Liturgical Ministries

More than 250 parishioners serve our parish in the following ministries:

Extraordinary Ministers of Communion

assist at Mass with the distribution of Holy Communion (bread and wine).  Prior to becoming a Communion Minister, initial training is required by the Archdiocese of Chicago.  The person is then commissioned at Mass and given a certificate from the Archdiocese.

Lectors

proclaim the Word of God during Mass and at prayer services and offer the Prayers of the Faithful.  They also attend a training program and upon completion are commissioned at Mass.

Ushers

are ministers of hospitality who greet parishioners upon arrival at church; they find seating for them, especially at crowed liturgies; they guide the faithful in an orderly manner to receive Communion; they take up the collection.

Funeral Ministry

helps to comfort a family in their time of loss.  It involves both planning and preparation for a funeral.  The funeral minister invites the family to share in the planning of the funeral liturgy by assisting them in selecting hymns and scripture readings and explaining other options to them.  The funeral minister is also the sacristan for the funeral mass.

Sacristans

prepare our Sacred Space for the celebration of mass and other liturgies.

Wedding Rehearsal Facilitators

explain the wedding liturgy and practice the marriage ceremony with the bridal party and they assist on the day of the wedding.

Art and Environment

ministers prepare and decorate our church for the various liturgical seasons using the visible signs of flowers, lighting, banners, and various liturgical symbols.

Liturgy Planners

meet at various times throughout the liturgical year to reflect on the Sunday readings and write the introduction to the liturgy and the prayers of the faithful.  They also share their reflections on scriptures with the pastoral staff.