The Prayer and Worship
Committee is in touch with the spiritual needs of the parish and finds ways to
nurture the spiritual growth of the parish; oversees the planning of seasonal
and special liturgies; supports the various liturgical ministries. It sees
to the planning of the Parish Mission, Reconciliation Services, Vesper Services,
the Monthly Holy Hour, the liturgies of Baptism First Communion, Confirmation,
Anointing of the Sick, the Annual Mass of Remembrance, Feast of the Sacred Heart
and
Thanksgiving Day Liturgy. The Committee also evaluates the various aspects of
our parish liturgical life and is attentive to the concerns of parishioners.
(Contact: Br. Paul Gauvin)
Subcommittees:
Altar Servers: Children 10 years and older serve at weekend Masses and special services throughout the year.
Training is provided.
(Contact Paul Lichtenberger)
Music Ministry: Works with the choir director to
provide music leadership such as cantors, guitarists, choir members, small
groups of singers, etc. for weekend Masses and for special services throughout
the year.
(Contact: Janet Lamenzo)
Communion Ministers: Assist the priest and
deacon with the distribution of Holy Communion (about twice a month) at Sunday and special Masses. Some also bring Holy Communion to the sick and
homebound each week. Training is provided. (Contact:
Br. Paul Gauvin)
Lectors: Proclaim the Scriptures at Sunday Mass and
special liturgies about once a month. Training and special preparatory
materials are provided.
(Contact: Br. Paul Gauvin)
Ministers of Liturgical Hospitality: On a
rotating basis serve as greeters to welcome people to Mass, as usher when
needed, collectors, selectors of gift bearers and distributors of bulletins.
(Contact: Br. Paul Gauvin)
Retreat Ministry:
In conjunction with
Holy Family
Retreat House, retreat weekends are provided for men (first week in
November) and for women (first week in January). (Contact:
Phil Carlson and Mary Ann Kalinowski)
Ministers of Liturgical
Environment: A) Assist the Liturgy Director in making the decor within the
Church appropriate for each liturgical season and feast;
B) Teams of 2 or 3 people
see to the dusting & polishing of the furniture, statutes, etc. once a month;
C) Teams of 2 people see that potted plants are watered and that floral
arrangements are prepared for Sundays in Ordinary Time.
(Contact: Br. Paul Gauvin)
Lazarus Committee: Members serve as greeters for wakes
held in the Church and provide light refreshments in Fr. Picher Hall. They
assist at the funeral Mass as servers, lectors, pall carriers, etc. according to
need. They also serve the food provided by the family if a post-funeral
luncheon is given in the parish hall.
(Contact: Dick and Claire Dorr)
Children's Liturgy of the
Word: During the 10:15 Mass, children ages 6-12 separately hear the Sunday
readings in a format they can more easily understand. An adult leader discusses
the lessons to be gleaned from the Scripture readings. The children re-join
their parents after the prayer of the faithful.
(Contact: Br. Paul Gauvin)
Prayer Shawl Ministry: Our shawls provide comfort to
friends and relatives who are sick, homebound, recuperating from surgery or have
lost a loved one as well as hospice patients and families of Fallen Soldiers.
Members gather at the church the second and fourth Mondays of the month from
9:30 to 11:00am.
(Contact: Jean Perreault and Mary Ann Butch)
Liturgical Threads
Ministry: Members prepare simple baptismal garments for infants as well as
older children and adults; help to make banners and alter linens; mend vestments
or alter cloths; in general help with any sewing that is needed.
(Contact: Br. Paul Gauvin)
For more information about these committees and ministries or any of its
subcommittees, please contact the office at 860-242-4142 or email
sacred.heart.church@snet.net.
Meets quarterly to set goals, policy and programs in religious
education, faith enrichment for parish youth and
adults. (Contact: Pat Curran)
Subcommittees:
Sacramental Preparation: Oversees the programs for
preparing parents for the Baptism of an infant or young child; oversees the
preparation of older children for Baptism through the Rite of Christian
Initiation of Children (RCIC); oversees, through the Rite of Christian
Initiation of Adults (RCIA), the preparation of adults for reception into the
Catholic Church. (Contact: Deacon Anthony Nwankwo)
Visit the:
Sacramental
Preparation Web Page
Adult Enrichment: Provides enrichment
experiences by way of guest speakers, videos. etc. in response to expressed
needs/desires from parishioners.
(Contact: Pat Curran)
Small Christian Communities: Adult individuals and
couples meet in small groups to reflect on the content and personal meaning of
the Sunday Scripture readings. Meeting can be held at the parish or in private
homes. Lay people volunteer to lead different sessions. No scriptural expertise
is required. Schedule of meetings is agreed upon by participants.
(Contact: Jack and Betsy Morrison)
Confirmation/Youth Ministry: Provides activities, outreach
projects, social events, and faith development opportunities for teens both pre-and-post-confirmation. (Contact:
Deacon Rich Santos)
Click: HERE for
Youth Ministry Page
Standard Religious
Education (CCD) Classes: Provide 25 weekly instruction sessions in a
classroom setting with a competent catechist. These groups meet for an
hour on Sunday mornings beginning at 9:00 am.
(Contact: Doris Battle and Joan Carrassquillo)
Click:
HERE
for the Religious Education Page and schedule.
Sacred Heart Lending Library: Books, articles, videos,
DVDs and recordings. Classic and contemporary works on Jesus, Mary, the Saints,
the Church, Church history, spirituality, philosophy, theology and other areas
of interest to all ages. Open M, T, Th, Fr. 9-12; 2-4
(Contact: Parish office 860-242-4142)
For more information about these committees and ministries or any of its
subcommittees, please contact the office at 860-242-4142 or email
sacred.heart.church@snet.net.
Meets periodically to organize opportunities for parishioners to serve
those in need and to advocate for social justice.
(Contact: Mary Murray)
Subcommittees:
Adopt-a-Social Worker: Parishioners provide
help to foster children and their parents by fulfilling the requests of the
social worker assigned to our parish by the Village for Families and Children. (Contact:
Emelda Alexander)
Disabilities: Assist disabled parishioners to
fully participate in all services and activities of Sacred Heart Church.
Volunteers are needed for an advocacy program to identify specific needs of our
disabled parishioners and provide the necessary services such as rides to church
and recording of the Gathering.
(Contact: Tom Grossi)
Feeding the Homeless: From October through
April this group provides a monthly meal to a shelter in
Hartford by:
A) Preparing food which they deliver during the day; and/or
B) Serving the food at the shelter.
(Contact: Josephine Byrne)
Social Activities: Seeks to bring people together in a
social setting such as a Whist, Classic Car Cruise, wine tasting, etc.
(Contact: Parish Office 860-242-4142)
Pro-life Group: Members pray for unborn children and their mothers
through area-wide activities. Present opportunities to learn and discuss many
life issues such as abortion, stem cells and euthanasia.
(Contact: Tom Daly)
Click:
HERE
for the Life Group page.
Meals-R-Us: AKA: Sacred Heart Culinary
Committee. Prepares and serves breakfasts, suppers and receptions for special
parish celebrations. Members volunteer, based on their availability, to help
set-up, prepare the meal serve the meal or clean-up after the meal.
(Contact: Jessie Bourbeau)
For more information about these committees and ministries or any of its
subcommittees, please contact the office at 860-242-4142 or email
sacred.heart.church@snet.net.
Subcommittees:
A Gathering: A
seasonally published newsletter. Volunteers can help, under the
direction of the editor, providing articles, taking pictures, conducting interviews,
etc. (Contact: Fred Hesketh)
Click: HERE
for our latest edition.
Parish Website:
Keeping the site attractive, current and accurate.
(Contact: David Royce)
Click:
HERE to contact our Webmaster.
Publicity:
Publicizing parish activities and events by means of Bloomfield Public Access TV, WJMJ
Radio, newspapers, notices to other parishes, posters, mailings, etc.
(Contact: Parish office 860-242-4142)
Archives:
Collecting and organizing articles, reports, photos of parish events.
(Contact: Fred Hesketh)
Photographers:
Chronicle parish events by taking pictures for the archives and the parish web
site. (Contact: David Royce)
Hospitality: Provides refreshments for special
events and organizes Sunday coffee hour. (Contact: Mary
Ann Vasquez)
For more information about these committees and ministries or
any of its subcommittees, please contact the office at 860-242-4142 or email
sacred.heart.church@snet.net.
Seeks to invigorate parish life by the encouragement of
parishioner's giving of their, talent and treasure. it also seeks to reach out
to inactive Catholics to welcome them back to the church.
(contact: Anne Carpenter)
Click: HERE for the
Stewardship pages
Click: HERE
for printable Stewardship signup forms
Click:
HERE for Stewardship Fair
Photos
Grounds Keeping: Our church grounds should present a
welcoming appearance to worshippers. The maintenance of our gardens depends
solely on the work of volunteers who during the summer months periodically mulch
and weed the flower beds and trim shrubs. New volunteers are always needed to
assist in this effort. (Contact: Br. Paul Gauvin)
For more information about these committees and ministries or any of its
subcommittees, please contact the office at 860-242-4142 or email
sacred.heart.church@snet.net.
