Our Parish

*Joan Oscar, Cantor and friend, Lorraine Losaso at the Liturgy table on Ministry Sunday.* LITURGICAL MINISTRY This committee is comprised of parishioners who wish to share their life of faith with the parish through its spiritual development. The committee cooperates with the pastor, staff and other parish liturgical, devotional, spiritual and prayer life. Membership includes those parishioners who are willing to share their faith and prayer life with the community. The goals and objectives include: Planning liturgical celebrations, seasonal & special days. Scheduling parish missions and Eucharistic Days of devotion. Cooperate with other groups in providing care for the church furnishings & decorations. Help create a proper environment for worship. Included in the Liturgical Ministry would be various groups that serve in a devotional and spiritual dimension to the parish. EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS: These men and women are extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion. They help in the distribution of Holy Communion, both bread and wine, during Mass. They will take Holy Communion to the sick and homebound. LECTORS/READERS: These men and women proclaim the scriptures at Mass and other liturgical services. CANTORS/LEADERS OF SONG: Volunteers who are knowledgeable of music and will lead and direct the congregation in singing at Mass and other services. USHERS/GREETERS/MINISTERS OF HOSPITALITY: Men and women serve the parish as welcoming ministers and greeters to people arriving for Mass and other services. They assist people in Church during services, seating and directing movement. They handle the Sunday collection at Masses. ACOLYTES/ALTAR SERVERS: These young boys and girls minister to the community by service to the priest at Mass and other liturgical services. To be an Altar Server, you must have already received your First Holy Communion. ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE: This group takes responsibility for the decorating of the Church for all liturgical celebrations, the liturgical seasons of the year and any other special events. CHOIR: The primary purpose of the Choir is to serve the community through the ministry of music. They provide music to enhance the celebrations of Mass and other liturgical services. Your interest in singing makes you qualified to serve in the choir. Rehearsals are held on Tuesday evenings, unless otherwise specified. To Volunteer, please Click Here
Bridget Cook, Choir Director, Chris Jenner, Choir member at the Music Ministry table on Ministry Sunday.	Lonnie Burke, Church Organist
*Laura Abrahams and Kathy Rowe give information to a parishioner at the Social Concerns table on Ministry Sunday.* SOCIAL CONCERNS COMMITTEE This group of volunteers gathers to discuss and implement programs and activities designed to inform the parish about social justice and pro-life issues. This group sets up service projects for the needy, hospitalized and homebound. Membership is open to parishioners who are willing to share their time and talent with the faith community. Involvement could be on many different levels, depending on what group within the committee you might wish to serve. Pro-Life: deals with activities surrounding a respect for life agenda. Food Pantry: deals with providing food and essentials to people who are in need. Concerned Calling Committee: keeps regular contact with parishioners usually through a telephone call. Giving Tree/Basket: provides for the needs of children throughout the area and parish at Christmas and Easter. Card Committee: keeps in touch and sends greeting cards to parishioners at special times in their lives. Cards are also send as condolences at the death of a loved one. Parish Library: This group of volunteers takes care of the parish library which is located in the upper meeting room. The library contains books and videos. Meetings are held monthly on the 3rd Tuesday. To Volunteer, please Click Here
*Deacon Ralph Weichand at the Adult Education table on Ministry Sunday.* EDUCATION MINISTRY Adult Education: This committee serves to provide ongoing religious education program for our adult parishioners. This would include such programs as Bible Study, DeSales Series of Faith Formation Classes, Guest Speakers, Parish Retreats, Renew Faith Sharing and other programs that would enhance a parishioner's understanding of faith. Adult Education Committee meets on the 4th Thursday of the Month RELIGIOUS EDUCATION PROGRAM(CCD): This program serves the Youth of the parish in their continued religious education and understanding of the faith. Under the direction of the Religious Education Coordinator, classes are set for children who attend public school from grades K-7th. Service in this area would include teaching a Religious Education Class or serving as a Classroom aide or volunteer. CCD TEACHERS: Volunteers teach a class of students from grades K-7th. Classes are held weekly during the regular school year. CCD AIDES & VOLUNTEERS: Volunteers assist the Coordinator as well as the CCD teachers. They may help in the individual classes or in the overall program. *Deacon Ralph Weichand is at our Families Together table on Ministry Sunday.* FAMILIES TOGETHER SOCIETY Where area families together with their children can get to know one another, develop new friendships and provide support to one another to foster the family connection. TINY TOTS or LITTLE ONES is geared to families with children under three years of age. LITTLE LEARNERS is geared to children from three to seven years of age. R.C.IA. TEAM (RITE OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION OF ADULTS: This group people help in the preparation of converts to the Catholic faith. They would act as sponsors for those coming into the Church as well as help in the instructions in the faith. BAPTISM PREPARATION: This program meets monthly and helps prepare parents for baptism. It's an instructional program highlighting the effect and responsibilities of baptism. Those who volunteer in this group will help parents with children to be baptized to understand the sacrament and its responsibilities, this is to raise the children Catholic. MARRIAGE SPONSOR COUPLES:These are married couples themselves who will assist in preparing engaged couples for marriage. This would include sharing personal experience as well as using "Focus" compatibility tools. It would mean meeting with engaged couples in informal settings speaking about married life. Diocesan training required. BEREAVEMENT COMMITTEE: This group of volunteers will help with families when they experience a loss of a loved one. It would include getting in touch with the family, helping plan the funeral Mass and providing parish support at this difficult time. Tiny Tots meet on the second Tuesday from 10:00 to 11:30am Little Learners meet on the second Sunday from noon to 2:00pm For more information, please call the Church Office. To Volunteer/Join, please Click Here
*Sandy Bradley at Our Lady's Guild table on Ministry Sunday* OUR LADY'S GUILD This is our parish's women's society. All women of the parish are eligible to join and participate. Our Lady's Guild, formerly the Altar and Rosary Society, was formed in the 1950's. Meetings were held at members homes, and religious items were sold after church on Sunday. Our Guild now has over 200 members. Our Lady's Guild is a spiritual, social and apostolic organization named for our Blessed Mother, devoting our work to the Mother of God. Some of our activities include: Spiritual Retreats, We try to plan 4-6 retreats a year; Parish Dinners, Spaghetti, Roast Beef, Roast Pork and possibly an International Dinner (in the works). Pierogi Making & Sales, Lent & annual Homecoming Bazaar; Annual Tea & Social, in February for new members Help in the kitchen for the annual Night at the Races, Saturday night Bingo and Red Cross Blood Drive. Communion Breakfast in October, Christmas Party, Covered dish and a great time! Fashion Show, In April at Stroudsmoor Country Inn. As members of Our Lady of Victory Parish family, we participate in many of our parish activities. We ask you as members to attend meetings and participate whenever you can. This gives you an opportunity to meet friends and feel like you are contributing towards the needs of the Parish. Regular meetings are held in the church hall at 7PM on the first Wednesday of each month. It is here that we plan our projects and conduct the regular business of the Guild. We invite you to come and join us !! To Join, please Click Here
*Jim Gamble mans the Holy Name Society table, while Andy McLean and a parishioner look on.* HOLY NAME SOCIETY All men of the parish are welcome to join this society, dedicated to the Holy Name of Jesus. This society is spiritual, social and apostolic. In the spiritual sense, they hold retreats at different times of the year. They attend Mass as a body. They are dedicated to the respect of the Holy Name of Jesus in their words and actions. In the social setting, they gather monthly for regular meetings. The men gather for a business meeting and then have their informal social afterwards. Apostolically, they work for the Church. They have sponsored a number of different fund raisers for the parish, including regular parish breakfasts, Christmas breakfast with Santa for families, free breakfast for Mothers on Mother's Day and support the parish bazaar. Meetings held on the second Tuesday of each month at 7:00pm. To join call the church office or come to the next regularly scheduled meeting. To Join, please Click Here
*Jack Burns, Deputy Grand Knight and Jim Hamill, Church Committee stand at the Knights of Columbus table on Ministry Sunday.* KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS This is a men's society, sponsored by the parish, dedicated and supportive to the Church. They sponsor activities and programs following the guidelines of the Knights of Columbus worldwide. They support the parish in providing activities and assisting in programs sponsored by the Church. The Knights of Columbus meet on first and third Thursday at 7:30 To Join, please Click Here
*Terry Bissey at the St. Martha's Society table on Ministry Sunday* ST. MARTHA SOCIETY As Martha in the Scriptures was busy with the details of hospitality, this group of volunteers helps keep our Church clean and in order. Based on a weekly schedule, they would clean the Church, chapel and narthex areas for the worshipers and visitors. This work is usually done on Monday mornings. everyone arrives at the Church between 8:30-9:00am. The task at hand may not seem glamorous, but it is necessary work of the Church. St. Theresa, the Little Flower, would make the most menial tasks into something where she gave praise to God. Those who serve in this group are giving praise to God by keeping His House of Prayer in good order. To volunteer for this important group, please call the Church office or just come on Monday morning. Your help is truly needed. To Volunteer, please Click Here
Jack Burns at the Physical Facilities Committee table on Ministry Sunday. PHYSICAL FACILITIES COMMITTEE This committee takes care of the entire Church physical plant, including buildings and grounds. Their work is an important part of our preventative maintenance program. Meeting quarterly throughout the year, they will tour the buildings and walk the grounds looking for problems or potential problems and hazards. They work together with the maintenance staff so as to make sure the building and grounds are in good shape. Requirements for serving on this committee is a willingness to help the parish. An understanding of physical structures and what to look out for in maintenance areas is a help. Recommendation of this group to the pastor is not only in what needs to be done for the overall maintenance and upkeep of the Church building and grounds, but also they are invaluable in helping to get that work done through their referrals and knowledge of who or what kind of company does specific work. To volunteer for this committee, please call the Church office and a schedule of meetings and times will be given to you. To Volunteer, please Click Here
*Evelyn Baker and Rosa Aranjo at the Youth table on Ministry Sunday.* HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH GROUP This is the parish's youth ministry group. All youth of the parish from grades eight through twelve are eligible to join. They participate in apostolic activities supporting different charities. They help the other societies in the parish. They direct their own group sponsoring social as well as spiritual activities for the youth of the parish. Some of their activities include: Rock-a-Thon, 24-hour Hunger Lock-in, Summer Trip to the Shore, Souper Bowl collection for needy; Dances -- Cook-outs,---Parties Youth Group meets every other Sunday 6:00 -7:30PM To Volunteer/Join, please Click Here