Saint Brigid 
of Kildare
 February 2017
In This Issue
Upcoming Events:

Feb 19
Altar Server Training

Feb 24
Father Daughter Dance

Feb 25
Confirmation Retreat

Mar 1
Ash Wednesday

Mar 4
Corks for a Cause

Mar 5
Taize Prayer (7 PM)

Mar 7
Soup Supper & Stations of the Cross

Mar 12
Vespers (5 PM)

Mar 14
Soup Supper & Stations of the Cross

Mar 19 
Vespers (5 PM)

Mar 21
Soup Supper & Stations of the Cross

Mar 23
Kindway Matters

Mar 26
Vespers (5 PM)


Lenten Soup Suppers and Stations of the Cross start March 7

As part of our Operation Rice Bowl: Building a Culture of Encounter, and our 10,000 Hour Lenten Prayer Challenge, we are offering Soup Suppers at 6 PM and Stations of the Cross at 7 PM on Tuesdays during Lent.

Soup Suppers will be offered on March 7, 14, 21, 28  and April 4 at 6:00 PM in the Immke Room of Hendricks Hall.  Various ministries will provide the soup.  We will also have a little information about a particular country helped by Catholic Relief Services. We will travel the world: Mexico, India, Ehtiopia, El Salvador, Zambia and Honolulu as we put a face on the people served through Operation Rice Bowl.   

EVERYONE IS INVITED -- it is a wonderful way to share in a simple Lenten meal and encounter others. Guests are welcome to bring their own soup, or enjoy some of the soup that will be provided.

STATIONS OF THE CROSS are offered immediately after the soup supper.  They begin at 7 PM in the Church.  From the earliest days of Christianity, pilgrims journeyed to Jerusalem to walk in the footsteps of Christ's passion on the road to Calvary. More than 2,000 years later, Christians are still trying to grasp the saving gift of Jesus by meditating on or reenacting his crucifixion through what has come to be known as the Stations of the Cross. Also known as "Way of the Cross" or "Via Crucis" this private devotion has consisted of 14 stations, taken both from Scripture and tradition, since the 17th century when the Church officially approved the now common Lenten practice. You are invited to attend either the Soup Supper or the Stations of the Cross or both. - Katherine Florian and Sister Teresa Tuite, OP

Our Parish Lenten Focus

March 1 is Ash Wednesday and with that we enter into Lent 2017. You will have plenty of things to choose from to help you enter fully into this time of Lent.

There are three main pieces: 10,000 Hour Lenten Prayer Challenge, Operation Rice Bowl, and Lent Madness.

Lent has a long, long history. Glimpses of it are found as far back as 203 AD. We are familiar with the basic practices: PRAY, FAST, GIVE.

PRAYING:  
Prayer is always important. Lent serves as a reminder of that and churches all over the world offer additional times during Lent for the community to come together to pray. 

FASTING: The fast is intended to bring us closer to God and to remind us of the hunger for God. Fasting is an exercise in self-restraint. It's seen as a way to physically and spiritually detoxify our bodies and our spirit. During Lent we commit ourselves to refraining from eating meat on Fridays. Many people extend this to eating only simple meals throughout all of Lent.

ALMS GIVING: Alms is such a strange word. It means donation of food or money to the poor. The practice of giving alms is another invitation for everyone to share what they have with others.
Join us for a Lenten Taize, March 5
An encounter with Jesus Christ in song and silence

T aizé is a candlelit, meditative service  that includes songs, prayer, silence, and reflection.

Enjoyed by families, youth and older parishioners alike, Taizé gives you a chance to slow down, reflect and pray in a beautiful environment. 

Pray with us on Sunday, March 5 at 7 PM in the church.

Sunday Evening Vespers during Lent
Join us for Sunday evening Vespers during Lent. This prayer service takes place at 5 PM in the church on Sundays March 12, 19, 26, and April 2.
Corks for a Cause: Tickets are on sale

The annual Corks for a Cause is a night that brings awareness to our SPiCE program, and is the main fundraiser that provides the money to allow the program to help hundreds of children in our elementary school and religious education program.



Thank You Sponsors
Thank you to our many gracious sponsors for helping make this event possible:


All Volunteers:
Save the date for an appreciation dinner event on April 29

Financial Peace University -- last chance to register

Approximately 76% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck, regardless of their income. "Broke" has become the new normal in our nation, but this doesn't have to be true for you.

Taking control of your money starts with a plan, and Financial Peace University is that plan! Financial Peace University is financial expert Dave Ramsey's nine-week money class. You'll learn practical ways to pay off debt, overcome your fear of budgeting, and create a savings plan to replace retirement worries with financial peace. More than 4.5 million people have changed their futures with Financial Peace University. You can too!

Financial Peace University began Wednesday, February 15 from 7:00 - 8:30 PM in Hendricks Hall, but it's not too late to register.

Save the Date: Kindway Matters, Celebrating Freedom Event

March 23, 2017 at 7 PM in Hendricks Hall

St. Brigid High School Youth Ministry and Adult Faith Formation  invite you to an evening of compelling testimonies full of inspiration and hope from those whose  lives have been impacted by incarceration. This event, facilitated by Christine Money, will also offer a unique shopping experience by making Kindware available. Kindware is a variety of handcrafted gifts made by incarcerated women and men to support their incarcerated brothers and sisters as they transition to freedom. The Kindware items are beautiful and will make great gifts, while supporting a Christian, justice oriented ministry. The messages you will hear will move your heart and may encourage you to explore social justice further.
 
Please contact Laura Butsch or Sr. Teresa Tuite, OP with your questions at 614-761-3734 or by email.
Sr. Teresa Tuite, OP:  ttuite@stbrigidofkildare.org

New Student Registration Open for 2017-18

New student and kindergarten registration is now open for the 2017-2018 school year. The deadline for complete applications to be considered on-time is  Tuesday, February 28, 2017 at 3 PM.

If you have an incoming kindergartner, or know of a friend of family member interested in registering for the next school year, please have them  complete the application instructions found here by  February 28.




Lent & Easter Brought to Your Phone
In observance of the holy seasons of Lent and Easter, there will be a special background set on the myParish mobile app. These backgrounds will temporarily replace your app's current background during these two seasons.

There will also be a button for special Lenten reflections.

Be sure to pull up the myParish app to view these new special features that will appear after Lent begins.

Vacation Bible School will take place June 19-23, 2017

All children entering Preschool - 4th Grade in the 2017-2018 school year are invited to attend. 

Online Registration will take place beginning March 1st
Continue to check parish publications for more information. 

Adult Volunteers are needed to help the week of the event.
Interested adults should  click here  to register to volunteer.

The Confirmation Retreat for all Confirmation Candidates will take place at St. Brigid of Kildare on Saturday, February 25th.

Volunteers are needed. Please consider volunteering. 

All interested adults should click here to volunteer. 

All interested high school students should click here to volunteer.
Altar Server training is Feb 19

All students in the fifth grade and older are invited to become Altar Servers for the Weekend and Holy Day Masses.
 
At the present time we have only 99 Altar Servers. This is not a sufficient number for all the liturgical needs we have at St. Brigid of Kildare. Therefore, we are urging all those in fifth grade and above to consider becoming an Altar Server. You will have only one evening class to attend, one short section from the Liturgical Ministry Manual to read and study, and three mentoring sessions with an experienced Altar Server. Do this and you are ready to be scheduled as an Altar Server. It is a rewarding service!

Our next training session for Altar Servers is February 19, 2017, Sunday afternoon in Church from 3:00 pm until 4:45 pm. Please register by February 12  so that we can be prepared to welcome you. Register online here.

For more information, please  contact Todd Pepe or Steve Gyuro at 
stbrigidaltarservers@stbrigidofkildare.org.
 
Sunday, February 19, 2017, St. Brigid of Kildare Church
Father Daughter Dance Volunteers Needed

The Knights of Columbus are once again hosting the St. Brigid of Kildare Father/Daughter dance.  

While the Knights handle a big portion of the event, the Women's Club is looking for a few volunteers to help at the registration table, dinner set up (buffet style) and clean up of the event.

If your husband and daughter(s) plan on attending the event, this is an easy way to get a sneak peak of their special evening too! :) 

Click here to view volunteer opportunities.

Crucial Conversations Video

If you missed the Crucial Conversations event on January 18 at Saint Brigid of Kildare School, you can now  view the video of the event here.



High School Youth Ministry

Weekly Formation:
Tuesdays
  • Feb. 28, 7:30-8:30 PM: Retreat with Pope Francis, The Joy of the Gospel
  • March 7-April 4: Soup Suppers (6 PM) & Stations of the Cross (7 PM).
Thursdays, 7:30-9 PM
  • Disciple Nights in Enke Hall (park/ drop-off & pick-up near the school gym)

Service Opportunities: 
 
Teen & Family Opportunities:
  • Kindway Matters: Celebrating Freedom, March 23, 2017 at 7 PM in Hendricks Hall
    • All St. Brigid parishioners are invited to an evening of compelling testimonies full of inspiration and hope from those whose lives have been impacted by incarceration. The messages you will hear will move your heart and may compel you to explore social justice further. This will take the place of Disciple Night for teens on March 23.
  • Walking the Stations of the Cross, April 14, 2017, Time: 8-11 AM
    • Starting at the St. Joseph's Cathedral (212 East Broad Street), the Walking Stations of the Cross is an annual 3-mile Good Friday walk, stopping at 14 sites around downtown to commemorate Jesus' crucifixion and reflect on various social issues. To drive with St. Brigid Youth ministry, RSVP to Laura by Friday, March 31
  • Register (by March 16) for the 2017 National Catholic Youth Conference
    • The National Catholic Youth Conference is a powerful three-day experience of prayer, community, & empowerment for more than 25,000 Catholic teenagers of high school age & their adult chaperones. NCYC 2017 will be held in Indianapolis. Current 8th-11th graders are invited to sign up. Adult volunteers are needed.
    • Registration forms & initial deposits ($100) must be returned by March 16, 2017 to Laura Butsch (checks made payable to St. Brigid of Kildare Church) to reserve your spot.
    • Information and registration forms can be found here:
       http://www.cdeducation.org/YouthYoungAdult/YouthMinistry/Events/NCYC.aspx 
 
Save the Date!
High School Senior Celebration is May 7, 2017 after the 10:45 AM Mass. RSVP information is coming soon!
 
Director of High School Youth Ministry:
Laura Butsch/
lbutsch@stbrigidofkildare.org / 614-718-5832

Young Adult Ministry

Tuesday, February 21/ 7:30-9 PM
St. Brigid Young Adult Discussion, Massey Room
Discussion: Chapters 22-25 (20 pages, max.) of Mercy in the City by Kerry Weber.
Didn't read? Come and join the conversation anyway!
 
Kindway Matters, Celebrating Freedom, March 23, 2017 at 7 PM in Hendricks Hall
All St. Brigid parishioners are invited to join us for an evening of compelling testimonies full of inspiration and hope from those whose lives have been impacted by incarceration. This event, facilitated by Christine Money, will also offer a unique shopping experience by making Kindware available. Kindware is a variety of handcrafted gifts made by incarcerated women and men to support their incarcerated brothers and sisters as they transition to freedom. The Kindware items are beautiful and will make great gifts, while supporting a Christian, justice oriented ministry. The messages you will hear will move your heart and may compel you to explore social justice further.
 
Tuesdays during Lent
March 7/ March 14/ March 21/ March 28/ April 4
6-6:45 PM: Soup Supper in Hendricks Hall (bring some soup and/ or bread to share, and join other young adults and St. Brigid parishioners for dinner!)
7-8 PM: Stations of the Cross in the Church
 
Tuesdays during Easter
May 9/ May 16/ May 23/ May 30 in the Massey Room of Hendricks Hall
"Everybody's Working, but is everybody working for the right things?"
Series by Fr. Mike Schmitz.
7:30-9 PM/ May 9: Made to Work
7:30-9 PM/ May 16: Called to Work
7:30-9 PM/ May 23: Not What, but Who
7:30-9 PM/ May 30: Not What, but How
 
Diocese of Columbus Young Adult Retreat
WHAT'S NEXT? FINDING ANSWERS WITH FAITH/ April 8-9, 2017
 
Young Adult Ministry contact:
Laura Butsch/
lbutsch@stbrigidofkildare.org / 614-718-5832

Bosco Bash Impacts Students

The middle school students had a great time at Bosco Bash last weekend, as speaker Paul J Kim truly made an impact on these children through his humor, beat box music, and stories. 

Attendees enjoyed diocesan house band, Station 14, and heard how important it is to invite Jesus into their lives through an analogy of a door whose single door knob is found on the inside while He stands outside. Although Jesus has the "power" to enter, He allows us to use free will to invite Him into our lives. 

One student commented what they learned during the six hour retreat  "...that praying a 'real' prayer is just talking to Jesus.....and it gives Him comfort like it gives us comfort." 

EPIC Middle School Youth Group

We've had a busy couple of months with EPIC!  In January, we made 100 blankets for kids in foster care through an organization called My Very Own Blanket.  We also made about 50 scarves for the homeless, which were distributed through St. Lawrence Haven, and we made 100s of dog toys from the scraps of material and donated them to the Franklin County Dog Shelter. 

Just this past Sunday, we went to 3 different retirement homes - Dublin Retirement Village, Dublin Assisted Living and Brookdale Trillium - to spend time with the seniors there, serve them ice cream, make Valentine's Day crafts and play bingo and trivia.  Our EPIC kids really enjoyed getting to know the older adults and making the day fun for them.  

Also this past weekend, 20 of our 6th-8th graders went to Bosco Bash, the diocesan youth rally for middle schoolers, and enjoyed a great Catholic speaker and concert by Paul J. Kim.
 
Our last EPIC meeting for this school year will be March 5, when we will take the Ash Wednesday food collection to the Dublin Food Pantry to weigh, sort and box the food there.  Our goal is to feed those in need and to teach our middle schoolers how the pantry works and how they can serve there.  Please give generously to the Ash Wednesday food drive, as it will take a lot of food to keep our EPIC students busy - we usually get about 100 kids to attend and they work fast and love to serve!  As usual, we will begin with 12:15 p.m. Mass that day and end at 4:15 p.m. in Hendricks Hall.  Please RSVP to Kim at kvanhuff@alumni.nd.edu .

A BIG thank you to the 80+ drivers that will have helped transport our EPIC kids this school year to all of their service opportunities!  We couldn't do this without you!
Death of Parishioners

The following parishioners funerals were celebrated at St. Brigid of Kildare in the last month.  Please remember them and their families in prayer.
  • Mary Pfister
  • Brian Spicer

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