The Irish-born nun, now based in Florida, has spent decades ministering to priests worldwide through retreats, healing, and evangelisation.
She recently returned to Ireland to lead the 50th anniversary retreat for Intercession for Priests in Maynooth, which drew sixty priests from across the country.
Speaking afterwards, Sr Briege said she was alarmed at how frequently priests are undermined in conversation, particularly in front of children. “You cannot be saying all these things about the priesthood in front of your children because they won’t respond,” she said. “If you don’t reverence or appreciate a gift, it doesn’t just go away, it dies.”
She stressed that priests are not perfect, but they deserve encouragement and support rather than constant fault-finding. “He didn’t call saints. He called sinners who have limitations — but we have to pray for holy priests,” she said.
Sr Briege also hit out at the Irish media, accusing it of unfairly targeting the Church and amplifying negative stories at the expense of the many faithful priests serving in parishes. “The media has been viciously going after the Church,” she said. “Yes, there have been some very bad experiences — but that is not all priests. And in Ireland the media has caused a lot of suffering.”
Warning of a looming crisis, she said Catholics must cherish the Eucharist and the priesthood before it is too late. “Priests don’t grow on trees,” she remarked. “There will come a day when we are short and have to close our churches — and people will ask themselves, ‘Did we appreciate our priesthood?’”
At nearly 80 years of age, Sr Briege continues to travel the globe promoting healing and renewal in the priesthood. Her message remains consistent: priests must deepen their intimacy with Christ, and the faithful must value and support them.
“The best kind of priest is a joyful priest,” she said, stressing that clergy need encouragement, prayer, and rest in order to carry out their mission.
For Sr Briege, the future of the Church depends not on criticism but on compassion, prayer, and an unwavering belief in the sacred calling of the priesthood.