Like many parishes today, we are a Parish Without Borders. You don’t need a passport to join us, just a faith and a desire to share the Journey of Life and Faith with others. We welcome all newcomers and hope you will soon feel at home and share with us your gifts and talents. We promote active involvement in parish ministries and the wider community. Through our parish ministries we create personal connections between the Parish and its members. We also create opportunities to engage in the wider world of God’s kingdom. Here we try to live the gospel precept, “Go out to the whole world”. We aim to help our community connect their faith with their daily lives and to see our Parish as a community of people, not just a place to attend mass. We aim to help our community connect their faith with their daily lives and to see our Parish as a community of people, not just a place to attend mass.

Adult Faith Formation

Opportunities for Adult Faith Formation are promoted, whether parish based, or in other locations. We also have:

• Baptism preparation on First Sunday at 10am
• Lenten Programme  Offered each year, either as a parish or as an ecumenical event
• Cross Roads Forum Guest speakers
• Promotion of Talks and events around Sydney through the Newsletter

Children and Youth

• Sacraments: Family Preparation for Reconciliation, Communion & Confirmation.
• Liturgical Involvement as Altar Servers, Readers and Commentators, and encouraging Christmas and Easter engagement.
• A Youth Group for younger teens is a highly desirable action.

Cultural Committee & Groups

This group aim to promote interaction and support across the parish, and also to engage the various communities in larger parish events. Our Leader is Maria Barlow-Sawaszenko

Ecumenical & Interfaith

Following the lead of the 2^nd Vatican Council, we engage with other Churches and Faith Communities at a number of levels, building on the human desire for peace and good will.

• Ecumenical & Interfaith Committee Our Committee is our link to a number of organisations. Some of these we follow with their planning, others we take a more active lead. Our Leaders are John McGrath & Pat Bowthorpe FMM
• Harmony Day Every Day An initiative of the Jewish Community, members work together to encourage a Harmony Day Art Contest and a Harmony Walk late in the year.
• Marrickville Ministers Fellowship A bi-monthly gathering of ministers hosted at St Brigid’s where we meet to offer mutual support, and undertake common activities. The Secretary is Jim Yeo
• Marrickville Multifaith Roundtable A gathering of a variety of Faith Communities to build better relations, and support each other during any time of crisis. We host talks, dinners and other events. Jim Yeo is the treasurer.
• Parish Actions  Every few years we host an Interfaith Dinner. Mainly we join in what others have already planned.

Family Groups

We have 8 Family Groups. They have 8-12 Family Units each, of varying ages and relationships.

• Each Month a Family Group holds an inexpensive activity.
• In June we have a combined groups Soup Night in Shrublands
• In December we support the Community Carols
• On 2^nd Sundays, our Groups take turns in hosting morning tea after the 9am Mass.
• Our contacts are Adrienne and Jonathon Harverson

Justice & Peace Initiatives

Our various groups are the face of the Parish in the field of Justice and Peace.

• ANTaR Inner West Promoting Reconciliation, Harmony and Understanding with the First Peoples.
• Cana Community Engaging in support for Cana where people are offered support and accommodation for those living with mental illness, or coming out of the prison system. We take families to farm days twice a year, and offer other supports. This is an initiative of St Brigid’s School
• Gift of bread Sharing left over bread from bread shops on a Friday night that involves pick up, cutting & packing, and delivery. The three teams undertake one each of these. Also an initiative of St Brigid’s School
• Friends of Bethlehem A group of people who promote the Sister City relationship between Marrickville and Bethlehem Municipalities.
• Sydney Alliance St Brigid’s was a foundation member of the Alliance under the umbrella of the Archdiocese. We are also a key player in the Inner West District. Throgh the strength of relationships and work for the Common Good, the three cohorts of Faith Communities, Community Groups and Unions work to negotiate with the political leaders ways to better provide for people of Sydney. Latey, that has involved negotiating parking permits for home care workers and nurses, and the ongoing issue of affordable housing.
• Vinnies Conference On Wednesdays nights our volunteers meet and seek ways to support people in greatest need.

Liturgy & Prayer

We seek to engage as many as possible in our Liturgies, working on the principal of Full Conscious and Active Participation (FCAP):

• Altar Servers From Year 4 through to adults, men and women, boys and girls are encouraged to give service at the altar.
• Choirs We have many choirs, from children to young adults to adults. These are a major feature of St Brigid’s
• Collectors
• Computer Operators
• Readers & Commentators

Men’s Club

A gathering of men for mutual support, laughter and fun. We meet every First Friday Night. We have pub nights every three months or so, and theme nights on the others, some at our homes, others in The Upper Room of the Annexe. We also support various Parish Events when help is needed. Leaders are Arthur Kassis, John Skinner & Mick Ward.

Religious Communities

Even before we were a parish or had a church, there have been religious communities living in Marrickville. The First were the Carmelites who lived in The Warren, then in Wardell Road. These days the following Communities have members living in Marrickville:

• Franciscan Missionaries of Mary
• Good Samaritan Sisters
• Maronite Sisters of the Holy Family
• Mercy Sisters
• Passionists

We have a long lasting relationship with the De La Salle Brothers who lived and worked here for 80 years until 2012.  That relationship is forged in the blood of the martyrs of the Spanish Civil War, where on one occasion a Passionist was killed together with a community of De la Salle Brothers.

Seniors Club

For people 60 and over, meeting on Fourth Sunday at 2pm in Parish Centre, and doing a bus trip on other occasions. Our leader is John Freeman

Contact the Parish Office for more details on any of these groups parish@stbrigid.org.au