SACRAMENTS

  LITURGICAL MINISTRIES

Certain members of the community take special leadership and concern in seeing that there are no strangers in our church and that all who come through our doors find a welcome place in our midst.

Men women and youth are needed at every Mass to greet all who arrive, to answer guests' questions or give directions, to take up the collection, to distribute weekly bulletins, and to perform any other service the assembly may need.

These greeters and ushers arrive at least fifteen minutes before Mass. They usually stay a few minutes after Mass to tidy up our worship space in preparation for the next liturgy.

The joy this ministry brings is the sharing of creative talent with others as all those involved develop ideas for helping to create an appropriate space, one which respects the Church's faith, the sacred action we do together, and the liturgical feast or season which we celebrate at any given time.

All servers need to be able to receive Holy Communion and be willing to attend any training sessions. Scheduling depends on the size of the corps of servers and of course on the availability of the individual servers.

Servers need to arrive fifteen minutes before Mass. They also need to know and be willing to make all the recited and sung responses at Mass.

Just as with adult liturgical ministers, school-age servers need to be responsible about showing up for their assigned Masses. In cases where they are unable to be present, they are expected to provide their own substitute. A roster is provided to each server to help with that.

Any fully initiated Catholic, in good standing, who is a registered parishioner may apply for this ministry.

Attendance at a training session is required. Like Lectors, Ministers of the Eucharist are scheduled according to the needs of the parish. An additional ministry for anyone interested is the bringing of Holy Communion to the homebound. This ministry is usually carried out immediately following the Mass at which the Minister of the Eucharist serves. The frequency of these home visits would depend on the willingness and availability of the Minister of the Eucharist as well as the needs of the homebound.

Through this ministry, God continues to give us life, form us, mold us, shape us, challenge us, convert us, grace us, and draw us to deeper life in Him One who aspires to this ministry holds this belief deeply. He or she should have the skill of public reading. He or she needs to be willing to attend the required training program. Two lectors are assigned at each Sunday Mass, one to proclaim each of the two first readings.

The scheduling of lectors is done according to the needs of preferences of the individual lector as well as according to the needs of the parish. Each lector is provided with a workbook to assist him or her in preparation.

This ministry is open to any Catholic, fully initiated (Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist) who is a registered parishioner. Newly confirmed youth and adults are particularly urged to consider this ministry.

Some of us may be novice choristers just learning about notes, repertory and techniques. Others may be old veterans who have weathered changes in our liturgies. Yet, each of us is called to grow, to improve our musical knowledge and understanding of worship. The ministry opportunities include both instrumentalist and choir.

We are in the process of forming our ministries. If you would like to join a particular ministry or would like more information before making a commitment, please click here.