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A Dedication to St. Mary

St. Mary's Web site
founded November 6, 2000

Hail Holy Queen
The Prayer.

Hail Mary
The Prayer

†††Sacraments†††
†††Worship†††
†††Education†††
†††Christian Groups†††
†††Ministry†††
†††Fun†††

• First Reconciliation
  First Penance will take place on a personal/family basis. Families sign up for a time, bring their child (and themselves) go to confession, present their child (childern) to the confessor, then follow up first by immediate time given for discussion and thereafter by periodic confessions..
• First Eurcharist
  Family meetings provided for both Penance and First Eucharist consist of potluck, followed by educational activity for children adjacent to (and apart form) parent formation session conducted by Pastor and D.R.E. Children receive classroom training for both Sacraments and receive as a unit (Religious Education and The Academy).
• Confirmation
  this program is family and home-study centered. Five two-hour meetings throughout the year consist of prayer service, instruction, Bible sharing, introduction to and clarification of Christian service, food/social, video, all with built in retreat experience. The program is restricted 8th graders, including those of our parish Faith Formation program as well as those St. Mary students of McCormick Catholic Academy.
• Pre-Marriage Instruction
  A parish based program run by professionally trained counsellors to prepare engaged couples to be married.

• Liturgy commission
  Composed of the Pastor, ushers, organist and representative parish members who plan for special events throughout the liturgical church year.
• Worship Committe
  Coordinates and trains Ministers of the Word of God (Lectors) and Extraordinary Ministers of the Eurcharist.
• Lectors
  Program Scriptures at Mass. Adults with good speaking skills and a desire and commitment to serve.
• E.M.E.
  Responsible adults to assist the priest at Mass in distrubution of the Eucharist. (Minimum age 16 years).
• Altar Servers
  All young people in the third grade and higher, to assist the priest at weekend liturgies. Training required.
• Greeters
  Volunteer parishioners who extend a welcome to those entering church for weekend Masses. All are encouraged to be greeters.
• Thursday Morning Bible Study
  At 11:00 AM each Thursday morning, Fr. Paul Higdon runs a class on the scriptures for those who are able to attend.
• Jubilee 2000
  A new program preparing our parish membership to celebrate the millennium. Discussion groups gather for five week periods to share insights into essays that are distributed parish wide at all educational levels. This includes to sick and homebound.
• Prayer Group
  Meets Monday mornings in the office center to explore the powerof prayer.
• Ushers
  Provide assistance at all Masses/functions held in church. Meetings announced via the parish bulletin. Open to all, just volunteer to the pastor.
• Choir
  Not yet in existence, the parish is planning changes in this area and will make it's move soon. This is a definite plan for the future.

• Education Commission
  Concerned with planning and implementation of educational needs in the parish.
• R.C.I.A.
  All persons interested om becp,omg Catholic as well as those Catholics who may never have been confirmed or who simply are interested in growing in their faith are welcome. This is a journey of Faith, a catechumenate program which meets weekly in the parish office building from late September through the Easter Vigil, with follow-up mystagogia (period of reflection).
• St. Mary Academy
  A MNSAA accredited Kindergarten through Grade 5 elementary school. State licensed daycare, Young 4's and Young 5's program. Care curriculum, daily mass, computer lab, library, music and art.
• McCormick Catholic Academy
  A MNSAA accredited middle school of St. Mary, St. Edward on the Lake and St. Joseph for Grades 6 - 8. Academic curriculum, strong fine arts (band, choral, drama, art) program, varied electives program.
• Religios Education
  Religious Education families have a choice of either Sunday morning (10:30) or Tuesday, (4:00 PM) for grades 1 - 5. All 6th graders meet at Sunday - 10:30 AM. Students enjoy a staff of excellent catechists and a well-rounded program of Church doctrine, Scripture, worship and daily life applications.
• Pre-school
  Sunday 9:30 AM program for ages 3 - 5. Little ones in these sessions learn and experience love for self, others and all of God's creatinos in a hands-on atmosphere of family spirit.
• Bible School
  Kindergarten through 7th grade welcome. This one week long, group meets durning the summer time, to study and know Jesus. See church bulletin for details. Volunteers needed and welcome.

• Administration Commission
  concerned with budget and income of Parish as well as assisting Pastor and Parish Council with financial desisions affecting the Parish. Meets first Monday of the month at 7:00 PM in the Office building.
• Parish Council
  Duly registered members of St. Mary Parish, sixteen (16) years of age or older, who act as a consultant body to the Pastor; to assist and strengthen the bonds of faith that unify the Church.
• Knights of Columbus:(K of C) Council 11756.
  International Catholic organization for men whose purpose is to serve the church, community, and family. Monthly meetings in the parish offices. If interested, see a Knight!
• L.O.O.K
  Ladies Of Our Knights. A Christian organization for Women, that works with the K of C.
• CONNECT
  Connect is the new 7th - 8th grade grogram, designed to meet the small-group needs of our young people. Set up in four 6-week units throughout the year (with time off between units), Connect meets the spiritual, social and peer-related needs of the age. Connect meets at 7:00 PM on Wednesday evenings.
• St. Mary Youth Group
  A teen activity that meets on Sunday twice a month. Contact director or youth via the office for details.
• Funeral Lunch Committee
  Prepare and serve funeral lunches to bereaved families after funerals. Held in the cafeteria.
• Office Assistance
  Assist in computer related tasks, mass mailings, etc. Contact Ruth Raftery for details.
• Day Care
  A state licensed program to serve the needs of the working parent. Contact the school for details.

• Christian Service
  Activities include: visitation of the sick, distribution of the Eucharist on First Friday and at Port Huron Hospitals and Nursing Homes, the parish blood drive, and Prayer services.
• Outreach Ministry
  Makes visits to parishioner who are shut-ins or sick in the hospitals.
• Evangelism
  St. Mary Evangelism Commeittee is a servant committee to the parish. Originated from this group: parish prayer chain, mentors and hospitality to parish Confirmation program and bereavement program. This group has likewise placed fliers of St. Mary Parish activities in all area motels..
• Video Ministry
  This ministry is operated by Joseph Napolitan to enable the parish to better share by means of public access television the message of God's word with the community. Various programs are taped and shown on cable channel 3 twice per week.
• St. Vincent De Paul
  Offers assistance confidentially to those who need it. Meets weekly. Membership is limited and confidential.

• Summer Potlucks
  Held annually each summer with the purpose of gathering parish members together with no other idea than for companionship. These summer potlucks are held on Tuesday evenings.
• Bingo
  Volunteers from teams that operate this Friday evening activity. Work from 6:00 PM until 11:00 PM every Friday, or as you are available.