Adopt-a-Family Program
St. Mary provides Christmas
cheer for the less fortunate in our Parish and surrounding areas. Ages and sizes of the family and any special
needs are provided. A group may hold a
fundraiser and then shop together for their gifts for the adopted family. Individuals or parish families may adopt a
family.
Adult Faith Enrichment Board
This Board is dedicated to
providing programs and processes through which the adult community of St. Mary
may grow in their Catholic faith by responding to the Gospel call of Jesus
Christ. The goal is to provide the
parish community with meaningful faith enrichment experiences that help us all
to:
- Grow in our relationship with God and
others. Realize our responsibility
to proclaim and build God’s kingdom of love, peace and justice.
- Understand and articulate our faith as it is
revealed through Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture. Celebrate our faith in liturgy and
prayer.
These programs and processes
include Bible Study, small faith sharing groups, a parish resource center and a
yearly speaker series focusing on a variety of faith enrichment topics.
Aids Ministry
Each month, a group visits
the patients of Glen Oaks Nursing Home to bring Communion, refreshments, and
much needed cheer into their lives.
Volunteers are needed to bake the food that is taken to the home. Anyone who would like to go along to visit is
also welcome.
Altar Servers
Altar Servers are children
from the Religious Education Program and the School who have been trained and
commissioned to serve at the altar.
Children can begin their training in 6th grade or later to
become servers. They assist the priest
and deacon at Mass and other liturgical services. Please call Matthew Hahn (847)541-1450,or email matthew.hahn@sbcglobal.net, if you have any questions.
Annulments -
Please contact Deacon Gary Long - 847-520-5240 or 150lake@ameritech.net
Art and Environment Committee
The Art and Environment Committee
is familiar with the Bishop’s letter for Environment
and Art in Catholic Worship. Using that
letter as a guideline, the A&E Committee chooses décor for the church
building and grounds. Many people on
this Committee are skilled in some form of the arts or crafts and actually make
the decorations. We are looking for new members to join our team. If you are a creative person or just a hard worker and who would like to be involved in this ministry, please contact Sharon Esterquest at(847)537-6828, or email esterquest@comcast.net, if you have any questions.
Athletic Association
Responsible for the
inter-scholastic athletic programs of the school for children in grades 5
through 8. The Athletic Association runs
the flag football program and all the intramural programs. Please contact Mark Bonestroo at 847-537-6517, or email him at admark24@aol.com, or Heidi DiZonno at (847)541-2408, or email heididiz@prodigy.net, if you have any questions.
Baptismal Preparation Program
This program involves
couples as leaders of our preparation classes for parents who are preparing for
the Sacrament of Baptism for their child.
The ministry’s mission is to deepen the understanding of the Sacrament
of Baptism, as well as to strengthen the family’s sense of commitment to the
Catholic Church. Please contact Tracie Maloney at smalon1@yahoo.com or 847-821-7548, if you have any questions.
Bereavement Ministry
This ministry provides
spiritual assistance to parishioners suffering the loss of a family member
through death. They provide guidance and
support to the family in arranging the funeral liturgy by helping the family to
select appropriate readings and hymns. A
program for the Funeral Mass is provided for those attending the funeral. Foremost, the members of the Ministry pray
diligently for the eternal rest of the souls of the deceased and for the peace,
comfort and acceptance of this loss by the families and friends. Contact is maintained with the family after
the funeral to provide spiritual assistance, sympathy and information on support
groups.
Some parish members requesting to plan their own funeral mass services have approached members of the Bereavement Group. This optional funeral planning service is being offered to you at your request.
The interested people feel that this would free their loved ones from the chore of making these decisions at a time when they have many other decisions to make.
A member of the Bereavement Group of St. Mary Parish would gladly meet with you and assist you in this process. You will have a choice of the readings and hymns, for the funeral mass and any reasonable request such as family participation of eulogies.
If this is something that you are interested in, please call Pat Monahan, at (847)541-1450, and leave a message to schedule an appointment.
Women's Cancer Ministry
This ministry brings the
faith community of St. Mary to those who are dealing with breast cancer through
support, prayers and information. The
special services they offer include transportation, babysitting, meals,
personal support, and a prayer chain.
If you are a breast cancer patient or a woman battling any form of cancer, you are invited to join our Cancer Prayer & Support Group. Meetings are usually on the first and third Tuesdays of the month at 7:00pm in Room 105, but there are occasional exceptions. Other services available: information on breast cancer resources, mentoring by a breast cancer survivor, meals, transportation, prayer chain support, Communion at homr if unable to attend church. Call KarenPreston at 847-541-2228, or email at cyberkaren@comcast.net for details and to receive emailed updates.
Community Care Program
This ministry tries to
provide a wide variety of help to parishioners.
We try to meet needs that often go unmet by other ministries and
community agencies. The services
provided include: friendly visitors,
volunteer shoppers, transportation, yard work, babysitting meals. . .
Community Companion Volunteers
The Community Companion
Volunteer program provides respite care for families who are taking care of a
loved one in their homes. Volunteers
visit the homes and spend 1-3 hours per week with the confined person so that
the primary caregiver can get a break to do necessary chores outside the
home. Volunteers are only companions;
visiting, watching TV, reading, reminiscing, perhaps playing cards. They perform no medical care. This program is sponsored by Lutheran
Community Services for the Aged.
Elizabeth Ministry
This ministry supports women
during pregnancy, birth of a child, infertility, adoption, miscarriage, infant
or child loss or crisis. This ministry
enables the Church to truly celebrate the gift of each child conceived and
born, and fully mourn each miscarriage and infant death. Ministers are asked to visit a woman with
whom they have a shared experience and to bring her the well wishes of the
parish family.
To become a minister or to have a minister visit you,
call Jean Faulkner at the Rectory office at 847-541-1450
Employment Network
The purpose of the Parish
Employment Network is to assist those in career transition with their job
searches. This is done through the
following: group and/or one-on-one
instruction on various facets of the search process; providing information as
to other job search programs and resources available in our area; providing
networking opportunities through periodic meetings and communication of contact
names; and generation and posting of available job opportunities.
Eucharistic Ministers
Eucharistic Ministers are
people who have been called to distribute Christ’s body and blood to their
fellow assembly members. A person must
attend a two evening deanery training and a third,
parish-specific meeting, before being commissioned as an EM.
Families of Nazareth
The Families of Nazareth Movement (FNM)
is a world-wide Catholic Movement of lay people and religious. The FNM was
founded in 1985 as a response to the call to the New Evangelization understood
as a new ‘ardor’ for holiness. The FNM conforms to
the teachings of Saint John of the Cross, Saint
Theresa of Avila, and Saint Therese of Child Jesus.
The mission and goal of the Families of
Nazareth Movement is to promote worldwide spiritual renewal by living according
to the spirituality of communion of life with Christ through Mary. The Movement
is open to everyone, responding to the universal call to holiness. The FNM groups meet for one hour weekly
in their local parishes for prayer, reading of spiritual materials, and faith
sharing. Retreats for development of spiritual life are held several times each
year and are led by priests and lay animators. Summer retreats are national.