Ministries at Sacred
Heart Catholic Church
Waseca, Minnesota
Sacred Heart is blessed with Many volunteers who provide their time and energy to serve others in our community. The list of ministries provided include:
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Eucharistic Ministers to the Homebound |
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Eucharistic Ministers to the Hospital |
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Eucharistic Ministers to the Nursing Home |
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RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) |
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Religious Education (Children's / Youth Ministry) |
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Sunday School, Pre-K– 4, Vacation Bible School |
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Grades 5–11 |
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Youth Ministry |
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Joe Fritz
The purpose of an altar server is to
be of service to the priest at Mass. A server must be at least in 5th
grade. Both boys and girls are welcome to become a server.
Responsibilities of the servers:
· Take part in the training which is done once a year
· Agree to be present when scheduled or be responsible to arrange for their own substitute when necessary
Adult volunteer(s):
· Trains new servers
· Schedules altar servers for all Masses
· Makes copies of schedules and mails to the altar servers
· Makes sure the altar server robes are clean and mended top
Parents who ask the Church for baptism of their child assume the responsibility of nurturing the faith life of their child.
The Catholic parent (parents) shall
· Be in a valid Catholic marriage, if married, or be willing to meet the requirements necessary to have their marriage validated
· Be a registered member of Sacred Heart Parish. If registered in another Catholic parish, a letter from their pastor is required
· Be actively involved in living their relationship with God through participation in the life and worship of the parish
· Be sincere about the duty of Christian parenting as promised in the Baptism ceremony. This entails accepting the responsibility of training their child in the practice of the faith and bringing them up to keep God’s commandments
Baptism Preparation Class:
A Baptism Preparation Class is to be attended by parents before the baptism of their first child. Parents for whom it has been several years since the baptism of a child are also asked to participate in the class. Please call the parish office to schedule the class. Parents are welcome to take the class during the time of pregnancy.
Baptism garments are sewn by volunteers. topThe Bible Study group meets the first and third Tuesdays of each month from September to May at 9am in the Treanor Campion meeting room. We are a group of seven women who start with opening prayer, study the bible lessons, discuss and close with prayer. We mutually decide each year what we would like to study.
We are currently studying the Pastoral Epistles: the Letters of Paul to Peter. This year we had studied and discussed the Pauline letters to Timothy (both first and second), Titus, and James. Nest year we will finish the pastoral epistles of Peter and Jude and then begin the Gospel of St John. Our studies follow the Little Rock Series, under the Collegeville Bible Commentary from the Liturgical Press, Collegeville, Minnesota.
We welcome new members. If you are interested, please call Kit Haag, 835-3619. top
The purpose of the Buildings and Grounds committee is to advise and help maintain the Sacred Heart campus. This includes repairs and capital improvements on all buildings, the surrounding grounds, sidewalks, and parking lot.
The committee works with the custodian to:
· Assess needed repairs and improvements
· Secure bids for major projects
· Oversee projects approved by Father and the Diocese
Members are appointed by Father.
Meetings are held the 2nd Tuesday of the month. top
The Catholic Daughters is a national organization of Catholic women dedicated to strengthen their spiritual life through Christ and his church. Catholic lay and religious women, 18 years of age or older, who love and support the church and wish to participate in social and charitable activities are welcome.
Some of the activities include:
· Support of the Holy Father, bishops priests and sisters
· Foster vocations to the religious life
· Evangelization
· Mission activities and Catholic Relief Services
· Support Right to Life
· Support services to battered spouses and abused children
· Provide educational contests
· Promote prevention of teenage pregnancies and suicides
· Support Habitat for Humanity
· Work for funeral lunches
· Say the Rosary at the visitation and before the funeral Mass
· Do parish volunteer work top
Sacred Heart Parish takes care of three cemeteries: Calvary, St. Jarlath, and St. Mary’s.
Each cemetery has two trustees appointed by Father for one year renewable terms. Father meets with the trustees annually to review annual reports. Other meetings are called as needed.
The trustees are responsible for:
· Upkeep of cemeteries
· Development of cemeteries
· Oversee the use of cemetery funds
Cemetery Locations:
· Calvary South on County Rd. 4 about 2 miles; cemetery is on the right
· St. Mary’s South on County Rd. 4 to County Rd. 9, west on County Rd. 9 about 8 miles,
long narrow drive; cemetery is on the left
· St. Jarlath North on Hwy. 13 to County Rd. 30, west on 30 to Reeds Lake Rd, north past
Iosco town hall about 1 mile; cemetery and church are on the right
Sale of lots is handled in the parish office. top
Sacred Heart Education Endowment Fund
All dollars contributed to the endowment fund are saved and annual earnings provide financial assistance to the parish to assure a quality Catholic Education at Sacred Heart.
Contributions come from cash donations, memorials, bequests, insurance policies, and investments. All gifts are tax deductible.
To increase the fund, an endowment envelope is in our parish contribution packet, an annual Sunday second collection for the endowment is offered, and Sacred Heart Alumni letter are mailed yearly.
Contributions provide a perpetual gift because only a portion of the earnings is spent annually.
The committee consists of Father and four parishioners appointed by him. Meetings are scheduled quarterly or as needed. topEucharistic ministers are commissioned and entrusted with the duty of distributing the eucharist at Mass. Eucharistic ministers are scheduled for a month at a time.
Responsibilities include:
· Providing an example for others by living a Christian life
· Training as a eucharistic minister and involvment in promoting good liturgy
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Agreeing to be present when scheduled or being responsible for arranging their
own substitute when necessary top
Eucharistic ministers to the homebound connect the parish to those who are homebound as they take the eucharist to them. Each eucharistic minister is assigned to one person and takes the eucharist once a week at a mutually convenient time.
Responsibilities include:
· Training as a eucharistic minister to the homebound
· Arranging for their own substitute when necessary top
Eucharistic ministers to the hospital bring the comfort and care of the parish to patients who are registered as Catholic at the Waseca Medical Center. Ministers are scheduled on a rotational basis for a week at a time taking the eucharist to patients on Sunday, Monday, Thursday and Friday.
Responsibilities include:
· Training for this ministry
· Arranging for their own substitute when necessary top
For more information call the Eucharist Ministers to the Nursing Home chairpersons listed later.
Eucharistic Adoration is simply our response to Jesus’ love for us, whereby each of us is willing to spend a quiet hour of prayer in His Eucharistic presence-“Could you not watch one hour with me?” (Mt 26:40)
Eucharistic Adoration is held Tuesdays from 9:00 am until 8:00 pm in the chapel at Sacred Heart Church. Individual adorers commit to an hour each Tuesday. Jesus is never left alone, and the chapel is always open for anyone to visit Him.
The Eucharistic Adoration committee meets quarterly and works to promote the participation in the Tuesday Eucharistic Adoration at Sacred Heart Church by planning:
Bulletin inserts
Intentions for the month
Holy Hours for special occasions
Gathers new materials
Promotes and educates top
The Fall Festival is a major fund-raiser for Sacred Heart Parish and involves the whole parish. It is held the third weekend in September (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday).
Activities include: white elephant sale, pork chop dinner, concession stand, wellness booth, pull tabs, variety show, Saturday lunch and supper, fish fry, polka mass, festival auction, silent auction, children’s carnival, Sunday bingo, Country Store, Cinnamon Shack, outdoor games, Super Bingo, Galilee Book Store, and Scholastic Book Fair.
· Friday: SPECIAL EVENTS include:
· A Fish fry
· The Senior Citizens Band
· The festival auction
· Saturday: SPECIAL EVENTS include:
· Lunch and supper featuring hot pork commercial, mashed potatoes, and a vegetable
· Early Bird Bingo
· Super Bingo
· A Polka Mass
· A variety show
· Live music for listening and dancing
· Sunday: SPECIAL EVENTS include:
· Sunday Masses
· Cinnamon Shack
· Pork chop dinner served by the men
· A children’s carnival
· Sunday Bingo
· The BIG TICKET DRAWING top
The job of the Finance Committee is to assist Father in the development and management of the budget for Sacred Heart Parish. Based on what the parish as a whole contributes towards our various programs, the committee tries to direct dollars in the most appropriate manner.
Nine voting members are appointed by Father to serve 1-3 year renewable
terms. The meetings are open to parish members.
The regular scheduled meeting is the 2nd Thursday of each month,
and special meetings are called when necessary. top
Funeral lunches are provided by request from the family of the deceased. Funeral lunches provide an environment for family and friends of the deceased to share comfort and fellowship.
Funeral lunches are an opportunity for men and women of all ages to be actively involved in our parish. For more information call the chairperson listed on page two. top
Gift Bearers are invited to represent the faith community by presenting the gifts of water, wine, bread and the offertory collection to Father during Mass.
· When the ushers begin to take up the collection, the gift bearers walk to the table behind the last pew and wait there until the money has been collected and placed in the large basket
· Process up the center aisle to present the gifts to Father top
Greeters welcome all who come to Mass.
Responsibilities include:
· Arriving 25 minutes before Mass
· Greeting people as they enter the church
· Providing a welcoming and respectful atmosphere top
For more information call the chairperson listed later. top
Knights of Columbus Sacred Heart Council #2768 includes members from Waseca, New Richland, and Waldorf parishes. Our council meets the first Monday of each month. Our combined membership from all three parishes total over 325 members. The following are some of the activities and contributions our council does throughout the year:
Our council donates over $30,000.00 dollars and more than 5,000 hours in personal service annually to schools, churches, and community activities.
Free Throw Contest, open to boys and girls ages 10 – 14.
Three-Month Calendar Fund-raiser. The money raised from this event is used for our many charitable contributions and community projects.
Tootsie Roll Fund-raiser, with the money raised donated to our local agency for people with developmental disabilities.
150 Club Night Dinner / Dance. Three $1,000.00 scholarships are given to high school seniors to further their education.
Youth area baseball, softball, and bowling teams.
Adopted a stretch of highway south of Waseca, where we are responsible for cleaning road ditches in the spring and fall.
Sell pull-tabs at our annual Fall Festival put on by Sacred Heart Parish.
Sponsors for the Marathon for Non-Public Education held each fall to raise funds for our Parish School. Open to all students in kindergarten through 4th grade. Awards are given to students for their participation in the fund raising.
Social functions involving Brother Knights and their families. Some of the events include the annual Christmas party for Knights and their spouses, summer family picnic, golf outings, and get-togethers following selected meetings.
Food Drive for the Neighborhood Service Center.
Members and their families are eligible to participate in our Insurance Programs.
Membership in the Knights of Columbus is open to practicing Catholic men aged 18 and over and offers the opportunity for fellowship with those who are of the same beliefs, who recognize the same duty to God, family and community, and who stand side-by-side in defense of those beliefs.
Discover a world of good things in the Knights of Columbus. Contact Grand Knight, Steve Russell @ 835-4528 or Deputy Grand Knight, Brian Harguth @ 835-7996 if you are interested in the Knights of Columbus or would like more information on our organization. top
The lector proclaims God’s word in an understandable and meaningful way, sharing it with those assembled. Lectors are scheduled for a month at a time.
Responsibilities include:
· Preparing adequately at home using the Lector Workbook
· Arriving 15 minutes before Mass
· Proclaiming the Word in a manner that can be heard clearly by the assembly
· Arranging for their own substitute when necessary top
The purpose of the Liturgy Committee is to enhance the worship of the Faith Community by providing avenues for full and meaningful participation in the various forms of parish worship.
The committee considers the following to enhance the worship:
· Prayers, songs, and responses
· Rituals, environment, and seasonal planning
As members of the parish from various walks of life, the Liturgy Committee represents the different aspects of the church.
Activities include:
· Bringing ideas from other parishes
· Brainstorming to determine what will best serve our parish to make our liturgies more meaningful
· Developing and creating meaningful worship environments for each of the Seasons of our Church Year
The Liturgy committee meets 6 - 8 times a year, on the 2nd Thursday of the month. top
Marriage mentors are volunteer couples selected by Father to do marriage preparation in
Sacred Heart Parish.
The mentors:
· Take the Prepare/Enrich test and go through a training course with Father
· Are not counselors, but volunteers who work with couples planning to be married at Sacred Heart
· Have the couples to be married come to their homes for a series of three sessions based on the Prepare/Enrich test
The marriage preparation process:
· The engaged couple meets with Father and completes the Prepare/Enrich test
· The couple meets with the mentor couple three times. These sessions are based on the areas of strength and growth identified by the Prepare/Enrich test
· The couple meets with Father to review the mentors’ notes and finalize the wedding ceremony top
The main function of the Men’s Club is to provide services to Sacred Heart Parish. All men of the parish are automatically members.
Activities include:
· Palm Sunday turkey dinner prepared and served by the Men’s Club
· The Fall Festival entails helping with the fish fry and preparation of food for the meal served on Saturday evening, and the pork chop dinner on Sunday
· The fall auction held the Saturday after Thanksgiving involves picking up donated items and helping the day of the auction
Any input of other ideas are greatly appreciated. The Men’s Club meets the 3rd Monday of each month unless otherwise specified. top
Ministry of Mothers Sharing (MOMS) is based on a program developed to offer women an opportunity to share the sacredness of their call and the challenge of spiritual growth.
· The eight-week program is presented by a MOMS facilitator and provides women with personal time to examine the dynamics of, self-acceptance, stress, spirituality, personal growth, and friendship
· Each eight-week session is limited to 10 women
· Ideally, this ministry can and needs to expand as more people participate in MOMS
If anyone wishes to attend this particular MOMS ministry please call Anna Richards or Terry Roessler. top
Music is a vital part of the Liturgical prayer life at Sacred Heart Parish.
Opportunities for parishioners of all ages are:
The Cherub Choir is open to students in grades 1–4. It runs from September through May with rehearsals after school on Wednesdays. The Cherub choir sings approximately once a month at various times and on special occasions such as Christmas and Easter. A printable schedule is available here.
The Junior Choir is available for all students in grades 5–8. It runs from September through May and rehearsals are on Tuesday evenings from 6-6:50 p.m. The Junior Choir sings approximately once a month at various times and on special occasions such as Christmas and Easter.
The The High School Choir is a group of students in grades 9–12 which sings approximately 1-2 times a month and on special occasions. Practice times vary depending on school activities. The norm is to practice 1 hour before a scheduled liturgy.
The Adult Choir is available for grade 9 through adult. It runs from September through May and rehearsals are on Wednesday evenings from 7–8 p.m. The Adult Choir sings approximately twice a month at various Masses and at Christmas and Easter.
The Men’s Group, and a women’s group called
Treble Cantori sing throughout
the year. These groups practice 1 hour before their scheduled Mass times.
In addition to the above vocal groups there are opportunities to play in a wide
range of Handbell Choirs beginning with grade 5 through adult. These
groups are organized by musical levels from beginner through advanced. Practice
times are September through May on Wednesday afternoons and evenings. The bell
choirs play at various times throughout the year.
top
The Parish Council is a collaborative body of the Christian faithful who work with Father to promote the mission of Jesus Christ and His church in its entirety.
The Parish Council works in close collaboration with the pastor of the parish, advising him in matter pertaining to pastoral ministry.
Six of the voting members of the Parish Council shall be elected from the parish at large.
The Pastor appoints two additional voting members.
All council members shall serve a three-year term.
The Parish Council meets once a month. top
Before the advent of modern medical technology, churches were actively involved in tending to the needs of the sick as part of their ministry. The parish nurse program helps reclaim for the church its role of ministering to the sick. Parish nursing is a means of meeting the health care needs of the community in a spirit of Christian concern for others.
· Parish nurses are volunteers.
· They provide hypertension screening the first Sunday of each month in Nativity Hall.
If you would like a parish nurse to visit with you, please call the parish office.
Persons interested in contributing time, talents or finances for the expansion of this project should contact the Parish Nurses Coordinator listed later. top
The purpose of the Prayer Network is to pray for the intentions of parishioners, relatives or friends. People who join commit themselves to pray for those on the list.
A prayer list is sent to anyone making the commitment.
To have an intention added to the prayer list or to be part of the
prayer network, call the Prayer Network chairperson listed later. top
For more information call the chairperson listed later. top
RCIA is the process by which adults who have never been baptized and adults previously baptized in a church other than Catholic are initiated into full communion in the Catholic church through Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation. Adult Catholics who have never been confirmed are also prepared for confirmation through this process. Sessions begin each fall. Call the parish office for information. Adults are received into the church during the Easter Vigil.
RCIA seeks volunteers to assist with the process as:
· Catechists to facilitate the various phases of the RCIA process. Catechists need to be actively practicing the Catholic faith, a caring person willing to share their faith, have good listening and communication skills; and be able to follow the lesson plans provided for each session. ·
· Hospitality persons to provide refreshments for the RCIA sessions. top
Sacred Heart Parish has a Faith Formation program staffed by a Director of Faith Formation, Coordinator of Young Adult & Adult Ministry and a Coordinator of Children’s Ministry. They rely heavily on adult volunteers.
The Faith Formation program works directly with the Youth Advisory Board and the Education Board to help further meet the needs of all households in our parish.
Our Faith Formation Program offers a wide and diverse variety of activities for pre-schoolers through adulthood. These include Faith Formation sessions for all ages, sacramental preparation, Sunday school, Vacation Bible School, social activities, service opportunities, liturgy, scripture studies, retreats, opportunities for personal and spiritual growth and much more.
If you have any questions or would like more information about our Faith Formation program, please call the Office of Faith Formation listed later. top
The Sacred Heart Board of Education is an elected body of eight people, which is a consultative board that advises Father and the administration with the education policy, the operation of the school, and the Faith Formation program. The board strives to work with the Parish Council to ensure that the school ministry is a vital part of the parish.
The Board meets monthly on the second Thursday. The meetings are attended by Father, the board members the school principal, and the religious education/youth ministry personnel.
The Board is involved in working committees that include activities at the Fall Festival, Catholic Schools Week, and Teacher Appreciation week. The Board also advises for Generations of Faith, youth ministry activities, Scrip requirements, school enrollment policies, budget task force, Seeds of Faith campaign and campus renovation. top
Sacred Heart Children’s House is a program for children age 33 months to 6 years. There are two classrooms for a multi-age Montessori learning environment. Montessori follows the method of self-paced individualized learning. Here children develop a love of learning, curiosity to continue to learn, self-discipline, and a sense of responsibility.
Consecutive day sessions are:Monday through Friday – a five-day program
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday – a three-day program
Thursday, Friday – a two-day program
· Class times for morning sessions are 8:15-10:45 a.m. and afternoon sessions are 12:15-2:45 p.m.
· Tuition per month is based on a two-day, a three-day, or a five-day program. top
The mission of Sacred Heart School is to promote the lifelong discovery and transmission of knowledge and Christian values. This is achieved by providing an atmosphere which promotes building self-esteem, open communication, and the development of an awareness of peace and justice in a culturally diverse global society.
· Sacred Heart Elementary School includes grades K-4.
· The kindergarten program operates on a half-day everyday program. There are both morning and afternoon sessions.
· The first through fourth grades are in session for the full day with two sections of each grade level.
· Sacred Heart School is supported by the parish and is open to the children of the families registered in the parish.
· There is no tuition, but there is a registration fee per family. In addition, parents are expected to purchase enough Scrip to generate a predetermined amount per family. Families are also encouraged to five regular church financial support in proportion to the means of the family.
· If space is available, non-parishioners can enroll for a tuition fee.
Sacred Heart School is accredited by the Minnesota Non-Public School Accrediting Association.
All teachers hold a minimum of a BA/BS degree and are State certified. top
Sacred Heart Home and School Association
Sacred Heart Home and School Association is a parent organization with a goal of being the collective voice of the people of the school. The most important function of the Home and School Association is to promote spiritual and emotional growth of children within the home, school and church community. An important function of the association is to organizw parents so that volunteer help and support can be efficiently supplied to the community.
The Sacred Heart Home and School Association activities include: Open House, Fall Festival Book Fair, marathon, school music program, February reading incentive program, kindergarten open house, parish golf tournament, and Catholic Schools week.
Members include all parents with students currently enrolled at Sacred Heart School.
The committee meets the first Tuesday of the month. The committee does not meet in December or July. top
The purpose of the Social Concerns Committee is twofold. The first purpose is direct service; that is, helping people survive their present crisis. The second purpose involves social action, removing the cause of many of the problems causing that crisis.
Projects and activities include:
· Sponsoring and providing the Christmas food basket distribution for the needy in our parish
· Christmas gifts for Sacred Heart members who are shut-ins or nursing home residents
· Arranging for volunteers to be escorts on the senior citizen bus a few Sundays during the year and helping when the bus transports the elderly to church services
· Putting people in touch with the agencies which can serve their particular needs
· Helping sponsor the Bosnian family and the Kyle, SD, Sister Parish (Pine Ridge Reservation)
The Social Concerns Committee meets monthly on the 3rd Tuesday. Each member serves a three-year term. top
The purpose of the Stewardship committee is to educate the parish as to the meaning of stewardship and ways to implement it, including the annual renewal of Time, Talent, and Treasure surveys.
Members are invited by Father. There are currently ten members but the committee may expand. Meetings are held monthly. top
The ministry of usher is one of hospitality. Ushers are scheduled for a month at a time.
Responsibilities include:
· Arriving 15 minutes before Mass
· Wearing an usher badge
· Assisting in seating people
· Gathering the collection
· Directing the communion lines
· Distributing the bulletins after Mass
· Assisting emergency situations top
The Winona Council of Catholic Women is the bishop’s official diocesan organization of Catholic women. All Catholic women 18 and over in the Diocese of Winona, by virtue of being Catholic, are members of WCCW and of the National Council of Catholic Women. Membership dues are collected in November.
WCCW is composed of six commissions including organization, church, family concerns, community concerns, international concerns, and legislation. Respect Life is a special diocesan committee.
There are four area meetings per year. These dates are announced in the bulletin. Sacred Heart hosts a meeting whenever it’s their turn.
Sacred Heart has active bible study and prayer groups, as well as sewing and card playing circles.
For more information call WCCW Chairperson listed later. top
The purpose of the Welcoming Committee is to welcome and encourage present and new members of Sacred Heart parish to active membership and involvement within the faith community.
The Welcoming Committee:
· Sponsors and serves coffee and rolls for the parish community the first Sunday of the month after both Masses
· Hosts a reception for the newly baptized and confirmed members on Holy Saturday
· Sponsors and hosts other parish activities thoughout the year
New ideas are appreciated.
The Welcoming Committee meets at least 6 times a year. top