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LAY MINISTRIES
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-Pastor-
Father George B. McCarthy
12 William St.
(401) 847-0475
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-Pastoral Assistant-
Mrs. Molly McGregor
(401) 847 - 0475
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-Parish Offices-
at
St. Mary's School
William St.
(401) 847-0475
STMARYRE@AOL.COM
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-Religious Education-
(401) 846-6057
Youth Ministry
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-Lay Ministries at St. Mary's-
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MUSIC and LITURGY
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ALTAR SERVERS:
The Eucharistic sacrifice is "the summit and the source of all
Christian worship and life" (Cannon 897). All who minister at the altar
must realize that they are participating in the most perfect prayer that the
Church has to offer and commit themselves to fulfilling, with prayerful
devotion, the responsibilities of this service.
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CHOIR:
We praise God and all creation through music which is itself one of God's
most extraordinary gifts. There are now thirty choir members including
cantors.
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EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS:
Distributing the Holy Eucharist to our fellow parishioners is a genuine
privilege for anyone who fulfills this role, whether it is at Sunday or
weekday Masses, at Eucharistic Services or during visits to the homebound. At
present, there are 50 lay ministers at St. Mary's.
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LECTORS:
Lectors participate in the celebration of the liturgy by a prayerful and
powerful reading of the word of God. There are 43 lectors for the weekend
Masses, 6 during the week and 14 adult leaders of the Word for children.
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MINISTERS OF HOSPITALITY:
We provide a very special service at Sunday Masses in the exercise of
this true Liturgical Ministry. We put strangers at ease, welcome visitors and
greet friends and neighbors. We take up offerings, and direct the community,
reverently, in the reception of Holy Communion. There are 78 of us.
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SACRISTANS:
Sacristans are the ministers who keep the sanctuary looking beautiful
with flowers, who care for the altar linens, chalices and ciboria during the
week as well as on Sunday.
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PARISH LIFE
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EDUCATION:
The Education Ministry serves the youth and adult members of our parish
through the School
of Religion,
sacramental preparation for youth and R.C.I.A. (Rite of Christian Initiation
for Adults) Programs. We are dedicated to helping
those we teach to grow in their knowledge of God and their faith. What a truly rewarding experience this is! We now have
20 teachers, 5 RCIA team members, and 2 Baptism coordinators.
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FAMILY:
While our ministry is not formally organized, our mission is clear: To
encourage families to participate in all aspects of parish life, attending
Sunday Mass and becoming involved in various ministries and education
programs. We invite everyone from elementary school age on up, to help in
this effort.
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SENIORS:
Our purpose is represent all senior citizens in the parish. We attempt to present a viewpoint from the over 60's
perspective. When you turn 60, you are automatically a member and we solicit
your thoughts and suggestions.
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YOUTH MINISTRY:
Our work entails teenagers to become parish life. Our
emphasis is on fun, social and service activities. We are just getting
started and are looking for adults and teens to help in this venture.
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OUTREACH
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CATHOLIC CHARITY:
The Catholic Charity Fund Appeal attempts to meet the financial needs of
the Diocese of Providence on an annual basis, in part by funding the 40
agencies the comprise the Diocese's Social Ministry, Catholic Education,
Religious Ministry, and Spiritual Development. We have 50 workers.
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RESPECT LIFE:
Under the direction of the Diocesan Respect Life Office, we are dedicated
to promoting the sacredness of life from conception to natural death.
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SOUP KITCHEN:
Last year we served 1200 four-course hot meals at a building on Spring
St., and during the Summer we delivered sandwiches, fruit, cookies and juice
to the shelter on Meeting St. Recipients range from preschoolers to elderly.
We also distribute "survival kits" at Christmas time. Our members
currently number 25 for the hot lunch program and 21 for the Summer lunch
program.
Note - There are many volunteer community and diocesan activities
outside the parish in which individual parishioners are engaged, such as
Meals on Wheels, Shake-a-Leg, School and Community Boards, etc.
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PASTORAL CARE
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MINISTERS TO THE SICK:
As Eucharistic Ministers, we bring Holy Communion to the elderly sick and
homebound. Our work requires compassion, patience and the ability to listen.
Schedules must be flexible to meet the waking requirements of those whom we
serve. There are 21 persons in our ministry.
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VISITATION OF THE SICK:
Our purpose is to visit people who are in nursing homes or in the
hospital. We mail birthday cards to them and do other little things where and
when needed. There are 27 of us but there is a need for additional members to
cover ten nursing homes not currently visited. There is also a need for
drivers to transport elderly people to Mass.
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MINISTRY OF CONSOLATION
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The Ministry of Consolation here at St. Mary's assists
parishioners at the time of the death of a loved one. Members of this
ministry help the family of the deceased in choosing the readings and music
for the funeral Mass, preparing funeral booklets, serving as greeters at the
Mass, attending the wake and cemetery services and sending baked goods to the
home.
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DISCIPLESHIP
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FINANCE COUNCIL:
The goal of the Finance Council is to make sure the Parish has the
financial resources to meet its present needs and to plan and provide for the
Parish's future needs. In concrete terms, this means having the funds to pay
last month's electric bill and raising the funds to maintain the majesty of
the Sanctuary ten years from now.
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STEWARDSHIP:
Stewardship is our awareness that God gives generously to us and that we
respond by giving generously to others, just as Jesus showed us. To encourage
parishioners to use their time, talent and treasure in ways that benefit our
church and our community, the Stewardship Committee plans and implements an
annual Stewardship Campaign each Fall and offers bulletin inserts during the
year. There are 10 of us.
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COUNTERS:
This little known, but essential engages in the unglamorous task of counting
and recording the weekly contributions each Sunday.
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OFFICE VOLUNTEERS:
Whenever a special meeting goes out to the parish at large, over one
thousand envelopes must be stuffed and sealed by hand. There are about eight
of us and each mailing usually takes about three hours beginning at nine in
the morning.
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