Youth of the parish (4th grade and older) are invited to become Altar Servers. Altar Servers assist the priest during the Mass and lead the congregation in prayers and responses. It is one of the most helpful and meaningful services that people can perform in the parish and is an opportunity to learn more about the church and our worship of God. If you have received First Communion and Confirmation and are in the 4th grade or older, you are eligible to participate.

Duties:

• Carry the cross/candles/incense during the procession into Mass
• Lead the congregation through active participation in the Mass (hymns, prayers, responses)
• Assist the priest by holding the books from which prayers are read
• Assist the priest in receiving the gifts during the offertory
• Assist in preparing the altar for Liturgy
• Assist the priest in the ritual washing of his hands
• Assist in clearing the altar after the Liturgy
• Carry the cross/candles/incense during the recession out of Mass

Who can be an Altar Server?

To Be an Altar Server, you must:

• Be practicing Catholics in at least 4th grade
• Have received the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist
• Demonstrate reverence in serving at the holy Mass and responsibility in serving when assigned
• Know and participate in prayers and responses during Mass
• Complete Required Training Program

Prayer for Altar Servers (Before Mass)

so my service will be perfect tomorrow.
 Jesus, I love you with all my heart.

Amen.

Prayer for Altar Servers (After Mass)

Lord Jesus,
 Thank you for the opportunity to serve You during the Holy Mass.
 In Your Sacred Presence, my heart is filled with joy and peace.
 May Your Spirit always guide me
 So I may grow in Your love by the grace
 of the Heavenly Father.

Amen.

The Eucharist constitutes the very life of the Church, for the Lord said, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.” John 6:51

Your willingness to serve as an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist, reflects not only a response to your Baptismal call to serve the people of God, but also a commitment to Christ as you share in the preaching, teaching and leading aspects of the Church. You offer the Eucharist, recognize the Body of Christ in those to whom you offer Eucharist and ultimately you act as the Body of Christ by fully participating in the life of the parish and the wider community. Your willingness to commit to a monthly schedule, to prepare properly for your service and to arrive on time dressed appropriately for Mass, further reflects that commitment.

In every celebration of the Eucharist, there should be enough Extra Ordinary Ministers of Holy Communion so that it may be distributed in a reverent and orderly manner. Bishops, priests and deacons distribute Holy Communion in virtue of their office as Ordinary Ministers of the Body and Blood of the Lord. When the size of the congregation or the incapacity of the bishop, priest, or deacon requires it, the celebrant may be assisted by other bishops, priests, or deacons. If such Ordinary Ministers of Holy Communion are not present, the priest may call upon Extraordinary Ministers to assist him. (GIRM 162).

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion should receive sufficient spiritual, theological, and practical preparation to fulfill their role with knowledge and reverence. In all matters they should follow the guidance of the diocesan bishop.

All Extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion should show the greatest reverence for the Most Holy Eucharist by their demeanor, their attire, and the way they handle the consecrated bread or wine.

Who can be an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion?

To serve as an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, persons must:

• Be practicing Catholics, distinguished in their Christian life, faith and morals:
  • Must attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation and rest on those days from unnecessary servile labor
  • Must approach the Sacrament of Reconciliation regularly (monthly if possible!)
  • Must receive Holy Communion regularly (daily Mass when possible)
  • Must observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church
  • Must provide for the material needs of the Church (tithing)
  • Must observe the marriage laws of the Church (Be married in the Catholic Church.
  • If married outside the Catholic Church or if single, no cohabitation
  • Must participate in the Church's primary mission, which is evangelization
• Be at least 16 years old
• Have received the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist
• Demonstrate a deep reverence for and devotion to the holy Eucharist
• Possess the requisite abilities and temperament to carry out their assigned duties.
• Complete Safe Environment training annually

Prayer for the Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion

Blessed are you, God of all creation!
 With reverence and humility
 I approach the Eucharist and this ministry.
 I thank you for calling me to serve your holy people.
 May I see you in them. May they see you in me.
 Grant this through Christ our Lord. 

Amen

When the Sacred Scriptures are read in the Church, God himself speaks to His people, and Christ, present in His word, proclaims the Gospel. Therefore, the readings from the Word of God are to be listened to reverently by everyone, for they are an element of the greatest importance in the Liturgy. (General Instruction of the Roman Missal [GIRM], no. 29)

What is a Lector? 

This ministry may also be called reader or minister of the word.

A lector is the person who proclaims the first or second reading at Mass. This person also may lead the Psalm (in the absence of a cantor) and the Prayers of the Faithful at Mass (in the absence of the deacon).

A lector must have the qualifications listed below and have a desire to minister in this capacity at the Mass. This ministry in the Church requires a person who is of excellent character and serious about the practice of his or her faith.

The lector must believe that Sacred Scripture is the Word of God and have deep respect for God's presence in that Word.

Who can be a Lector?

All the faithful, especially those who will serve as lectors should be properly trained on the following:

• Be practicing Catholics, distinguished in their Christian life, faith and morals:
  • Must attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation and rest on those days from unnecessary servile labor
  • Must approach the Sacrament of Reconciliation regularly (monthly if possible!)
  • Must receive Holy Communion regularly (daily Mass when possible)
  • Must observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church
  • Must provide for the material needs of the Church (tithing)
  • Must observe the marriage laws of the Church (Be married in the Catholic Church.
  • If married outside the Catholic Church or if single, no cohabitation
  • Must participate in the Church's primary mission, which is evangelization
• Be at least 16 years old
• Have received the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist
• Demonstrate a deep reverence for and devotion to holy Scripture
• Possess the requisite abilities and temperament to carry out their assigned duties.
• Participate in Practical training of Proclamation and opportunity for practice and critique
• Complete Safe Environment training annually.

The two requirements for lectors listed in the General Instruction are that they are to be truly suited to perform this function and that they should receive careful preparation. The General Introduction to the Lectionary provides a more detailed description of the qualifications for non-instituted lectors:
 The Liturgical Assembly truly requires readers, even those who are not instituted. Proper measures must, therefore, be taken to ensure that there are qualified laypersons who have been trained to carry out this ministry. Whenever there is more than one reading, it is better to assign the readings to different readers, if available. (#52)
 
 Regarding what is necessary for an individual to be truly suited, this involves being a fully initiated Catholic living in communion with the Church. Being truly suited also implies the necessary talents to serve as a lector. Thus, individuals who are not able to proclaim the readings in a clear manner that expresses the dignity of scripture may not be suited for this service in church.

What is required for formation?

All new candidates for lector must receive training in their parish. No person, no matter how well educated or trained, may be excused from formation for the ministry of lector. On rare occasions, the priest may ask someone to “read” for that particular Mass only.
 The instruction must include the following:

• Scriptural spirituality for Ministers of the Word
• Preparing the Scriptures prayerfully
• Instruction in Liturgy of the Word
• Proclaiming the Word: practicum and formation in public speaking

Prayer for Lectors

Praise to you, Lord God,
      king of the universe,
      and all glory to your name.
 I praise you and thank you for calling me
      to proclaim your word to your beloved people.
 Open the hearts of all who worship with us,
      so that they may hear your voice when I read.
 Let nothing in my life or manner disturb your people
      or close their hearts to the action of your Spirit.
 Cleanse my heart and mind,
      and open my lips so that I may proclaim your glory.
 All praise to you, heavenly Father,
      through the Lord Jesus in the Holy Spirit,
      now and forever.
 Amen.

 “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.”

Psalm 98:4

The music ministry strives to invite and lead the congregation in full worship through songs. The songs chosen are often directly related to reinforce the scriptural readings of the week, or to draw attention to the offertory, preparation of the altar, or Eucharist. The singers in the choir are not performers or rock stars, but representatives of the congregation in support of the singing of the whole congregation. Sometimes anthems or meditative hymns can feature a cantor or choir without the congregation, the purpose of which is to allow the congregation to meditate on the text and focus on personal prayer. Choirs consist of strong singers, strong readers, and regular folk. The best choirs are made up of a mix of all people, representative of the community.

Who can be in the Choir?

“Those who sing, pray twice.” St. Augustine

To be in the choir you must:

• Attend weekly practices
• Arrive to church 30 minutes prior to Mass
• Desire to worship God through music & prayer
• Work to build and use musical skills (singing techniques and music reading skills)
• Complete Safe Environment training annually

Musician's Prayer

Oh Lord, please bless this music that it might glorify your name. May the talent that you have bestowed upon me be used only to serve you.

Let this music be a witness to your majesty and love, and remind us that you are always watching, and listening, from your throne above.

May your presence and beauty be found in every note, and may the words that are sung reach the hearts of your people so they will draw closer to you.

May your Spirit guide us through every measure so that we might be the instruments of your peace, and proclaim your glory with glad voices.

Amen.

 
Visit our Music Ministry page.

Ushers are the organizational force of the Mass. They joyfully welcome those who attend each Mass. They may assist parishioners in finding a seat or look for people experiencing medical distress.  They should be aware of those who might need assistance in receiving Holy Communion and alert Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion to serve them.  Ushers also collect the offertory collection. They provide bulletins as you leave, ensuring that all members of the parish have the valuable information and announcements the bulletin provides. The ushers are a huge reason that the Holy Mass runs smoothly.

Who can be an Usher?

To be an usher, you must:

• Be a practicing Catholic, distinguished in your Christian life, faith and morals
• Be at least 16 years old
• Have received the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist
• Demonstrate deep reverence for and devotion to the holy Mass
• Possess the requisite abilities and temperament to carry out their assigned duties
• Complete Safe Environment training annually

Prayer for Hospitality Minister

Lord Jesus, you welcomed all who came into your presence. May I reflect that same spirit through this ministry of hospitality. May your light shine in my heart this day. Remove from me anything that would stand in the way of radiating your presence.

As people enter this Church to worship and praise You, may they hear your voice in my words and see your love in my actions. May my “welcome” reflect our joy at their presence amid my “good-by” encourage them to return soon.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve you and ask your blessing upon all my efforts. I ask this through our God who is the giver of all gifts.

Amen.

A sacristan prepares the church and sacred vessels for Mass, ensuring the chalice, hosts, wine, linens, and everything else needed for the liturgy are properly set up. Sacristans also assist during the Sacred Liturgy. If you would like to serve in this ministry, please contact Eric Jesca.

Members of this ministry plan and implement the various liturgical and seasonal decorations for our indoor worship space and outdoor gathering areas. Highlighting the essential symbols of the liturgical seasons of the year, especially Christmas and Easter, provides additional reverence and elegant simplicity to our parish community.

Every season brings new opportunities to enhance the beauty of the parish inside the church and around campus. From Advent & Christmas to ordinary time; from springtime flowers to autumn cornucopias; our volunteers create beautiful arrangements!

Which season change is the most visually drastic? From Lent to Easter - the sparse and undecorated church is transformed into a flower-filled joyful display reminding us of the greatest event in world history: the resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ!

Our goal is to care for all the elements of worship, ensuring that the total environment is clean, appropriate and beautiful. Please consider joining our dedicated team of volunteers.

Parishioners have the opportunity to bring the Offertory Gifts to the Altar at the weekend liturgies.  The schedule of individuals or families that volunteer are listed in the bulletin.