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DIRECTORY
Ministries and Parish Organizations
FAITH FORMATION
BAPTISMAL PREPARATION TEAM: This ministry provides parish welcome and hospitality to families bringing their children to the Sacrament of Baptism. This ministry, attends the one-hour pre-baptismal parent meeting on a rotating basis, usually once every other month. As part of the meeting, the host couple gives a short (7 – 10 minute) witness talk about their experience with the sacrament in their own family. This ministry requires a minimal time commitment; approximately two hours per year. It provides a valuable service to families at the very beginning of their faith journey. A pinnacle moment in the religious life of a family, the faith community celebrates with joy when children are initiated through the waters of life.
CHILDREN’S LITURGY OF THE WORD (CLOW): This ministry involves participants to share the Word of God in a comprehensible way with children pre-school through kindergarten. Children are blessed after the opening prayer during Mass and are sent forth with adult leaders to the lower church hall to share the Liturgy of the Word and dwell on the relevance of the Word in their lives. Using approved texts that follow the same readings that adults share on each Sunday, the children listen and respond to the Word of God. They listen to an age-appropriate homily by one of the adult team members. They join the assembly for the Liturgy of the Eucharist.
RESPECT LIFE TEAM “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you” (Jeremiah 1:5). This committee works with our pastor and the Pro-Life Apostolate of the Fall River Diocese, to implement parish based respect-life activities. Our ministry is to defend the right to life of every human being from conception to natural death. We welcome new members. “Inescapable responsibility of choosing to be unconditionally pro-life” (the Gospel of Life, Pope John Paul).
FAITH FORMATION CATECHISTS and AIDS: Levels 1 – 9: Formal religious instruction of children begins with children in Level 1 and continues through the elementary school years. Volunteer teachers include parents or any parishioners wishing to share their faith with these young people. Training and assistance by the director of religious education is available at all times for persons willing to participate in this ministry. Please share your gifts. Confirmation Preparation: This two-year preparation generally begins at the start of eighth grade and culminates in the reception of the sacrament during the Spring of Freshman Year. As confirmands reflect on the Creed, Morality and Christian Life together throughout the two year process, they begin to experience their growing faith and the presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives. We need mature, faithful people as leaders and teachers
(RCIA) CHRISTIAN INITIATION: The initiation process welcomes unbaptized (catechumen) and uncatechized (candidate) people into our Catholic faith. Moving toward the celebration of the initiation sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist, the inquirers progress with help from the community in a variety of ways. Inquiry period: Individuals seeking a faith life meet with ministers to discuss concerns about the process of initiation and about the Catholic faith. The ministers are available on a year-round basis. Catechists meet each week with those who commit to the process of moving toward full initiation into the Church. Catechists unpack the Word with the elect each week, sharing and reflecting on their individual faith journey, relating scripture to their own lives. Sponsors: agree to give encouragement through their presence and pray to catechumens and candidates. Sponsors are fully initiated members of the parish who will worship with these people on a weekly basis, and are available to discuss concerns throughout the process of initiation. The process of Christian Initiation takes a minimum of one year. We depend on the many works of people who will commit to this ministry. Come share the journey!
VOCATIONS TEAM: “Come and Follow Me” is the invitation from the Lord to minister in His name. The Vocations Team mission is to foster Vocation education in the parish level for the priesthood, diaconate and religious life through prayer, poster contests, adoption of a Diocesan Seminarian, educational formation through bulletin inserts, etc. We are all called to be vocation directors personally inviting our youth to church leadership.
LITURGICAL MINISTRY
ALTAR SERVERS: Altar servers minister for liturgical events in the parish. Any student, boy or girl from the fourth grade and up are invited to join. Experienced altar servers fully train newcomers. Training involves weekly practice sessions for about four weeks. Schedules are flexible to meet family needs.
ADULT ALTAR SERVERS (ACOLYTES) for WEEKDAYS AND FUNERALS: Men and women who minister for liturgical events in the parish. Training involves weekly practice sessions for about four weeks. Schedules are flexible to meet family needs. These men and women also assist at Funerals with vessels, incense, books, etc.
ART and ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE: This team assumes the responsibility of the aesthetics of the worship space through the seasons of the Church according to the directives on Art and Environment in the Church. This team works together so that everyone entering our parish will feel included and comfortable in an appealing surrounding, from the steps of the church to the narthex, through the worship space and nave. The team provides a subtle yet powerful beauty when liturgies and other celebrations occur.
COLLECTORS: This ministry of hospitality includes greeting and welcoming as well as seating and taking up the collections. Meetings are rarely held and any adult can join by checking “usher” on the involvement card.
EXTRA-ORDINARY MINISTERS OF THE EUCHARIST: Extra-Ordinary Ministers of the Eucharist are lay people or religious who are selected by the pastor for this role of service. These individuals attend an orientation session and are commissioned by the Diocese to serve in their parish. Eucharistic Ministers distribute the Eucharist at Mass as assistants to the priest when other ordained ministers are not readily available. In addition to serving at Mass, some of these ministers may bring the Eucharist to the infirm or housebound.
GREETERS: Offer hospitality and welcoming to parishioners and visitors alike. They welcome worshippers before mass and distribute bulletins at the end of Mass.
MARTHA MINISTRY: This group works together to maintain and care for our beautiful place of worship. Volunteers performing light housekeeping and other associated duties such as vacuuming, dusting or washing windows.
READERS: Parish readers help the presence of God to become alive through the proclamation of the Words. With practice and training, readers will grow in prayerful appreciation of God’s Word. The Word, thereby challenging others as they proclaim God’s Word, will challenge readers. Readers assist at the weekend liturgies, holy days, funerals and other liturgical celebrations.
SACRISTANS: Volunteers become acquainted with the preparation before a liturgy or the aftermath of a celebration. Other responsibilities include unlocking church doors, turning lights on before liturgies, keeping track of bread and wine for ordering purposes, cleaning altar linens, checking and preparing the altar vessels, vestments, and Sanctuary before Mass and cleaning up after Mass.
PARISH LIFE
EVENTS TEAM: The mission of the events committee is to host social events within the OLQM community, open to the parish, across all demographics, including families, to foster a sense of parish community. We hope to plan and host 4 events a year. If anyone in the parish would like to join our group, we would love to have you! This is an excellent opportunity to meet and welcome new people and connect with old friends.
SPIRITUAL LIFE TEAM: LIFE (Living In Faith Everyday) offers an opportunity to be renewed each day in faith and vigor. This team is designed to provide a solid basis of spiritual renewal in the young and old alike. The team fosters small discussion groups which enriches the wider community in spiritual and catechetical development.
YOUTH MINISTRY: Offered to students in grades 6 through 9, this ministry regularly meets on the first Sunday of each month during the school year. Students participate in numerous religious, social, educational and community service programs.
YOUNG ADULT MINISTRY: The Young Adult Ministry is made up of young people 15-25 who are looking to share and to live their their faith by their association with one another.
PARISH OUTREACH
CONSOLATION COMMITTEE: This ministry strives to meet the needs of the bereaved. Members are lay people who call and visit the family immediately following their loss. They assist the family in organizing the funeral liturgy.
GREEN TEAM (Landscaping Team): The mission of the team is to assist in beautifying the campus around St. Mary's Church and Rectory by weeding, planting flowers, edging and other related activities to give our Parish a beautiful curb appeal.
MAILING TEAM: "The Holy Stuffers" gathers when extra hands are needed to stuff envelopes, fold letters, mail schedules or brochures during the liturgical year of the community. This ministry needs extra hands on board any time you can give help. Please consider offering some time to this group.
NEWCOMERS TEAM: A parish “Welcome Wagon” to welcome new families or individual parishioners with as welcome basket and ministry booklet, introducing them to the ministries of the Parish and some of its members.
PRAYER SHAWL MINISTRY has given out more than 200 shawls since its inception in 2009. Members gather in prayer as the shawls are being made. The prayers and thought of those making the shawls are incorporated into the shawls. Each shawl is blessed before it is delivered. These shawls have helped people in times of need due to either illness, surgery, the loss of a loved one, the illness of a child and many more issues. Our group gathers on Monday afternoons from 1-3 in the Parish Center Annex. New members are always welcome.
ST. VINCENT de PAUL SOCIETY: The Society exists to serve people in need of food and clothing. In extreme cases, such as unexpected unemployment, they may assist in helping to meet some costs for essential services such as utility bills for a brief period of time. At Thanksgiving and Christmas time, they gather and distribute food baskets to needy families. The Society may also offer spiritual help if needed. The Saint Vincent de Paul Society operates under the jurisdiction of the parish as its own organization, with a formal affiliation through district, state and national councils.
PARISH SUPPORT
Small children who carefully drop money into the collection basket often smile proudly as they settle back into their pews. Adults should likewise feel satisfied when they support their parish’s work. Their donations reap untold benefits for both the community and themselves. Your support of our parish does much more than support the physical plan because our needs extend far beyond fueling furnaces, painting walls and landscaping. Your financial support also helps our parish bring Christ’s healing embrace to children, the elderly, the sick and the poor in our community. Your gifts also benefit you for Christ has promised,
“Give and it shall be given to you … for the measure you
measure with will be measured back to you”. (Luke 6:38)
As good stewards, one should plan Church giving carefully along with prayerfully examining what one is doing for their parish. Is your support what it should be? Has it kept pace with increased income? Is it proportional to your ability to give?
Part of that careful planning can begin with the budget envelope system which you will receive upon registration. We strongly suggest that your treasure commitment be a conscious decision beginning with a certain percentage of household income. This amount should come before all other expenses and not on what is left over after expenses.
When we give to our parish, it should be a deliberate decision which recognizes one’s need to give and the ability to do so, as an act of gratitude to God. We should respond generously to our parish’s collections, because we know God is calling us to be a loving community of faith.
OTHER OPPORTUNITIES
Remembering St. Mary's in your WILL is a further opportunity to contribute to your parish even after God has called you to Himself. The proper legal title is listed below and should be given to your attorney when making your bequest.
Roman Catholic Bishop of Fall River Corporation Sole
St. Mary's Parish
New Bedford, Massachusetts 02745