Friends of St. Brigid
Our MissionInspired by the spirit of St. Brigid, this welcoming community celebrates women's contributions to the history and vitality of our Catholic faith, empowering lay Catholics to advocate for expanded leadership roles for women in our church.
|
Upcoming Events
Spiritual Formation
|
Resource Sharing
|
AdvocacyWe create opportunities for Old St. Patrick's members and friends to explore and engage in advocacy for greater inclusion and expanded roles for women in the Catholic Church.
|
Winter 2026 Events
Friends of St. Brigid will again be offering an annual series of programs celebrating St. Brigid of Kildare for her legendary healing hospitality, witness to service, justice and women's leadership in the Catholic Church. People of all genders and ages are welcome to find opportunities for service, prayer, storytelling, art, reflection, and shared advocacy for a more inclusive church and peaceful world. 2026 opportunities include:
|
January
|
February
|
March
|
Can you help plan, host, or sponsor one of our Brigid 2026 programs at Old St. Patrick's Church?
To explore volunteer options, please click here.
To explore sponsorship options, please click here!
For further information, please contact: [email protected]
To explore volunteer options, please click here.
To explore sponsorship options, please click here!
For further information, please contact: [email protected]
2024 - 2025 Friends of St. Brigid Events |
Celebrating St. Phoebe | September 2025
|
On September 3 Old. St. Patrick's joined in a global celebration of St. Phoebe, the deacon named by St. Paul in Romans 16. As a Participating Organization with Discerning Deacons, this virtual gathering featured prayer, witness, and celebration of St. Phoebe and of the historic Church teaching on women’s leadership that emerged from the recent Synod on Synodality.
|
|
|
On September 7, following the 5pm Mass, over 60 people gathered at Old St. Pat’s for the St. Phoebe Dinner and Synodal conversations. The evening began with Kate Williams (VP of Sacred Music at GIA Publications) offering a reflection at 5 PM Mass and continued with discussion focused on women’s leadership in the Catholic Church.
The event was a great success, building connections and community while giving participants the chance to engage in synodal conversation in the spirit of this topic. |
Reflecting on the Workshop, "Do Women Feel Welcome in Today's Catholic Church?"
“Let no one say, 'I cannot say this, they will think this or this of me' … it is necessary to say all that, in the Lord, one feels the need to say: without polite deference, without hesitation. And, at the same time, one must listen with humility and welcome ….” - Pope Francis
|
On November 10, 2024, Old St. Patrick's hosted a powerful applied theatre workshop that brought together 33 participants to explore women's experiences in the Catholic Church. Through story sharing, creative expression, and honest dialogue, attendees shared both their deep love for their faith community and their grief over gender inequality. The workshop surfaced common themes - from feeling unheard and excluded from leadership to finding hope in inclusive language, women religious, and authentic allyship. Participants left with concrete action steps, including advocating for inclusive language in liturgy, increasing opportunities for women to preach, and centering women's stories in scripture and teaching. What began as a conversation rooted in pain transformed into a vision for change - one grounded in community, hope, and determination to ensure that women's voices are not just welcomed, but truly heard.
|
Interested in continuing the prayer and action around women's leadership?
Email the Friends of St. Brigid at [email protected]
Email the Friends of St. Brigid at [email protected]