At Mass Ministries
Acolyte is a ministry that is reserved for men alone. The duties that the Acolyte has to do include carrying the cross, helping Father on the altar as well as distributing Holy Communion. Training is made available for all men willing to take up this ministry.
Altar serving ministry is for boys and girls from year 4 upwards, who want to assist Father at Mass. Including secondary students, who attend Catholic or Government schools and colleges. Training is made available for all who are interested. This is followed by a commissioning at one of the weekend masses. They then can be rostered at a Mass of choice.
This involves assisting Father in the distribution of Holy Communion at Mass. Year 10 students upwards can be part of this ministry. There is some training involved, followed by a commissioning. They then can be rostered at a Mass of choice.
This ministry is all about proclaiming the Word of God at Mass. Either reading the 1st or 2nd reading, including the Prayers of intercession. One can be rostered to a Mass of their choice. It is a ministry open to people from the ages of 15 and up. Training is available for those who need it.
Musicians share their talents with fellow parishioners through prayerful song at weekend and special Masses. The different teams meet on a regular basis organised by the group leader. It is open to groups as well as individuals who would like to join a group.
As a money collector during mass, you receive the thanksgiving and presbytery collection donations of parishioners by passing the offertory baskets through the church. At our Lady of the Angels, we have two collections and the odd third collection throughout the year for different fundraisers.
Outreach Ministries
At Our Lady of the Angels, Sacramental Facilitators instruct and prepare adults for their child’s sacrament of Baptism. Their instruction takes place on the last Sunday of the month after the 10am Mass at a Baptism Seminar. Training is available for this ministry and requires a monthly commitment.
The RCIA is primarily intended for those who are preparing to receive the sacraments of initiation – Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist. Classes begin at the start of Advent and culminate at the Easter Vigil. Potential ministers need to be available every week to help facilitate group discussion and work through the material provided with the candidates.
SRE is a program that exists to provide sacramental preparation for children who do not attend a Catholic Primary School and would like to know more about the Catholic Faith. Children are also prepared to receive their First Reconciliation, First Eucharist and Confirmation. Those looking to help with teaching are given training and begin as assistants until they feel ready to begin teaching on their own. There are resources provided to help educate the children.
Our Lady of the Angels parish has a parent based Sacramental program. In other words, parents receive the catechesis and materials needed to help prepare their children to receive the sacraments of Reconcliation, Eucharist and Confirmation. The ministry of Sacramental Facilitation is to help prepare the parents and check with the children what they have learnt and facilitate discussion on the topics.
Support Ministries
Working in teams of 2 or more, Counters count the weekend collections. It is a rostered ministry that takes place on Sunday’s, after the 10am mass for about an hour.
Hand towels, altar linen, corporals, purifiers used at Mass and altar server gowns need to be washed, ironed and returned the following week. The ministry of Linen Washing performs this task every week and is currently on a rostered rotation so that one person does it every couple of months.
Teams of 8-10 people are needed to help sweep, dust, vacuum the church for up to an hour each week. this is an ideal ministry for families. currently, each team is rostered on every five weeks.
The parish Fiesta is held every year in August, the committee meets 6 months prior to discuss all the aspects of the Fiesta. There is then a post fiesta meeting to discuss how it went and want we need to do to improve it for the following year.
Prior to the Fiesta, Our Lady of the Angels parish celebrates a Marian procession. We need people to help organise decorating the Statue of Our Lady, decorating the different places we process to, obtaining banners and organising the people in the procession.
This support ministry is a rostered position. Here, people man the piety shop 15 minutes prior to and after the weekend masses. Their main responsibility is to sell and record piety goods.
Following the 10am mass on Sunday, volunteers help to provide tea, coffee and nibbles for the parishioners. This is a rostered position. They do not need to provide food as everything is supplied by the church and the occasional donation.
Members of the Parish Council meet on a monthly basis to discuss and plan, with the parish priest, the future direction of the parish.
Members of the finance council are responsible for overseeing the general income and expenditures of the parish. They gather together regularly to discuss the financial status of the parish and anything else that may need attention. Anyone can join this committee, even if they do not have a financial background.
Our Lady of the Angels has a very active parish. The Social Committee members arrange social events for the parish such as social dinners, blokes nights, ladies nights, help out in the fiesta and a whole lot more. It is open to everyone who wants to help make Our Lady of the Angels a better place.
