Parish Groups

Our Ministries of Liturgy and Worship support and enhance our Eucharistic celebrations.
The Eucharist has always been at the core of our Catholic faith. Since the time of the Last Supper, all through the centuries, the Church always is centered in on the Eucharist. People come to Mass not only to pray by themselves but to pray in unity with Jesus present on the altar during the Mass. That in, with and through Jesus we come to give our praise, our adoration, our commitment, our sorrow to the Father. We come to Mass one hour a week, but we leave this building and go outside the walls into our community to live our faith each and every day. It is the most perfect prayer we can say.

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMHC) serve the Faith Community by assisting the Priests in distribution of the Blessed Sacrament at Mass and by bringing Communion to the sick in the hospital and in their homes. EMHCs meet as a group several times a year to get to know each other, for spiritual enrichment, and to take care of procedures and questions about their ministry. Mandate Renewal is required on the order of every five years. Ministers of Care bring Holy Eucharist to the home-bound on a weekly basis.

Among other duties, Ministers of Hospitality (Ushers) welcome everyone to our celebrations. Ushers meet as a group several times a year to get to know each other, for spiritual enrichment, and to take care of procedures and questions about their ministry.

The beauty and dignity of our sacred music has a profound impact on the celebration of our liturgies. Our talented and dedicated ministers of music offer their voices and instruments in joyous prayer and worship.

The Children’s Choir is made up of about ten girls ages 4 to 11. They meet every Saturday from 2:00 to 3:00 pm in the church for practice. Among their performances, they sing and recite poems during the Annual International Christmas Celebration. They sing songs to help them to express their love for God.

Our Youth Music Ministry (ages 16 through 22) sings on the second Sunday of every month during the evening Mass at 6:00pm, all year long. They also prepare readings and serve as lectors and commentators. They rehearse and meet during Youth Group meetings on Sundays with all participating youth at 11:30 am.

The Diakonia Music Ministry rehearses every Wednesday at 8:30pm. This group includes about 10 young adults who play the organ, violin, guitars and flute. They participate during the Sunday Liturgy twice a month. They also lead some prayers during the First Saturday liturgy and prayer. Additionally, they perform during Christmas and Holy Week, and other important celebrations. They sing a broad range of musical styles from chant to classical, to traditional to contemporary.

The Adult Polish St. Cecilia Choir sings at the 10:30am Mass every Sunday, at special liturgical feasts and events, including Lent and Christmas Midnight Mass, Holy Week, prayer services, and it serves as the core choir for special concerts in Polish. They rehearse every Friday evening in the choir room beginning at 8:30pm. The choir is open to high school aged students and adults.

The Filipino Choir provides music during the mass during Simbang Gabi in Tagalog and English. They also sing during our Christmas celebrations and other holidays, including Lent; members participate also as lectors and commentators during the liturgical year. They also sing contemporary-style music, combining their voices in musical praise and worship. Choir Members serve as the core ensemble for special liturgies, solemnities and sacred concerts.

The English Adult Choir sings during the 12:15pm Sunday Mass. They rehearse every Monday at 8:30pm, also preparing for special liturgical feasts and events including Lent and Christmas Midnight Mass, Holy Week, and prayer services.

Our cantors and instrumentalists enrich our liturgies with the necessary skills to proclaim, lead and enhance the music for our worshiping parish community. If you are a trained vocalist or gifted instrumentalist, please call the Music Office for an audition.
For more information on our music ministry, please contact the rectory at 773-545-8840 ext. 105.

Altar Servers receive proper formation before they begin their ministry. Their formation includes instructions on the Mass and its parts and their meaning, the various objects used in the liturgy (their names and use), and the various functions of the altar server during the Mass and other liturgical celebrations. Servers also receive appropriate guidance on maintaining proper decorum and attire while serving Mass. The group meets every Tuesday at 5:30pm.

• Deepening the faith and commitment of those already baptized, and calling them into a more profound relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
• Calling home Catholics who have left the Church or are not practicing their faith.
• Calling us to engage and re-evangelize the modern culture, bringing to it the Gospel values.
• Focusing on using modern means of technology and communication in the work of proclaiming the Gospel.
• The New Evangelization means learning about our faith; deepening our spiritual lives; inviting others to the same encounter with Christ, particularly through the sacraments; and bringing our Catholic beliefs to bear in the secular real. The group meets twice a month to reflect upon the scripture and Catechism. Members are also involved on a weekly basis in many church service ministries such as decorating, cleaning the church, they are involved in ministry of the word, music and much more.

• The Ministry of Catechesis: increasing the faith knowledge of teens
• The Ministry of Pastoral Care: providing care during times of crisis, promoting positive strategies for development
• The Ministry of Evangelization: sharing the Good News
• The Ministry of Leadership Development: calling forth the gifts and talents of teens and empowering them to share them
• The Ministry of Community of Life: building the Body of Christ through positive relationships
• The Ministry of Prayer and Worship: recognizing and nurturing the relationship teens have with God

Chick Duffy and Lorna Masacupan

Please contact the Rectory