Liturgical Ministries
Liturgical ministry is an excellent opportunity to fulfill your baptismal call of service to one another. Our liturgies utilize the talents and gifts that God has given this community to bring our worship services to a beautiful celebration of God’s love. Whether participation is behind the scene or through a public role of service within the Mass, parishioner contributions help our liturgies to be truly life-giving celebrations. Please prayerfully consider joining one of these ministries.
Pope Benedict told a group of two-thousand plus altar servers that they were blessed to be “particularly close to Christ Jesus in the Eucharist. You have the enormous privilege of being close to the altar, close to the Lord.”
The Altar Serving ministry is a self-giving ministry that helps the priest during the Sacred Liturgy or Mass. This ministry is a very powerful ministry that gives laity the opportunity to work close to the altar and the Eucharist itself. It involves prayerful reverence, being an extension of the priest with anything he needs, and serving the community. The altar servers need to arrive before mass to prepare and they need to have received their First Holy Communion. The altar servers gain a better understanding of the Mass by participating in the Mass and being active members in the Sacred Liturgy.
Our mission is to share the Body and Blood of Christ — and His Love — at our parish liturgies.
As Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, your duties are as follows:
-
Arrive EARLY to sign in and prepare yourself spiritually.
-
During sign of peace, go to sacristy and cleanse your hands; check your position and location.
-
Line up: Chalices first, “E” through “A”, with purificators… and then ciboria (for Body of Christ)
-
Process out as Priest drinks from the chalice, bow and proceed to back & side of altar.
-
Receive communion. Once priest has gone to his distribution place, go to yours. (“4” and “D” give communion to musicians and elderly on side as needed. “E” goes with MC out to the other elderly in the assembly, and also up to the choir loft (ushers will escort you). “3” and “A” should serve the front row and the chapel before proceeding to their respective spots.
-
After Communion: Consume remaining Precious Blood and put all chalices and ciboria on altar and go to your places. (No need to wait for other ministers.)
-
After Mass, take vessels from credence table to sacristy, cleanse them and return them to their places. Put used purificators in basket and assist in clean up.
Our mission is to proclaim the Word of God at parish Masses with conviction, power and grace.
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.
As a lector, your duties are as follows:
-
Before the day of Mass: reflect on the readings and practice them.
-
Arrival at Church:
-
Arrive 15 minutes early, in appropriate dress, and sign in
-
Find and mark the readings of the day (In Lectionary and Book of Gospels).
-
Place the Lectionary at the Ambo and the gold book holder on the altar.
-
Review the welcome paragraph, prayers of the faithful, and announcements.
-
Make sure sound system is on.
-
-
During Mass:
-
Give the greeting.
-
Proclaim the readings.
-
Do prayers of faithful.
-
-
After Mass:
-
Return liturgical books to the Sacristy, and book of petitions to the vestibule
-
“Practice hospitality ungrudgingly to one another. As each has received a gift, employ it for one another as good stewards of God’s varied grace” 1 Peter 4:9-10
Church ushers are a significant part of church hospitality and fulfill specific duties to accomplish that role.
The primary focus of our parish usher ministry is to help everyone feel welcome and comfortable in our Church. Besides greeting you during your way into Church, they assist with collections, the orderly procession during the Eucharist, distribution of the bulletins and special needs that arise before, during and after Sunday Masses. Have a commitment to show reverence in their posture and attitude, to be on time, dressed properly, participate in the mass, be aware of any needs to assist the congregation and to continue to live their life growing closer to the Sacraments.
Our mission is to offer our music using the talents given to us by God to help celebrate liturgies and parish assemblies that are prayerful, joyful, and reverent in accordance with Catholic tradition. We will work collaboratively with each other and with our pastor to serve the people of our parish
United States Conference of Catholic Bishop’s Document on Music:
Sing to the Lord – Music in Divine Worship (2007)
Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy from the Second Vatican Council:
Sacrosanctum Concilium (1963)
Instruction on Music in the Liturgy from the Second Vatican Council:
Musicam Sacram (1967)
Our mission is to enhance parish worship by decoration and environment.
Our ministry sets up special banners, candles, colors, flowers, church vessels, hangings, linens, vestments, etc. to highlights the various liturgical seasons:
-
Advent
-
Christmas
-
Lent
-
Holy Week
-
Easter
-
Pentecost
-
Ordinary Time
-
Special Feasts
There are no regular meetings, but gather to work as the Church liturgical year requires.
Are you asking for baptism for your child?
WE ARE SO GLAD YOU WANT TO HAVE A CHILD BAPTIZED!
When parents seek baptism for their children, they are saying their faith is something that they treasure and want to pass on.
In Baptism we are adopted in Christ’s body, the Church, and given the power to call God our Father by the Holy Spirit living inside us.
For more information go to the Baptism page.
The Homebound Ministry provides a connection for the homebound via parishioners visiting and bringing Holy Communion to those unable to come to mass. Our ministry offers kindness and spiritual support, helping the homebound to remain a part of our faith community. We send forth Eucharistic Ministers to hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities and private residences to provide comfort, prayer, a patient ear, and most importantly Holy Communion.
Our Homebound Ministry welcomes parishioners to join us in reaching out to our extended church community and offers training to help you get started in this rewarding service.
You will want to begin planning this special occasion by coming by the parish office 6 months in advance. We can give you a brochure that outlines details and procedures. For a preview of the brochure please refer to the following documents.
For more information go to the Quinceañeras page.
Congratulations on your decision to marry! Through the centuries, our Roman Catholic Church has upheld the beauty and sanctity of married life. Your decision to marry is one of the most important of a lifetime of choices and St. Margaret Mary Parish is pleased to assist you during this special time of preparation.