“Joy springs from a grateful heart! Truly, we have received much, so many graces, so many blessings and we rejoice in this. It will do us good to think back on our lives with the grace of remembrance. Gratitude and hard work: these are two pillars of the spiritual life. Perhaps we need to ask ourselves: are we good at counting our blessings?”

Pope Francis, NYC, 2015 

It feels as if Pope Francis is speaking directly to the parishioners of St. Brigid of Kildare in the above quote. Our parish has received so many blessings over the past 35 years. Today we want to make sure we thank you -- the people who have worked tirelessly and sacrificed to create the parish community we have today. Thousands of individuals have volunteered their time, freely offered their talents and given generously of their treasure. You have come to Mass and worshiped, brought your children to be educated in their Catholic faith in our elementary school and Religious Education program. Parishioners have made thousands of sandwiches, raised millions of dollars for our social action outreach, and created a vibrant growing community of faith that looks out for its members but also supports those who need our help in the outside community.

Gratitude and hard work have gotten this parish where it is today. Thank you all for your generosity. We wish you all a Blessed Thanksgiving. 

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.

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



• Sunday Evening Prayer & Reconcilation Service
• Vespers Evening Prayer & Rosary
• Taize Prayer
• Jesus & the Eucharist
• Mom to Mom Advent Series
• Sisters in Christ Advent Series
• HSYM Advent Half-Night Lock In
• HSYM Advent at Home
• St. Brigid of Kildare School Lessons & Carols
• Giving Tree
• Project Magi
• Red Cross Blood Drive
• Cookies with Santa
• Christmas Cookie Exchange

During the pandemic, our livestream was a lifeline for many of our parish families. We will always be grateful to Father Morris for his ingenuity and tenacity for making it possible and to our clergy who lovingly included livestream viewers at every Mass. In the past year, we upgraded our livestream technology but have experienced sporadic issues that have led to disappointment and discouragement to those who have come to depend on it. This week, we were again not able to livestream because of technical difficulties and apologize to anyone who is unable to come to Mass in person. 

Because of this, we will no longer provide a livestream for our Masses. We have found many Catholic websites dedicated to providing online Masses to the homebound. You can find a listing of local and world-wide livestream services below:

• Diocese of Columbus webpage: lists Masses on TV, radio, national livestreams, and local livestreams.  https://columbuscatholic.org/communications/mass
• All live Masses: https://mass-online.org/daily-holy-mass-live-online/
• Daily Masses archived: https://www.catholictv.org/catholictv-mass.html

We are in the second year of the National Eucharistic Revival, deemed The Year of Parish Revival. We are called to welcome you back to the Mass. It is only in the Eucharist where we truly encounter the Lord Jesus and through this encounter our lives are transformed. If you able, please come. If you are not, please call the parish office so that we can bring the Eucharist to you.

Many staff members and some parishioners are beginning to receive scam emails from someone impersonating Father Black. These emails come from several made-up email accounts -- the "from" name may have Father Black's name, but the "from" email address has a variety of addresses. These emails usually ask for a favor, and if you engage with the sender he/she may ask you to purchase gift cards and send the pin or bar code to him/her. Please be assured that Father Black would never reach out about a favor like that, and please ignore and delete emails from this person. Any emails coming from St. Brigid of Kildare Parish staff will end in the @stbrigidofkildare.org email address, emails coming from St. Brigid of Kildare School staff will end in the @stbrigid-school.org email address, and emails coming from Diocese of Columbus staff will end in the @columbuscatholic.org email address.

Unfortunately, many priests and clergy in the diocese have been experiencing similar issues. Please always ensure if you receive an email from a clergy or staff member that seems inaccurate to check that it came from an organizational email account, and/or call the parish at (614) 761-3734 if you have any concerns.

Learning, learning, learning! This past month has been a busy one for our Family of Faith students! Three back-to-back weeks of First Reconciliation preparation classes and Small Group sessions covering lots of important topics. 

Before the long weekend for fall break began, we met with the parents of our First Reconciliation/First Holy Communion students to start the process of preparing them for these most sacred sacraments. Then, beginning November 5th, we had three weeks of First Reconciliation intensives on Sunday mornings between our 9 AM and 11 AM Masses. General religious education classes continued during this time on Monday evenings with Small Group Sessions. 

On October 30th all grades learned about both All Saints Day and All Souls Day. Then on November 6th, our grades K-4 learned the story of Abraham, to understand the heritage of Jesus Christ through the Old Testament. Our older grades 5-8 began studying The Early Church at that same time, focusing first on how the Church has developed with the help of the Apostles and the Church Fathers. The following week we continued this journey with a deeper understanding of Evangelization and how we bring the good news of Jesus Christ to those around us, while our K-4 students learned the story of King David.

Before we break for the holiday, we will host our second Service Event of the year on Monday, November 20th in Hendricks Hall for our families at both 4:30 PM and 6:00 PM. We wish everyone a blessed and happy Thanksgiving! 

This seven-session series will immerse participants in the gospel proclamation (Sessions 1-4) and unveil God’s saving work in the Eucharist (Sessions 5-7).

Session 1: What’s Our Story?

Session 2: Who Is Jesus?

Session 3: Am I Saved?

Session 4: Why a Church?

Session 5: God Is With Us

Session 6: The Story of the Eucharist

Session 7: Bread for the Journey

Learn about the many ways you can participate and sign up at the link below.

Rite of Acceptance

On the first Sunday of Advent, at the 5 p.m. Mass on December 2nd, many inquirers from the RCIA will choose to participate in the Rite of Acceptance. This is a great opportunity to see those who are making 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 in a different Christian faith tradition 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 each Sunday until the day when they will share with us at the Lord’s table. Please keep them in your prayers. 

We are excited to hold our 17th annual Corks for a Cause Silent Auction and Wine Tasting for SPiCE on Saturday, March 2, 2024. We can't wait to celebrate Music City with our Nashville Nights theme!

We will continue the planning with our next meeting on:

• Wednesday, December 13 at 12 noon in Hendricks Hall Immke Room (lunch will be served at this meeting)

Children are welcome if babysitting is a challenge. If you'd like to learn more about the event, how you can help, or share your ideas please join us for one or both of these meetings!

RSVP to Sarah Moore at smoore@stbrigidofkildare.org.

At Sandwich Saturday 1000 bologna sandwiches are made to support various food pantries in downtown Columbus. This is a great way to start off your weekend with an act of service and it only takes 30 minutes! It is perfect for all ages (including those in need of service hours) and no registration is needed.

The sandwich making starts promptly at 9:00am in the school cafeteria so come a little early to get settled. We also accept donations of individually packaged snacks. Sandwich Saturday is a project of the Social Action committee.

December 14 at 7 PM

Taize is a simple, meditative form of worship, calling us to dwell deeply on Christ’s presence around and within us. Calm your heart and mind with this beautiful combination of song, silence and contemplation. We suggest you be prepared to light a candle during the service.

Join us Sunday, December 3 in Hendricks Hall after the 9 AM Mass for coffee, breakfast refreshments, and socializing!

Sunday, January 28 from 3-5 PM

This is the perfect time to explore our three-time Blue Ribbon School. Prospective families and children can tour our school and see first-hand how Saint Brigid of Kildare School provides a quality Catholic education in a warm environment. There will be representatives from Saint Brigid of Kildare School’s many programs available to answer questions.

Our new family application for the 2024-25 school year and the open house RSVP open on Monday, December 4.

Anyone interested in applying for the next school can learn more about the process here.

Ohio Tax Credit Program

This weekend at Mass, we spoke about a state program that allows donors to receive a tax credit on their Ohio tax return up to $750 ($1,500 if married and filing jointly).

This program allows donors to give the gift of Catholic education while receiving a dollar-for-dollar tax credit on their Ohio taxes.

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.

To learn more or give, click the link below.

8th-12^th Grade Advent Half-Night Lock-In 

Saturday, December 9 from 5-10 PM 

St. Brigid will welcome the Jesuit Spiritual Center on Saturday, December 9 to lead us in games, messaging, and live musical worship this Advent. Our parish priests will be present for Eucharistic Exposition and Reconciliation at the end of the evening. This event is open to all current 8th-12th grade students! 

We will begin with 5 PM mass at St. Brigid, move to Hendricks Hall for dinner, games, and messaging, then conclude with Adoration and Advent worship in the chapel. 

Registration is $30/ person. Pick up is at 10 PM from the chapel. Registration opens November 1. 

Advent and Christmas: One Day at a Time for Catholic Teens 

Cozy up at home this Advent and prepare your heart for Christmas with a brief and impactful daily devotional. Advent and Christmas: One Day at a Time for Catholic Teens offers devotions for Advent and Christmas that help teens make sense of the things that matter most in their lives such as relationships, their future, and coping with stress. 

Realistic and easy to use, each one-page daily devotion starts with a brief Bible quote that connects with a topic important to teens such as insecurity, pressure, trust, fitting in, finding hope, and choosing joy. 

A handful of free copies are available in the parish office. When free books run out, books can be purchased for as low as $2.50 wherever you buy books.

You are invited to spend time in the presence of God on Friday, December 1st for First Friday Eucharistic Adoration following the 9:00 AM Mass and concluding at 4:00 PM 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 Advent, 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 email Shelly Cocumelli at rocks1dad@aol.com.

Jim Whitmer is making walnut crosses to support Habitat for Humanity. The crosses, which are 12 inches tall, 6 inches wide, made from a ¾ inch thick walnut wood, and finished with 3 coats of Danish oil, are available for a minimum donation of $50 to Habitat for Humanity. The crosses were prayed over during Stations of the Cross. Please contact Jim Whitmer at snoopytp10@aol.com for more information.

Habitat for Humanity Construction Days

Our partnership house is under construction on Gennessee Avenue in Columbus. St. Brigid has been assigned two days to work on the house: Saturday, December 2, 2023 and Saturday, January 6, 2024. We need 10-12 volunteers for each of these dates. Volunteers must be at least 16 years old (16- and 17-year-old volunteers must be accompanied by a parent). Volunteers must register and complete a liability waiver. Lunch and tools will be provided.

More information is available at https://www.habitatmidohio.org/get-involved/nsp.html. Please contact Jim Whitmer at snoopytp10@aol.com to volunteer.

Thursday, December 21 | 3-4:30 PM or 5 - 6:30 PM

Kick off Christmas Break with elf games, pictures with Santa, letters to the North Pole, cookies and more!

Santa will be available for photos. We will not have a professional photographer this year. Instead we encourage moms and dads to take their own photos with Santa. 

Each child will receive two cookies to frost and decorate. Take home bags will be available. 

All children must be accompanied by an adult. Each session is limited to 100 children. 

$12 per child. Pre-registration is required.

Registration will open at 10 PM on December 1, 2023 via the parish website www.stbrigidofkildare.org. Please search "Cookies with Santa"

For additional questions or to volunteer: please contact Amie Lopez at aslopez@stbrigidofkildare.org

Tuesday, December 5th at 7PM | Hendricks Hall 

Come for the Christmas cookies; stay for the community!

Join us at 7 pm on December 5th for a Christmas Cookie Exchange. 

All parishioners are invited to participate in this cookie exchange. 

A few Cookie Exchange Rules:

• All participants should bring (3) dozen of their favorite cookies in exchange for (3) dozen cookies. 
• All cookies should be packaged in quantities of 6. 
• All cookies must be homemade (or purchased from a bakery; not a grocery store). 
• You can bring the cookies with you on December 5th. We will help display all cookies prior to the exchange. 
• You are encouraged (but not required) to bring copies of your recipe with you to share. 

We will have light hor d'oeuvres and holiday drinks for you to enjoy as you mingle. Christmas attire is encouraged. 

Registration is open now at the link below!

For questions, contact Amie Lopez, parish life coordinator, at aslopez@stbrigidofkildare.org.

There's still time to join RCIA!

• Have you ever thought about becoming Catholic?
• Do you think you might like to look into the Catholic way of Life?
• Do you know someone interested in learning more about the Catholic Faith?

 You are invited to join us!

All classes will be held on Tuesday evenings, from 7:00-8:30 pm in the Berry Room. The calendar for this coming year is on our website at www.stbrigidofkildare.org/rcia. For more information contact Kim VanHuffel at kvanhuffel@stbrigidofkildare.org or complete the form on the website above.

The Giving Tree Project has been a parish tradition and demonstration of generosity for many years. Last year, over 600 gifts and >$10,000 in donations were provided by your generosity, making a significant difference in the lives of others.

This year, our parish will be collecting a variety of items for Bishop Griffin Resource Center, Gladden Community House, Heinzerling Community, Kentucky Mission, St. Lawrence Haven/St. Vincent de Paul, St. Stephen’s Community House, and the St. Brigid Emergency Fund.

The Giving Trees with ornaments went up in the gathering area of the church on Saturday, November 11 and Sunday, November 12. There is also a list of gifts on the Giving Tree SignUpGenius, or you can make a monetary donation online at www.stbrigidofkildare.org or by check to the Parish Office.

Please contact Susan Corcoran at szcorcoran@gmail.com or 614-832-2762; or Kathy Windau at kwindau@columbus.rr.com or 614-499-1877 if you have any questions.

Men’s Cornerstone Retreat!

January 26th – 28 th, 2024

WHO: All men of the parish are invited to attend the annual Men’s weekend Retreat.

WHERE: The Spiritual Center of Maria Stein. Meals will be provided, and all men will have private rooms with bath.

WHY: to renew your spirituality, build fellowship with other men of the parish, enjoy excellent speakers, group discussions, social gathering, music, Mass and more!

DETAILS: More info and registration can be found on parish website here.

CONTACT: Matt Niemec at 0803msn@gmail.com or 614-352-1131 with any questions!

Crucial Conversations is a parenting speaker series for St. Brigid of Kildare Parish and School parents of school-aged children, focusing on student wellness and safety—physically, emotionally, and online.

Internet Safety for Parents with Jesse Weinberger

Thursday, January 25 | 6:30 PM

Nationally recognized internet safety speaker Jesse Weinberger will share guidance, data, and life-changing information on keeping children and families safer online, and the connection between social media and mental health.

Presentation highlights include:

• value vs risk of tech use
• parental complicity
• mental health impact
• cyberbullying, sexting, sexual predation
• popular apps explained
• extreme content & gaming
• how to monitor, supervise & consequence

This presentation applies to all parents. Whether your child is a toddler or a college student, technology is having an impact on their day-to-day life as well as their future outcomes.

As parents, we may not realize that our children are hypersexualized by digital content, how our own adult use of technology changes them, and the causal impact technology has on their mental health.

Jesse Weinberger is a former programmer, a nationally recognized speaker, TEDx presenter, and the host of Big Mama's House Podcast. Jesse is also the author of The Boogeyman Exists: And He's in Your Child's Back Pocket, 2nd ed. With over 15 years of speaking at school districts all over the United States, Jesse's particular skill is successfully reaching audiences with the perfect combination of humor and deep expertise in technology and digital content.

Learn more about Jesse at her website www.overnightgeekuniversity.com.

If you are 18 years or older and interested in volunteering with youth activities at SBK, attending PROTECTING GOD’S CHILDREN is required before you can volunteer. Register under the Diocese of Columbus at 

www.virtus.org

The Diocesan Safe Environment Department will be offering Virtus Protecting God's Children (PGC) sessions: 

Some upcoming Virtus Protecting God's Children (PGC) sessions: 

11/30/2023 St Peter (Columbus) 6pm

1/4/2024 Zoom PGC (Columbus) 6pm

All volunteers with our children and youth must complete PGC, a St. Brigid volunteer application, submit the signed code of conduct, copy of photo ID, and complete a criminal background check prior to volunteering.

Full details and forms can be found at https://stbrigidofkildare.org/safe-environment/ 

URGENT SUPPORT NEEDED IN THE HOLY LANDS

As the war rages on, Pope Francis is reaching out to world leaders calling for a cease fire, entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza and the release of all hostages being held by Hamas. Due to their longstanding presence, Catholic Relief Services has been responding to meet urgent, comprehensive needs, while also monitoring possible extended needs across the region. To support their efforts, pray and consider learning more and donating to CRS at: Catholic Relief Services (crs.org). For more information, contact the diocesan Social Concerns Office at socmailbox@columbuscatholic.org or call 614-224-2540.

Gold Mass

Dr. Richard Fitzgerald, Diocesan Director of Music, would like to encourage parish members throughout the Diocese, as well as Christians from other church communities, to attend the Second Annual Gold Mass at St. Joseph Cathedral on Friday evening, November 17 and 7:30 pm. The Gold Mass is the Votive Mass of the Holy Spirit offered for our musicians, to affirm them in their ministries, and to foster a greater sense of community among them. The color gold has been chosen because of its association with instruments, celebration, and performance. Priests from the Diocese are welcome to concelebrate with Bishop Earl Fernandes for this joyful and majestic liturgy, enhanced by the exquisite music of Palestrina, Orlando di Lasso, and current Mass settings by Dr. Fitzgerald. Musicians from various parishes will be participating along with the renowned cathedral choir, and all will be uplifted by the magnificent resonance of the Fritts Grand Gallery organ. Priests desiring to concelebrate should RSVP to the Chancery Office. Following the Mass, all are invited to a reception in the undercroft to congratulate and thank the musicians.