St. Mary's Altar Servers, young people in grades 4 and higher, serve at the altar during Mass. Training sessions are usually held once a year in the Fall. This is one of the numerous ways in which our young people are invited to commit themselves to serving the parish. Please contact Fr. Nick Desimone if you are interested in becoming an altar server.
The Altar Sodality is a ministry of parishioners who care for the vessels, vestments, and paraments used at Mass and at other liturgies. Sodality members assure that altar supplies are stocked and the sanctuary prepared for certain liturgies. If you would like to join this ministry please contact the Parish Office.
Camp Sunshine is a retreat for critically ill children and their families. The program includes children under active treatment for cancer, kidney disease, lupus, diabetes, brain tumors, solid organ transplants and other life threatening illnesses. Youth and adults do fundraising to support this program and volunteer one week during the summer helping as leaders in recreation, providing child-care, food service, housekeeping maintenance, and waterfront activities to all different age levels from nursery to adolescents. This experience is open to adults, young adults, and teens aged 16 years or older. Adult volunteers are needed as chaperones and drivers for the one-week retreat. Please contact Mrs. Annette Gion.
The Children's Liturgy of the Word Ministry prepares and celebrates a brief service of the word in the parish center for children in grades 1-5 during the 9:00am Mass. Usually, the children are dismissed after the opening hymn of the mass, accompanied by adults to the parish center. There they listen to scripture, pray, sing, and reflect in a way appropriate to their age group. They return to their parents during the preparation of the gifts (offertory). Adults are always needed to help plan, offer a reflection, read the scripture, and sing with the children. If you are interested in joining this ministry, please contact the Parish Office.
The Christmas Pageant begins the celebration of the birth of Our Lord every year on the Sunday before Christmas with an instrumental program. The Pageant begins with the children's re-enacting the story of the birth of Jesus. Children in grades 1 and up are welcome to join us. Many of our parish children participate as cast members, singing in the angel choir, playing instruments, and doing liturgical dance as our angels. We are blessed with many adults who supervise this wonderful undertaking by helping in the preparation of costumes, the program, and in directing the pageant and the chorus. Please contact the Parish Office.
Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist assist in the distribution of the Body and Blood of our Lord at all Masses, as well as at funerals and some weddings. Eucharistic Ministers are confirmed, practicing Catholics who may also bring communion to the sick, homebound, and to those in nursing homes. New Extraordinary Eucharistic Ministers are trained once a year. If you are interested in becoming an Extraordinary Minister, please contact Fr. Nick Desimone.
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Mass Servers and Lectors
This is a ministry of adults who volunteer their time to serve at funeral Masses. Some proclaim the readings while others assist as Mass servers and as extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion during the liturgy. The servers assist in teams and are scheduled periodically. Their presence expresses our prayerful solidarity with those mourning the death of a loved one. Anyone interested in joining this ministry, please contact the Parish Office.
Funeral Choir
The funeral choir leads the singing at funerals here at Saint Mary's. It is open to any parishioner who is willing to lend his or her voice in song. There is a modest repertoire of hymns and sacred songs. The choir usually rehearses prior to the funeral liturgy. If you interested in joining this ministry, please contact Mr. Daniel Zabinski.
Lectors are trained to proclaim the Word of God at parish liturgies and to recognize that they are proclaiming the Word of God in our midst. Lectors prepare the readings before coming to Mass each week. Training is available and required for all persons in this ministry. If you are interested in becoming a Lector please contact the Parish Office.
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Marriage preparation at St. Mary's is done primarily through Couple-To-Couple Ministry, and we are blessed with five couples that have completed extensive training for this ministry. They meet several times with engaged couples to talk about the Sacrament of Marriage, especially as they have experienced it in their married lives, and to review the FOCCUS marriage survey. If you are interested in this ministry please contact Fr. Nick Desimone.
This ministry is one of hospitality and compassion. It entails visiting parishioners who are unable to leave their homes. The ministers arrange a weekly or monthly visiting schedule and bring Holy Communion to the person. If you are interested in joining this ministry please contact the Parish Office.
The Morningstar Ministry is a ministry to bereaved families. Members provide a collation (light lunch) to families and other mourners after a funeral liturgy. Often, families have no appropriate place to meet. The Morningstar Ministry provides a warm friendly place for mourners to gather. The work of the ministry primarily involves setting up for the lunch and serving the guests. If you are interested in joining this ministry, please contact the Parish Office.
St. Mary's is blessed to have many people willing to share their musical gifts and talents with the parish. Music Ministry here at St. Mary's takes various forms.
If you are interested in joining any of the choirs, please contact Mr. Dan Zabinski for more information.
The Parish Pastoral Council is a group of adult parishioners who listen to the concerns of the wider parish and advise the pastor on issues pertaining to our life as a parish together. The council meets monthly. If you are interested please contact the Parish Office.
St. Mary's prayer chain consists of members of our parish community who give of their time to pray for the needs of others. We currently have 3 "chains". When we receive a prayer request, we call the heads of the chains and then they call the next name on their list, and that person calls the next, etc. Please contact Mrs. Donna Featherstone or call her at 508-278-3777 if you are interested in joining our prayer chain.
The RCIA team provides for a process of full initiation to meet the needs of men, women and older children who are not baptized, or baptized in the Roman Catholic Church but who have not received Sacraments of Eucharist and/or Confirmation, or baptized in another Christian church that wish to join the Catholic Church. If you are interested in RCIA, please contact the Parish Office.
The Society of Saint Vincent de Paul is an association of Catholic men and women working to help the poor and promoting human dignity. Founded in France by Blessed Frederic Ozanam (1813-1853), the society today counts 700,000 volunteer members throughout the world. Here at Saint Mary's, the Saint Vincent de Paul Society is active in feeding the hungry, visiting the elderly, and providing temporary relief (housing, utilities, medical) to the needy of our area. For more information contact the Parish Office.