Pastoral Care of the Sick & Homebound
COMMUNION VISITORS -
MORNING OF REFLECTION
Thank you to all our Eucharistic Ministers who attended the Morning of Reflection and made it quite the success! Fr. John McGrann started our morning celebrating the Mass, offering a very thoughtful and challenging homily and sending us forth with a special blessing. Fr. John continued during the morning to share his experience working with shut-ins and brought alive the gift each ministers is sharing, ourselves, the Word of God and the Eucharist to those we have in in our charge. Ministers shared their rewards, their challenges and hopes for the fullness of what this ministry can become.
Eucharistic Ministers present were: Fr. Tom Royce, Tina Auerbach, Christine Benenson, Roselyn Mulkey, Carol Cochran, Delores Hickey, Sarah Knight, Mary McDonagh, Sr. Marian Watkins, Keith Schoenheit, Mary Patton and Laura Patton. Parishioners who are interested in this Ministry were Kate Donaghue, John Dziennik and Jean Shepherd. Those ministers unable to attend were held in our prayers.
We are so grateful to Fr. McGrann for sharing so much of himself and his ministry with us and hope he will return again in the future.
We are still in great need of new members and welcome any inquiries. Blessings on all!
Some of our Homebound Ministers -- front row: Sr. Marian Watkins, Arlene Crouch, Sarah Knight
Back row: Mike Merriman (speaker at retreat), Mary Patton, Keith Schoenheit, Chris Benenson, Marilyn Veomett, Dolores Hickey, Mary McDonagh.
Homebound ministers visit homebound parish members weekly to bring the Eucharist and a friendly face and voice. We may also bring a bulletin and/or CD of the previous week’s Mass. We bring Christ to the homebound and we meet Christ in the faces and lives of those we visit. Currently we have 24 ministers serving about 80 parish members. Some are long-term parish members living in their own homes. Others have moved into in-care facilities within the parish so we have become their parish. We want our homebound elderly to know they are valued members of our parish community.
How You Can Help
Do you appreciate the wisdom, experience, and many other gifts of the elderly and infirm? Can you bring a smile and welcoming manner to a person who may be different from you? Do you appreciate the wisdom, experience, and many other gifts of the elderly and infirm? Do you believe in the sacredness of the lives of all, especially those often marginalized in our society? If your answer to these questions is yes, then you have the gifts to serve our homebound parish members. The time required is approximately 1 hour a week. We hope you will join us.
Process for Becoming a Server
We are looking for ministers who are friendly, flexible, patient, open, and non-judgmental. Ministers also appreciate the contributions of our homebound, and desire to show a welcoming hospitality to our homebound parish members. Training is provided twice a year. Homebound Ministers should be registered members of St Ignatius Parish. Potential ministers are screened by the archdiocese and must complete the Called to Protect Safety Program.
If You are Homebound and Want to be Served
Parish members who are homebound can request a weekly visit by contacting Diane Lax, the Homebound Ministry Coordinator.
Contact:
Communion Visitors Co-ordinator
Tracy Thorne
tracythorne00@gmail.com
or call the office at 503-777-1491
