Adult Servers
On certain occasions during the week, adults are called upon to serve for funeral Masses or other Masses that require servers since the younger members of our Church are at school.  These men and women give their time to serve at the Altar, providing the priest with the help needed to celebrate Mass smoothly and effectively.  If you are interested in giving your time to serve the Church in this fashion, please call the Rectory at 497-6673.

Altar Servers
For years, the Church community has provided children with an opportunity to participate in the celebration of Mass by serving at the altar.  Here at St. Mary’s, we are proud to have sixteen servers regularly scheduled for weekend Masses.  While serving, these young people learn the sacredness of the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist.  They also learn from devoted Catholics, such as priests, religious or dedicated laity.  Altar serving is integral to the Christian formation of all young people seeking a rich relationship with God.  For more information, or to sign up your son or daughter as an altar server, please call the Rectory at 497-6673

Children's Liturgy of the Word
During the Liturgy of the Word, we listen to God speak to us through the proclamation of Scripture readings and the homily of the priest.  These proclamations are difficult for children to understand.  So, before the readings are begun, all the children gather together in the altar server sacristy with an adult leader to listen to God’s word.  An interactive explanation of the readings is given that is geared to their learning level.  They then return to the congregation for the Liturgy of the Eucharist.  The group is led by one of many volunteers who rotate each week to lighten the responsibility.   At St. George and St. Patrick, the Children’s Liturgy of the Word is celebrated from October through May during the 9:00 and 11:00 a.m. Masses. All children are encouraged to attend.  This is a great opportunity for children to better understand the Gospel message for each Sunday.
If you are interested in leading Children’s Liturgy of the Word, please call the rectory for more information.

Lector
2000 years ago, God became man and dwelt among us.  After his death and resurrection, God inspired human authors to record the events of Jesus’ life.  Also, letters (or Epistles) were written from certain Church authorities to various Church communities.  All of these writings are contained in the New Testament.  God also inspired men of the ancient world to write histories, prophetic books, or Psalms.  Yet they remain in written form.  At each celebration of the Eucharist, we break open the Word of God to listen to His words for us.  The Lector has the important job of giving voice to that written word so that it will reach the hearts of all present.  The Lector not only recites the text, but proclaims it for what it is - the Word of God speaking in our midst!
Currently there are seventeen lectors scheduled for weekend Masses at St. George and St. Patrick.  In order to become a lector, one must attend short informal training sessions and be approved by the Pastor.  If you would like to proclaim God’s Word as a lector, please call the rectory at 497-6673.

Sacristan
For each Mass that is celebrated, there is much behind the scenes preparation.  Bread and wine to be consecrated must be measured out, books need to be set out, and patens and chalices must be put out.  In addition, the sacristans clean the purified vessels and put them away, along with the other articles used during Mass.
If you would like to help prepare for Mass by being a sacristan, please call the rectory at 497-6673.

Usher/Greeter
A welcoming atmosphere is necessary in any Christian community, and so it is important that there be men and women at the entrances of the Church to greet and talk to people as they arrive to and leave from Mass.  All must feel welcome to the worshiping community in order for there to be a full and rich experience of celebrating Mass.  Greeters are stationed at each of the entrances of the Church to meet the parishioners and give them a bulletin and anything else necessary for the celebration of that particular Mass.  Also, greeters are assigned to work at all special functions.  In addition to greeting, the ushers take up the collection.  At St. George and St. Patrick, we have twelve Ushers.  This ministry can be summed up as a ministry of service that enhances the communal nature of our Sunday celebration of the Eucharist.
If you are interested in joining the Ushers and Greeters, please call the rectory at 497-6673.

Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion
The Second Vatican Council proclaimed in Sacrosactum Concilium that the Eucharist is the source and summit of our Catholic faith and life. Indeed, the Eucharist is the most profound mystery of our faith, and so should not be denied to anyone able to receive. Since priests, the ordinary ministers of the Eucharist, are unable to distribute communion alone in a timely fashion, and since they are engaged in numerous other ministries and activities outside of Mass, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion are commissioned by the Church to aid in the distribution of Communion during Mass and to take Communion to the hospital and those individuals who are homebound. St. George and St. Patrick extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion serve the community in just this way. There are currently twenty-nine for Mass and several that bring Communion to the homebound. Each minister is assigned to certain Masses, or to certain homebound people. To be an Extraordinary Minister one must be trained, in good standing with the church and be approved by the pastor.