For 70 years, the women of St. Bridget’s Ladies Guild have served their parish and community with quiet dedication, deep faith and generous hearts. What began in 1956 with 37 members and annual dues of $1.25 has grown into a lasting ministry of prayer, fellowship, scholarship and service within St. John Paul II Parish.
A Legacy Begins
The St. Bridget’s Ladies Guild was formed in May 1956 under the pastorate of Reverend George F. X. Reilly. The following month, the Guild held its first meeting with 37 paying members. That same year, the women contributed $425 to the church building fund, establishing a pattern of generosity that has continued for seven decades.
From the beginning, the Guild’s purpose was threefold: to bring women together in friendship and harmony, to promote the spiritual growth of its members, and to sponsor social, spiritual and humanitarian projects in the spirit of Christ’s words:
“Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.”
Building Parish Life
By 1958, the Ladies Guild had already begun many of the traditions that would become part of parish life. The first Strawberry Festival was held that year on the lawn of the East Haddam Public Library, with tickets selling for 75 cents and 40 cents. All of the biscuits were homemade.
That same year, when the parish custodian became ill, members of the Guild stepped in to clean the church for three weeks. Following the dedication of the new Parish Hall, Marian Hall, on June 15, 1958, the Guild began meeting there. The year also brought the Guild’s first cookbook fundraiser and Christmas Bazaar.
Supporting Faith Formation and Youth
In 1960, the Guild sponsored 10 CYO girls on a retreat and held its first Holy Hour for the women of the parish. The following year, the first scholarship was awarded to a young woman attending a Catholic college.
The Mercy Scholarship Committee was established in 1979 through monetary donations and early fundraisers, including a geranium sale and quilt raffle. The first four-year scholarship was awarded in January 1980. Since then, more than 150 scholarships have been presented. More recently, the Guild has also sponsored a student attending the Steubenville East Youth Conference.
When the parish CCD building was completed in the early 1980s, a library room was dedicated to the Ladies Guild in appreciation for its financial support and service to the parish.
Prayer, Tradition and Compassion
The Guild’s Spiritual Development Committee has long helped strengthen the prayer life of the parish. Over the years, members organized May Crownings, processions on Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Christ the King Sunday and other occasions.
For many years, the committee also planned a Children’s Christmas Party following the Children’s Christmas Eve Mass, where each child received a handmade stocking. Although the party is no longer held, the handmade stocking tradition continues.
Today, the committee remains active through the Living Rosary, Mary’s Way of the Cross during Lent, handmade baptismal robes and stoles, and receptions for First Communion and Confirmation.
After the pandemic, Spiritual Committee member Kay Novinski recognized a need to assist grieving families. From that need, the Funeral Reception Committee was formed. The committee now helps facilitate funeral receptions held in Marian Hall.
Active Guild committees include Goodwill, Publicity, Newsletter, Funeral Reception, Kitchen, Spiritual Development and Mercy Scholarship.
Generous Service to Parish and Community
Over the years, the Ladies Guild has helped provide many important items for St. Bridget’s Church, including a dishwasher for the kitchen, office machines for the rectory, funds toward stained glass doors, a generator for the church, support for the Ladies Guild Library in the Religious Education Center, a Christmas crèche, a holy water font, altar server garments, air conditioning for Marian Hall, new doors, and, most recently, a large-screen television and DVD player for parish programs.
The Guild has also supported and organized many parish activities, including the summer picnic, tag sale, poinsettia sale, Thanksgiving Ecumenical Service, Woman of the Year Award, Strawberry Festival, guest speaker programs and refreshments for the Knights of Columbus “Light Up for Christ” event.
Beyond the parish, the Guild has supported many charitable causes, including the Campaign for Human Development, Edmundite Seminary, rosaries for Nigeria, Golden Heart Fund, Holy Apostles Seminary, St. Vincent de Paul kitchen, East Haddam Food Bank, East Haddam Fuel Bank, the Fire Department, Youth and Family Services, and the Nathan Hale-Ray High School Marching Band.
Each January, members gather in Marian Hall to pack 60 “Bags of Love” for donation to the East Haddam Food Bank.
Celebrating 70 Years
The St. Bridget’s Ladies Guild remains an active and faithful presence in St. John Paul II Parish and the wider community. Its membership remains strong, and the women’s commitment to the parish is unwavering.
Throughout this anniversary year, highlights from the Guild’s history will be featured in the parish bulletin and monthly Ladies Guild Newsletter, along with other small recognitions. The celebration will culminate with a Mass of Celebration on Saturday, October 24, followed by a luncheon at St. Bridget of Kildare Church.
Respectfully submitted,
Lisa Kessler, President
Jan Dennis, Vice President