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CELEBRATING
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Eucharistic
Adoration
The Blessed Sacrament is exposed for adoration Monday
through Friday from 1:00pm to 9:00pm in our Chapel.
Enter through the side door by the Chapel. Drop in, or
commit to a certain hour each week. Please sign the
book each time you come. Prayer aids are available in
the nearby office.
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Spiritual
Direction
Spiritual
Direction encourages a person to explore a closer
relationship with God. In the midst of a busy life,
many people find it difficult to notice God's action in
their daily lives. Yet, at the deepest level, all of
us long for a more conscious experience of God's presence
and love. Meeting one-on-one with a spiritual director
can help one grow in relationship with God, self, and
others. Sister Judy Friedel, O.P. is a member of the
Adrian Dominican Congregation and a certified spiritual
director. Sister meets with her directees in an office
located at St. Brendan Church.
Liturgy Commission
The Liturgy
Commission works to provide liturgical experiences, which
truly celebrate the life, death, and Resurrection of Jesus.
The Commission meets 5-6 times per year, usually on a
Tuesday evening. Planning groups for particular liturgical
celebrations are formed separately and meet as needed.
Cantors
Cantors, with
necessary voice qualities, lead the congregation in the
singing of responsorial psalms and acclamations of the Mass.
Choirs/Musicians
This ministry
is for anyone who is interested in choral music and
prayerful liturgy. The choir rehearses weekly and serves
during the 10:00 a.m. Sunday Mass between September and May.
Instrumental musicians are used to enhance celebrations on
particular occasions.
Eucharistic Ministers
This Ministry
includes the distribution of Holy Communion at Mass and to
the sick, homebound, and patients at Manor Care Nursing
Home. Eucharistic Ministers are nominated by the Pastoral
Staff and formally commissioned for service to the parish
community.
Funeral Servers
This
organization provides adult servers at funeral Liturgies.
Parishioners available between 9:00 and 11:30 am are welcome
to join this ministry.
Sacristans
Parishioners
dedicated to this ministry clean the sanctuary and
church on Friday mornings. They change and maintain altar
linens and vestments.
Lectors
Lectors
proclaim the Scriptures at Sunday Mass, give voice to the
prayer of the community through general intercessions, and
make announcements. A good speaking voice and an ability to
articulate clearly is needed.
Servers
Young people
in the parish (5th grade and above) who are interested in
serving God by assisting the priest and the parish community
in their worship during Mass should make their desire
known. Training is held in the spring and fall.
Ushers
Men and women
of the parish are invited to join this ministry which helps
promote a warm, hospitable and safe environment for the
congregation. Ushers help people find seating, insure a
smooth flow of worshipers at Communion time, and assist with
the collection.
EVANGELIZING
News From The Pews
This service
group provides parish and community news to St. Brendan
parishioners. This “behind the scenes” staff of five edits,
types, and proof reads all the articles brought to the
church office to be placed into the bulletin. The editors
are people who have jobs and families and still volunteer to
do the bulletin once every five weeks.
Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults
This is a
process employed to welcome people who are not baptized
(fully initiated into the Catholic faith), or are of another
faith tradition, into full membership in the Catholic
Church. People who will sponsor the candidates, offer
hospitality, or share their own faith are always welcome to
assist in this process.
Parish Pastoral Council
Parish
Pastoral Council aims to assist Father Murray in directing
and supporting various aspects and activities of the parish.
The Council’s ultimate goal is to help make the vision of
Christian community more of a reality at St. Brendan. The
Council is a consultative, advisory group with 12 lay
members, together with the pastor, associate pastor, a
religious representative and school principal. Each year
parishioners elect six new lay members to a two-year term on
the third weekend in May. Monthly meetings are held every
third Monday at 7:30 pm. Parishioners wishing to offer their
time and talent are encouraged to seek nomination.
Parish Pastoral Finance
Committee
The Parish
Pastoral Finance Committee advises the Pastor on all matters
of a financial nature and is independent of the Parish
Pastoral Council. This committee meets quarterly.
CARING
Avilas and 31
Club
Both of the
groups pray for vocations to the priesthood, brotherhood,
and religious life. The Avilas are part of the
Diocesan Vocation group and they meet on the first Monday of
the month after the 8:30am Mass in the Chapel. The 31
Club consists of individuals who select one day a month to
pray for priestly vocations. They do not meet as a
group.
Hospital Apostolate
Members of
this ministry make brief visits to parishioners hospitalized
at Fairview General Hospital and St. John West Shore to
assure them of our prayers and concern. Members are
scheduled for their visits once a month at a time convenient
to them.
Social Justice
Group
This group
meets monthly to explore the issues and needs of those in
our community and in our world and to prayerfully consider
how we, as a parish community, can respond to these needs.
There are monthly meetings as well as opportunities for
parishioners to be actively involved in direct service to
those in need. They sponsor the GIVE-A-CHRISTMAS
program and regularly communicate with representatives of
CALM (Children and Life Mission in
Namugongo, Uganda), St.
Brendan's international partner community.
St. Vincent de Paul Society
The
parishioners involved in the St. Vincent DePaul Society
minister to those in the parish who are in need of help with
food, utilities, etc. on a short-term basis or only
occasionally.
Bereavement Support Group
The objective
of this group is to give support to those who are grieving
the loss of a loved one and help them to bear their grief a
little more easily. With the help of people who have
sustained a loss, grieving parishioners are usually able to
face life a little more easily again without their loved
one. Call the Church Office and they will provide
information about groups in the area.
Wellness
Ministry
The Wellness
Ministry Program provides opportunities for speakers on
health care issues, does blood pressure and cholesterol
screening, and provides flu shots in the fall. Nurses
from the parish and from St. John Westshore Hospital provide
the services.
Funeral
Assistance
The Funeral Assistance program consists of a group of
volunteers who prepare, set up, and serve a meal after a
funeral if the family requests this service. The meal
is usually served in the John R. Kenny Center unless the
family prefers to have people come back to their home.
The only charge is for the meat dish. Contact is made
with the family at the time of death.
TEACHING
Generations of Faith
is an innovative
approach to parish faith formation that involves all
generations in learning and growing together through
their experience and participation in church life.
There are different topics presented at each
session. Sessions are held on Saturday morning,
9:00-11:30am and a repeat session on Monday evening,
6:00-8:30pm. A light meal is served, followed by
prayer, a focus presentation on the topic, children
and adult presentations, a wrap-up session, and a
final prayer. Each family or individual
receives a packet of material to take home and
reflect on until we celebrate the event we have
"studied". In the subsequent weeks, each
session is also followed by an event to involve the
parish community.
Registration begins about 3 weeks before the
session.
Parishioners and non-parishioners are welcome! The Church
Office can provide more information. |
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Recent
Session Themes:
2005-2006 - Feasts and Seasons of the Church Year
2006-2007 - The Seven Sacraments
2007-2008 - Peace and Justice
Upcoming Sessions:
"The Environment: Why Should Christians Care?"
Sat Apr 12 and Mon Apr
14, 2008 |
Parent Teacher Unit
The PTU is a
service organization working for the benefit of the parish
school, students and teachers. It provides many benefits
such as: room parents, student appreciation and “Spirit Day”
lunches, teacher appreciation dinners, scholarships,
graduation breakfast, receptions, pictures, and
informational speakers at parent meetings. Fund raising
proceeds go to the school. There are four general meetings
every year.
Pre-Cana Program
The Pre-Cana
Program helps engaged couples preparing for the sacrament of
Marriage. A team comprised of approximately ten married
couples from the parish, along with a priest, facilitates
the one-day program, which is offered in February and
September. Couples interested in attending or serving on the
team should contact one of the priests.
Education Commission
This
commission is responsible for providing for the ongoing
education of the parish. Meetings are held monthly on the
first Wednesday at 7:30 pm.
Parish School Of Religion
Students in
grades 1 through 12 who attend public schools meet weekly
during the school year to learn about their Catholic faith.
A regular program of instruction is offered that will help
our young people know about the Catholic Church and its
teachings and traditions.
PARTICIPATING
Holy Name Society of St. Brendan
The Holy Name
Society encourages and assists in the frequent reception of
the sacraments, in the honoring of the Most Holy Name of
Jesus and in vigorously opposing all things that offend His
Holy Name. In the pursuit of these objectives the Holy Name
Society has associated itself with the many parish
activities promoting a profound acceptance of Jesus, the
Savior. Meetings are convened on the Monday following the
second Sunday of every month at 7:30 pm in the Kenny Center.
Altar and Rosary Society
This society
aids in providing the needs of the sanctuary, promotes
devotion to the holy rosary, encourages a friendly spirit
and supports parish activities. All ladies of the parish are
invited to join. Watch the bulletin, the “News From The Pews” for events
sponsored by the Altar and Rosary society.
Kenny Seniors
The Kenny
Seniors was founded in 1964 by Father Kenny as a social
group for seniors 50 years of age or older. Members meet every first and third Tuesday of the month at
12:30 pm for coffee, refreshments and socializing at the
North Olmsted Community Cabin located in North Olmsted Park.
Participants need not be St. Brendan parishioners or even of
the Catholic faith.
Golf Leagues
A mixed
couples’ golf league begins the second week of May and
runs through August. Play takes place at Bob-O-Links
Golf Course in Avon on Friday evenings. We
always welcome new members.
The men’s
golf league has 90 regular players and about 60 “subs”
of all ages. Action begins in mid-April at Bob-O-Links on
Monday evenings and continues through the end of August.
Players are ranked according to handicap. Newcomers are
encouraged to play in order to establish a handicap and to
get to know the regulars. The league is open to all men but
preference is given to parishioners. The season is capped
off with an awards banquet.
The
women’s golf league is open to any adult women
regardless of prior golf experience. This is a
non-competitive social league that plays every Thursday
morning at 7:30 am at Bob-O-Links. Play
begins in May and continues through the end of August.
Women’s Bowling League
A women’s bowling league plays every Tuesday at Fairview
Lanes beginning at 9:00 am. Adult women parishioners as well
as their neighbors can join this informal league. A banquet
is held at the end of the season. The league plays from
September through April.
Bingo
Bingo has
been an institution at St. Brendan since 1969. It takes
place every Friday night in the Kenny Center. Doors open at
5:00 pm. Instant tickets are sold prior to the game which
starts at 7:00 pm. The hall is air-conditioned and utilizes
the latest bingo technology. Parents of students are
required to volunteer two evenings a year according to a
pre-ordained schedule. Extra assistance is always needed and
welcomed. Proceeds are used for capital improvements and to
offset rising educational costs.
Scouting
St. Brendan
sponsors scout troops for boys and girls ranging in age from
5 to 18. Meetings are held as often as every week. All have
the objective of instilling community values and building
character as well as having a fun time. The groups also
participate in campouts. Members need not belong to St.
Brendan nor be of the Catholic faith.
Athletics
Any number of
athletic programs is offered at St. Brendan including:
football, basketball, baseball/softball, and track. Every year hundreds of children enjoy
these programs made possible though participation fees and
the 250 Club raffle. “Sign-ups” are usually posted in the
“News From the Pews.” Students generally must either be
enrolled in the day school or PSR except for the summer
baseball/softball programs. The events are run by volunteer
coaches who strive to teach the basics of the sport, instill
Christian attitudes of sportsmanship, and most of all, to
see the children have a “fun time.”
West Shore Separated, Divorced, And Widowed Catholic Support
Group
This group is
open to anyone who has been married at one time but is now
living a single life because of divorce, separation or death
of a spouse. This is a ministry of peers who come together
in order to help each other adjust emotionally and
psychologically as well as socialize. Meetings take pace
every first, third, and fifth Sunday evenings at St. Brendan
starting at 7:00 pm.
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