Ministries at Our Lady of Hope

Our Lady of Hope Pastoral Council is pleased to introduce a new feature to the weekly parish bulletin-Spotlight on Ministries. For each of the next few months, you'll be reading about one or two ministries that serve our community The column seeks to inform the parish community of the good works of its volunteer members and to invite parishioners to participate in service opportunities, For November the spotlight is on two Outreach groups-the Saint Vincent de Paul Society and the Food Pantry.

The OLH Saint Vincent de Paul (SVdP) Conference started in March 2004. We are a part of the greater Long Island Council of the Saint Vincent DePaul Society. The Society is a separate and distinct organization, which is not governed by the Rockville Center Diocese.

We are organized and managed as a layperson group serving those primarily within OLH parish boundaries. Other than our Conference, OLH does not have a social ministry. We receive our funding through donations to the Poor Box, twice-a-year parish collections, and individual contributions.

Poor Box receipts are our major source of financing.

Carle Place, while a middle class community, does have its share of the needy. We have found that most of those who request our help initially rely on their immediate families for support. When this help is not available, they then turn to the SVdP Conference for support. Our help is designed for those who need aid in circumstances that are usually sudden and for a temporary period. Those with needs requiring more extensive help are referred to private or governmental social agencies.

During this past fiscal year, help provided by the SVdP Conference consisted of home, hospital, and eldercare visits, numbering over 100. Our major financial requests were for rental assistance, furniture, clothing needs, and food vouchers.

Parishioners' contributions make all this possible. Currently there are 12 members in our Conference. We meet twice each month in the evenings. If you wish to join the Our Lady of Hope Saint Vincent de Paul Conference, please call the parish office at 334-6288.

OLH's Food Pantry operates in affiliation with the Saint Vincent de Paul Society. Currently, the pantry offers support to nine families [including 18 children] and six single adults. Extra food is shared with other pantries in the diocese.

Two Saturdays a month [for an hour each day] the pantry staff is present on-site to distribute bags of canned and packaged food items that are generously donated by OLH parishioners. The staff coordinates with different food drives [Cub Scouts, Religious Education classes, etc.] that benefit the parish.

During the week the staff shelves parish contributions and packs bags for the next scheduled pick-up date. At various times of the year special holiday boxes are prepared.

Continued support by parishioners is very much appreciated. Donations of canned and packaged food items can be left at any time in the box inside the front entrance to the Church.

The Food Pantry is currently staffed by two coordinators and three additional volunteers. To participate in this community service, please call the parish office at 334-6288.

LECTORS

The lectors at OLH proclaim the Word of God at Sunday and weekday masses. OLH currently has 24 lectors, and we would be happy to welcome more.

Serving as a Minister of the Word offers the lector the opportunity to participate more fully in the celebration of the mass. By immersing oneself in His Word, a lector will not only proclaim the Word more ably to others but also grow in his or her own knowledge of the living God.

Lectors must be willing to study the assigned readings, have speaking ability and feel comfortable at the pulpit.

Each lector receives two or three assignments during a three-month period. Lectors receive a workbook to prepare the readings. They are encouraged to review the readings even when not assigned to lector.

OLH lectors receive training before they are commissioned to proclaim the Word of God. To become a lector, please contact Jack Stein at 333-5820.

JUNIOR LECTORS

Our Lady of Hope also has a junior lector program. Kids, aged 12-16, are encouraged to join the program where they can make announcements, proclaim the readings and participate in the Family Mass [Sundays at 10:00. Come and learn how to improve your public speaking skills while building on your faith. No experience necessary-just a desire to know more about the Word of God and a loud, clear voice, To become a junior lector, please contact Carmine Fischetti at carmine.fischetti@gmail.com.

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Our Lady of Hope parish's mission is threefold: the parish seeks to nurture its family and community through the Word of God, worship and service. The Religious Education program is, of course, a major contributor to the fulfillment of this mission.

Our Lady of Hope Religious Education-an integral part of parish life-is overseen by Msgr. Bauhoff and the director, Mrs. Tricia Powers. Following the teachings of the church and the directives from the Office of Faith Formation, over the course of eight grades, students learn all aspects of their faith.

They are prepared to receive the Sacraments of Penance, Holy Eucharist and Confirmation. Emphasis is placed on the importance of attending mass regularly in accord with the teachings of the church.

In addition to classroom instruction, students are provided with several types of liturgical experiences and opportunities to aid them in their faith formation. Most recently, we hosted an Advent wreath craft night that included prayers and singing, as well as a fun craft the whole family enjoyed creating.

Volunteer positions include the Grade Level Coordinators and Teachers. Currently there are 86 catechists who meet weekly with groups of 8 or fewer students. There are 428 families registered in the program, reflecting 525 students.

The Religious Education program is always glad to welcome new volunteers. If you would like to share your knowledge of the faith and nurture the spiritual growth of the youth of our parish, please call Mrs. Tricia Powers at 334-6288 ext. 17.

Spotlight on Ministries for February

EXTRAORDINARY MINISTERS

As an extraordinary minister of the Eucharist, commonly referred to as a Eucharistic minister, lay people can serve the Church and the parish by distributing Holy Communion during Mass as well as bringing it to the homebound or those in the hospital.

Helping others share in the spiritual nourishment of the Eucharist can be a very fulfilling ministry, No greater gift can be given to worshipers or to those who suffer illness than the gift of Christ himself in the Eucharist.

Extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist are used whenever the ordinary ministers of the Eucharist [bishop, priest or deacon] are not available or when the number of communicants demands. A suitable candidate for Eucharistic ministry is a practicing Catholic in good standing who has a devotion to the Eucharist. In all parishes the pastor has the responsibility to approve candidates for this ministry. Candidates are required to attend the diocesan training program in order to receive their mandates.

The training program involves two days: the first, required of all those who wish to serve as Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, includes presentations on the theology of the Eucharist, Eucharistic Spirituality, the liturgical norms which govern the distribution of the sacrament, and a practical session. The second day is designed for those who would be engaged in a ministry to the sick and homebound, and includes presentations on the theology of human sickness, hospital procedures, and visiting the homebound.

The parishioners of Our Lady of Hope are currently served by 84 devoted Eucharistic ministers. If you would like to be considered for the Eucharistic ministry, please call the parish office at 334-6288.

PASTORAL COUNCIL

The Pastoral Council (PC) is a consultative group of parishioners who assist the pastor in fulfilling the Church's ministry on the local level. The group seeks awareness of the needs, ideas and concerns of the parish, evaluates present parish activities and suggests new possibilities and opportunities for parishioner participation. Areas of possible interest and concern include but are not limited to liturgy, evangelization, family life and social activities.

The PC is intended to be sensitive to visioning for the future in the recommendations it offers to the pastor for his consideration. The PC can also help enhance communication between the pastor and members of the parish on pastoral issues, and provide leadership, knowledge and skills where appropriate.

Membership is by appointment and/or election. For more information, please call the parish office at 334-6288.

Last edit 2/22/2009. Contact Webmaster@olhope.org