SCHOOL & PARISH
ADMINISTRATION
ST. KATHARINE DREXEL SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION
Consists of School Principal and the Pastors of both Our
Lady of Sorrows Parish and St. Mary Magdalen Parish.
Contact:
School Principal
LATCH KEY PROGRAM
Before and after school
care is available. Latch Key hours
are: 6:45 - 8:00 a.m. and 3:05 -
6:00 p.m. Cost of the program
depends upon when the child is picked up in the afternoon. Children may come mornings only; after
school only; or both. Contact the
school principal for more information.
Contact: Paula Mazzuca
ST. KATHARINE DREXEL SCHOOL BOARD
Meets the 1st Monday of
each month - see bulletin for time and location. The purpose of the School Board is to advise the pastor in making
policy for the parish educational programs of the school in order to help our
children accept their responsibility as true followers of Christ, and to
continually strive for excellence according to each child's potential.
Contact: School
ST
KATHARINE DREXEL HOME & SCHOOL ASSOCIATION
Meet about 5 times a year
Sep, Nov, Jan, March and May. We
communicate shared values between the parents and the school administration, as
well as parent to parent. We also
provide a means of financial support to our school through a series of fund raisers.
Contact: Cari Rooney
PARISH COUNCIL
It is the role of the Parish Council to serve as
advisors to the pastor relative to all aspects of parish life. They are
therefore to be something of the eyes and ears of the parish, attempting to
share with the pastor comments, concerns and even the dreams parishioners may
be sharing among themselves. As such, the Council members also serve as
visionaries attempting not only to oversee the spiritual, formational,
fiscal, physical and social life of the parish but also to discern how the
parish is facing the future and ways in which the Spirit of the Lord may be
leading us in our mission as the Church in today's world.
In
the Spring of 2007, all parishioners of Our Lady of Sorrows were invited to
submit their own name or another's name as a potential candidate for the Parish
Council. All candidates were then
invited to first of a three step discernment process to determine the
membership of the new Council. At the
first meeting all candidates heard a presentation from both the pastor and a
facilitator as to the duties, responsibilities, role and expectations of
Council members. They were then given a
week to consider what they had heard, to discuss it with family members as
necessary, and to pray about their
decision to remain as members. The
following week all candidates were urged to gather again to clarify their
decision. During this meeting each
candidate was given time to explain their decision, whether to serve or not to
serve. In this process some changed
their minds and others remained committed to their decision to serve or not to
serve. In the end the discernment
process yielded a new Parish Council of 12 members
The current members of the Parish Council are:
Juan Blanco
Dan Everson
Tom Garavalia
Ann Hammer
Dawn Haynie
Mark Heisohn
Joy Helfrich
Ron Kremer
Allison Lammert
Dawn Lammert
Larry McNamera
Julie Peraud
Barb Rimkus
Kerry Sprimont
George Sullens
FINANCE COUNCIL
Responsible for providing
financial and personnel advice to the Pastor and Parish Council.
Contact: Dave Sykora
ENDOWMENT FUND
Provides parishioners the
opportunity to continue giving to the Parish during and after their
lifetime. This fund assists
parishioners to make contributions to the Parish in the form of bequests,
personal property, life insurance, charitable gift annuities, or cash.
Contact: Dave Sykora
"TOGETHER WE'RE BETTER"(Subcommittee to Home &
School)
Provides
the opportunity for parishioners to purchase shopping certificates and earn a
percent of profit applicable to their book bill as well as benefiting the
parish and the Home & School Association.
Contact: Christine Hegger
OLS PARISH PICNIC
Parish Picnic held the first
Tuesday in June.
Contact:
Tom Skillman
http://picnic.olsorrows.org
OLS ANNUAL GRAND RAFFLE
Yearly raffle consisting of
400 tickets costing $100 each with 1st prize of $10,000, and substantial
monetary 2nd, 3rd and 4th prizes.
Drawing of prizes occurs near the close of the Parish Picnic each year.
Contact: Dave Sykora
YOUTH
ORGANIZATIONS/ACTIVITIES
ATHLETIC
ASSOCIATION
Meets the 3rd Monday of the month. As an organization rooted in the Catholic
experience, we attempt to further and foster sound athletics through a program
that promotes good sportsmanship, respect for authority, and self-discipline
among the players in order to promote their growth to become morally sound
Christians.
Website: http://www.olsaa.com
Contact: Doug Kremer
CATHOLIC
YOUTH COUNCIL
We are high
school-aged Catholic youth who gather to promote better representation and cooperation within the parish; to centralize
member activity; to implant Catholic principles of prayer & worship,
service to neighbors, self-discipline, good citizenship, self-government and
leadership.
Contact: Barb Jarvis
CYC
PARENTS
The
parents of CYC members and any other adults interested in the activities of the
CYC gather to coordinate the activities of the OLS CYC with the deanery and
other Archdiocesan youth programs.
Contact: Barb Jarvis
SCOUTING:
BOY SCOUTS
Meets every Wednesday at 7:00 pm in the cafeteria
and in the park during the summer. This
scouting program is for boys ages 11 - 18 (or completed 5th grade).
Contact:Harry Lohse
CUB SCOUTS
Various Dens meet through the school year as
indicated in the parish bulletin. A
general Pack Meeting is held once a month. (Contact the Cubmaster for date and
location.) This scouting experience is
for boys in 1st through 5th grades.
Contact: Todd Bolhuis
GIRL SCOUTS
Various
troops meet through the school year as indicated in the parish bulletin. Our goal is to deepen awareness of self as a
unique person of worth and to develop values to give meaning and direction to
each girl's life so that through the use of her own talents, she might
contribute to the betterment of society.
Contact: Tonya Lohman or Mary McManemin
CHRISTIAN FORMATION
ADULT FAITH FORMATION
Adult Faith Formation programs build up the Body of
Christ by facilitating growth in Christian maturity for the purpose of helping
the Baptized to fully participate in the mission of Christ and the Church. Our Lady of Sorrows parish has a 10-member
Adult Faith Formation Committee that seeks to offer a wholistic vision of faith
formation, designed to help our parishioners love God with body, mind, heart
and being. Our comprehensive faith
formation programs include:
Prayer
groups
Fall
and Lenten study groups
Retreat
opportunities
MOMS
(Ministry of Mother’s Sharing) program
Yoga
Access
to Divorce and Bereavement Groups
Marriage
Encounter
OLS
Book Club
Bible
Studies
Please call Shawnessey
Custer, Pastoral Associate, or check the parish bulletin for current faith formation
offerings.
RITE
OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION OF ADULTS (RCIA)
The RCIA is
designed to bring those who are considering becoming Catholic through a
formation process that leads them to a deeper understanding and experience of
the Christian faith. Those who are not
baptized are initiated into the Church on the most important night of the
Church year: the Easter Vigil. Those baptized in other Christian denominations
are initiated through the celebration of Confirmation and Eucharist when they
are fully prepared to join.
Contact: Shawnessey
Custer
P.S.R. - PARISH SCHOOL OF RELIGION
Our Lady of Sorrows
coordinates its PSR program with other South St. Louis Parishes. If you are interested in having your child
attend PSR classes, please call Our Lady of Sorrows Rectory.
Contact: OLS Rectory
SOUTH SIDE
YOUTH MINISTRY
It
is the mission of the South Side Youth Ministry (SSYM), to ignite the fire of
Christ in the hearts of our Catholic youth, by providing the resources,
communal support and prayerful experiences, that will foster the spiritual
formation of eighth grade and high school teens, who desire to grow in their
Catholic Faith. This Ministry is to be with, by and for our young people
as a blessing for our entire community.
SSYM
is supported, organized and run by Our Lady of Sorrows, as well as the parishes
of Immaculate Heart of Mary, St. Gabriel, St. Joan of Arc and St. Mary
Magdalen. Prayer nights are every Wednesday from 7-9:30pm in the Youth
Room in the Magdalen school building. Youth Masses are every Sunday at
6:00pm in the Magdalen church followed by Life Night until 9:30pm in the
Magdalen school building. The Luke 18 Retreat for 8th graders is hosted
by SSYM, the date of the retreat (normally in the spring) will be announced
through the bulletin and school after it is scheduled.
Contacts: Laura & Carl Greiner or
Maureen Ragsdale
BAPTISMAL PREPARATION Shawnessey Custer or Dan Skillman
MARRIAGE PREPARATION Rev.
Peter Blake or Shawnessey Custer
SOCIAL JUSTICE AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH
METROPOLITAN CHURCHES UNITED - CITY
"MCU-CITY" is an ecumenical network of area churches that
seek to define, develop and act on local and area wide issues. These issues include housing, schools, local
business economy, and crime. Working
together with CUCA/Joshua, Isaiah, and Mid County, our counterparts in other St. Louis County neighborhoods,
MCU-CITY seeks to develop relationship building programs that promote justice and
strengthen our parish and community.
MCU-CITY meets on the first Tuesday of the month.
Contact: John/Marge
Asbury
LOVE BASKETS
Reach out to our neighbors in OLS and throughout the
Southside who are in need. Lists of
those in need are provided through area food pantries, churches, area St.
Vincent de Paul Societies, social workers and private referrals. Collections are held three times a year -
Thanksgiving, Valentine's Day and Easter - to gather and distribute food,
necessities, and remembrances for our neighbors in need. Our purpose is to be
Christ's hands and feet on earth in caring for the poor and needy, by genuinely
showing His love through our actions.
All OLS parishioners are invited to contribute, as help is always
needed.
ADOPT-A-CHILD/FAMILY
An extension of the Love Basket program, this
program seeks to meet the needs of families who, during the Christmas season,
would not be able to provide Christmas gifts to their children.
Contact: Marjorie Wolk
PARISH DISABILITY ADVOCATE
Raises
awareness in the parish about people with disabilities and works for full
inclusion within the parish by breaking down barriers of physical structure and
personal attitudes. The disability
advocate acts as a liaison between OLS Parish and the Archdiocesan Office of
Disability Ministries.
Contact: Carol Beckel
PARISH HELPERS
Is a group of OLS parishioners
willing to assist the sick, elderly and disabled and provide support and
assistance to their families. A variety
of services is provided, including transportation, meal preparation,
visitation, home care, prayer, real estate information, and medical equipment.
We furnish walkers, wheelchairs, canes, commodes, crutches, etc. Parish Helpers exists to serve as Jesus did
by helping those in need and bringing joy and comfort to others, thereby
enriching our sense of parish family.
Volunteers are always needed.
For Medical Equipment Contact: George/Linda Carter
PRO
LIFE
As
part of the Archdiocesan Pro-Life committee we work for the protection of all
human life through prayer, education, service and informing our parish
regarding the life issues in the public debate.
Contact: Audrey Mehan
ST. VINCENT DE PAUL
Is a group of lay people working to help the needy
within parish boundaries by providing assistance with food, clothing and
utilities. They also help other
parishes within the Archdiocese, including the Bolivian Mission parishes. Contributions may be made through the
monthly St. Vincent De Paul envelope (found in your envelope packet), or in the
church poor box. Volunteers are needed
to act as Christ to those in need, in the spirit of justice and charity. Meetings are held every Tuesday at 7:30 pm
in the Msgr Holland Room.
Contact: Rectory
JustFAITH
JustFAITH offers an opportunity for parishoners to experience a spiritual journey
into compassion. Most of us long to be a generouse and compassionate people. However, the opportunities to explore our tradition's Catholic social teachyings in a deliverate and engaging way have largely not been available.
Our Catholic faith and biblical tradition extend an extraordinary invitation to each of us and to our faith communities to become agents of God's compassion and healing in a wounded world. Participants are also afforded the privilege of becoming community with other participants and sharing a journey of faith and compassion that is both life-giving and challenging. JustFaith involves groups of about 15 people, who meet for 30 weekly sessions, two weekend retreats and four Saturday immersion experiences. Overall, this adult formation process extends over 8 months and uses the best of adult education practices including books, videos, guest speakers, discussion, prayer, retreats, immersion experiences, and community building.
Contact: Shawnessey Custer
PRAYER SHAWL MINISTRY
This
ministry of knitting or crocheting prayer shawls for those suffering the
effects of serious illness, loss of a loved one, or personal strife is open to
anyone who is interested in participating.
Having been made in the presence of prayer, each shawl is imbued with
the prayers of its maker and blessed by our faith community. It stands as a symbol of our support and prayers
for the one to whom it is given.
Contact: Ann Garavaglia
FELLOWSHIP
COFFEE & DONUT HOSPITALITY
First Sunday of the month after 9:00 & 11:00
a.m. Masses in the school cafeteria. Hosted by a different organization each
month.
Contact: John & Sue
Dunn
MEN'S CLUB
Meets second Monday of each month in the Cafeteria at 8:00
pm
Contact: Randy Stoffel
OLStars THEATER GROUP
OLStars is a parish theater group composed of adult
parishioners (college age and older) and young children not yet in high
school. OLStars presents a musical
program each June to raise money for the parish; provide entertainment and
bring people from all segments of the bi-state area to see and experience the
outstanding community here at Our Lady of Sorrows. We provide community-building opportunities by bringing together
parishioners who might otherwise not have the opportunity to know each other as
they work together on this fun project.
Meets as needed for rehearsals.
Website: http://olstars.olsorrows.org
Contact: John McGrath
OVER 50 CLUB
We provide social opportunities and enjoyment with
people in our own age group.
Contact: BJ Stringer
WELCOMING COMMITTEE
Parishioners visit newly registered members of OLS
and present them with a packet of information about Our Lady of Sorrows to help
them become familiar with what is available.
We want each parishioner to know we are here to welcome you and
encourage your involvement at OLS.
Contact: Judy Broleman
WOMEN'S GUILD
Meets
the second Wednesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. usually in the Cafeteria. Outstanding women of the parish give their
time and talents to support our parish; helping the parish socially and
financially. We also have a growing
outreach program into our community providing items to Cardinal Glennon and
Children's Hospitals, Nursing homes, Project Linus, Our Lady's Inn and the
Rosary Society just to name a few. We
have two quilting groups They meet every Wednesday (morning 8:30 a.m. and
evening 6:00 p.m.) in the Quilting Room above the church. Quilts are raffled 6 times a year, at the
parish picnic and various occasions, such as our Quilt Social, during the year
to raise money for the parish. New
members are always welcomed with open arms to our meetings.
Contact: Linda Carter
LITURGICAL & DEVOTIONAL LIFE
ART & ENVIRONMENT
Contact: Mary Ann Best
LITURGY COMMITTEE
The liturgy committee reviews and prepares the celebration of the
liturgical prayer of the parish throughout the liturgical seasons of the
year.
Contact: Rev. Peter Blake
CHOIRS (Open to all)
Choir: Sings at 9:00 a.m. Mass - practice Tuesday evenings 7:30 p.m. in
the Choir Room
Cantors: No formal practice - each person practices individually
Guitar Choir: Sings at 11:00.a.m. Mass - practice Wednesday evenings at 7:30
p.m. (Church)
Funeral Choir: No formal practice. Volunteers are on call as funerals are
scheduled.
Contact: Greg Schweizer
DEACONS
The
Permanent Deacon is ordained not unto the priesthood, but to the Word, the
Sacrament and Charity. He is frequently
called upon to initiate Christian Service programs sometimes in the areas of
parish work, drug rehabilitation, and prison or hospital ministry and to
proclaim the Gospel and assist at the altar during Sunday Mass.
Contact: Deacon Bob Wertz
EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS
Men
and women (at least 18 years of age) willing to offer their service as
Eucharistic Ministers provide the opportunity for our parish family to be
nourished with both the Body and Blood of Christ as frequently as possible.
Contact: Rectory
LECTORS
We
are always in need of people who are willing to be prepared for this ministry
to our parish family. It is important
that we be nourished by the Word of God as well as by the Eucharist. Anyone interested (7th grade or older)
please call.
Contact: Rectory
LEGION
OF MARY
Meets
every Thursday morning after 8:15 am Mass in the Msgr Holland Room. Members of the Legion of Mary glorify God
through the sanctification of its members by prayer and active cooperation in
Mary's and the church's work of advancing the reign of Christ.
Contact: Mary Lou Goedeker
FRIDAY MORNING SANCTUARY CLEANING
Friday
mornings after the 8:15 am Mass parishioners clean the sacristy and sanctuary.
Contact: Carol Bright
SERVERS
In
the time between Christmas and Lent of each year, the 5th grade boys and girls
in the parish are trained for serving.
If an older person who has just moved into the parish wants to serve,
they are most welcome. The new servers
begin serving during the Lenten season each year.
Contact: Rev. Peter Blake (training) or John McManemin (scheduling)
MINISTRY COORDINATORS
Coordinate
ushers, Lectors and Eucharistic Ministers for Sunday Mass and Feasts.
Contact: Carol Bright, Mdg Tichacek, or
Barb Rimkus
EUCHARISTIC ADORATION
Volunteers
commit to one hour a week spent in prayer in the Eucharistic Adoration
Chapel. The Chapel is open Monday thru
Thursday 9:00 am to 7:00 pm; Friday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm; Closed Saturday and
Sunday.
Contact: Audrey Mehan
FATIMA STATUE
Seven
statues are passed among homes every day of the month with the Rosary said at
that time and then passed to the next home.
Contact: Mildred Tichacek
