May the peace of the infant Savior fill your homes and hearts in this Holy Season. May the Lord bless and protect you in the New Year.

-St. Brigid of Kildare Clergy

During this holy season of Christmas, I want to take a moment to extend my deepest gratitude for each and every one of you. Your unwavering faith, love, and commitment to our parish have been a light in our parish community.

In the quiet of that holy night, when Christ was born in a humble manger, the angels proclaimed, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests” (Luke 2:14). Let us take these words to heart this Christmas season and remember that Jesus is a gift to us all. His presence in our lives brings hope, love, and light, no matter the darkness that surrounds us in the world today.

This Christmas may the light of Christ fill your homes with peace and joy, and may you find renewed hope in the promise of His birth. As we look toward the new year, I pray that God’s blessings be upon you and your loved ones, guiding you with His grace in all the days to come.

Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year to you all!

Father James Black

Looking for ways to get involved and help where you are most needed? Below is a list of upcoming volunteer opportunities within our parish where all are welcome!

(PGC compliance needed where noted)

• Columbus Catholic Men’s Conference - Volunteers Needed
• St. Brigid is the host parish for this conference this year and next. We will need more than 100 men from our parish to volunteering on Saturday, February 22 for about 1-2 hours, as well as some to help with planning.
• To Help: Contact Dave Hritzak at davehritzak@gmail.com.
• High School Youth Ministry Meals
• Drop off a meal (homemade or store bought) to feed about 40 of our high school youth for Sunday evening youth ministry.
• To Help: Sign up here or contact Ellie Hanson for more details (ehanson@stbrigidofkildare.org).

If you have parish volunteer needs you’d like added to this list, contact Allie Wing at mrs.wing@stbrigid-school.org.

Below are the many ways St. Brigid of Kildare Parish will be celebrating the Advent season. Click the link on the bottom for dates, details, and more information on each of these activities, including Christmas Mass times.

For a one page printable summary of these activities, click here.



Fifteen members of our community were surprised last weekend as their homes were illuminated with messages of hope! Our school's 8th grade leadership and service committees organized the service project Illumi-NITE through Keep Going 25, a Cincinnati-based service organization that believes that serving others is the foundation of a life of purpose. The Illumi-NITE project spreads joy to others by placing luminary displays at the homes of people in need of support and love. On Friday our students worked on decorating bags with messages of hope for those who may be going through a difficult time this Christmas season or recently lost a loved one. On the evening of Sunday, December 8, the bags were blessed by Deacon Paul, then our 8th graders delivered and illuminated the bags in front of the homes of the recipients. Students prayed for the recipients before delivering the luminaries.

Thank you to our 8th grade committees, our staff and volunteers for organizing this project!

As we close the first semester of The Mantle, we are so beyond grateful for all that the Lord is working and doing! This past month, we really entered into the Advent season and looked to Mary as a witness and example of how to prepare and wait.

Here are some fun stats from our first semester of The Mantle:

• 92 different teens attending different programs
• 400 chicken fingers eaten
• 7 different high schools represented
• 3 state championships won by students
• 291,600 seconds spent with teens
• Countless encounters with Christ, laughter with each other, and fun!

We will be off between December 19-January 8 (we will start back with a discipleship night from 6:30-8:00, talking about how to prioritize our year to God).

Please put on your calendar our Winter Kick Off on January 12 from 6:30-8:30 in Hendricks Hall! We will be having Rooster’s, Live Action Battle Ship, and a talk on the power of intercession in our daily life with a time of Eucharistic Adoration.

We are also looking for parishioners to help provide a meal for our students, you can take a look at that here (St. Brigid High School Youth Ministry: January - May '25 Youth Group Meals), we would be so grateful!

Below is a link for our new updated calendar for the New Year.

Finally, thank you for your love and prayers for us and our ministry! We are so grateful for you all and your support! Please know of our prayers for you this Christmas season!

The Wild Goose study is about awakening in our hearts God's love and transforming power through the work of the Holy Spirit, led by Fr. Dave Pivonka.

This program will be broken into two seven-week sessions:

January 15/16 - February 26/27

Break for Lent

April 23/24 - June 4/5

Join us:

Wednesday from 7-8:30 PM

Thursdays from 10 AM - noon

or create a homegroup

Contact Kim VanHuffel with questions at kvanhuffel@stbrigidofkildare.org.

The Virtues of Mary - Season Two

Wednesdays 1:15-2:45 pm

Starting January 15, 2025

Berry Room, Hendricks Hall 

1:15-1:30 Socialize

1:30-1:45 Prayer Intentions

1:45-2:15 Watch Video

2:15-2:45 Small Group Discuss

For more information, please reach out to Cheryl Hohlefelder at hohleinone@gmail.com. 

Father Black, Father Lynch, Deacon Paul, Deacon Frank, and Deacon Steve will once again be among several clergy who will be cooking to raise funds for seminarians in need at the Pontifical College Josephinum on Friday, January 31, 2025.

The funds raised will be used to help provide seminarians with tuition, room and board, medical and dental insurance, and many other necessities.

The St. Brigid clergy will prepare their favorite dish for the guests and judges to sample to win the top prize of the evening...the People's Choice Award! Deacon Paul won it in 2022 and in 2023, and Father Tim and Deacon Paul won the Grand Chef Award for being the cooks who brought in the most money prior to the event. This was due to the generosity of the St. Brigid of Kildare parishioners. In 2024, we were $100 short of securing the Grand Chef Award.

If you would like to support St. Brigid’s clergy efforts in this fundraising event, please make a check out to the Pontifical College Josephinum; note Clergy Who Cook on the memo line and drop it off in the parish office or place it in the weekly Sunday collection.

To support our clergy online, use the link below and check "2025 Clergy Who Cook."

Thank you for your support of St. Brigid’s clergy, but more importantly, the seminarians at the PCJ.

The application for new students for the 2025-26 school year opened on Friday, November 15. The on-time deadline for new families to apply is Friday, January 24, 2025 at midnight.

If you have a new student applying to the school, please complete the new student application at the link below. (If you have a currently enrolled St. Brigid preschool student wishing to move on to Kindergarten, you will fill out a re-enrollment packet beginning January 10th.) Completing this re-enrollment packet for Kindergarten will place you in the general queue for review/acceptance along with all other Kindergarten applicants. Parents will be notified via email of acceptance/wait list status beginning or shortly after Friday, January 31, 2025.

Receive a tax credit on your Ohio taxes while helping a family receive a Catholic education. Through the Emmaus Road Scholarship Fund, Ohio taxpayers may donate to a K-12 Catholic school to be used for tuition scholarships based on financial need. The donor then receives a dollar-for-dollar non-refundable tax credit on their Ohio state tax return up to $750 ($1,500 if married and filing jointly). 

This program helps make Catholic education accessible and affordable while giving donors the power to put their tax dollars to work to lead children to an encounter with Christ.

GIVE ONLINE at at the link below.

(Select “St. Brigid of Kildare” under “School Designation” dropdown for the gift to go toward a St. Brigid student’s tuition.)

GIVE BY CHECK made out to: Emmaus Road Scholarship Fund and mail to: Office of Catholic Schools, 197 East Gay St., Columbus, OH 43215 (Note “St. Brigid of Kildare” on check to designate dollars to our school.)

You will receive a mailed receipt from the Emmaus Road Scholarship Fund. Keep that receipt and submit when filing your 2024 Ohio taxes.

Friday Evening, January 31-February 2, 2025

Awaken, renew and grow your spiritual journey!

Improve yourself as a man of faith, husband, and father!

Enjoy fellowship, dynamic speakers, music, and more!

• The retreat will be held at The Spiritual Center at Maria Stein

• Meals and private rooms with bath will be provided

• Retreat is $185 for new attendees, and $200 for all others

• Register at the link below by January 22, 2025.         

Learn more through this video about the retreat and how you can continue or begin to awaken, renew and grow your spirituality.

Questions? Please contact Matt Niemiec at 0803msn@gmail.com.

Save the date!

St. Brigid Women's Retreat

April 25-27, 2025

Maria Stein

For more information about the Women's Retreat, visit https://stbrigidofkildare.org/womens-retreat-2025/.

Join Mom to Mom this Advent as we discover Rejoice, Advent Meditations with the Holy Family by Father Mark Toups! 

Rejoice! Advent Meditations with the Holy Family is a prayer resource with daily meditations that will enrich your Advent by inviting you to experience the first Advent with Joseph and Mary, as they await the birth of their son, the Savior of the world. Together with the guided meditation videos, this journal will help you to see the marriage of Mary and Joseph in a new light. You will ponder what was in their hearts and minds as they awaited the birth of Jesus—and you will be invited to reflect on and deepen your own relationships with others. Rejoice! will help you open your heart to the peace and joy of the Holy Family as you prepare for the coming of Jesus this Christmas.

12/4/2024 Advent Week One: Holy Love

Rejoice! Advent Meditations with the Holy Family by Father Mark Toups

12/11/2024 Advent Week Two: Joseph's Love

Rejoice! Advent Meditations with the Holy Family by Father Mark Toups

12/18/2024 Advent Week Three: Mary's Love; Advent Week Four: Emmanuel

Rejoice! Advent Meditations with the Holy Family by Father Mark Toups

Mom to Mom is a vibrant, faith sharing group focused on motherhood, spirituality, and Catholic parenting. Whether you’re a rookie or veteran, join us to support, share and gain wisdom from each other.

Meetings: Wednesdays 

Time: 9:45-11 am                                                                                  

Location: Church Basement

Child Care Sign up: Here

Questions Reach out to Sara Norton Nortonsarae@gmail.com or Kerri Wilke kerriwilke@gmail.com .

St. Brigid Parish is the Host Parish of the Annual Columbus Catholic Men's Conference

We need over 120 volunteers for this event to run successfully!

This Conference is regarded as one of the Largest and Best Gatherings of Men of Faith in the Nation.

This One-Day event draws 3,000 men, and St. Brigid is responsible to make everything run smoothly.

Please consider offering your time and talents to make this a success:

• Build your faith with inspiring speakers, our Bishop, sacraments, adoration, and reconciliation
• Get involved and meet other men from the parish, ministries, and the diocese
• Build your faith offering 1-2 hours of your time as a gift of charity and out of love!

Contact Dave Hritzak with any questions, (614) 670-2122, DaveHritzak@gmail.com.

Women's Conference:

February 15, 2025

8am – 5pm

(4pm Vigil Mass)

Ohio Expo Center, Kasich Hall

Men's Conference:

February 22, 2025

8am - 3 pm

(Eucharistic adoration begins at 6am, Breakfast opens at 7am)

Kasich Hall at the Ohio Expo Center and State Fairgrounds

We are excited to hold our 18th annual Corks for a Cause Silent Auction and Wine Tasting for SPiCE on Saturday, March 1, 2025 with the theme Red Carpet.

Watch your mail for invitations arriving in January.

Wine Bottles, Auction Items Needed

We are in need of donations of wine, bourbon or bubbly bottles (value over $20) for our fun Wine Pong event! If you can donate a bottle or two, please drop off to the parish office with your name attached to the bottle.

We are also always looking for donations of silent auction items such as gift cards, event tickets, jewelry, decor and experiences. If you have an item to donate please reach out to Sarah Moore at smoore@stbrigidofkildare.org.

Sponsorships Available

Become a Corks for a Cause event sponsor! Sponsors receive significant advertising of their business or organization to our entire parish community (nearly 10,000 people), as well as complimentary event tickets. Learn more about our sponsorship packages here.

If you'd like to learn more about the event, how you can help, or share your ideas please reach out to Sarah Moore at smoore@stbrigidofkildare.org or 614-761-3734.

Last Sunday at 11 a.m. Mass, many inquirers from the OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) choose to participate in the Rite of Acceptance. This is a great opportunity to see those who made a commitment to become Catholic and to pray for them!

What is the Rite of Acceptance? 

During this Rite, adults who have not been baptized, and those who have been baptized in another Christian faith, declare their intention to join the Catholic Church, and, the Church in turn accepts them as part of the community. Those who have not been baptized become Catechumens and the those already baptized become Candidates.

Then What?

The new Catechumens and Candidates will continue to meet on Tuesday nights until Easter to learn more about the beliefs of the Catholic Church and to deepen their faith in God and strengthen their relationship with Him. You may see them being called forward before the Liturgy of the Eucharist during Mass and being dismissed with a catechist to learn more about the Word of God. This will happen most Sundays until the day when they will share with us at the Lord’s table. Please keep them in your prayers.  

April 27, 2025

This is a double feature event combining Purified and Gender & the Theology of Your Body into a retreat event.

Purified brings parents and teens (13+) together to discover God’s plan for love and opens up an opportunity for them to continue the discussion about this important topic at home, in a healthy and easy way with resources that work. The event includes a new version of Jason’s renowned talk Love or Lust, where he mixes humor with down-to-earth practicality that removes any awkwardness, making the difficult conversations about love much easier. Your family will leave with an understanding of the good news of chastity, a healthy sense of self-worth, and the ability, if needed, to start again.

Gender and the Theology of Your Body will follow after a short break. This talk asks, “What’s the meaning of sex, gender, and the human body?” The truth of masculinity and femininity are being questioned like never before. Discover how your body as a man or woman reveals your identity and calling. This talk is for teens and adults and provides the opportunity to discuss this difficult topic facing teens and families today.

This event includes Eucharistic Adoration, praise and worship, and an opportunity to receive the sacrament of Reconciliation. This format transforms a couple of talks into a retreat for the family, allowing them to encounter the source of purity, healing, and renewal, Jesus Christ.

This event is hosted by St. Peter St. Joan of Arc Parish, St. Brigid of Kildare, and St. Mary Delaware and will take place at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church. The parish will be providing dinner before the first talk beginning at 4:30pm.

(Please note St. Brigid of Kildare students being Confirmed in 2025 may purchase tickets at a discounted rate and should register using a different link provided in an email from Andrea Komenda.)

You are invited to spend time in the presence of God on Friday, January 3rd for First Friday Eucharistic Adoration following the 9:00AM Mass and concluding at 4:00PM with Benediction.

Regular adorers of the Eucharist say Adoration is a good way to prepare for Christ’s return. Just as Advent is in a sense waiting for the Lord’s return, adorers sit and wait with God. Advent can be a very busy time, but the time in Adoration requires us to be quiet and still.

As you prepare for Christ’s birth this Christmas and his second coming, Jesus invites you to set aside your to-do list and come spend time with him. All are welcome, including families with children. If you wish to sign up for an hour, please visit our webpage here or email Shelly Cocumelli at rocks1dad@aol.com.

The weekend of January 4-5, 2025, the Social Action Committee will be collecting new & gently used outerwear and blankets to provide for homeless and low income individuals and families in central Ohio. Donations will be distributed among the following organizations:

• Bishop Griffin Resource Center
• StarHouse (shelter for homeless youth)
• Gladden House
• St Vincent dePaul
• Holy Family Soup Kitchen

In addition to winter clothing, we are asking for flashlights (& batteries), candles (& matches), can openers, toiletries, women’s hygiene products, toilet paper, formula and diapers. 

Volunteers will be in Hendricks Hall before and after all Masses to collect donations. Your generosity is greatly appreciated. For additional information, please contact Jean Zhou at jeanzhouwu@gmail.com.

Now Hiring! Church of the Resurrection

Church of the Resurrection in New Albany, OH is looking to fill the position of FT (30 hrs/week) Assistant Music Director. Submit cover letter, 3 references, and resume to Suzanne Larson, Business Manager slarson@cotrna.org.

Pray for Priests

Please join Our Lady of Peace parish in praying for a different priest or seminarian of our diocese every day in December. The December calendar can be found at Pray for Priests - 12.24-1.pdf.

Parish Named Diocesan Shrine

Last week, Bishop Earl Fernandes designated Columbus Our Lady of Guadalupe, Star of the New Evangelization as a diocesan shrine for pilgrimage and prayer. Click HERE for the story in the Catholic Times.