engagement. She traveled to what is now Killeedy, which was a common place for consecrated women. A local chieftain offered her a large plot of land and this is where Saint Ita began a convent. She worked hard to ensure that women would join her order and that they would find a welcome place to practice their faith and live in community. Her greatest wish was to offer help to women in need. She was so dedicated to her work that she convinced her younger sister to join the order as well.

Saint Ita was passionate about teaching and opened a school for boys. The Bishop was caring for a baby boy and sent him to be with Ita in hopes that she could help. While running a convent, teaching at a school, and caring for women in need; our Saint also raised the boy until he was six years old. They had a very special bond and he became one of her pupils.

Teacher’s play a huge role in our lives. I can still picture those teachers that I encountered who helped me grow and thrive. Saint Ita was a devoted teacher who wished for her young boys to grow in faith and knowledge. What is the mark of a good teacher? Well for our Saint – not one, not two, but three of her students became Saints themselves! The most famous of which is Saint Brendan. He would travel the world and yet always came back to Killeedy to be reunited with Saint Ita – the nun who raised him. Because of her dedication to these young men who became Saints, she has earned the title: “Foster Mother to the Saints of Ireland”!

I would love to chat with Saint Ita about her time of teaching these boys. I am sure it could not have been easy. As most of us know, young boys have endless energy, like to destroy things, and need attention. However; Saint Brendan noted in his writings that it was Saint Ita who changed his life! What an amazing gift to be able to see the fruit of her labor.

Saint Ita lived into her mid-nineties. She lived a life devoted to the Lord and worked hard to care for his children. She began a convent and school for boys; both of which still bear her name near Newcastle West in Co. Limerick. A holy well still marks the site of her church. Millions of people travel to the ruins of the monastery that she ran and leave behind flowers to honor her. During her life, people would flock to her and seek her counsel. Many people have attributed their strong faith to her natural gift of evangelization.

I know that this humble woman would not boast about her accomplishments. She truly recognized that she was doing the Lord’s work; not her own. If I were to sit and speak with her, I know that she would bring the praise and glory back to God. May we thank our teachers who work so hard to help us in our journey’s.

I encourage you to make this faith your own. Do not go to Mass to go through the motions; attend Mass because you get to receive Jesus Christ, fully present, in the Eucharist. Saint Ita is a wonderful example of how we can find the Lord in Mass and how we are called to bring Him to others. Her devotion to teaching is a beautiful reminder that God calls us to great things. To all my teachers out there and fellow youth leaders; while I cannot promise that every teen we encounter will become a Saint, there is the real possibility that one could! Saints are still being made today. So don’t give up. Keep working for the Lord with all of your heart.

Prayer:
Saint Ita of Killeedy, your name comes from a word that means, “thirst for holiness”. You received this name during your canonization due to the qualities you exhibited as a nun. Please pray for those of us who work with children and teenagers. May we be good, holy role models for those who seek us for counsel. We ask for you to pray for all of those who have questions about the faith – may they find a safe place to ask these questions and receive truth, beauty, and goodness. Amen.

I hope you enjoyed learning about this Saint! The artwork above was created using AI and my own imagination – this is how I picture what it would be like to sit with Saint Ita in a coffeeshop today. I would love for you to share your own thoughts in the comments. How do you picture Saint Ita of Killeedy? What do you think she would have ordered at a coffee shop? Let me know below!

Cheers! ☕
Maggie