This committee assists the parish in financial planning through periodic meetings to prepare and review budgets, review capital requirements of the parish plan and to assist the pastor in determining necessary repairs and improvements.
Two trustees are appointed by the pastor to oversee the financial condition of the parish. They provide appropriate counsel to the pastor in financial areas for maintaining the financial health of the parish and in other matters relating to policy and procedures. They meet periodically with the pastor.
A Feast is held annually in August as a major fund-raising and community building activity. The planning committee meets from January through July as needed. Parish volunteers make up the Feast Committee as well as the chairpeople and workers at the Feast.
The gift shop is run by members of the parish and is located in the Chapel. A wide variety of religious articles and gifts are offered for sale on Sundays as published in the bulletin.
The parish newsletter is the communication bulletin of the Parish Council. It is published nine times a year, September through June. It informs parishioners about the activities taking place in the parish and is a vehicle for articles of interest to them. Materials for the Newsletter should be submitted to the editor through the Rectory office. Deadlines are published monthly.
A weekly publication, the Bulletin is available
at all the weekend Masses. All information for the Bulletin
must be submitted in writing to the Rectory
Office before
This committee oversees all liturgical Ministries including Music, Lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, Ushers, Altar Servers, and Church environment. Its aim is to provide prayerful liturgical and para-liturgical celebrations for the parish. It works with other denominations in the area to promote Christian unity through faith sharing and service. The Liturgy Committee meets monthly to plan for our liturgical celebrations and to discuss liturgical principles as they apply to our parish celebrations.
The "Most Precious Blood of Jesus" prayer group helps to strengthen
a relation with Jesus Christ on a more personal level through communal prayer
and praise, song, sharing and teachings. It provides intercessory prayer for
serious needs of the parishioners and days of renewal and faith building
seminars (Life in the Spirit, You Will Receive Power). These include speakers
who talk on topics dealing with scripture and Christian life. Membership is
open to all with a desire to grow in the knowledge, love, and service of God,
by sharing life with a group of people striving to live the Word of God. Prayer
meetings follow Thursday night
The purpose of the Legion of Mary is to enter into individual and community prayer life for personal sanctification and to perform works of service in the spirit of the Mother of God in order to bring Jesus to all persons. This is achieved through meetings, rosary, prayers, and the rules and spirit of the Legion. Service is rendered by visits to the homebound, nursing homes, the hospitalized, the disabled and others requested by the pastor. The Legion is open to all over the age of 18.
Families that would like to have the Blessed Mother's statue visit their home for a week, please contact Cora Verdadero at 752-3889. The Legion of Mary will pray the Rosary with you on Tuesday evenings.
The purpose of the Apostolate of Mary is to develop the message of
This committee attempts to educate about and to foster vocations to Religious Life, Priesthood, Deaconate and Lay Ministry by participating in the week of prayer for vocations, newsletter articles, and vocation awareness programs. Holy Hours for vocations are held as part of the First Friday Nocturnal Adoration. Membership is open to volunteers.
Allows you to experience God's presence and be touched & transformed by Him; it is a gentle, loving invitation from the Lord to a fuller, richer, deeper life in Him, a life marked by the fruits of the Holy Spirit. If you are interested in being in a Centering Prayer Group, please call Pat Lorenc at 752-4479.
Faith formation implies the conversion of the whole person, mind, heart, soul, and body to God, Jesus Christ, and the Church. This faith formation must be Christo-centric: living and learning in the midst of a Christian community that shares, nurtures, and strengthens the faith formation to enable the members of Our Lady of Fatima Parish to view the world in which we live through lives formed, informed, and transformed by the Gospel message.
In an attempt to meet the needs of all of the children of our parish, the Religious Education Office offers a variety of approaches to the formative, informative, and transformative growth of these young people. These approaches include nursery school, a parish elementary school, a school of continuing faith formation, and the Holy Innocents Society. Included in each of these schools is a process of sacramental preparation geared to meet the needs of the individual as he or she is drawn into the transformative sacramental life of the Church.
Incorporated in all of these programs for children is a process of sacramental preparation. There are preparatory classes for the sacraments of Penance, Confirmation, and Eucharist.
"Get Ready" Nursery School is a pre-kindergarten program for three and four year olds. It is a faith-oriented educational experience, administered by professionals in early learning education. It is not a baby-sitting session. Three year olds meet for two half days and four year olds meet for three half days in Our Lady of Fatima School.
Our Lady of Fatima School is staffed by the
Franciscan Sisters of Allegany and a group of dedicated Christian lay teachers.
It provides education for Catholic leadership from kindergarten through eighth
grade. School is in session from September until June, Monday through Friday,
from
The Parish School of Continuing Faith Formation is open to children from age three through the eighth grade. While all children of the parish are welcomed to attend these sessions, they are primarily geared to those young people of the parish who attend the local public schools. Registration takes place in the spring for the coming year. Classes are held once a week in the school. Details of registration are published in the bulletin.
H.I.S. is a special religious education program for exceptional children
with learning disabilities. Classes are offered from first grade through
confirmation on a one-to-one basis and are held in the school on Wednesday
evenings from
Parents and teachers of Our Lady of Fatima School and "Get Ready" Nursery School work together with school administrators to provide a learning climate both in school and at home that promotes personal growth. Monthly meetings are held to keep open the lines of communications between the principal, the pastor, and the parents. Parents unite to promote activities that will enable school leaders to meet financial responsibilities of the school operations. The association provides programs at meetings to provide information to parents concerning issues affecting the students now and in the future. Meetings are held on the second Thursday of the month.
The purpose of the Boy Scouts is to teach a boy responsibility and duty to
God, country, and self. Meetings are held once a week on Tuesday at
The purpose of the Cub Scouts is to develop in boys responsibility, social and religious guidance, personal awareness and community involvement through fun activities so as to maintain the involvement of the boys. Boys must wear a uniform. Camping and craft skills are taught. Service projects and religious services are held. Parental involvement is encouraged. Cub Scouts include Tigers (grade 1), Wolfs (grade 2), Bears (grade3), and Webelos (grades 4 & 5).
The Brownies meet weekly to explore the five worlds of interest:
They do a variety of activities: sell cookies, go camping, and participate in Council activities.
The Girl Scouts meet weekly to provide each girl, through adult supervision and the guidelines set by the Girl Scouts of America, to: deepen their awareness of self, develop values, relate to others, and contribute to their society. They earn badges, go camping, give service time to others, and participate in Council activities. Meetings are published in the monthly calendar.
As members of a living faith community, we must continue to examine every aspect of community as it relates to the faith which holds the community together. Many and varied opportunities for individuals to experience on-going conversion are provided for the adults of Our Lady of Fatima Parish. These include spirituality enrichment sessions, Catechetical training courses, scripture classes, and lectures on relevant topics. The weekly parish bulletin gives specific details about topics, times, and places.
Every Thursday evening at
Study the Word of God with Fr. Bill Halbing -
Sunday evenings from
TDD - Marie Reilly
Special sessions are designed to assist the adults of Our Lady of Fatima Parish in preparing for the reception of the sacraments for themselves as well as for their children.
This society is a national and international organization aimed at
increasing devotion to our Lady and her Rosary, and assisting the pastor with
need of the parish. Meetings: the first Wednesday of the month at
This club promotes the spiritual and social life of its members, and
cultivates friendship and mutual interests among the senior members of our
parish. They meet twice monthly, on the first and third Tuesday in the
cafeteria at
The Youth Ministry aims to build community among our parishioners in the 6th through 12th grades through spirituality, services, socials, sports, fund-raisers, and cultural activities. Advisors work with the youth to give guidance and to help the youth build their relationship with God and with each other. The group meets the second Sunday of the month. For more information, please e-mail olfyouth@hotmail.com or leave a message for Fr. Joe at the Rectory.
The purpose of the
This is a branch of a world-wide Confraternity of the Church which publicly
proclaims Jesus as our Lord and Savior. They enrich their lives by joining
together for Mass and Holy Communion on the second Wednesday evening of the month
before their monthly meeting. They encourage Nocturnal Adoration, spiritual
retreats, days of recollection, memorial Masses, and prayers for the dead. They
provide manpower needs for the pastor and sponsor parish events. It is open to
all men in the parish. Meetings are at
This society is canonically established with officers, induction and
register. Its members give one hour once a month in night adoration before the
Blessed Sacrament which is exposed in the Church. Adoration begins after the
The Filipino-American Community is an ethnic group dedicated to fostering
the religious and social needs of the Filipino community. They enrich the
parish through sharing their cultural gifts and participating in various
ministries. Meetings are held in the cafeteria on the third Sunday of the month
after the
An ecumenical church sponsored organization, FISH serves the needy of the area. Most needed items are food and clothing which the organization collects and distributes throughout the year, but especially on holidays. They assist in transporting the sick to medical appointments, obtain camperships???, and continually aid the needy with blankets, school clothes and special diet foods. Volunteers are needed to man phone lines, help with the gathering and delivering of food, and to share what you have with those who have less. The FISH hotline number to get or give assistance is 356-0081.
This parish participates in a housing program sponsored by FISH for the
homeless. Periodically, we provide daytime hospitality, meals, and other
services at Fatima House. Guests are provided nighttime shelter at other
participating churches. Sign-up sheets for volunteers are posted in the Church
as our week for hospitality approaches or call Ro at 752-7145 or
This organization was formed to help parents handle the pain and anguish of the loss of a baby through miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant death. Immediate help can be obtained by calling the Rectory. It is a support group where those who have experienced similar loss can share with each other.
The purpose of Respect Life is:
It accomplishes its purposes through education, promoting legislation, and informing the parish of current issues in the parish newsletter???.
A support group for separated and/or divorced individuals, primarily of the Catholic Faith, who meet for discussion, presentations, and social interchange, which can help to make the transition easier.