What will you give back to God for the blessing's you have received?
Stewardship... A Way of Life
Special Message from Fr. Colin
As we approach the end of summer, we now look forward to the beginning of a new year and to the starting up of many of our parish ministries and organizations. In many cases these ministries have been on hold over the past two years, so we are in the process of opening up again and allowing for the work and gifts of the Holy Spirit to become manifest in our parish life.
In order to do so, however, we are in need of volunteers. Most of the parish work, both here in the church as well as out in the community, is run by volunteers. Without them and their dedication many of these ministries would cease to exist, and at present there are a number of important ministries that may not be able to continue because of a lack of volunteers.
On top of this, as many of you know, St. Bonaventure will not be getting an associate pastor for the foreseeable future. This means that volunteers are even more essential to the day to day running of the parish in order to assist me in being the presence of Christ to all who come seeking Him in their various needs.
I would strongly urge you, therefore, to pray and consider how you can offer yourselves and your talents in the furthering of the parish’s ministry as we enter this new season.
God Bless
Fr. Colin
There will be no Flocknote for Sunday, September 4.
See our parish website for any parish news. The Parish Office will be closed on Monday, September 5 for Labour Day.
There will no longer be 9 am mass (or morning confession) on Mondays at our parish beginning September 1. Adoration will continue as usual on Mondays. Father Colin thanks you in advance for your understanding.
Our Parish Needs You!
Over the past couple of years our volunteer base has hit a major low, & our parish and the ministry leaders are struggling to find enough volunteers.
Fr. Colin needs everyone to please consider where & how you might be able to step up & help him & St. Bonaventure parish stay vibrant & welcoming to all. Without your help, several of our ministries & programs may have to be cancelled. We don't want this to happen, & there are many individuals & families that can help keep our church community strong.
Many ministries are seeking volunteers. You many think that you aren't qualified or have to possess certain skills to volunteer, but that is simply not true. Most of our ministries offer a connection to the church, growth in your faith & they also offer:
- Flexible scheduling
- Training
- Developing new skills
- Meeting new people in the parish community
Listed below is a description of our ministries most in need. If you can give a little bit of time to invest in our parish, we would love to have you. There is a signup button for each ministry. If you would like to volunteer click the sign up button. The ministry contact will be in touch to discuss scheduling, training (if needed) etc.
Contact information of the ministry leader is included with each description if you wish to contact them directly with any questions you may have.
Please consider signing up today for any ministry that interests you.
Altar Servers
Do you want to help our priests during mass? Grade 4 & older, girls & boys, are needed to assist our priests during the celebration of mass. You can choose which mass to serve at, a schedule & training is provided by the parish. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn new skills & serve with our priests during the Liturgy of the Eucharist.
Ministry Contact: Tammy Subasic 403-899-1305
Altar Servers
Grade 4+ scheduled to altar serve at mass of your choice
5 pm Mass Altar Server
7:30 am Mass Altar Server
9 am Mass Altar Server
10:30 am Mass Altar Server
12 noon Mass Altar Server
7 pm Mass Altar Server
Art & Environment
Have you ever wondered about the flowers & décor in the church & who looks after that? Would you be interested in sharing a small amount of time to watering the plants & helping with displays for Christmas, Easter & other liturgical celebrations at the Church? This ministry is very rewarding & if you would enjoy putting your creativity on display, we need you!
Ministry Contact: Michelle Fraser 403-278-7556
Bereavement
The Bereavement Ministry is looking for new volunteers to journey with the bereaved of our parish, following the death of a loved one, by providing emotional support & companionship in a Christian & caring way. Support may include, personal contact, telephone calls & cards/notes/letters.
In order to support this Ministry participants are required to complete a free training course which deals with the spiritual & emotional dimension of the needs of the person experiencing grief. Our next training course is Saturday, October 1, from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm at St. Luke’s Catholic Church.
Ministry Contact: Julie Robertson 403 281-7241
Eucharistic Ministers
Have you ever wanted to serve Jesus in the eucharist? We are urgently seeking new people to serve in this ministry. Eucharistic ministers are mature, confirmed individuals who will assist in preparing the gifts & distributing Holy Communion at the mass of your choice. We provide compulsory training & you are scheduled according to your preference.
Ministry Contact: Jodie Schultz 403-201-8817
Eucharistic Ministers
Mature confirmed individuals to assist in preparing gifts & distributing Holy Communion at mass of your choice. Yearly training compulsory.
5 pm Eucharistic Ministers
7:30 am Eucharistic Ministers
9 am Eucharistic Ministers
10:30 am Eucharistic Ministers
12 noon Eucharistic Ministers
7 pm Eucharistic Ministers
Funeral Mass Ministry
Our parish community supports those families who experience the loss of a loved one with the funeral mass & often times a reception afterwards.
There are two parts to this ministry.
Funeral Altar Servers: Our dedicated team of adult volunteers have a love of the liturgy & a willingness to offer comfort through prayerful presence in serving at the funeral mass. Our servers need to have somewhat flexible schedules & are rarely asked to serve more than twice a month in teams of 3 – 4. Training is simple & provided prior to beginning.
Ministry Contact: Leslie Padula 403-278-6228
Funeral Mass Volunteers
Mass Servers
Music Ministry
Funeral Reception: This ministry is so important for those grieving the loss of a loved one, & St. Bonaventure Parish is thankful to have volunteers to provide this comfort. We are looking for people to help prepare the food, bake some treats & serve the refreshments. This ministry is open now, so volunteers are needed before September for this ministry.
Ministry Contact: Colleen McKelvey 403-278-7556
Funeral Lunch Committee
Funeral Lunch Committee
Hospitality Desk
Have you ever needed a little gift for a sacrament? Our parish offers a variety of services at the display desk in the Narthex of the church. This includes religious gifts, books, mass intentions, new registrations & general information for parishioners. If you are coming to mass & could spend a couple minutes before & after the mass to help fellow parishioners, we would love your assistance with this ministry.
Training is provided & you can choose your mass. The commitment is usually one month increments, only twice a year.
Hospitality Desk
If you would like to assist our parishioners with new registrations, mass intention requests, general information & sale of religious articles, this volunteer position is just for you. Training is provided. Commitment: mass of your choice for 1 month, usually twice a year
5 pm Hospitality Desk Attendant
7:30 am Hospitality Desk Attendant
9 am Hospitality Desk Attendant
10:30 am Hospitality Desk Attendant
12 noon Hospitality Desk Attendant
7:00 pm Hospitality Desk Attendant
Lectors
Would you like to try your hand at reading at mass? This ministry is very special & we are seeking volunteers to offer their voice to the Liturgy of the Word at mass. Adults & those in grade 7+ attend a training workshop so no experience needed. The commitment is two consecutive Sundays, about every 2-3 months.
Ministry Contact: Ian Clark 403-830-7705
Lectors
Adults and those grade 7+ who would like to proclaim (read) the Word at Mass. Compulsory workshop is required. Commitment: two consecutive Sundays, approximately every 2-3 months
5 pm Lector
7:30 am Lector
9 am Lector
10:30 am Lector
12 noon Lector
7 pm Lector
RCIA
Would you like to be part of a team that shares their faith with those excited about joining the Catholic faith? We are in need of people to join our RCIA committee. This group of individuals will offer their time in different ways to help individuals as they journey to becoming Catholics.
Ministry Contact: Parish Office 403-278-7556 or contact Fr. Colin directly at frcolin@stbonaventureparish.ca if you wish to be part of this team.
Ushers
Welcoming others into our faith community is an integral part of being a Christian. Ushers at our parish have a unique way of making people feel welcome as they greet people & seat them at mass. We are in need of men, women & even young adults to volunteer for this ministry. There is flexible scheduling for the 6 weekend masses throughout the year.
Ministry Contact: Agnello Paes 403-690-2569
Ushers
Men & women to welcome & direct people to available seating, assist with Communion procession, take collection to the sacristy & assist those with special needs. Workshop attendance is strongly encouraged. Commitment: 1 or 2 times a month & on a volunteer basis at Christmas & Easter masses.
5 pm Ushers
7:30 am Ushers
9 am Ushers
10:30 am Ushers
12 noon Ushers
7:00 pm Ushers
Other ministries need volunteers too!
Other ministries in our parish always seeking volunteers are:
- Adoration Chapel- adorers are needed during the week. Many hours to choose from that suit your schedule. Ministry Contact: Heather Burdeyney 403-278-0394
- Music (choir) ministry - people to offer instrumental or vocal support at the 5 pm Saturday choir, 9 am, 10:30 am, 12 noon or 7:00 pm Sunday choir Ministry Contact: Ken Murdoch 403-278-5582
- St. Vincent de Paul Society - volunteers are always needed to assist in the delivery of food hampers to the needy as well as Christmas Hamper Campaign volunteers. This ministry is rewarding & speaks to Jesus' message "Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, & he will repay him for his deed." Ministry Contact: John Horan 403-278-2506
- St. Anne's Mother's Group Ministry Contact: Pavla D'Souza 587-888-2949
- Sunday Cookie Baking & Reception - In the fall we hope to begin Sunday coffee & reception after all masses. Volunteers are needed to bake, as well as make, serve & clean up after each mass. (This ministry cannot continue without volunteers. We will determine in the fall whether it will proceed) Ministry Contact: Michelle Fraser 403-278-7556
Contact these ministry coordinators directly to volunteer.