Our word “liturgy” comes from the Greek word leitourgia, meaning “public duty.” When we say “the Liturgy,” it can refer either collectively to all the rites, ceremonies, prayers, and sacraments of the Church, or more specifically to just the Mass. In this sense the Mass is the “work of the people of God,” if you will. It necessarily involves members of the parish who serve their community by fulfilling various roles at Mass, namely altar server, Eucharistic Minister, greeter, lector, and usher.

See the descriptions below for more information about each liturgical ministry. (They are listed alphabetically.) If you would like to volunteer for one, please contact our Pastoral Associate, Joel S. Peters by e-mail here or by phone at 201-337-7596, ext. 315. Experience is not needed, as any necessary training will be provided.

Being an altar server is a wonderful way for a young person to be of service to the parish. Servers provide a very important and useful ministry that gives a boy or girl an opportunity to be intimately involved with Mass, and hence it is a powerful way for him or her to grow in faith and in love for the Lord.

Boys and girls can start being an altar server any time from the 4th grade on, and they can continue their ministry all the way through the end of high school if they so desire. Experience is not needed, since the necessary training is provided. There is usually an annual solicitation for new altar servers in the fall, but interested youth can contact the Pastoral Associate, Joel S. Peters, at any time to get started: by phone at 201-337-7596, ext. 315 or by e-mail here. We want to encourage a young person’s desire and enthusiasm for this ministry!

An altar server’s responsibilities normally include:  processing to and from the altar at Mass with a candle or the cross; receiving the offertory gifts from the priest to be placed on the altar; setting up the altar with the necessary vessels and items; assisting the priest with the part of the Mass called the Lavabo (Latin for “I wash”), where he ritually cleanses his hands; and clearing off the altar after Communion.

Additional tasks are performed by our servers for special Masses like the Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday, the Easter Vigil, and the Confirmation Mass.

Altar servers typically serve at the Mass their family attends: 5:00pm on Saturdays or 8:00am, 10:00am or 12:00pm on Sundays.

Thank you to our young people for responding to this ministry!

The reception of Communion at Mass should flow in an orderly and timely manner, thus maintaining the dignity of the sacrament. To ensure that distributing Communion does not take too much time, the Vatican allows parishes to utilize parishioners to assist the priest, who is the normal minister of the Eucharist. These parishioners are trained and then specifically mandated for the parish (that is, formally given permission to exercise their ministry there).

In preparing our ministers, we use the training workshop offered by the Archdiocesan Worship Office, usually twice a year:  once in the fall (November) and once in the late winter (February or March). This workshop is from 8:45am - 12:30pm on a Saturday. Registration is handled through the parish.

Eucharistic Ministers are put on a schedule of Masses, and their turn to serve usually comes up about once every four weeks. Their duties include not only the distribution of Communion at Mass, but also the cleansing of altar vessels and, depending on which Mass you serve, bringing Holy Communion to the residents of Oakland Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center, a nursing home on Breakneck Road that provides short-term and long-term care.

Serving the parish as a Eucharistic Minister is a profoundly rewarding experience. Just ask someone who performs the ministry! Candidates should be people who regularly attend Mass themselves, since it is a wonderful way to lead by example and since it is a fitting testimony to the importance of the Eucharist in their own lives.

If you are interested in serving in this capacity, please contact our Pastoral Associate, Joel S. Peters, by e-mail here or by phone at 201-337-7596, ext. 315.

Proclaiming the Word of God at Mass is a vital and vibrant ministry whereby the lector makes the Scriptures come alive for people and consequently increases their faith and assists in leading them to a saving knowledge of Christ. St. Paul himself acknowledges this dynamic when he says: “Thus faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.” (Romans 10:17)

There is an intimate connection between the presence of Christ at Mass in the Eucharist and His presence in His Word, and hence the ministry of lector is integral to our experience of worship.

Parishioners who would like to volunteer for this ministry are asked to contact our Pastoral Associate, Joel S. Peters, by phone at 201-337-7596, ext. 315 or by e-mail here. Training will be provided, along with aids in proclaiming the Word, such as the annual Workbook for Lectors, which contains the Mass readings, pronunciations, historical backgrounds, and suggestions on how to proclaim a given Bible passage (pitch, intonation, diction, style, etc.).

“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” (Psalms 119:105)

The Minister of Hospitality is vital to creating an atmosphere of friendliness and warmth so that all who attend Mass and/or other liturgical events feel welcome, important, and embraced by the love of Christ. They are ambassadors of kindness who help create the appropriate atmosphere for people to feel God’s presence in a tangible way, especially for guests and new parishioners. They are an extension of the pastor, who may not be able to personally greet each and every person who comes here for worship. They are the “face” of our parish because they are typically the first person you will encounter and interact with upon entering the church.

 A Minister of Hospitality’s responsibilities include:

• to greet people warmly when they enter the church and create a welcoming environment
• to be attentive to people’s needs and inquiries and to respond to them as he/she is able to
• to set an example of reverence and respect for our worship space and for Mass itself
• to direct people to where they can find materials they need, like the CCD sign-in binder, parish registration form, or items in our literature rack
• to attend periodic meetings for the purpose of instruction, exchange of ideas, discussion of any issues, and offering feedback and suggestions for how to improve the ministry

We welcome those parishioners who would like to serve our parish by volunteering for this ministry. The only experience you need is a friendly disposition and a willingness to show forth Christ to others.
 
If you would like to become a Minister of Hospitality, please contact Joel S. Peters, our Pastoral Associate, by phone at 201-337-7596, ext. 315 or by e-mail here.

The Minister of Service is an important form of help to the parish within the context of Mass. These men and women are ambassadors of orderliness who are responsible for creating a clean, organized worship environment and for maintaining the efficient seating and movement of people during Mass. They are an extension of the parish at large, and it is their duty to establish a spirit of reverence in our worship space and to facilitate people’s deeper appreciation for an participation in the Eucharist. They are official representatives of the faith family of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, and they are an important and on-going factor in our parish’s public relations. By serving others they are serving Christ and making Him present to those who gather here for worship.
 
We welcome those parishioners who would like to serve our parish by volunteering for this ministry. The only experience you need is a friendly disposition and a willingness to be of service to others for Christ.
 
If you would like to become a Minister of Service, please contact Joel S. Peters, our Pastoral Associate, by phone at 201-337-7596, ext. 315 or by e-mail here.