The Dorothy Day sculpture at the main entrance of the church is a reminder of God’s poor, needy
and homeless as well as our responsibilities to them.
The Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes provides an outdoor setting for devotional prayer.
Our Church is open for prayer throughout the day.
The St. Francis
Meditation Garden is meant to be a quiet place of peace for prayer and reflection.
The Spiritual Center is designed to provide
a rich atmosphere for communal or private days of recollection and retreats, as well as prayer and scripture sharing experiences.
Christ Chapel is intended for silent, personal and communal prayer.
The parish library contains books, videos and tapes from many of the great spiritual masters.
LITURGICAL MINISTRIES
As the Community of Disciples of Jesus, our lives are centered on the Trinity. All parish activities grow out of our
communal life, centered in prayer and worship.
Liturgy Committee
The Liturgy Committee plans and implements the arrangements for our parish liturgies. The
Chairperson is George Towne (462-7845). The Liturgy Committee meets in: September,
November, January, March and May. All meetings are at 8:00 p.m. in the Spiritual
Center.
Eucharistic Ministers
Ministers of Communion help the whole community. They put reverence into practice when giving
the bread and cup to others. They remind us that our communion with the Lord
is also communion with one another. Joe & Fran Scudese, Chairpersons (747-8267).
Lectors
Our Lectors proclaim the Word of God. They are the storytellers of the community, drawing everyone into the scriptures
through interpretation of the scriptures through interpretation of the readings.
Music Ministry
The Music Ministry enables the people of St. Mary’s to worship
God in song, beautifies the liturgy and life of the parish with music, and provides opportunities for the parish to come together
for song and entertainment. This ministry includes the Contemporary and Traditional choirs, Children’s choir, Cantors
and Accompanists. Director of Music Ministries, (732) 780-2666, ext. 315
Ushers
Ushers are the community’s way of welcoming parishioners as well as strangers to the liturgy. They assist with
seating and any other needs of the assembly. They gather the offerings and help with the good order of the communion procession. John Mulkeen, Chairperson (732) 462-3777
Altar Servers
Our
young parishioners are invited to serve at the Altar where they assist the assembly in prayer and worship. If your child (grade
3 and up) would like to participate as an altar server, please call Fred Sorrentino (732)946-7060.
Art
and Environment
This committee has the ministry of preparing the liturgical environment of our worship
space for the various feasts and seasons of the year. The committee works closely with the Liturgy Committee in developing
symbols, artwork and flower design to enhance our liturgical life. Sharon Pellegrino, Chairperson (732)842-3421.
Prayers
of Petition
Each
weekend at liturgy, the lector leads the Prayers of Petition especially for that Sunday. These are created by parishioners
who volunteer to write them for one month during the year. Support materials are provided to assist in the writing
of the prayers. New volunteers are always welcome. Kathy Woolston (732) 303-0535 or SoccerMom004@AOL.com.
SPIRITUAL
FORMATION
The Life of Discipleship is a Spiritual Journey, one which we do not make in
isolation. We are true companions who share with each other the Bread of Life. As a community of Disciples, St. Mary’s
offers a wide variety of experiences to enrich our personal and communal spirituality.
Along with our liturgical life,
we offer spiritual direction/spiritual conversation on an individual basis; evenings and days of recollection; faith-sharing
groups, guided spiritual reading, weekends of recollection, Advent/Lenten prayer for parish, Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius
according to the Nineteenth Annotation.
Spiritual Direction
Sometimes referred to as spiritual
guidance or spiritual friendship, Spiritual Direction is an ongoing relationship in which one person desirous of being attentive
to his or her spiritual life, meets with another person (the director) on a regular basis specifically for the purpose of
becoming more attuned to God’s presence and action so as to respond to that presence appropriately. If you think this
relationship would be helpful to your spiritual life, call our parish Spiritual Director, Sr. Helen Clifton.
Retreat
Opportunities for Women
Two days of prayer for women
are sponsored by the Martha Mary Guild in the Fall and Spring at St. Joseph’s
by the Sea in Mantoloking. These retreats are from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. There are also weekend retreats for women twice
each year also at St. Joseph’s.
Retreat Opportunities
for Men
The men of the parish
are invited to take part in a weekend retreat at Loyola Retreat House in Morristown
in the Fall of each year. Coordinated by Mike Mokris, (732) 946-8633.
Men’s Saturday
Morning Program
“Men helping men on their
journey with God” is the theme of this monthly program. The program takes place on the second Saturday of the month
from 7:15 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. in the Spiritual Center. The format includes group prayer and song, reading of Scripture, a presentation,
Eucharist and then a 30-minute discussion time. For further information, call Steve Piron (732) 845-0221 or e-mail him at
sfpiron@AOL.com.
Small Christian
Communities
Scripture and Faith Sharing
groups reflect on God’s Word, share stories of faith, and seek to turn the living Word into Christian service. You may
contact Lucille Castro, (732) 780-7343, ext. 23 for information.
Men’s Morning
Office
Every Thursday at 6:30 a.m.
the men of the parish meet to chant the Divine Office and reflect on a passage of scripture. The service takes only one-half
hour. A great way to start the day. Come join us.
Women’s Morning
Office
Every Friday at 6:30 a.m. the
women meet to share prayer, Scripture and some light refreshments. Come and join us for an encouraging way to start the day.
You can be on the road as early as 7:00 a.m.
Staff Days of Reflection
Our parish staff meets regularly for a time of reflection and prayer.
Carmelite Prayer
Meeting
A group of Carmelite associates
meets on the third Monday of every month at 7:30 p.m. in the spiritual center.
Sophia’s Circle
A group of women meet on the
first and third Fridays of the month in the Spiritual Center at 10:15 a.m. with a focus on contemporary, feminine Christian thought. For discussion
topic call Lucille Castro 780-7343, ext. 323.
VARIOUS CELEBRATIONS
Advent and
Lenten Communal Celebrations of God’s Mercy
Twice each year,
we celebrate as a community the mercy and forgiveness of our loving God. These non-sacramental services are led by various
members of our parish family. Although the Sacrament of Penance (required only for the forgiveness of mortal sin) is not involved
in these services, less serious sin is forgiven. The Advent service will be held in mid-December. The Lenten service is held
in the week before Holy Week.
Stations of the Cross
Stations are
prayed on the Fridays of Lent at 7:30 p.m. Coordinated by: The deacons of the parish.
Mass at the Grotto and October Devotions
These have been held on a Saturday morning in October. Check the Weekly Bulletin.
May Crowning
The annual May Crowning is held after the 12 Noon Sunday Mass in early May.
Blessing of the Animals
In observance of the feast of St. Francis, we have the Blessing of Animals in the meditation garden during the first
week of October.
Graduates Mass
The Graduates Mass honors graduates at all levels, at the 10:30 Mass on a
Sunday in June.
Houses of Prayer and Retreats
Many have a desire and a need
to get away for a time of prayer and reflection, whether for a few hours or a few days. These listings are within reasonable
distance:
San Alfonso Retreat House Cenacle Retreat House
755 Ocean Avenue 411 River Road
West
End, NJ 07740 Highland Park, NJ 08904
(732)-222-2731 (732)-249-8100
Monastery of the Holy Face Upper Rm. Spiritual Ctr.
697 Rt. 3
Rt. 33 & Bangs Ave.
Clifton,
NJ 07012 Neptune, NJ 0775
(973)-778-1177 732-
922-0550
The Marian Center
Stella Maris Retreat House
103 W. 2nd St. 911 Ocean Ave.
Howell,
NJ 07731 Elberon, NJ 07740
732-363-0022 732-229-0602
Francis House of Prayer
St. Joseph’s by the Sea
P. O. Box 392 400
Rt. 35
Rancocas,
NJ 08073
Mantoloking, NJ 08738
(609) 877-0509
(732)-892-8494
Ministries
of Service
Our Lord issues the call to
Ministry to every baptized person. No one of us is excluded. The following ministry programs have been developed to provide
each member of our community with the opportunity to fulfill his or her vocation to ministry.
Ministry of Consolation
The purpose of this ministry is to respond to those who are experiencing
grief due to the death of a loved one. It provides opportunities for the bereaved to receive support while working through
the changes in their lives by sharing their stories in a faith community. St. Mary’s offers a series of programs and
services. The Ministry of Consolation is an extension of our Lazarus Ministry.
Bereavement Programs
For those who want to work
through the tasks of grief in a structured way, we offer a nine week program which includes input, guided reflection, journaling
and personal sharing. Contact Richard Schwartz for information at (732) 933-1733.
One on One with a compassionate listener is also available. For more information on the above call members of the Ministry of Consolation team: Richard Schwartz (732-933-1733 or Doris B. Hudak
(732-842-0785).
Lazarus Ministry
Our Lazarus Ministry is committed to reaching out to families at the
time of death. The ministers meet with the family, assist in liturgy preparation, conduct the greeting and wake service, provide
hospitality (when the wake is in church), minister at the Eucharist and continue their care for the family afterwards. Dolores
Corronella, (732) 946-9620, Chairperson.
Love for Life
Respect for life from conception to natural death is the underlying essence of this ministry. It will be providing
programs to increase awareness of life issues and to encourage service. In addition, it will also coordinate with the other
ministries regarding pro-life activities. If you or someone you know is in a crisis situation and needs help, if you have
any program suggestions, or if you wish to participate in this ministry please call Diana Bischoff (732) 842-2471 or the parish
office.
For post abortion assistance, please call Diocesan Project Rachel at 609-406-7436 or Rachel Vineyard Retreats at 877-HOPE-4-ME.
Environmental Committee
The mission of St. Mary’s Environmental Committee is to be an informed channel through which all persons come
to recognize that they are called by God to heal and preserve all life on Earth as they make choices and take actions to benefit
creation now and in the future. The ministry involves: monthly water testing of local streams; beach clean-ups; an Environmental
Expo and liturgy; recycling collections at Agapes; coordinating Adopt-a-Spot Gardens; planting and maintaining St. Mary’s Butterfly
Garden and other environmental programs. Meetings are the third Wednesday
of each month at 7:30 p.m. in the Spiritual Center.
Coordinated by Marie Savoia (732) 741-1482.
Adopt-A-Spot
Do you have a green thumb, strong back or a love of beauty? Are you willing to assist in the beautification of our
property here at St. Mary’s? You can “adopt” a certain area and maintain its care throughout the year as
an individual, family or neighborhood. If interested, contact Marie Savoia (732) 741-1482.
Ministry of Housing
In order to provide affordable housing for the working poor, members of the parish volunteer with groups such as Habitat
for Humanity, Martin House, and Interfaith Neighbors to renovate existing houses or build new ones. All who are interested
are invited to join in this ministry. Those with construction or painting skills are needed, but we also need people to make
phone calls or simply provide helping hands. Members will be made aware of when and where assistance is needed on house construction.
You can commit as much or as little time as you are able. Coordinator: Bill Mogensen, (732) 462-0560.
The Samaritans
This ministry is involved in reaching out not only to our immediate community, but
also to our surrounding neighbors. The Samaritans answer the cries for help by supplying food, clothing, furniture, shopping
and transportation services to those in need. They assist monthly at Lunch Break a meal program in Red Bank, once each month.
Social Concerns Ministry
The Social Concerns Ministry works with local agencies and non-profit organizations, so that people of St. Mary’s
are able to help assist those in need through direct services and with financial aid from our Social Concerns Fund. Kathy
Mogensen, Director (732) 780-2666, ext. 314.
Social Concerns Fund
This fund was established in 1990. The primary source of this fund is the Social Concerns Card that can be given on
the occasion of a death or any other event. Persons or corporations make a donation with the understanding that the donation
will never be used for St. Mary’s parish needs. Other sources for the fund are direct gifts and donations from individuals
and corporations or matching fund programs. Cards are available from the parish office or the Social Concerns Director, Kathy
Mogensen.
Sharing Shed
This is the building where we store food from our monthly food collection for distribution to the needy. The shed can
be opened for you with a call to our Social Concerns Director, Kathy Mogensen. Clothing is accepted once a year during the
announced fall drive. The shed accepts infant wear, bed linen, blankets and other items such as dishes, cookware and small
appliances. All should be clean and in good condition. In an emergency, call Kathy.
Our Food Collection
Program
On the last Sunday of each month people bring food, paper goods and personal items to the church and place them in
the sanctuary. At the end of the 10:30 Mass we bless the offering and invite the designated parish families to come forward
to carry the food in procession to the Sharing Shed. Coordinated by: Sue Levine, (732) 946-8212.
Our Food Collection
Delivery Program
Much of our monthly food collection goes locally to individuals and also to the Open Door Program of Freehold, as well as Mercy Center
in Asbury Park where the Sisters of Mercy care for the elderly
poor, especially those on fixed incomes. Parishioners deliver the food and supplies each month.
Thanksgiving Basket
Packing and Delivery
Our Community provides food for those in need throughout the year, especially at Thanksgiving. This food must be packed
and delivered. Just before Thanksgiving volunteers come together after Mass to help sort and pack these baskets.
The Advent Tree of
Love
Under the direction of the Samaritans, this program provides Christmas gifts for needy families. On a Sunday in early
December these gifts will be sorted and prepared for delivery to each family. Coordinated by Debbie Stanley (732) 592-0257.
Adopt-A-Family
Each Christmas, parishioners join together to buy food and gifts for needy families throughout Monmouth County. Early in December the needs
of each (and some guidelines for giving), are matched with one of our families, R.E. classes or groups. A few days before
Christmas the gifts are personally delivered or brought to the parish hall…it’s a wonderful sight! For more information
call Sue Levine (732) 946-8212.
Freezer Meals
Once a year we provide empty food containers for people to take home, fill with homemade food and return to our food
freezer in Madonna Hall. These meals are distributed to the homebound and elderly.
Tithing
In accordance with the Gospel mandate to “Give not of your abundance,
but of your sustenance”, we set aside a portion of the regular income each year for charitable causes. One third of
the amount set aside is distributed to international charities, a third to national charities and a third to local charities.
Coordinator, Dot Hartman.
Crop Walk
This annual inter-faith walkathon provides financial assistance for poverty programs. Watch bulletin for date of walk
during the Spring season.
Dorothy Days
A sculpture of Dorothy Day rests outside the front doors of our church and challenges all of us to remember the poor,
the needy, and the homeless. We have designated certain Sundays as “Dorothy Days” for the remembrance of the needs
of the poor:
September………….Health Care Sunday
October…………….Clothing
Drive
November………….Thanksgiving Baskets
December………….Advent Tree of
Love, Adopt-a-
Family for Christmas
January………… “Souper Bowl” Sunday
February………… Rainbow of Caring
March…………… Freezer Meals
April……………….Recycle
Sunday
May………………..Diaper
Sunday for Birthright
(sponsored by MOMS).
Ministry of Care
This ministry program provides parishioners with an opportunity to offer compassionate support to those who are homebound
or hospitalized. If you are interested in being a Minister of Care, contact Fred Sorrentino 946-7060. If you or someone you
know is homebound or hospitalized and would like to be visited, please contact the parish office or Fred.
The Singles Journey.
The singles, (never-been-married, widowed or divorced) meet every Sunday at the Spiritual Center at 11:45 a.m. Together, individuals
seek a common bond to live life as a committed Christian and single person. Call Lori Lettieri, (732) 291-2971.
Prison Ministry
Men and women from St. Mary’s visit inmates at the N.J. State Prison (Trenton),
Fort Dix Correctional Facility, Monmouth County
jail and the INS facility at Elizabeth, N.J.
They are supported by many others in our parish who serve as prayer partners for inmates on retreat or those confined to their
cells. Others serve or prepare food for distribution at the N.J. State Prison Christmas “banquet”. These acts
of Christian kindness help in the conversion of hearts and bring peace to those in prison. Find out for yourself how special
this ministry is. Call John Carlucci, (732) 780-7343, ext. 320 (Male volunteers) or Kathy Mogensen, (732) 780-2666, ext. 314
(Female volunteers).
