The O'Reilly Minute

Dear Parents,

Happy New Year! We wish you a 2025 filled with many blessings! Following the surprise of two snow days, we begin the routine of going back to school and work this week, and start planning ahead to a busy January.   

Please make sure to mark your calendars for the following January events. 

• Current family re-enrollment will take place starting on Friday, January 10th.   More information will be forthcoming. 

• School will be closed January 20th for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

• The annual school Spelling Bee will be held on Friday, January 24th at 1:30 pm in the gym.   

• Catholic Schools Week will be celebrated the Week of January 26th and will include celebrating the Feast of St. Brigid, a Book Fair, Student Led Conferences.  More details to follow.

While we were on Christmas break, Pope Francis declared that the year 2025 would be a Jubilee Year. A Jubilee Year is a time for all Catholics to grow closer to God and to each other, remembering that God always offers us new beginnings!   Our students will be learning  about the Jubilee Year during our religion classes.  Pope Francis has chosen a theme of Hope for this special year.  Please find attached several resources to use with your family:

• Jubilee 2025
• Pilgrimage of Hope - Family Kit
• Act of Hope Prayer

Each week the Pope’s Jubilee prayer will be published in the Wolfhound Wednesday in order for you to join in prayer with the Catholics around the world.  Additionally, our students will be learning a shortened Act of Hope prayer.  We look forward to this journey of faith and hope with you and your children.

We are deeply grateful for your support of the Emmaus Road Scholarship Program, which will help provide greater opportunities for our students. Your generosity continues to make a meaningful impact. Donors have until April 15 to get their gift in and still declare the credit on their 2024 taxes.  Our school and the diocese have already received many gifts that will  significantly increase our ability to offer tuition assistance to many of our families.  I do not have a recent accounting of the gifts since the donations were numerous last week, but in the near future I will share our total number of gifts.

On behalf of our staff I would like to thank our school families for your support, Christmas photos, kind notes, prayers, gifts and the generous Gifts of Gratitude program.  We are so thankful for your ongoing generous and loving support of our school community. 

It is my hope that 2025 will be filled with many blessings and our families and staff will have a healthy, happy and hope-filled new year,

Kathy O’Reilly

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

~Romans 15:13

4th Grade Photo Newsletters

Click the photo album link below to see what the students have worked on in class over the past weeks!

Spreading Christmas Cheer

A group of third grade students chose to use their indoor recess and spare time to make approximately 75 Christmas cards for those who are on St. Brigid's Sick and Homebound list and in care facilities. Deacon Paul then delivered the cards when administering communion to the recipients.

Thank you to Caroline Flock, Annabelle Frantz, Avery Lookabaugh, Luna Prevedello, Lennon Beckett and Liv Wood for making these beautiful cards to spread Christmas cheer! 

SBAA Spring Sports Registration

St Brigid Athletic Association is happy to announce Spring Sports Registration is now open.  Please note strict deadlines for registration; there will be no extension of registration dates. In addition, if you register by the end of January you will receive a 10% discount on the registration fee.

Most parents that volunteered during the basketball season had their $50 refund processed. There may be a few outstanding that will be processed once our records are updated that show volunteering is complete. You should see the refund to the credit card you used for winter registration in the coming days. Thank you for all your support throughout the season and supporting the boys and girls teams by volunteering. It was a great help to the athletic board and commissioners.

Registration Deadline for all Spring Sports: February 20

Softball

Grades: 4th - 8th Grade Girls

Registration Fees: $160

Commissioner/Contact: Andres Adorno

Baseball

Grades: 4th - 8th Grade Boys

Registration Fees: $160

Commissioner/Contact: Andres Adorno

Track & Field

Grades: 4th - 8th Grade

Registration Fees: $85

Commissioner/Contact: Dan Workman

If you have any questions about a specific sport, please reach out to each respective commissioner/contact.  If you have any problems with registrations, please reach out to Brian Frantz for any registration problems.

Hounds Hoopla Save the Date

Save the date for Hounds Hoopla on February 21, 2025 from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm!

More details to come in early January! 

As you declutter after Christmas, please consider donating new or like new toys/prizes for bingo.  

Knights of Columbus Free Throw Contest

All girls and boys aged 9 to 14 (as of 1/1/25) are invited to the annual Knights free-throw competition held on Sunday, February 2nd, in the St. Brigid school gymnasium from 2:30 to 4:30 pm. Check-in for registered participants begins at 2:00 pm. 

Complete the online registration at the link below.

Remember to share the registration link with your friends! 

Emmaus Road Scholarship - There's Still Time to Give

Thank you to those who have given to the Emmaus Road Scholarship Program -- your gift will make a significant impact on our families for the 2025-26 school year.

Donors have until April 15 to get their gift in and still declare the credit on their 2024 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.

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.

Corks for a Cause 2025

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.

St. Brigid of Kildare Men's Retreat 2025

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.

New Adult Faith Study Coming in January

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.

She Shall be Called Woman

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. 

Submit Materials to Wolfhound Wednesday

If you have information you'd like included in the next Wolfhound Wednesday, email it to Allie Wing at mrs.wing@stbrigid-school.org.



To view past issues of the Wolfhound Wednesday, find them archived on our website here.