In the mass
Greeters
Among those who gather with us on any given Saturday night or Sunday morning here at St. Bernadette Parish, there may be some who are searching for a church to call their own. Some are Catholic and have been coming here forever or they are new to the area and are trying to decide which parish to join. Others may not yet be a part of any church but are visiting different churches to find a community of faith that would accept them with open arms. Here at St. Bernadette we want their first visit to be a welcoming visit. We also want those that have been coming to this parish since birth to keep coming. They need to be greeted warmly every week. As a greeter, your impression made to all who walk through our door is a lasting “impression”. It is the first personal contact someone has with our parish. How that impression is made will determine whether that person will become a member of our parish or will walk away.
Contact: Parish Office
EXTRAORDINARY MINISTERS OF HOLY COMMUNION
Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion assist with the distribution of the Body and Blood of Christ to fellow parishioners during weekend Masses and Holy Days of Obligation. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion also visit homebound parishioners on a regular basis, generally every Saturday evening or Sunday morning. The homebound may be a result of an accident, surgery, or chronic illness. Volunteers are needed if you would like to participate in this very rewarding ministry. Training is provided.
Contact: Michael Hall, Coordinator 513-753-4944 or Kathy Mosbaugh, Homebound Coordinator 513-797-4558
lectors
The lector is instituted to proclaim the readings from Sacred Scripture; when the lector reads, God is speaking to the assembly. He or she also leads the General Intercessions and makes parish announcements after Communion. Training is provided; careful preparation is expected.
Contact: Lisa Kuhn, Coordinator 513-535-0156
Music
Why do we sing at Mass? Consider Psalm 95:1-2. “O Come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with Thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto Him.”
Full participation in the Mass is achieved through active and enthusiastic responses and prayers, both sung and recited. Our choir’s purpose is not to sing to the assembly or to sing for the assembly. As music ministers, we lead our assemblies in song so that they may achieve full participation in the Mass.
The choir sings at all three weekend Masses as well as holy days and holidays. Choir members sing at the weekend Mass of their choice. The choir meets Wednesday evening at 7PM for a rehearsal that generally lasts about an hour. We do not rehearse during the summer months but we sing throughout the entire year.
If you have ever attended Mass at St. Bernadette and thought that the choir members looked like they were really enjoying singing and playing music together, you would have been correct. If you have ever listened to these same choir members and said to yourself, “I could do that,” you would be right again. Do you play a musical instrument? Have you ever been told that you have a nice singing voice? The music ministry is a terrific way to use your gifts and talents to glorify God and serve your parish. You don’t need to know how to read music. While attendance is encouraged, you don’t need to make it to every rehearsal. You only need to enjoy singing and playing music with fellow parishioners.
New members are welcomed any time of the year. For more information, speak with any of our choir members or contact choir director Bob Bridges - music@stbameliaparish.org or 513-302-6687.
Altar servers
A reverent and attentive server helps Mass to be prayerful. Serving is a special and unique ministry in which you can help spread the word and love of Christ through your actions and words.
Anyone can be a server who has reached a 3rd grade level of education and above. Servers can be children or adults, male or female. Servers should be mature enough to understand their responsibilities and to carry them out well and with appropriate reverence. They should have already received First Eucharist for the first time and normally receive the Eucharist whenever they participate in the liturgy. Training is provided; servers are expected to keep their scheduled commitments.
Contact: Kris Fogwell, Coordinator 513-446-6107
Ushers
Ushers are men and women with an important role. Besides taking up the offering in a reverent fashion and identifying suitable person to bring up the gifts, ushers are responsible for order and safety in and around the church building during Eucharist. They are prepared to act quickly in case of illness, fire or disruption and will call 911 as needed. Immediately after the Mass, two ushers secure the offering in the parish safe.
Contact: Kris Fogwell, Coordinator 513-446-6107