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History of
St. Bridget
St Bridget (Feast
day February 1)
(c. 450-525)
Probably born at Faughart near Dundalk, Louth, Ireland, her
parents were baptized by St. Patrick, with whom she developed a close
friendship. According to legend, her father was Dubhthach, an Irish chieftain
of Leinster, and her mother, Brocca, was a slave at his court. Even as a young
girl she evinced an interest for a religious life, took the veil in her youth
from St. Macaille at Croghan, and probably was professed by St. Mel of Armagh,
who is believed to have conferred abbatial authority on her. She settled with
seven of her virgins at the foot of Croghan Hill for a time and about the year
468 followed Mel to Meath. About 470 she founded a double monastery at Cill-Dara
and was abbess of the convent, the first in Ireland. The foundation developed
into a center of learning and spirituality, and around it grew up the cathedral
city of Kildare. She founded a school of art at Kildare and its illuminated
manuscripts became famous, notably the Book of Kildare, which was praised as one
of the finest of all illuminated Irish manuscripts before its disappearance
three centuries ago. Brigid was one of the most remarkable women of her times,
and despite the numerous legendary, extravagant, and even fantastic miracles
attributed to her there is no doubt that her extraordinary spirituality,
boundless charity, and compassion for those in distress were real. She died at
Kildare on February 1. The Mary of Gael, she is buried at Downpatrick with St.
Columba and St. Patrick, with whom she is patron of Ireland. Her name is
sometimes Brigid and Bride.
With permission of As Dúchas Dóchas
History of
the Parish
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St.
Bridget Parish was established in 1968, after the close of the Second Vatican
Council. As such, the parish exudes an energetic, progressive spirit, with
extensive lay involvement, unfettered by memories of difficult transitions,
which plagued other parishes for years after the Council.
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Archbishop
Thomas Connolly announced that the new parish would be established as an
outgrowth of Assumption Parish, with Fr. Stanton Boyle as the first
Pastor. On June 23rd, 1968, some 300 “founding families” began
gathering for weekend Mass in the chapel of the Sacred Heart Villa, at the
invitation of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart.
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Fr.
Boyle was joined in 1976 by Fr. Gerald Stanley, living in residence as Catholic
chaplain at Children’s Hospital. In 1978, Fr. Boyle was replaced as
Pastor by Fr. Dennis Muehe, who came to us from his former position as Director
of Catholic Community Services. In 1983, Fr. Stanley was reassigned, and
St. Bridget hired Mr. Denny Duffell as chaplain, also serving the parish as
Religious Education Director. In the mid-1980’s the parish’s slow but
steady growth forced it beyond its offices in the basement of the Rectory, and
St. Bridget built new offices, classrooms, a Youth room and Fireside room as
part of a new Parish Center. Around that same time, Denny entered
formation for the permanent Diaconate, eventually being ordained for full-time
diaconal service at St. Bridget in spring of 1989. Unfortunately, Fr. Muehe retired
as pastor at nearly the same time, due to increasingly poor health.
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Shortly
afterwards, Fr. Harold Quigg came to St. Bridget as Pastor, appointed Deacon
Duffell as his Pastoral Administrator, and led the parish during a time of great
neighborhood change, which resulted in a great influx of new, younger families,
and unprecedented overall growth, with the parish nearly doubling its size to
over 800 families. This growth led to the Family of Faith project, which
was planned to increase the area for the Church School and meeting rooms, double
the size of the Youth Room and Fireside Room, provide for a Nursery, and add
seating in the church, along with other liturgical improvements. Fr. Quigg
retired early from St. Bridget in 2000, for medical reasons, but remains active
as a priest and is a popular presence for many parishioners.
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Fr.
Marlin Connole joined St. Bridget as Pastor in 2000, from the same “former
parish” as his predecessor, Fr. Quigg. Marlin, as he is popularly known,
has overseen the construction phase of the Family of Faith project, including
the current stained glass installation and the new Baptismal Front, mandated by
the Archdiocese, which was completed in the spring of 2003.
Fr. Connole retire from St. Bridget at the end of June, 2007.
In July, Archbishop Brunette appointed Fr. Gary Morelli, a newly retired priest,
to serve the needs of St. Bridget for one year. He then appointed Deacon
Denny Duffell as Pastoral Coordinator, to oversee the day-to-day running of the
parish until a permanent Pastor is assigned, presumably beginning July of 2008.
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Outreach
to those in need, inspired by our patroness, St. Bridget of Kildaire, is a major
reason the parish has been blessed in recent years. Whether it is to the
homeless families at the Sacred Heart Shelter or the Sand Point Transitional
Housing, the sick children and their families at neighboring Children’s
Hospital, or the school children of our sister parish of Namitembo Mission in
Malawi, Central Africa – this outreach is a focal point of activity within St.
Bridget Parish.
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