Order of the Mass Please click here for an elaboration of  Roman Catholic Mass

 

Altar Guild Our Ministry is made up of dedicated people who make sure there is always a supply of altar linens available. We are responsible for picking up, washing, ironing and returning the linens twice a week. It is a very gratifying job; cleanliness is next to Godliness. Time Commitment: About 6 hours total a week

 

Liturgical Environment The purpose of the Ministry of Liturgical Environment is to create a prayerful atmosphere for the liturgy of the church. We do this through the use of symbol, color and design for holiday observances. To implement this, we use floral arrangements, plantings and wall hangings. We strive to create a loving visual sense of spiritual communion with God through the church's environment, with reverent mindfulness to detail and order. We use the guidelines of Environment and Art in Catholic Workshop. The Committee is dedicated to the care and beautification of the church's interior and grounds. Time Commitment: We meet approximately five times a year for an hour. Most of the meetings are before, during and after Advent and Lent. During these times the Committee members have different jobs, which they volunteer to do. There are a few days where all in the Committee are needed, if possible, to prepare  for our largest holydays - Christmas and Easter.

Eucharistic Ministers Eucharistic Ministers server Christ present in the assembly by ministering His body and blood to their sisters and brothers. The most visible members of this ministry are those who server on a rotating basis at the daily and Sunday celebrations of the Eucharist. They also serve the unity of the worshiping community by taking communion to those members who are prevented by sickness, old age or other causes from taking part in the assembly, visiting homes, hospitals and nursing homes. Personal time is also spent in prayer and spiritual preparation. Eucharistic Ministers are commissioned by the Bishop upon the recommendation of their Pastor and the completion of Diocesan and local training courses. Time Commitment: To serve at the Masses to which you are assigned, approximately twice a month.

 

Family Liturgy Our mission is to bring the Liturgy of the Word to our children on a level they can grasp and relate to. The object is to bring the Scripture readings alive at the 9:30 AM Mass. For the first Sunday of each month, we choose reading that would be understood by all ages. During the seasons of Advent and Lent, we take the children in grades 1 to 6 from the assembly and bring them to the Community Room. There we have created an environment to awaken their sense of curiosity and focus their attention to the readings. To prepare for the first Sunday Masses, the Committee meets monthly with each session lasting about 90 minutes. For the season of Advent and Lent, we meet more often because we are putting together liturgies for each Sunday. Over the years, we have developed different committees to handle the many aspects of our functioning body. This affords opportunities for more people to become involved. There is also our Children's Corner, publicity and computer work committees. Each gives us a chance to share our gifts, time and talents. It also affords us all greater flexibility in how often we have to meet.! We are looking to expand beyond our present seasons of Advent and Lent to include Christmas and Easter. To do that, we need a few more members. If you can join us for even one season start to finish, we could see our expansion goals become a reality. It's a request that has been expressed over the years by both parents and staff alike. Time Commitment: Varies.     Altar Servers / Acolytes Boys and girls 4th grade through high school participate at Mass as acolytes. Like Lectors, acolytes are one of the liturgical ministries extended to the laity by the Second Vatican council. At one time, only boys and men could be acolytes. The ministry was expanded to include girls and women in 1994. Time Commitment: To serve at the Masses to which altar servers/acolytes are assigned, approximately once or twice a month.   Liturgy Committee The Liturgy Committee is a cross-section of parishioners who meet monthly to implement the liturgical documents of the Church in our parish. Their main task is to enhance the liturgical life of our parish and to encourage the full, conscious and active participation of our parish community in our worship services. The Committee also seeks to foster spiritual renewal of our parish ministries and of our community itself. Time Commitment: In addition to our monthly meeting (1-1/2 hours), there are small individual assignments that arise periodically.       Music The Adult Choir is a traditional music group which prepares and sings a variety of liturgical music suitable for the Eucharistic celebration in four part harmony (STAB). Members need not be musically trained but only possess a love of music and song. The Choir session runs from September to June, during which time it participates in the 11:15 AM Mass each Sunday, the Christmas Eve Concert preceding and during Midnight Mass, the Easter Vigil, and occasionally at other choir events in the community. Time Commitment: Rehearsals are held on Thursday evenings at 8:00 PM. The Children's Choir has been a part of our parish since 1988. It has grown from a group of 12 to an average membership of 65 children from grades 2 and up. It sings a variety of liturgical children's music as well as congregational hymns from September through June. The goal of the Children's Choir is to keep the children's faith and music an important part of their busy lives. Time Commitment: Rehearsals are 2-3 Tuesdays a month at 5:30 PM. The Children's Choir sings the first Sunday of every month, Christmas Eve and Easter Sunday. The Contemporary Choir (formerly Folk Group) consists of parishioners of all ages who come together to worship and encourage the congregation to pray through music. Our extensive repertoire consists of traditional to contemporary hymns accompanied by guitars, flute and violin. Our members dedicate themselves to enhancing the liturgy at each Mass through songs and hymns, so that the congregation is enveloped by the Word through the addition of our music. In addition to providing music at the 9:45 AM Mass and the 5:00 PM Saturday Mass (once a month), we also sing at First Communion Masses, special Masses during the year, weddings, funerals, and our annual Christmas Concert. Time Commitment: Rehearsals every Thursday at 8:00 PM for 1-1/2 hours (once a month during the summer), at 5:30 PM.       Ministers of Hospitality (Ushers) In addition to their primary responsibility of welcoming parishioners to the liturgy and seating them in the church, these men and women also take counts of those in attendance when required, take up collections, distribute the weekly Bulletins after Mass and attend to emergencies as they arise. Members generally serve at a specific Mass each Sunday and at other Eucharistic celebrations as needed (and their schedules permit). They are expected to arrive early enough to greet parishioners before Mass and ensure that the church is neat and orderly after Mass ends.       Ministers of the Word (Lectors)    To proclaim God’s Word to the assembly is the beautiful task of the Minister of the Word.  Serving as Lector is a unique opportunity for the baptized Christian, not only to deepen one’s own faith through prayer and preparation, but also to communicate that faith through the proclamation of God’s Word to the assembly at the Eucharist. Time Commitment:  Lectors read at the Sunday Eucharist, after their own prayer and preparation of the sacred texts. They serve at Mass on a rotating basis.