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Liturgical ministers Our liturgical ministers are truly the lifeblood
of our parish. The Parish relies heavily on these compassionate
ministers to assist in a variety of areas including as: These are men and women of the parish who are mandated by the Bishop to assist the ordained ministers in distribution Holy Communion either to the congregation in church or to individuals not able to attend services due to health issues. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMs) serve at our 9:00 AM Daily Mass six days a week, Monday through Saturday. Currently there are sixteen EMs assigned, two for each Mass. Assignments are on a simple rotating cycle. The EMs play a vital part in our Parish’s Daily Sacred Liturgy and help the Priest in distributing the Eucharist to both species. The EMs normally come from those who are regular Daily Mass Attendees. It is clear that their ranks have been steadily growing in recent years. As a result, there is always a need for more EMs. If one could make the commitment, it would be very rewarding to you. If you feel you are called to this unique and rewarding ministry, please contact the Rectory at 856-235-0181. They will put you in contact with the Coordinator for this ministry who can provide you more information including training, support and a registration form. Please also visit our Social Outreach page to learn about the various venues our EM's serve communion to those who cannot attend mass. Greeters
and Ushers The action of being a welcoming and caring parish is evangelizing and doing the will of God, who asks us to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…” Matthew 28:19. We become disciples by our witnessing to our faith and through this action of evangelization. Come join our ministry by providing just a few minutes of your time, to share your faith by saying “Good Morning,” “Welcome” or a seasonal greeting with current parishioners, new members and with the many visitors who come to attend services here at Our Lady of Good Counsel. If you are interested in joining this ministry or
would simply like to learn more about it, please contact Lorraine
Santarlas at 856 234 8426.
Lector Workbooks for Cycle A are now available in the Upper church Sacristry for those parishioners that are already Lectors of Our Lady's Parish. Please pick up you Workbook at your earliest convenience. Music Ministry at Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish Here are the musical groups that meet at Our Lady’s Parish. The choirs begin in September and usually continue providing music through the middle of June.
• Children’s Choir –
For children in grades 2 through 6, this choir rehearses in
the Loft of the main church every Thursday from 3:45 to • Youth Ensemble – Open to High School age members of the parish. This group welcomes both singers (cantors) and instrumentalists to provide music for the noon mass each week in the main church. Please call for more information. • Adult Choir – Open
to parishioners 18 and older. This choir meets in the loft
of the main church for rehearsal each Wednesday evening • Organists and Cantors –
Adults and older High school students who wish to use their musical skills
in worship are welcome to join this ministry. They lead the faithful
in song from the front of the church (cantors) or from the
console. Schedules are distributed every two For information on any of these
groups, please call the At the request of Fr. Damian McElroy, the Ministry of Sacristan was established in the Fall of 2006. Deacon Ed Heffernan is overseeing this ministry and it's continued growth. Our parish liturgies form the very heart of the whole parish life. Everything that we do as a parish leads to, and flows from, the liturgical celebrations in our Church. The liturgies proclaim what we are as a parish; and at the same time, provides the foundation and the impetus for us working together and growing as a community of worship, of witness, and of service. All celebrations of the Mass require considerable behind-the-scenes preparation because of its crucial role in the life of the parish. The Mass is to have spiritual dignity and meaning for all of us. In order to accomplish that, much care and thought are put into the entire preparation of each Mass. This is where the sacristans come in, because a large part of this preparation belongs to them. In a sense, the sacristan is responsible for everything that is used in the parish liturgy. Because the parish liturgy is our communal worship of God, and because this service of worship draws us closer together as a holy people, the environment and materials used in the liturgy must all be conducive toward worship and community. Sacristans are generally in charge of this environment and these materials and must make sure that their areas of responsibility in the liturgy are fulfilled. The first responsibility of the sacristan is to see that all duties are performed in accordance with the wishes of the pastor. The sacristan’s duties are defined through extensive training and continued guidance from the parish clergy. Sacristans are also responsible for the care and maintenance of the sacristy for liturgical ceremonies. The responsibility for opening and closing the Church, preparing the sanctuary for Mass, as well as maintaining an organized sacristy is theirs. They must be familiar with the various sacred vessels, vestments, altar linens, cloths, and various books used during the celebration of the Mass. Sacristans attend to all three locations where the Mass is celebrated at Our Lady’s parish, namely the Church, Crypt and the all-purpose room (gym). The preparation of the gifts of bread and wine, assisting the priest and deacon as they ready for Mass, and checking on the number of lectors, altar servers, and ministers of Communion are all the responsibility of the sacristan. They also stand on hand behind the scenes in the sacristy in case of an emergency during the service. Currently a sacristan leader for each weekend of the month has been appointed. This weekend leader and his or her team serve the same weekend each month. The individuals on each weekend team commit to serve at two weekend Masses per month. They can choose the 4:30 PM & 6:00 PM Saturday Masses, or the 7:30 AM and 9:00 AM Sunday Masses, or the 10:30 AM and 12:00 noon Masses on Sunday. In addition, a small group of sacristans currently handle all funeral Masses for the parish. The members of this group are installed as sacristans and as Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, due to the occasional need to assist with Communion during Mass. The installation by the pastor, Fr. Damian, usually takes place during a weekend Mass. Currently, due to our sacristan’s limited experience and numbers, they concentrate on the weekend Mass schedule and all funeral services. In the future, sacristans will be on hand at all Church celebrations including Weddings, Baptisms, Holy Day Masses, Stations of the Cross, Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, Benediction, First Communions, Confirmations and more. This new ministry of sacristan is looking for new
members. We hope to expand our group so that we can attain our goal
of having sacristans present at all liturgical celebrations here
at Our Lady of Good Counsel. If you or someone you know is interested,
or if you just have some additional questions, please call Deacon
Ed Heffernan at the Parish Office (856) 235-0181. |
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