The Pastoral Council is a group of appointed parishioners whose purpose is to serve as an advisory and consultative body to the pastor on all matters pertaining to the temporal and well-being of the Parish. They define the major policies necessary to achieve that welfare and to provide for their implementation.

 

The Parish Finance Committee is a consultative body of persons established to advise and aid the pastor in matters pertaining to the financial affairs of the parish. The Finance Committee is established pursuant to the Code of Canon Law, which mandates the Finance Committee's primary task as assisting the pastor in the administration of the temporalities of the parish. While the policy of the Diocese is that the Finance Committee is separate and distinct from the Pastoral Council, there is a countinuiing relationship between the committees to work for the good of the parish.

 

The Finance Committee serves many functions, including but not limited to: assuring the annual budget is properly prepared for review, ensuring the submission of the Annual Financial Report to the Diocese; preparing and publishing an annual Parish Financial Statement; developing a plan for the systematic payment of any parish debt; coordinating the fundraising efforts of the parish and implementing the diocesan policies relating to financial matters.

 

The Liturgy Committee is responsible for all aspects of our worship as a community. This includes, but is not limited to: liturgy planning for weekly and special liturgies, decorative embellishments of the Sanctuary, and any other changes or improvements to the liturgical meaning of the Mass.

 

The Music Minister works with the Liturgy Committee, cantors and choir to provide the best musical leadership and participation possible in the parish. The Music Ministry is an essential part of the parish worship. The choir rotates between the two Sunday services and sings at all major feasts and Holy Days. Membership is open to all including teens and children. Rehearsals are held between the two Sunday Masses.

 

Combined with St. Patrick Parish in McKeesport, interested youth in grades 5-8 for devotional, social and service events on a regular basis. The main objective of this ministry is to create a community feeling among these students while helping to build on their catechetical background. This group fundraises so as many members who can and wish to attend World Youth Day festivities can.

 

The Holy Name Society is devoted to ensuring the respect, honor and holiness demanded by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and God.

 

Men thirteen years of age and older are eligible for membership in the Holy Name Society. The Holy Name Society meets when announced by the President and attends Mass and receives Holy Communion as a group at the 8:30 AM Mass on the second Sunday of each Month.

 

The Holy Name Society leads both Holy Thursday and Christ the King adoration, and participates in such yearly social events as a Communion Breakfast, at which new members are installed, attendance at a Pittsburgh Pirates baseball game on Holy Name Night, and celebration of National Holy Name Sunday. New members are always welcome.

 

The Ladies of Charity take to heart the maxim "to serve rather than be served," by visiting and assisting the sick, the aged and the shut-in, both in the home and in area nursing homes. The Ladies of Chairty do collect dues, but a portion of these dues goes to the Ladies of Charity Office for the Pittsburgh Diocese, and are used for assistance to the sick and needy when requested. The remainder of the dues are used for projects to assist the sick and aged in the parish, including making and delivering fruit baskets at Christmas. New members are always welcome.

 

This ministry of young girls, 8th grade to college, commits their time, talent and energy to perform service for others.

 

The Festival Committee is responsible for the planning and implementation of this annual summer activity held the second full weekend in July. This committee meets year-round working with multiple vendors to accomplishment the goal of raising the most money possible while attempting to keep expenses to a minimum.  Parishioners are invited to the meetings to offer opinions on new games and activities and better means of increasing revenues. An annual Thank You Spaghetti Dinner is held after the festival to thank the volunteers for their time and talents. The preliminary financial results are usually presented at this dinner.

 

These caring parishoners provide spiritual support to those who are grieving and mourning the loss of a loved one. A family picture of the recently deceased buried from our church is displayed and prayed for the month after their death and used for the All Soul's Day mass.

 

The Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults is a program directed to adults desiring to become Catholic or adults who were baptized as Catholics but who never received the Sacrament(s) of Holy Eucharist and/or Confirmation.  The program is both educational and formative, consisting of classes and a program of spiritual growth. The candidates are received into the faith and the parish at the Easter Vigil Mass, and then continue their spiritual growth through an on-going process of learning, reflection and service.

 

Members of this ministry are involved in the education of the parish and the surrounding community in regard to all aspects of life, from the unborn to the grave. There are no special requirements for membership in this group, which counts as one of its most important activities, the presence of a number of its members each year at the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C. on January 22.

 

The Family Life Committee provides opportunities to serve and celebrate with parishiners and community members.

 

This ministry assists those who need to find resources and agencies available to aid the elderly and homebound. This group helps to organize programs for the community on topics related to aging, care giving and dealing with various health problems.

 

This group is comprised of many compassionate people who are willing to reach out and help the lonely, desitute, and alienated people. They endeavor to carry out the Gospel by assisting the unfortunate materially and spiritually.

 

Volunteers assist the elderly and those in need with telephone reassurance, companion visits, grocery shopping, rides to Mass and other needs as they are able.

 

Extraordinary ministers assist the priest with the distributionof the Lord's Body and Blood at Weekend and Weekday Masses.

 

Extraordinary Ministers to the Sick rotate taking Communion to the sick parishoners at home who may otherwise not be able to receive the Holy Eucharist.

 

A warm and friendly welcome to our church tells everyone who enters they are an important part of the parish.

 

The Lectors proclaim God's Word to the congregation in such a way as to impart meanign and understanding.

 

The Ushers are part of the ministry of service in our worship of God. They set the tone by the way they greet people, assist in seating and take up the collections and assist in Communions.

 

Altar Servers assist the priest at all of the Masses, funeral and wedding liturgies. Boys and girls in fifth grade or above participate in this very important ministry.