Inspired by the Gospel values, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul leads women and men to join together to grow spiritually by offering person-to-person service to the needy and suffering in our community.

To request help in a time of need, please contact the Parish Office at 978-486-4100 and you will be placed in contact with the Saint Vincent de Paul organization at Saint Anne Parish.

The Littleton Council of Churches exists to help the constituent churches carry out their united activities, and support each other’s efforts, to advance the spiritual, moral, and social welfare of the community.

The Littleton Council of Churches was founded by: First Baptist Church, the Congregational Church of Littleton, St. Anne Catholic Church, and the First Church Unitarian. It is open to all religious organizations in the Town of Littleton. Three church groups joined the Council in 2006: Love First Presbyterian, Church of Latter Day Saints, and Nashoba Grace Church.

Representation consists of the pastor and three other delegates from each participating congregation. Each parish determines how delegates are chosen and the length of time they will serve. There are five meetings each year: September, November, January, March, and May.

The Council maintains funds to help people who do not belong to a local church and a small fund for travelers. Each year the Council sponsors an Ecumenical Service and two major town wide outreach programs at Thanksgiving and Christmas.

The Ecumenical Service is held on the Sunday before Thanksgiving. The clergy and laity of all member churches participate.

Outreach at Thanksgiving insures that every family in need gets food and a turkey for the holiday.

The St. Nicholas Project is an outreach effort at Christmas. Every family with children, who wishes help, gets two or more boxes of groceries, a turkey, and four to five presents for each child. Three hundred or more presents are purchased and wrapped by parishioners in all member churches. St. Anne being the largest parish is able to fully participate in the Council effort for Littleton families and do an additional 10 presents for parishes in Lowell.

Over the years, the Littleton Council of Churches has taken on town wide projects. Now separate groups, the Neighborhood Supper and Habitat 2000 are two town organizations that got their start with the Littleton Council of Churches. Currently the Council is addressing domestic violence and violence among children.

Hospitality is offered to parishioners after Sunday Mass on the third Sunday of the month. Coffee, juice and donuts are served. This event provides an opportunity for members of the parish to socialize after Mass. It is also an opportunity for new members of the parish to meet other parishioners.

Families are encouraged to act as host families for Hospitality Sundays.

During the course of the year, there are many special events that offer parishioners a chance to share bread and fellowship in a social setting. These events include: Valentine Dance, Parish cookout, youth trip to Rome for World Youth Day 2000, New York City trip, Italian Night, Seder Supper, and the Alleluia Party.

Containers are available at the Chapel entrance to collect donations of nonperishable food items to be distributed to the Loaves and Fishes Program located at Devens in Ayer.

Please follow the link to website for the Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry for further information.

The Neighborhood Supper provides a free meal in a place of hospitality and companionship for those in need and to those who are alone and would like companionship at mealtime. Whenever possible the staff acts as advocates for the disadvantaged. To do this, the Supper solicits and accepts gifts, contributions, and other means to support these good works. Volunteers sort bottles and cans at the transfer station for one month a year as a fundraising activity.

The Board of Directors of the Neighborhood Supper has ten to fifteen members with a maximum of three from each participating church. Board members serve a maximum of four years and officers serve a maximum of two years. Board meetings are held quarterly at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

The suppers are held every Tuesday at the Congregational Church on King Street in Littleton and are staffed with volunteers from rotating church groups. The St. Anne community supper is held approximately nine months out of the year. St. Anne's maintains a list of volunteers who may be called to work at any supper. Between 70-80 people are fed weekly.

Responsibilities of the supper workers are: planning the menu, shopping for all the materials, preparing the meal, welcoming and interacting with the guests, serving the meal, distributing donated foods to guests, and cleaning and restoring the church to its original state of orderliness.

Early pro-life activities in the parish started when a few parishioners helped to organize post card campaigns to legislators in Washington when abortion issues were being considered. The St. Anne “Respect Life” Group meets four to six times per year. The program “In Support of Life” addresses the needs, issues, and concerns that occur from conception to the natural end of life. The program includes workshops, meetings, speakers, videos, and discussions. It is a teaching tool to educate and enliven the spirit within each of us to reach out and support others within our church community.

The group has sponsored several pro-life activities including the annual baby shower that is held in February to collect baby clothing. The clothing is distributed to agencies servicing mothers and infants in need.

The group has also sponsored fund raising activities for the Special Olympics, Hospice, and Senior Citizen Appreciation Day.

Each year several weeks prior to Christmas a tree is placed at the front of the church bearing tags with the gift wishes of needy children. Parishioners are asked to remove a tag from the tree, purchase the gift, wrap the gift, and return it to the church by a specified date.

Children in Littleton are served in conjunction with the Littleton Council of Churches.

Cash donations are also accepted for a shoe and boot fund. Gift certificates are provided to purchase shoes and boots to help keep the children’s feet warm during the winter.

On the third Thursday of each month a group of volunteers sponsor a party for senior citizens in the church hall. The event includes games, prizes, entertainment, and refreshments. A birthday cake is provided to help celebrate the birthdays for the month.

Parishioners are asked to contribute donations of non-perishable food items and turkeys. Several volunteers sort the donations, assemble the baskets, and deliver the food baskets to needy families.

The hospital visitation began several years ago with the identification of parishioners who were hospitalized at Deaconess Nashoba. A member of the group would go to the hospital to visit the parishioner. With the changes in healthcare resulting in much shorter hospital stays, this approach became impractical.

In 1998, the program was revised to involve sending a get well card to the patient. The chairperson obtains the necessary information from the receptionist at the hospital. The get well card is sent which includes an offer to make a visit at home after discharge and to bring Communion if desired. The chairman of the group maintains a list of cards sent.

The Home Visitation program has been in place since 1988. It was established to bring the “Bread of Life” to those who are housebound and also to bring a friendly visitor to offer a time of companionship and caring. The volunteers arrange the date and time of the visit with the clients. The format follows the guidelines in a booklet entitled “Special Ministers of the Eucharist”.

A group of volunteers offers spiritual support to residents at the Life Care Center of Nashoba Valley. Four or more volunteers visit the nursing home weekly. The pastor offers Mass the second week of the month. A Communion Service is offered the fourth week of each month. The Rosary is recited the other weeks. Residents who are unable to come to the community room are visited in their rooms.

Each visit includes music usually hymns in keeping with the season. If time permits some of their favorite songs are sung.

The volunteers share the responsibility for preparing the schedule.

Members of the group attend programs offered by the Office of Social Ministries and the Office of Health Care Ministries which are open to all interested parishioners as well.

Parishioners are encouraged to call the Saint Anne Prayer Chain any time they have a need that reflects a serious concern affecting themselves, their families, relatives and friends. All petitions are treated confidentially and with respect. Serious needs that the Prayer Chain members pray for include grave illness, surgery, job loss, family difficulties, injury due to an accident, and death. To have your special needs prayed for by St. Anne's Prayer Chain, call the Parish Office at 978-486-4100, or use the email link at the right.