We are blessed at St. Patrick’s with many wonderful volunteers who are always willing to serve as liturgical ministers when and where they are needed. The following are the various areas of Liturgical ministries in which you may wish to become involved.
Altar servers are recruited from parishioners of St. Patrick’s. Altar Servers must be at least 10 years old or in the 5th grade and be interested in serving their Parish in a very special ministry. This ministry requires dedication and maturity. For more information click here.
Children’s Liturgy of the Word is an extension of the Mass that allows children to participate more fully. Children in K-6th grades leave the church as a group just before the first reading and return during the offertory. They leave the building, but not the Mass. The children celebrate the same Liturgy of the Word as the adults, but with adaptations of the readings and a homily geared toward their age level.
Ministry members are dedicated to enriching the spiritual growth of the children in our parish. Roles vary between reading, leading the homily, and general “crowd control.” Volunteers include both adults and 8th grade Religious Education students. (The 8th graders earn community service hours toward their confirmation.)
St. Patrick celebrates the Children’s Liturgy of the Word during the 10:00am and 12:30pm Masses on Sundays.
Eucharistic ministers serve at least one Sunday a month and periodically during the year for holy days and special parish celebrations. They also attend workshops that will enable them to gain a better understanding of the ministry of the Eucharist.
In our parish, we have many dedicated Ministers of the Eucharist. These fine men and women have been trained to perform their sacred duties with living concern and dignity. For more information, click here. En espanol, aqui
The ministry of the Word is an important contribution to our parish worship. We are proud of the lectors who participate in our Sacred Liturgy at our parish. They perform a very important ministry by taking an active and prominent role in the proclamation of the Word of God at our Celebrations of the Eucharist. For more information, click here. En espanol, aqui.
Sacred song is an integral part of the Liturgy. It was very much a part of the Jewish liturgical services and at the Last Supper the scriptures record that Jesus and the apostles sang psalms before they left for the Mount of Olives. We need ministers of sacred music in our parish to provide us with melodies and lyrics that highlight the readings and help make the Eucharist a real celebration of thanksgiving.
Our sacristans prepare for each Mass by:
The Sacristan for each Mass also has the responsibility of ensuring the individuals assigned as Eucharistic Ministers, Altar Servers, and Lectors are prepared for their duties. For more information, click here
Our ushers strive to provide a reverent and orderly setting for parish worship. They have a ministry during the Eucharistic Celebration. It is their duty to provide a climate of hospitality and warmth during Mass. In order to be easily identifiable by the congregation, they wear name tags. They are also available to assist the handicapped and other parishioners who have special needs.