PERMANENT DEACON • LAY LEADERS • LITURGICAL MINISTERS
CHURCH LINENS • MUSIC MINISTRY • USHERS & GREETERS
BAPTISM MINISTRY • WEDDING COORDINATOR
CHURCH CLEANERS • FUNERAL LUNCHEONS • COLLECTION COUNTERS

PERMANENT DEACON
On Saturday, September 13, 2008, parishioner Gary Keefer, St. Joseph's first deacon, was ordained into the order of permanent deacon. Deacons perform a ministry of service and are involved in all kinds of hands-on works of charity and care. Liturgically deacons preach, teach, baptize, witness weddings, and conduct funerals and wake services. Click here to learn more about Deacon Keefer.

"The two words thank you don't seem adequate to express
my deep appreciation to the staff and all the parishioners of
St. Joseph Parish. Your outpouring of support, your love,
and generosity stirred in me a deep sense of humility.
Thank you, as a parish, for the gift o the beautiful alb. I will wear it with honor and remember you every time I do. I ask that you keep me in your prayers that I may be the servant you wish me to be and, as always, you are in my prayers daily. Again, A Great Big Thank You." - Deacon Gary Keefer

Frequently Asked Questions About Permanent Diaconate

Who is a Deacon?
A deacon is an ordained minister of the Catholic Church. There are three "orders" of ordained ministers in the Church: bishops, presbyters, and deacons. Deacons are ordained as a sacramental sign to the Church and to the world of Christ, who came "to serve and not to be served." The entire Church is called by Christ to serve, and the deacon, in virtue of his sacramental ordination and through his various ministries, is to be a servant in a servant-Church.

What are the various ministries of the Deacon?
As ministers of Word, deacons proclaim the Gospel, preach, and teach in the name of the Church. As ministers of Sacrament, deacons baptize, lead the faithful in prayer, witness marriages, and conduct wake and funeral services. As ministers of Charity, deacons are leaders in identifying the needs of others, then marshaling the Church's resources to meet those needs. Deacons are also dedicated to eliminating the injustices or inequities that cause such needs. But no matter what specific functions a deacon performs, they flow from his sacramental identity. In other words, it is not only WHAT a deacon does, but WHO a deacon is, that is important.

Why do some deacons become priests?
For many years ordained ministers "ascended" from one office to another, culminating in ordination to the presbyterate, or priesthood. The Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), however, authorized the restoration of the diaconate as a PERMANENT order of ministry. So, while students for the priesthood are still ordained deacons (transitional) prior to their ordination as priests, there are more than 13,000 deacons in the United States alone who minister in this Order permanently. There is no difference in the sacramental sign or the functions between these so-called "transitional" and "permanent deacons."

May married men be ordained deacons?
Yes. The Second Vatican Council decreed that the diaconate, when it was restored as a permanent order in the hierarchy, could be opened to "mature married men," later clarified to mean men over the age of 35. This is in keeping with the ancient tradition of the Church, in which married men were ordained into ministry. Also in keeping with ancient practice is the expectation that while a married man may be ordained, an ordained man, if his wife should die, may not marry again without special permission.

Is a Deacon ordained for the Parish or the Diocese?
Whenever a person is ordained, he is to serve the diocesan Church. Deacons are no different in this regard: they are assigned by the bishop to ministries for which the bishop perceives a great need, and for which the deacon may have special gifts or talents. Most often, this will be within a parish setting, just as most priests minister under the immediate supervision of the pastor. However, this assignment may be changed at the request of the deacon or the initiative of the bishop.

LAY LEADERS OF PRAYER
Leaders of Prayer are lay persons commissioned to lead the faithful in the following acts of worship, which in the past were most often led by ordained clergy. Services that they may provide include:

1. Liturgy of the Hours (Morning and Evening Prayer)
2. Liturgy of the Word
3. Rites from the Order of Christian Funerals, such as the Wake Service and Rite of Committal
4. Public devotions, such as the Rosary, Stations of the Cross, and novenas
5. Sunday celebrations and Holy Days of Obligation when, in an emergency, a priest cannot be present
6. Minor rites within the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults

Leaders of Prayer are to be selected by their pastors, in consultation with parish staff and/or appropriate members of pastoral council, and should be persons who exhibit the following traits:

1. A living appreciation for Scripture and a deep reverence for the Eucharist.
2. An active prayer life and an exemplary moral life.
3. A spirit of cooperative involvement and leadership with the laity and clergy of the parish community.
4. Both a strong desire and an ability to foster liturgical participation.
5. Skills in public speaking.
6. A commitment to ministry and the time to minister.

Formation for Leaders of Prayer is provided by the Diocese, and persons who have successfully completed formation are commissioned by the Bishop for service in their parishes. The commission last for three years and is renewable. St. Joseph's is fortunate to have Al Roberts, Joanne Sawyer and Arlene Hilfer who are currently commissioned to serve as Leaders of Prayer.

LITURGICAL MINISTERS
The Mass servers, lectors, children's homilists, and Eucharistic Ministers lend their talents to help provide a meaningful worship experience, and are trained and coordinated by the Worship Committee, our Director of Religious Education, and the pastor. Look for training and volunteering opportunities by clicking on the button above.

Scheduling for Servers, Lectors and Eucharistic Ministers is handled by the DeLair Family. Any major changes are to be called into them prior to the new schedules' release (generally 3-4 months at a time). Liturgical Ministers will be notified when to pick up their new schedules in the narthex. It is each person's responsibility to find a replacement for those occasional times when you are unable to serve in your ministry. Your involvement and participation is appreciated.

Lectors and Eucharistic Ministers
The proclaiming of the Word of God and the distribution of Eucharist
are important ways parishioners may minister. Discerned by the pastor, parishioners are asked to serve and informational training sessions are held annually or as needed.

Serving As a Lector
When you answer your Baptismal call to be a minister of the word or Lector (one who proclaims the Bible readings to the assembled faith community), you enter a deeper relationship with the word of God as revealed in sacred scripture. You take upon yourself the duty and privilege of bringing the printed word to life - making it flesh, so to speak. This ministry, as a reader gives voice to God's healing and strengthening word as it goes forth, achieving the purpose for which God sent it. In every sense, you become a prophet - one who speaks for God. If you share the passion to want to know more about God's word and want to share your time and talent of "speaking" God's word, please consider becoming a Lector!

What are the rewards of becoming a Lector?
As a Lector/Commentator you will…

• engage in active participation of your faith,
• strengthen and reinforce your faith by learning more about the Word of God,
• experience fellowship among your brothers and sisters of our Ministry and the greater faith community,
• establish a closer relationship and understanding of God, yourself, and the community,
• and obtain personal growth within our faith.

Those having received the sacrament of Confirmation are eligible to serve. You are also required to be a registered parishioner and a Roman Catholic in good standing with the Church (practices their faith regularly, by attending Sunday Mass, Holy Days of Obligations, church and community service, participant of a church ministry). Our ministry offers a workbook of readings for the current liturgical year, training, advance schedules, and commissioning of lectors.

Serving As A Eucharistic Minister
(Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist)
Your willingness to serve as an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist, reflects not only response to your Baptismal call to serve the people of God, but a commitment to Christ as you share in the preaching, teaching, and leading aspects of the church. A suitable candidate should have a devotion to the Eucharist and possess the time, health, and willingness to serve in this capacity. The individual must be a practicing Catholic, having been Baptized and Confirmed in the Catholic Church, and have an on going relationship with the parish as a registered, active participant. Because the Eucharistic Minister is a minister of service, it is important that the candidate possess a serious and mature faith commitment. The person knows what it means to say, "the Body of Christ, the Blood of Christ". Your willingness to commit to a monthly schedule, to prepare properly for your service, and to arrive on time dressed appropriately for your assigned Mass, further reflects that commitment.

"The Eucharist constitutes the very life of the Church,
for the Lord said, I am the bread of life.
No one who comes to me shall ever be hungry,
no one who believes in me shall ever thirst."

Altar Servers
Serving the priest during Mass is a very special privilege. Servers help everyone at Mass to pray better by the way they perform their duties and are setting an example for others to follow. Boys and girls 4th grade or older may become altar servers. Training, typically coordinated by the Worship Committee, is usually held once a year (please contact the Parish Office or refer to the bulletin for scheduled training opportunities). Click on the training opportunities button for more information.

Eucharistic Bread Bakers
Providing home baked bread for communion at the weekend Masses by following a specific recipe that conforms to the liturgical guidelines, volunteers are scheduled on alternating basis for two or three weekends a year. Training for bakers of our Eucharistic Bread take place on an annual basis by our chairperson, Terry Murphy. Schedules are coordinated through the Parish Office. Click on the training opportunities button for more information.

Mass Setup
There are dozens of small details that go into the preparation of each weekend Mass including arranging the altar linens, selecting the Eucharistic service pieces, checking the bread and wine, and other numerous duties. This requires knowledge of the liturgical calendar and close coordination with the Worship Committee. Click on the training opportunities button for more information.

MUSIC MINISTRY
Music is considered an integral part of worship at St. Joseph Parish. Cantors, choir, and instrumentalists are all an important and enhancing part of the sacred liturgy. The choir is not just for special occasions.  If you have a love and a talent for music, please consider joining this friendly group and participate in one or more aspects of Music Ministry. Click here for more information. 

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CHURCH LINENS
It is easy to overlook many of the basic, unheralded activities that are needed to keep a parish running smoothly. The church linens including altar and communion cloths, need regular and expert laundering.

USHERS & HOSPITALITY MINISTERS
This is an important and visible part of St. Joseph Parish.
In addition to greeting people as they come into church, ushers assist in the offertory collection and procession, distribute parish bulletins after Mass, and assist in other special duties as needed. If you would like to be an usher/hospitality minister, please contact Parish Office.

BAPTISM MINISTRY
As the first Initiation Sacrament we receive, Baptism is a key event in the lives of those receiving it, their families, and the community of St. Joseph's. Many people in the parish give of their time to make Baptism a memorable experience.
Baptismal Font Maintenance - The baptismal font itself often needs routine maintenance, as well as regular cleaning. This is handled by Kevin Kotkowski.
Baptismal Gowns - For infants particularly, the tradition of a white baptismal garment adds to the beauty and solemnity of the occasion as a sign of the new life of Christ. The tradition of hand crafting baptismal garments for babies and small children and RCIA continues (the late Leona Redhead lovingly provided for many years, then Carol Cox, Kathy Singer and now Annette Carlisle).
For further information on Baptizing your child, click here or contact the Parish Office.

WEDDING COORDINATOR
There is expert, one-to-one assistance available to engaged couples as they contemplate their church wedding. The coordinator, Chuck Casalicchio, helps them at the rehearsal, ceremony, and with other details as needed (in addition to meetings with the pastor). If you are planning a wedding, click here or contact the Parish Office.

CHURCH CLEANERS
Our crew of adults, teens and families help keep our worship space clean and welcoming throughout the year. Two people are scheduled about once every six weeks to vacuum and straighten the church and narthex. Before Christmas and Easter, a major cleaning of the church takes place on a designated Saturday morning to help make the church shine for the holidays. New recruits are always welcome. Please contact Parish Office for further details.

FUNERAL LUNCHEONS
The Parish Community of St. Joseph would like to be of service for families in their time of mourning. On behalf of the parish, the ladies of the Funeral Luncheon Committee, coordinated by Jan Huter, provide luncheons in the parish's Hughes Hall for a nominal fee. Their delicious menu is: ham, sloppy joes, kielbasa and sauerkraut, scalloped potatoes, green beans, salad tray, buns, bread and homemade desserts. This faithful crew would gladly welcome anyone wishing to join them for this important ministry.

COLLECTION COUNTERS
This group assists the parish by counting collections taken at Masses. Please contact the pastor at the Parish Office (330.274.2253) with questions.

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