Common Threads
DECEMBER 2020
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"And the angel said to them, ‘ Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.’"
—Luke 2:1
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As we prepare for the Feast of Christmas, we need to celebrate the good news the angels brought us. In a challenging year where we have experienced sickness and isolation, we need to focus on the promise that Jesus’ birth brings. Do not lose faith, let the Light of the Christmas star bring us hope as we begin a new year. As we look to the manger remember that if an innocent child can lead us to eternal life, all things are possible with God.
Christmas will look very different this year but that does not mean you cannot celebrate the joy of the season. Remember to look out for each other. Check in on friends and neighbors so no one is alone this holiday. Pray for each other and those affected by this pandemic. We as a church and parish will get through this test and become a stronger more unified faith family.
May Christ come to you this Christmas with the gift of Love, the blessing of Hope, and the promise of Peace. Best wishes for a healthy and happy new year.
Sincerely in Christ,
Rev. Msgr. Joseph M. Hendricks
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Christmas Eve, Day, and January 1 Masses: Reservations Required |
Reservations are required to attend a Mass on Christmas Eve (6:30 PM and 9:00 PM), Christmas Day (9 AM and 11 AM), and January 1 - Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God (11 AM). To accommodate as many as possible, we will also be livestreaming some of these Masses in Hendricks Hall and in the Robert D. Walter Family Gymnasium. These locations also require reservations.
Mass reservations will close on our website Friday, December 18. To make a reservation, visit www.stbrigidofkildare.org and click the “Advent & Christmas” link in the top black bar. You will be able to select the location (church, Hendricks Hall or gymnasium) for each Mass. Once the capacity for each location is full, that option will be closed out.
All Masses will be livestreamed at youtube.com/stbrigidofkildarechurch, including the Christmas Eve 4 PM livestream-only Mass. Please consider this option for celebrating the Nativity of the Lord safely at home. We will also be holding Masses every day during the Octave of Christmas, Dec 26 - Dec 31. Please also consider attending one of these Masses instead of a Christmas Eve or Christmas Day Mass.
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Advent & Christmas at St. Brigid of Kildare |
St. Brigid of Kildare Parish will be celebrating Advent & Christmas many ways (many of them virtual) for 2020. Click below to visit the parish website and see a full list of Advent & Christmas activities.
Please note that reservations will be required to attend a Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, or New Year's Day Mass.
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Celebrating Advent & Christmas Book |
If you did not receive a copy of the Celebrating Advent & Christmas book in the mail, please stop by the parish office to pick up a free copy.
And use the link below to access the digital PDF version.
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Giving Tree Project - Thank You for A Great Success! |
Thanks to the overwhelming support of our generous parishioners, every request on the Virtual Giving Tree Sign Up Genius was fulfilled -- and in many cases, was doubled, tripled or more! This was our biggest collection ever.
In addition, parishioners were able to give monetary donations this year, which resulted in an additional $2,675 collected outside the KY Mission and Parish Charities collections.
Our total collections were:
- Kentucky Mission $7,615
- Other Local Charities $2,600
- School Emergency $75
- Parish Emergency $9,130
- Total $19,420
Thank you to our Social Action Committee for organizing this collection, and to our generous parishioners for being so giving!
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Traditions Are Important by Sr. Teresa Tuite, OP |
“TRADITION! TRADITION!”
If you are familiar with the musical Fiddler on the Roof, you may remember hearing the main character, Tevy, singing, “Tradition! Tradition!” Traditions are so important in our lives. They are like threads that weave in and through our lives creating a strong pattern that serves as connectors to our past, present and offers hope for our future. We each have a need and a desire to be part of something bigger than ourselves. We see that desire manifested in the surging interest in Ancestry.com and DNA research. We have seen what happens when those connections have been threatened or altered, as they have been since COVID-19. We want to feel that we belong. We want to feel connected to others.
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Christmas Collection - Give Online |
Share the true hope and joy of Christmas. Please support St. Brigid of Kildare this Holy Season. This Christmas, you can give a gift to our parish and help us support your faith family. You are God’s presence in the lives of our parishioners. Spread the miracle of Jesus’ birth at St. Brigid of Kildare with your generosity. |
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Christmas Collections - Give via Text |
This Christmas, you will have the opportunity to support both St. Brigid and Catholic Charities through text giving.
Christmas Catholic Charities Collection: This annual collection allows the diocese to meet a variety of basic needs directly and through diocesan agencies and organizations including J.O.I.N. (Joint Organization for Inner-City Needs), St. Stephen’s Community House, Catholic Social Services, St. Francis Center, St. Lawrence Haven, St. Vincent Family Center, and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. You can help share in this important work by generously supporting the Catholic Charities collection this year.
To give to this appeal, please text CCC to 614-763-1963.
To give to the St. Brigid Christmas Collection, text Christmas to 614-763-1963.
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Mass Intentions for April - June 2021 |
This year we will be taking Mass intentions electronically through forms on the website. The form to request Mass Intentions for April, May and June is available at the link below.
In order to fairly accommodate all Mass Intentions requested, we ask that you request no more than two (2) Mass intentions per family per quarter and only one Mass intention per month.
* Because of COVID-19, Mass times may change. You are only selecting a date for requested Mass intentions. There is no option to select a time for a Mass.
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2021 Catholic Reflections Calendars Available |
The St. Brigid of Kildare 2021 Catholic Reflections Calendars are available for pick up at the parish office.
This calendar was provided thanks to the generosity of Rutherford Funeral Homes.
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The Christmas Giving Project: Help for Parishioners in Need |
Since the pandemic hit in March, St. Brigid has received thousands of dollars from dozens of parishioners, asking us to help those most impacted or under financial stress during this time. Because of this, we have been able to respond to every request for help and still have funds remaining.
To get more of these funds into the hands and homes of families, Monsignor Hendricks launched the Christmas Giving Project. He asked the clergy and staff to confidentially submit names of families who they thought might be experiencing financial hardship right now. Over 20 families received checks with the wish that they could feel the love of their parish family and renew their faith and hope in this troubled time.
Thank you to all who have made special gifts to help others this year. Your never-ending generosity continues to amaze us. Please know that your gifts provide for material needs and offer hope to others in our community.
Limited funds are available if your family needs help. The Catholic Church has always been a beacon of hope in difficult times and Saint Brigid of Kildare is proud to continue that tradition in our community. Simply contact Monsignor Hendricks at 614-761-3734.
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PEACE be with you this Advent season!
Advent By Candlelight is offering a reflection and a variety of virtual retreats, prayers and seasonal inspirational music to help you experience the peace and hopeful expectation of Advent.
Carve out a morning, afternoon, or evening time for yourself once a day or once a week to slow down, focus on the season, and prepare your heart and mind for the birth of your Savior and Prince of Peace!
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Advent Adult Faith Formation Opportunities |
Bethlehem – House of Bread
The word Bethlehem means House of Bread. Knowing that we would be hungry, Jesus chose to leave us with a lasting gift of himself. Join with others to explore this most wondrous gift.
Monday mornings at 10:30 am from Nov 30th – Dec 21st;
Advent Pause for Prayer
This reflective prayer combines music and silence and focuses on the themes of Advent. It lasts about 15 minutes.
Monday evenings at 7:00 pm from Nov 30th – Dec 21st;
no registration required. To join, use the following ZOOM information: Meeting ID: 830 8325 1604, Passcode: PAUSE
Advent: A Time of Waiting
In the midst of this season of darkness and hope, wisdom and foolishness, we enter into the liturgical season of Advent – a time for waiting. Join us to take time to slow down and look at what we might learn in these uncertain times.
Grieving During Advent
For those who grieve, the season of Advent and the holidays often intensify the feelings of loss. Please join with others who share that loss. We take time to learn from ourselves and comfort each other.
Advent Upside Down
This Advent, along with so many other things, is very different from other Advents we have known. Join a virtual Advent Prayer each week as we quietly pray our way towards Bethlehem.
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Celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family |
On the last Sunday of the year families are invited to commemorate and reflect on the family life of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. The way Mary and Joseph lived their lives as earthly parents, and Jesus as a son, set an inspirational example for our families to follow. It is no coincidence that our Church recognizes this feast during the Christmas season.
Family First is providing many resources for celebrating this feast. To view these resources scroll down on the page below.
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Pick Up a Prayer Shawl for Some Warmth |
Do you need a hug…?
Through St. Brigid’s Prayer Shawl Ministry, anyone can receive a hug: a real, warm, physical hug in these pandemic times!
PRAYER SHAWLS provide warmth, comfort, prayers and blessing. Each shawl is hand-made and knitted or crocheted with prayers and concern for the person receiving the shawl.
Prayer shawls represent hope and happiness. Prayer shawls have been given to survivors of human-trafficking who look to the future for healing and new beginnings, healthy newborn babies coming home from the hospital, college students studying for state board exams, members of a Rosary group in an assisted living facility praying together (before Covid-19), and others celebrating happy, joyous occasions.
Prayer shawls also provide the warmth and comfort that are just as important during these trying times of Covid-19, and other sorrowful times: the death of a loved one, a miscarriage, cancer treatment, depression and anxiety.
Our prayer shawls have been blessed and placed in gift bags for easy pick-up and delivery. If you or someone you know could use a hug and prayers, please stop by the Parish Office from 8:30am to 4:00pm.
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Saint Brigid of Kildare School: Prospective Families [VIRTUAL] Open House - Jan 10 |
Sunday, January 10, 2021;
1 PM: Preschool session, 2 PM: K-8 session
Considering a Catholic school education for your child? Our commitment to providing your children with a high-quality education while helping them grow in faith is constant, regardless of the times.
At our Virtual Open House, you will hear from preschool, kindergarten and 1st – 8th grade teachers as well as have a chance to ask questions about our school. We hope to “see” you there!
With God We Can!
Click below to RSVP. A Zoom link will be emailed to you a few days before the Open House.
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Shop with Amazon Smile to Donate to St. Brigid of Kildare |
Please remember when doing Christmas shopping on Amazon, that by using Amazon Smile a portion of all purchases will be donated to St. Brigid of Kildare Parish.
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Amazing Possibilities Rebroadcast |
Join bestselling author Matthew Kelly on December 29, 2020 at 8PM EST for the rebroadcast of his first ever virtual event!
Each event ticket comes with an event packet containing Matthew Kelly's book Amazing Possibilities, a journal, a pen, and a prayer process card - and we'll ship it directly to your door! Your packet is not required for the event and may arrive after December 29.
You'll receive the link to view this event on December 29. Please note that we will send this link to the email address you use during checkout - so double check to make sure your email address is correct!
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Celebrating the Sacraments |
Baptisms
Congratulations to the following parishioners who celebrated a Baptism at Saint Brigid of Kildare Parish since our last issue:
- Pryce Caroline Chambers
- Rowan Edward Chambers
- Claire Elizabeth Conroy
- Weston Owen Elchert
- Reese Margaret Lucas
- Lyla Grace McFerren
- Hailey Grace Zoellner
Weddings
Congratulations to the following parishioners who celebrated a Wedding at Saint Brigid of Kildare Parish since our last issue:
- Hannah Hart and Tom McCarthy
- Alexander Quincey Bachman and Morgan Marie Aumiller
Share your photo of your Baptism or Wedding celebrated at St. Brigid of Kildare -- email to [email protected].
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The following parishioners' funerals were celebrated at St. Brigid of Kildare since the last issue. Please remember them and their families in prayer.
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7179 Avery Road,
Dublin, OH 43017
614-761-3734
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