"And Upon This Rock I Will Build My Church" - Jesus
In the service of Ministry, we are all called to offer ourselves as sacrifices to the Lord. We must be willing to give of ourselves freely, and willing to give up our own will, and allow God to work in us and through us. Ministry calls for dedication and sacrifice in order to promote the work of Christ and the Church. Ultimately we are called to be the servants of the servants, and to spread the message of Christ in everything that we do.
There are many areas in which you can serve a parish community. There are few that are as satisfying and prayerful as those in the area of Liturgical Ministry, which is at the heart of our prayer and worship life as Catholic Christians. We thank you for prayerfully entering into the decision to serve and minister to the People of God, the Church.
For more information or to volunteer, contact the parish office at 815-965-2765.
The Ministry of Greeter is overlooked in many places. When we think about the places we feel most comfortable, most welcome, most at home, it is often because of the people and reception that we receive. Each of us is called to greet and welcome those around us when we come to prayer. However it is especially important to greet every person that enters our doors. Greeters can be individuals or even a whole family! We invite everyone to take a turn welcoming those who come to pray with us.
Our Ushers, along with our Greeters, offer hospitality to all those who come to pray with us. Responsibilities include directing people to their seats or to the restrooms, asking a family to carry up the gifts, taking up the collection during the Preparation of the Gifts, assisting with the traffic flow and communion lines, handing out bulletins, assisting those with disabilities, and saying “thank you” to all of those who have come and worshiped with us.
A psalmist, a cantor, an organist, other instrumentalists, a choir, and a director of music aid the gathered assembly’s full participation in singing responses, acclamations, and other texts set to music. These musicians exercise a genuine liturgical function and, by their role, help to add beauty and solemnity to the celebration. To learn more and to become involved, visit our Music Ministry page.
Serving God’s holy people at Mass is a special privilege. Assistance at the altar by servers represents a long liturgical tradition. It allows us to be close to the altar, to carry the cross, to carry the light of Christ, to wear the robe of baptism, and to hold the book of the prayers. These servers enhance the quality of the celebration for the whole gathered assembly by taking part in processions and by ensuring that all items required for the celebration are available at the appropriate moments.
The ministry of the reader is a crucial role during our liturgies. In proclaiming the Word of God, readers exercise their responsibility in the liturgical celebration. God speaks to the faithful through them, and the effectiveness of their proclamation of God’s Word depends significantly on their conviction, preparation, and delivery. When you answer the call to be a minister of the Word, you enter into a deeper relationship with the Word of God as revealed in Sacred Scripture.
Bishops, priests, and deacons are the ordinary ministers of Holy Communion during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Assistance is given by lay persons, trained as extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion. These ministers serve Christ present in the gathered assembly by ministering his Body and Blood to their brothers and sisters. They also serve the unity of the worshiping community by taking Holy Communion to those members who are prevented by sickness, old age, or other cause from taking part in the assembly gathered.
Sacristans are responsible for caring for the Sacristy and making sure everything is ready for our weekend liturgies. Help is often needed to wash the priests’ vestments, the altar server robes, the purificators and altar linens, as well as help to clean and change the candles in church and other various duties throughout the liturgical year.
The Liturgy Commission meets seasonally. This group is responsible for all of the different prayer opportunities offered by our parish, and works during the year to keep our parishioners well-informed, and our liturgical ministers up to date on their responsibilities and the sacredness of our prayer together.
The Art & Environment Committee meets seasonally, but works year round to keep our church decorated for the Liturgical Seasons of the Year, to keep our flowers fresh and watered, and to keep our church space prepared to celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
The St. Anne's Society works throughout the year to care for our church and to care for the needs of our parishioners. Duties and activities include: laundering altar linens, sewing Baptismal Bibs, Friday church cleaning, preparing and serving funeral luncheons, and baking cookies for the Christmas Cookie Walk.