Hope is Alive here at Holy Family Catholic Community! This virtue is manifest in so many ways in our community, but one of them is the dedication, creativity and hard work that so many people put into our ministries, services, activities, programs and, on a REGULAR basis, our Liturgical Arts Ministering Community.
We have just concluded the busiest week of the entire year with SEVERAL major celebrations from Palm Sunday to Easter. I would like to list as many of the ministries and services as possible that plan, execute, breakdown and clean up after our many events. I hope that this list gives you some idea of the complexities and very hard work that goes into what we host and carry out here at Holy Family Catholic Community. We strive to do them TOGETHER in order to CARRY OUT OUR MISSION of LEADING ALL TO NEW LIFE IN CHRIST THROUGH VIBRANT WORSHIP, LIFE-LONG LEARNING AND PASSIONATE COMMUNITY. We are not always perfect, and as evidence of that I will still omit some, and for that I apologize, but I hope this gives all of you a glimpse of the range and depth of our services and ministries, the effort expended by so many and the scope of work that is done here to carry out our Mission. On behalf of our entire community, I thank the following for:
LITURGICAL ARTS – planning Lent and Holy Week that began in September, carrying out the many prayer experiences of the season, crafting detailed liturgy plans that guide EACH celebration. The major components of Liturgical Arts include:
Table and Light – those who bear the light and set the table, follow slightly different instructions for the Masses and services from Palm Sunday to Easter
Proclaimers – those who practice and execute several different scripture proclamations for various services
Ushers – assist the assembly with seating, counting attendees, collecting the offering, directing communion flow
Greeters – those who welcome all who enter our doors. We have improved in this area, but my vision of Holy Family is a much warmer, authentic and inviting welcoming at EVERY liturgy, but we have so many guests at Easter time and Christmas, this aspect of our mission is critical during these special times.
Mass Coordinators – provide direction and implementation of the liturgy plans that guide our celebrations
Eucharistic Ministers – trained ministers who prayerfully serve the Body and Blood of Christ at many liturgies
Presiders – not only homily preparation for various Masses but extra Reconciliation times here at Holy Family as well as surrounding parishes and Catholic high schools such as St. Viator and Carmel
Rehearsals – each of the major celebrations as well as the Passion Play require rehearsals, sometimes multiple rehearsals for all involved.
Music – planning music that expresses and complements the dramatic events of Holy Week; many, many practices for at least 4 major different Masses which include singers, musicians, guests musicians
Environment – Art and Environment committee who create a prayerful atmosphere all year long but have so many extra challenges, particularly changing the environment from Palm Sunday to Holy Thursday to Good Friday to Easter not only in the church, but in the multitorium, gym and chapel.
Foot washers and candle bearers lighting the procession on Holy Thursday
Adoration Ministry – those who set the table on Holy Thursday, removing host from and replacing host to Adoration Chapel on Holy Thursday and Easter Sunday
Small Christian Communities – responsible for preparation of LBSCC materials year ‘round, and forming additional Small Christian Communities for Lent.
Volunteers – who assist with just about all of the above
OTHERS INVOLVED IN HOLY WEEK ACTIVITIES:
Teen Faith – Passion Play: writing of a script that is presented and tweaked in November, auditions, rehearsals that go through January and up to Good Friday, parents who cook for the teens, set people, AV, lighting, music, choreography, costumes etc.
Family Faith – staff and catechists who help with Passion Play, Prayer Festival during Lent
Human Concerns – Research, planning and creating the Lenten Social Justice Project, this year our Violence Prevention Initiative that has created Peaceful Pathways for Hope for so many, both here in our community and in two neighborhoods in Chicago
Maintenance – Practical assistance and muscle needed to move, arrange, rearrange, assist with the creative planning of the environment and then set up and take down in three locations (multitorium, gym and church) as well as other areas such as the narthex and the knuckle, filling of the Baptismal font and moving various crosses used for Passion Play and adoration, and setting up for our PADS guests on Easter Sunday evening.
Academy – Stations of the Cross
AV – In order to pray and celebrate the way we have become accustomed to here at Holy Family, our AV efforts are critical. They help us to carry out our vibrant and unique liturgies. Creating each of the countless individual slides with the standard of excellence that you have come to appreciate takes A LOT of time.
Operations – overseeing all regular functions of our campus that we take extra care in attending to so ALL experience a warm, comfortable and holy place to pray and one that gets challenged when we have so many visitors, parishioners and guests assembling. (Think of the details that you attend to when you host a large crowd at your home. We have the same, right down to providing enough toilet paper and emptying the garbage.)
Knights of Columbus – Traffic control
Adult Faith – RCIA / Footsteps, who welcome adults seeking full communion with our church, meet with them beginning in September, walk with them during their continued formation, coordinate various rituals with Liturgy team, sponsors. There are always Lenten themed talks and presentations for adults and an annual parish mission
Multicultural – Thursday evening preparation of the church for exposition of the Blessed Sacrament while the procession following Mass takes place
ALL OF YOU – who share your prayerful presence here to heighten the celebrations
Thank you ALL, and those I have omitted. God knows who you are and thanks you.