|
Home >
Ministries > Pastoral Outreach
Pastoral Outreach
Bereavement Ministry
The Bereavement Ministry was born out of the need to give comfort and support to
parishioners who have lost loved ones. The goal is
that no member of the parish will grieve alone, but will
find compassion and concern from the pastor, staff,
bereavement team and caring parishioners. The
volunteers on the bereavement team assist in planning
funerals, give spiritual support, lead the vigil or wake
service, keep in touch with the bereaved in the months ahead
and assist in other varied ways. A support group lead by a
trained facilitator meet on a regular basis in response to
the gospel message of care and concern for all God’s people.
It also serves as a resource for any information regarding
the grieving process and any practical matters that need
attended to by the family after the death.
Parishioners in this ministry plan and organize the annual
Mass of Remembrance in November. Please contact the
Rectory at 412.264.6162 or
st.josephparish@verizon.net for more information.
Guardian Angels
This volunteer ministry provides a
service to parishioners in need of a helping hand or some
act of kindness. The needs are as diverse as the individuals
who call the rectory to ask for some assistance. Guardian
Angels are men and women of compassion who wish to live
Jesus’ mandate to love one another and reach beyond their
own agendas to help others. Some examples of services
rendered are rides to Church, to doctors and for shopping;
sitting with a homebound parishioner to give care-giver some
respite time; communicating with other parishioners through
cards, visits or phone calls; help with yard work, etc.
If assistance is needed, please contact the Rectory at
412.264.6162 or
st.josephparish@verizon.net.
Homebound Ministries
Eucharistic Ministers visit homebound and
administer the Sacrament of Holy Communion. In
addition, the Pastoral Associate and various parishioners make
special visits and the homebound are remembered during the
holidays by members of the confirmation class.
Hospitality
Members of the Apostolate/Evangelization
Committee welcome new families to the Parish. They
meet with them personally to familiarize them with the
various events and organizations within the Parish.
Prayer Support Groups
“Where two or three are gathered in my
name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20) set
the theme for the Lamb of God Prayer Support Group in the
parish who meet every Friday from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM in the
school. For more information, please call 412.264.7463.
The teachers and children in the parish
grade school pray everyday for special requests and display
the names of those remembered in the school through an
appropriate symbol. Hospitalized parishioners requesting
prayers are urged to telephone the rectory so their name can
be published in the
weekly parish
bulletin. A special prayer partnership
involving the homebound of the parish is another way St.
Joseph Parish reaches out to those in need of spiritual
support. The Christian Mothers have a special “prayer
circle” to remember their members in need.
St. Vincent de Paul Society
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is a
Catholic lay organization of men and women who join together
to grow spiritually by offering person-to-person service to
those who are needy and suffering in the tradition of its
founder Blessed Frederic Ozanam and patron saint, St.
Vincent de Paul. To put our faith in action, we
practice the corporal works of mercy: to feed the hungry,
clothe the naked, shelter the homeless and to visit the
sick, the lonely and the imprisoned, ever mindful of our
love for God and love for those in need.
We operate within the parish boundaries
of St. Joseph Church helping those in the Coraopolis,
Groveton and Neville Island areas. Monetary funds for
the Society to operate come from the generosity of the St.
Joseph parishioners. Home visitation is an essential
part of our work, enabling us to assess the needs of the
poor and to offer emergency monetary assistance as well as a
listening and caring ear.
|
