News - September 2023

Dear Friends in Christ, The month of October this year is full of several graced-filled opportunities for the Catholic Church far and near. October is “Respect Life Month” when we reaffirm the sanctity of all life from the moment of conception to natural death. That is an ongoing issue for the church and one that requires deep prayer. October is also the “Month of the Rosary,” a powerful prayer indeed. A reminder that a group regularly meets at St. Bridget’s on Wednesdays at 5:30 pm to pray the rosary together. All are welcome! Continue reading...

Mark your calendar to join us on October 1 at 11:00 am or October 3 at 7:00 pm for our Partners in the Gospel Synod Listening Sessions around the proposed placement of St. Bridget’s in a local parish family. This is an important gathering around the future of our parish family. We hope you’ll join us or consider taking the online survey. Continue reading...

The October - December 2023 signup for Eucharistic Ministers is live.  Please sign up when you are available for this important ministry. If you are still in need of training, please contact Alex Chopyak, [email protected]

The signups for October - December 2023 are open!  Please sign up to serve for as many Saturdays and Sundays as you are able.  If we still have open spots after a week, we will be assigning servers.  Important, please take a moment to fill out the Altar Server Schedule Conflict Form which we will use to create the schedules.  If you have questions, please reach out to Alex Chopyak - [email protected]

We're seeking volunteers to enhance the experience of our Sunday masses, transforming them into vibrant community gatherings. To achieve this, we've introduced the "Mass & Mingle" Hospitality Team, merging the Coffee & Donut Crew with the Hospitality Team. Take a moment to peruse the options and sign up for one or more volunteer roles. We've provided some information here, but if you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out via email for further details.

The next step of Partners in the Gospel, the Archdiocese of Seattle’s strategic pastoral planning initiative, is consultation with the faithful about proposed parish families from September 23 to October 14, 2023. Continue reading...

Dear Friends in Christ, This coming weekend September 23-24 begins the next phase in the “Partners in the Gospel Strategic Planning Process.” As most of you have heard by now, this is an effort throughout the Archdiocese of Seattle to renew Catholic life and practice by reorganizing parishes. The plan calls for most parishes to be grouped into a “Family” of two or more parishes beginning July 1, 2024. A pastor will be appointed to serve the family with the assistance of another priest as the parochial vicar. The eventual goal of the plan is for the family to become one canonical parish even though it may retain multiple worship sites and schools. Continue reading...

This morning, the full schedule for the Synod assembly was published. It’s currently available only in Italian, but it gives you a sense of how the Synod Assembly will unfold this October. After a vigil of prayer in St. Peter’s Square on September 30, and a retreat from October 1-3, the assembly will begin with Mass in St. Peter’s Square on October 4, the Feast of St. Francis. Between October 4 and October 28, Synod delegates will have a busy schedule. They will meet every weekday from 8:45am to 12:30pm and then from 4:00pm-7:15pm, and on Saturdays from 8:45am to 12:30pm. Small group gatherings for “Conversation in the Spirit”—the same listening model most of us experienced in our Synod conversations here in the Archdiocese of Seattle—will alternate with meetings of the whole group. The Assembly will conclude on October 29 with Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica. Continue reading...

Dear Friends in Christ, One of the first things we teach our children is to say, “Thank you.” So, I want to offer a public thank you to the following in our St. Bridget’s Community. First thanks to Sarah Chopyak and Alex Kostadinov for the beautiful music they have offered for the numerous funerals we have had in the last couple of months. Thanks as well to Christine Kelly for helping with the many details surrounding the funerals, and to Luanne Johnson for her great work in putting on such lovely receptions. Thanks also to those who helped Luanne by serving at these receptions. Continue reading...

Calling all tweens and teens! Join us for an exciting opportunity to make a difference and have a blast at St. Francis House. Get ready to earn valuable service hours and make the most of your day off from school. We have two action-packed shifts available on October 13th: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm and 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm. Come be a part of something amazing! Please contact Melissa Malley for more information: [email protected]

We're looking for teenagers to assist with Kids' Movie Night on October 12th, which is one of the fantastic events we offered during our spring auction. Please click for the sign-up link.

COME TO OUR SOCIAL COMMITTEE MEETING! Are you a social butterfly looking to immerse yourself in the vibrant community life here at St. Bridget's? We have an exciting opportunity just for you – our Social Committee. This committee is responsible for overseeing six fantastic sub-groups: 1. Welcome Committee 2. Events 3. Enrichment Classes 4. Coffee & Donut Crew 5. Social Seniors 6. Mom’s Group We're actively seeking volunteers to lend their support to these diverse ministries. Come and be part of the excitement at our kick-off meeting on Tuesday, September 26th, starting at 7:30 pm. If you have any questions or need more information, please don't hesitate to reach out to Melissa Malley at [email protected].

Dear Friends in Christ, At this point, our students in pre-k to 12th grades have begun their new school year. I hope and pray it is a year of grace and growth for all students. That includes the children who attend the “Kids Place” preschool program that is leasing space at St. Bridget’s this year. If you come to our parish center Monday-Friday between 9:00 am and 1:00 pm you may see 20 adorable 3 & 4-year-olds running around. Continue reading...

We need helpers for the Fall Kickoff event on September 10th after mass. The event helpers will help with food, drinks, set up and clean up. Please sign up if you can help! Click for link.

Dear Friends in Christ, One word a growing number of Catholics are learning about these days is the word “Synod.” Not a new word but a very old one that means a gathering to discuss, listen, and discern the will of the Holy Spirit for the church. Pope Francis has called the church to become more synodal in the way we gather to share our faith, hope, and love in Christ. What does that mean? Continue reading...