• Clergy

• Altar Servers

• Lectors

• EMs

• Holy Week Altar Servers

• Holy Week Lectors

• Holy Week EMs

• Larkin Chase

• Pin Oak

• Willows

• Woodward Estates

Liturgy Committee (Adult)

Duties: Join others in visioning and implementing our desired outcomes regarding liturgy; as the parish clergy, music director, a parish council member, some other staff, and leaders of the below ministries gather to prepare for the liturgical seasons. One commission member serves as recording secretary—printing the minutes for all members afterwards for review. 

Time: Six to eight meetings a year; usually on Mondays at 7:00 p.m. for 90 minutes. (The sessions preparing for the Christmas time liturgies and Holy Week liturgies are longer.) 
Coordinator: For more information please call the rectory at 301-249-9199.

Altar Servers (Child or Teen, plus Adults for Sat. Vigil or Funerals)

Duties: Assist the Clergy before/after Mass with the candles, and during Mass by processing and recessing the liturgy and assisting the presentation of the gifts. Servers present the Missal for the presider’s prayers and place the Missal in appropriate places during Mass.  Servers assist the setting-up of the altar (at the Offertory/Collection time) and in later of its clearing of vessels, books and cloths (after Holy Communion). Servers ring the bells at The Consecration. They assist the priest/deacon with special duties in certain liturgies, and have some extra duties. Their first duty is to pray Mass with the Presider and to pray the congregant’s part.   They also stand in support of the Word and Sacrament, in tandem with the clergy. 

Time: Serve at Masses in a rotating schedule (not serving every week, unless you want to). Arrive 20 minutes early, stay a few minutes extra.). Initial training and on-going formation sessions are offered.

Special Skills: An ability to be graceful, attentive and reverent at Mass; dependability
Coordinator: For more information please call the rectory at 301-249-9199. We’ll give you the coordinator’s contact info (Mr. Dave Snellings)

Church Liturgies EMHC’s

Duties: Assist with distribution of the Eucharist, cleaning vessels after Mass

Time: Serving at Masses on a rotating schedule. Come early 20 minutes and report in for gathered prayer in east lobby by sacristy. Stay on 10 minutes after Mass for cleaning and set-up of next Mass. Initial training and on-going formation sessions

Special Skills: Love and reverence for the Eucharist; ease in public settings; Catholic in good standing who has received the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist), and Matrimony (if married) and are at least a junior or senior in high school or older.

Coordinator: For info, call the rectory for contact to the coordinator (Mr. Jim Cooney).

Home-bound EHMC’s

Duties: Frequently—the homebound lay ministers are already serving the church at Mass, and this is an added ministry for them.   Yet it is not required of Church EHMC’s. The homebound ministers assist with distribution of the Eucharist to persons in need of it and who request the visit. The clergy do visit the homebound on a rotating basis, so you are helping them. Receive the Eucharist in a pyx container at close of weekend Masses to go to those homebound persons, and drive out to see them. Or, receive the Eucharist during the week (arranged) for a visit to the homebound, providing Communion to them. 

Time: Serving on Sundays/Sat. Vigil or Thursdays. You may also assist in our monthly Masses in various homes in the area (Larking/Chase Nursing, Woodward Estates, Pin Oak). Initial training and on-going formation sessions

Special Skills: Love and reverence for the Eucharist; ease in public settings; Catholic in good standing who has received the sacraments of initiation (Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist) and Sacrament of Holy Matrimony, and are an adult.

Coordinator: For more information please call the rectory at 301-249-9199 and we will help you contact to the coordinator.

Lectors (Teen or Adult)

Duties: Proclaim the Scripture readings at Mass with reverence and understanding

Time: A Mass in some rotating schedule with other lectors. You need some preparation time spent in study and reflection of the Word to proclaim. We provide you a guidebook.

Special Skills: A love for God’s Word and desire to study it more deeply; a clear speaking voice; an ease speaking in front of people. You need to be in the Confirmation class or older, and in good standing with the Church. 

Coordinator: Call Office 301-249-9199 for contact to coordinator ( Maria Startzel).

Children's Liturgy of the Word

Duties: Help children understand the Sunday readings and gospel; work with a team to prepare a homily and activity using the Children's lectionary for children in the first and second grades

Time: Rotating schedule with others to cover the sessions that happen from September through May. Two and a half (2 1/2) hours a month; one hour to prepare, one hour and a half time at Mass and beforehand. Come early to the 9:30 a.m. Mass.   Check set up of room, and meet children who want to process up with you, and gather all the children who are dismissed after the Opening Prayer, and who return to Mass at the Collection time. This liturgy counts as your Sunday obligation, even though you are not present for the Liturgy of the Word in church—since you are presenting it in a simultaneous session. 

Special Skills: Adults who enjoy working with children.

Coordinator: Maureen Curtis, 301-249-9199.

Sacristy helpers

Duties: Prepare for the weekend liturgies by prepping the church, including cleaning of  vessels and sanctuary space and church on Friday morning (after the Mass). Give a hand to the Pastoral Assistant in the up-keep of the church and the background places.   

Time:Fridays (stay 30 minutes after Mass); plus initial training session.

Special Skills: A caring eye for detail; a desire to help “behind the scenes”

Coordinator: Angie Cipolla, 301-249-9199

Ushers 

Duties: Seat parishioners; help families carry gifts at offertory procession; pass baskets at collection time; secure collection, ensure orderly flow at communion time, oversee the church.

Time: Usually serve at the same weekend Mass regularly. Arrive 20 minutes early, stay afterwards to straighten things up, guide parishioners out after handing out bulletins. Initial training and an annual formation session. Some reps from Usher ministry need to go to the pre-Christmas and pre-Holy Week liturgy meeting. 

Special Skills: A love of order; an ability to graciously welcome people, an eye for anything out of place.

Coordinator: For more information please call the rectory at 301-249-9199

With-the-Liturgy Prayer Groups

Before or after some liturgies, a prayer group of the Mass-goers will join in a Rosary or the Divine Mercy Chaplet. These happen often of Wednesday mornings and Thursday nights (after Mass), and on some Saturdays in the Reconciliation Hour. It is announced in the bulletin, but by staying after Wed or Thurs daily Mass, you can just join in. There is not any “official members.” A few times a year there is Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, too. Notice of it will be in the bulletin.