Eucharistic Ministers from the parish serve in three capacities to bring Communion to Catholics in local nursing homes, homebound and Virtua Memorial Hospital in Mt. Holly. For information on serving as a Eucharistic Minister to homebound parishioners, see this page.
Volunteer Needed
The parish needs one volunteer to serve as an Extraordinary Minister of the Holy Communion to a nursing home on the fifth Sunday of the month–that is, on four Sundays a year. Each of those Sundays would require two hours of time following the 9 a.m. Sunday Mass. An experienced EM will provide one-on-one training. Please help us maintain the vital spiritual link of the Eucharist between the parish and the nursing home residents. To volunteer, please contact Toni Mulqueen at 609-877-3382 or by email at a.mulqueen@comcast.net.
Nursing Homes within Our Parish Boundaries
Over 300 Catholic Residents reside in five nursing homes within our Parish (CareOne at Westfield Rd., CareOne Harmony Village, Lutheran Care, Moorestown Estates and The Evergreens) and we minister to them as a vital part of our Parish community.
Over 100 Extraordinary Ministers (EMs) bring Communion weekly to these Residents with five teams for each nursing home. These teams serve once monthly following the 9:00 AM Sunday Mass; they usually finish by lunchtime.
EMs also distribute Ashes on Ash Wednesday, support the priests in periodic group Anointing Services as well as occasional Masses in the nursing homes. Where possible, the EMs also conduct a formal Prayer Service including the distribution of Communion.
The children of the parish make periodic visits to the nursing homes to brighten the life of the Residents. The Parish also remembers each Resident at Christmas with a small gift of the Holy Family.
Our Parish priests support the individual spiritual needs of the Catholic Residents. Whenever called on, they minister to the seriously ill and dying as a key part of their priestly ministries.
Ministry to Catholics in Virtua Memorial Hospital
EMs from Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish bring Holy Communion weekly to Catholic patients in Virtua Memorial Hospital in Mt. Holly. This ministry, called Special Pastoral Aide to Roman Catholics (SPARC) involves EMs from parishes throughout Burlington County and is supported by the Hospital Pastoral Care Department and Sacred Heart Church in Mt. Holly.
The EM makes a weekly, or bi-weekly commitment of two-to-four hours to bring the Eucharist to Catholics hospitalized due to sickness, surgery or life threatening illnesses. EMs also play a vital part in maintaining a link between the patients and the priests who support their spiritual needs. Memorial Hospital Pastoral Care Department provides a comprehensive two-day training course once a year in October.
What to Do if You Can Help with the Above Ministries
If you feel called to serve in one of the above unique and rewarding ministries, please contact Toni Mulqueen (phone- 609-877-3382; email- a.mulqueen@comcast.net) who can provide you with more information including training, support and a registration form. Your presence is the connection for the sick and infirmed to their church community and they are always so grateful when you bring Christ, in the Eucharist, to them. I promise you will not regret it!