Ministries

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Youth ministry at Good Shepherd strives to connect youth with Christ and the church! For information about our various youth ministries, contact Anne Gallagher at 764-5437 (76-4KIDS) or goodshepherdyouthministry@gmail.com.

The Finance Council is made up of two Parish Trustees, four to six members chosen from the body of parishioners at-large, the Pastoral Administrator, and the Business Manager. A Parish Pastoral Council (PPC) member is also an ex-officio member of the group. The Finance Council has the following responsibilities to the parish as a whole:

• Reviewing the parish financial statements on a quarterly basis to ensure the financial security of the parish.

Thinking about becoming Catholic?

Find out what’s involved and have your questions answered. If you were never baptized, if you were baptized in another faith tradition, or if you were baptized Catholic and have not completed sacraments of Eucharist and or Confirmation, please contact Madeline Merkl at 334-3023.

The Catholic Ministries Appeal (CMA), formerly known as the Thanksgiving Appeal, is the annual diocesan wide appeal. The Appeal challenges us to look beyond our own needs and offer a share of our personal blessings with our sisters and brothers beyond our own parish walls. Through the CMA, we can show our thanks and joy for the gifts we have received and show our love for God and one another. Simply, we give as an act of thanksgiving and worship. And by doing so, we strengthen our local church and provide assistance to those who need it most.

This program offers the community the opportunity to extend Christ's love to those who occasionally find it difficult to obtain sufficient food for themselves and their families. On the first Sunday of every month, representatives accept donated food items before each Mass. On the following Monday morning the food is delivered to the Rush-Henrietta Food Terminal (RHAFT) and our sister parish, St. Michael's, food cupboard. It is with the sense that we are fulfilling Jesus' command ...

In recalling Jesus' special care and compassion for the sick, the Visitation Ministry Team at Good Shepherd makes regular weekly visits to area hospitals, offering our love, prayers and support. Although we call the hospitals during the week to keep aware of our parishioners who are there, we find it helpful to hear from you if you or a loved one enters the hospital. Please let us know by contacting contact Louise Carson (LCarson@dor.org ) or calling the Parish Office.

Families are encouraged to take part in planning their loved one's funeral liturgy. A pastoral staff member will contact the family to assist in planning the funeral in order to make it more personal. Please call the Parish Office at 334-3518.

We realize that some of our parishioners are unable to join us in celebrating the Eucharist, whether due to illness, advanced age, or other reasons. In recognizing the importance of letting the homebound know of our care for them and their connection with the whole community in a special way, we offer parishioners the opportunity to bring Holy Communion. If you know of someone who is homebound, within our parish community, and desires to receive Communion, or if you wish to help in this ministry, please contact the Parish Office at 334-3518

If you feel that you or someone you know may have a call to the priesthood or religious life, please feel free to contact a parish staff member. You may also find out more information by calling the Diocesan Office for Vocations at 328-3228, ext. 229.

In considering Jesus' special love for those suffering an illness, whether it be physical, emotional, or mental, the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, serves as a powerful means of experiencing our Lord's healing compassion. Although frequently thought of the Sacrament of "Last Rites" before death, this sacrament actually goes beyond this. When you or a loved one is seriously ill, preparing for surgery, enduring severe emotional distress, or weakened from the burdens of old age, consider this sacrament for God's grace, strength and hope.