Message from Father Mike
August 21, 2022
Dear Parishioners
During the summer, I have been meeting regularly with Maria Arrez, our Director of Lifelong Formation, Johanna Ortegon, our Director of Music and Liturgy, and Tony Lopez, our Director of Operations to lay the groundwork for our Worship Ministry System or Team. In my letter in last week’s bulletin, I reported on the developments that have followed our Ministry Fairs held in May. At the Fairs, it became obvious that the largest number of our parishioners who had volunteered to participate in the ministries of the three original parishes engaged in either liturgical or service ministries. Recognizing the challenges of forming Systems or Teams of Ministries that would bring together the volunteers from the three original parishes, Maria, Johanna, Tony, and I decided to begin with Liturgy. Our Service Ministry System or Team will be considered next.
In September, once school has been reopened, we will convene the Worship System or Team of Ministries. But I offer you a summary of our discussions to date.
Welcome Ministers: All three of our original parishes seem to have valued a warm ministry of welcome as people came to church for Mass. We would like to build upon that tradition, perhaps uniting ushers, greeters, and Eucharistic ministers at both churches as a ministry of welcome.
Lectors: All three of the original parishes had well trained lectors serving at Mass. Maria Arrez has already taken steps to create a lector formation program. Efforts are being made to personally invite those who had served as lectors at Our Lady of Victory to consider offering their service in the ministry at Our Lady of the Rosary, even if they seem to have chosen to attend another parish.
Art and Environment: All three of the original parishes have had strong, creative, hardworking teams of volunteers to prepare our sanctuaries for worship. Since the unification, these teams have continued to provide outstanding service at both Saint Pascal and Saint Bartholomew. Now is the time to bring them together. Remembering the beautiful displays at Our Lady of Victory, we believe it to be especially important to include the Art and Environment people from OLV on our united Team.
In my next letter, I will comment on our conversations about Music, Ministers of Communion, Ministers of Care, Children’s liturgy, the R.C.I.A., and Altar Servers!
Enjoy August!!!!
Father Mike O’Connell
.
Dear Parishioners
During the summer, I have been meeting regularly with Maria Arrez, our Director of Lifelong Formation, Johanna Ortegon, our Director of Music and Liturgy, and Tony Lopez, our Director of Operations to lay the groundwork for our Worship Ministry System or Team. In my letter in last week’s bulletin, I reported on the developments that have followed our Ministry Fairs held in May. At the Fairs, it became obvious that the largest number of our parishioners who had volunteered to participate in the ministries of the three original parishes engaged in either liturgical or service ministries. Recognizing the challenges of forming Systems or Teams of Ministries that would bring together the volunteers from the three original parishes, Maria, Johanna, Tony, and I decided to begin with Liturgy. Our Service Ministry System or Team will be considered next.
In September, once school has been reopened, we will convene the Worship System or Team of Ministries. But I offer you a summary of our discussions to date.
Welcome Ministers: All three of our original parishes seem to have valued a warm ministry of welcome as people came to church for Mass. We would like to build upon that tradition, perhaps uniting ushers, greeters, and Eucharistic ministers at both churches as a ministry of welcome.
Lectors: All three of the original parishes had well trained lectors serving at Mass. Maria Arrez has already taken steps to create a lector formation program. Efforts are being made to personally invite those who had served as lectors at Our Lady of Victory to consider offering their service in the ministry at Our Lady of the Rosary, even if they seem to have chosen to attend another parish.
Art and Environment: All three of the original parishes have had strong, creative, hardworking teams of volunteers to prepare our sanctuaries for worship. Since the unification, these teams have continued to provide outstanding service at both Saint Pascal and Saint Bartholomew. Now is the time to bring them together. Remembering the beautiful displays at Our Lady of Victory, we believe it to be especially important to include the Art and Environment people from OLV on our united Team.
In my next letter, I will comment on our conversations about Music, Ministers of Communion, Ministers of Care, Children’s liturgy, the R.C.I.A., and Altar Servers!
Enjoy August!!!!
Father Mike O’Connell
.
