About the Blue Hole
The Blue Hole is the headwaters of the San Antonio River. It lies in the heart of the congregation’s motherhouse lands, an oasis of calm in the middle of San Antonio. When the sisters came to this place in 1800’s, the land was dotted with pecan trees, brush and natural springs. The Blue Hole erupted as a geyser. Over time, the aquifer has diminished and from a distance the Blue Hole can be mistaken for a simple stone well — until you look down inside.
After a heavy rain,
the water bubbles up pure, an emerald and lapis jewel. Small minnows swirl in the depths and the outpouring of the verdigris water melds into the dusty brown San Antonio River as a spreading fan, rolling and teeming with life. The Blue Hole can be calm, and the bubbles and ripples of the spring water dance beneath the tiny ferns hugging the stone walls and only a trickle feeds the river. At times the Blue Hole is dry, evaporated under the blistering San Antonio heat, the waters hidden below the limestone.
For more than 100 years, the Sisters have walked and prayed there.
Like the waters of the Blue Hole, their wisdom runs deep, clear and pure. It is a wisdom derived from their Incarnational Spirituality, their belief that God is present in all things, and that God is present in relationship. And it is through that relationship we can heal a broken world.
I have known the sisters for more than 15 years. They can be wise, funny, sweet, fierce, brilliant, ordinary and human. Working with them has changed who I am, how I relate to the world around, and my spiritual life.
About the Book
In a series of reflections, remarkable women come to life, illustrating the presence of the divine in the ordinary and extraordinary missions each sister has undertaken. Their stories form the heart of Blue Hole Wisdom.
Flood welcomes readers on a journey of self-discovery, reflection, and connection across time and space. Beginning with her earliest relationships with the Sisters and the difficult journey of the first Sisters from France to the arid shores of nineteenth century Texas, Blue Hole Wisdom traverses the globe, following the Sisters and Flood as they navigate an evolving spiritual landscape and deepening bonds of fellowship.
Media & Events
Join Bridget on the journey as she shares her insights and experiences in appearances, interviews, and book signings following the release of Blue Hole Wisdom: My Journey with the Sisters.
About the Author
Bridget McDermott Flood is the Executive Director of the Incarnate Word Foundation, a ministry of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, San Antonio, where she manages the Foundation’s grant making and community initiatives.
In 2020, Incarnate Word Foundation Press published Bridget’s book Blue Hole Wisdom: My Journey with the Sisters. In this memoir of connection and common humanity, she reflects on the women behind the mystery and souls once veiled by habits, uncovering the wisdom, wit, and the indomitable spirits of these remarkable women.
Nationally, Bridget served on the White House Task Force for Reform of the Faith- and Neighborhood-Based Office under the Obama Administration. She serves on the Boards of NETWORK Lobby for Social Justice, the Headwaters at Incarnate Word, FADICA, and the St. Joseph Housing Initiative. In 2016, she received the Woman of the Year Award from Voices for Women, and the Excellence for Collaboration in Philanthropy from the Gateway Center for Giving in 2014.
Bridget graduated from Saint Louis University with a bachelor’s degree in English and political science, and a master’s degree in urban affairs. She is also an artist at her studio, Carondelet Pottery, and is a beekeeper. Bridget lives with her husband, Michael, in St. Louis. She and her husband have two daughters, Amelia and Carolyn, and two grandsons.
Bridget’s Work
Bridget McDermott Flood is an engaging speaker and facilitator who combines social justice, incarnational spirituality, and art in inspiring ways for her audiences. She lives at the intersection of faith and life, contributing her expertise and vision to leadership organizations in the United States and internationally. Her inclusive, collaborative style shines through her writings, speeches, and artwork as a potter and author.
with Julien Castro
Accepting check from JP Morgan for STL Youth Jobs with Mayor Francis Slay.
with Pope Francis II