Altar Servers

Youth of the parish (4th grade and older) are invited to become Altar Servers. Altar Servers assist the priest during the Mass. It is one of the most helpful and meaningful services that people can perform in the parish and is an opportunity to learn more about the church and our worship of God. If you have received First Communion and are in the 4th grade or older, you are eligible to participate.

Duties:

• Carry the cross/candles/incense during the procession into Mass
• Lead the congregation through active participation in the Mass (hymns, prayers, responses)
• Assist the priest by holding the books from which prayers are read
• Assist the priest in receiving the gifts during the offertory
• Assist in preparing the altar for Liturgy
• Assist the priest in the ritual washing of his hands
• Assist in clearing the altar after the Liturgy
• Carry the cross/candles/incense during the recession out of Mass

Who can be an Altar Server?

To Be an Altar Server, you must:

• Be practicing Catholics in at least 4th grade
• Have received the sacraments of Baptism and Eucharist
• Demonstrate reverence in serving at the Holy Mass and responsibility in serving when assigned
• Know and participate in prayers and responses during Mass
• Complete Required Training Program

ALTAR SOCIETY

Immaculate Conception's Altar Society is comprised of members from our parish who keep the sanctuary looking beautiful and provide what may be needed for the sanctuary.

Duties:

• care for the altar, sacristy, and sanctuary
• help maintain the liturgical needs of our daily worship
• purchasing altar supplies, including hosts, wine, candles, linens, priests' vestments, and altar server cassocks and surplices.
• clean the holy water fonts
• provide individual assistance, including the washing, ironing, folding, repair, and maintenance of the linens and vestments of the priests and servers
• along with anything else that needs to be done.

Who can be in the Altar Society?

• Be a practicing Catholic, distinguished in your Christian life, faith and morals
• Have received the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist
• Demonstrate a deep reverence for and devotion to the Holy Mass
• Possess the requisite abilities and temperament to carry out their assigned duties
• Complete Safe Environment training annually

For catechesis information, please go to the Catechesis page. 

To volunteer as a Catechist, please fill out the form below. 

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion

The Eucharist constitutes the very life of the Church, for the Lord said, 

“I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.” John 6:51

Duties may include:

• Distributing Holy Communion in the parish
• bringing Holy Communion to the homes of the sick or aged members of the parish. Please visit the Nursing Home and Homebound tab for more information
• bringing Holy Communion to a hospital or nursing home

Who can be an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion?

To serve as an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, persons must:

• Be practicing Catholics in full Communion of the Catholic Church, distinguished in their Christian life, faith and morals:
• Must participate in the Church's primary mission, which is evangelization
• Be at least 18 years old
• Be trained in this ministry
• Have received the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist
• Demonstrate a deep reverence for and devotion to the holy Eucharist
• Possess the requisite abilities and temperament to carry out their assigned duties.
• Complete Safe Environment training annually

Lectors

This ministry may also be called reader or minister of the word.
When the Sacred Scriptures are read in the Church, God himself speaks to His people, and Christ, present in His word, proclaims the Gospel. Therefore, the readings from the Word of God are to be listened to reverently by everyone, for they are an element of the greatest importance in the Liturgy. (General Instruction of the Roman Missal [GIRM], no. 29)

Duties:

• proclaims the first or second reading at Mass
• may lead the Psalm (in the absence of a cantor)
• may lead the  Prayers of the Faithful at Mass (in the absence of the deacon).

Who can be a Lector?

All the faithful, especially those who will serve as lectors should be properly trained on the following:

• Be practicing Catholics, in full communion of the Catholic Church, distinguished in their Christian life, faith and morals:
• Be at least 18 years old
• Have received the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist
• Demonstrate a deep reverence for and devotion to Holy Scripture
  • Believe that Sacred Scripture is the Word of God and have deep respect for God's presence in that Word.
• Possess the requisite abilities and temperament to carry out their assigned duties.
• Participate in Practical training of Proclamation and opportunity for practice and critique
• Complete Safe Environment training annually.

Ministry of the Sick

Do you or a loved one need Holy Communion brought to you? Please feel free to contact the Parish Office at 979-885-3868

When a minister of the church brings Communion, the sick or elderly person shares in the Eucharistic meal of the community. This Holy Communion manifests the bond of support and concern of the community for its members who are not able to be present.

Duties may include:

• bringing Holy Communion to the homes of the sick or aged members of the parish. Please visit the Nursing Home and Homebound tab for more information
• bringing Holy Communion to a hospital or nursing home

Who can be a Minister of Communion to the Sick and Homebound

To serve as a minister of Holy Communion to the sick and homebound, a person must:

• Be practicing Catholics in full Communion of the Catholic Church, distinguished in their Christian life, faith and morals:
• Be trained in this ministry
• Be at least 16 years old
• Have received the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist
• Demonstrate a deep reverence for and devotion to the holy Eucharist
• Possess the requisite abilities and temperament to carry out their assigned duties
• Complete Safe Environment training annually

An Act of Spiritual Communion

My Jesus,
I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.
I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot, at this moment, receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart.
I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You.
Never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen

Music Ministry

 “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.”

Psalm 98:4

The music ministry strives to invite and lead the congregation in full worship through songs. The songs are often chosen to reinforce the scriptural readings of the week or to draw attention to the offertory, preparation of the altar, or Eucharist. Our cantors are not performers or rock stars, but representatives of the congregation in support of the singing of the whole congregation. 

Duties:

• Attend practices before each assigned mass
• Welcome the parishioners at the beginning of mass
• Announce and lead everyone in all of the hymns
• Lead everyone in the responses throughout mass
• Lead everyone in the responsorial psalm. 

Who can be in the Music Ministry:

To be in the choir you must:

• Attend assigned practices. 
• Arrive at the church 30 minutes prior to Mass
• Desire to worship God through music & prayer
• Work to build and use musical skills (singing techniques and music reading skills)
• Complete Safe Environment training annually

Rosary Leaders

Duties:

• Start rosary 30 minutes prior to Mass. We kindly ask you to arrive 35 minutes prior to Mass to prepare for the rosary
• Lead the rosary by starting each prayer and reciting each mystery 
• Keep track of which prayer you are on by using a rosary

Who can be a Rosary Leader?

• Be a practicing Catholic, distinguished in your Christian life, faith and morals
• Have received the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist
• Demonstrate a deep reverence for and devotion to the Holy Mass
• Possess the requisite abilities and temperament to carry out their assigned duties
• Complete Safe Environment training annually

Why pray the Rosary today? The following are a few reasons why:

"Among all the devotions approved by the Church none has been so favoured by so many miracles as the devotion of the Most Holy Rosary" (Pope Pius IX).

"Say the Rosary every day to obtain peace for the world" (Our Lady of Fatima).

"There is no surer means of calling down God's blessings upon the family . . . than the daily recitation of the Rosary" (Pope Pius XII).

​​​​​​​If you are interested in assisting with these activities, please fill out the form below. 
 

Ministry of Hospitality (Ushers)

Duties:

• welcome those who attend each Mass
• assist parishioners in finding a seat
• look for people experiencing medical distress
• be aware of those who might need assistance in receiving Holy Communion and alert Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion to serve them
• collect the offertory collection
• provide bulletins as parishioners leave, ensuring that all members of the parish have the valuable information and announcements the bulletin provides. 

Who can be an Usher?

To be an usher, you must:

• Be a practicing Catholic, distinguished in your Christian life, faith and morals
• Have received the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist
• Demonstrate a deep reverence for and devotion to the Holy Mass
• Possess the requisite abilities and temperament to carry out their assigned duties
• Complete Safe Environment training annually