What is Ministry of Care?
Ministry of Care involves being a supportive presence to Catholics living in our cluster area who may be experiencing a time of need. The need can be due to sickness, aging, death, or grieving a significant loss. It often involves prayer and/or communion, but always involves being present to help out in some way even if only to give the gift of listening. Most people involved in ministry of care have the experience of receiving more than they give!

Who can become a Minister of Care?
Any parishioner in our 3-parish cluster of Immaculate Conception in Saukville and St. Mary and St. Peter of Alcantara in Port Washington can be trained as a Minister of Care. Below are areas in which we serve along with a short description of the ministry.

Minister of Care to the Homebound or Nursing Homes Visit and/or bring communion to parishioners and Catholics who are homebound or in area nursing homes and assisted living centers. Help gather nursing home residents for Mass or communion services. Ministers of Care can be trained to lead a communion service at a nursing home or take communion to a homebound person or to be a supportive visitor.

Ministry to the Dying A new area of ministry in our parish cluster. Participants are trained to bring communion and pray with the person dying and his/her family. This may take place in a nursing home, assisted living center or in the home of a person placed on hospice care.

Bereavement Ministry This involves support of a parishioner who has lost a loved one. Participants send cards and may make personal contact with the bereaved. At the parish-cluster level, grief support groups are also offered twice a year along with the November Mass of Remembrance. Bereavement Ministry also includes any parish members who help with serving funeral meals or participate in some way at funeral masses: choir, servers, etc. To be trained as a funeral server or to help with funeral meals, please contact your parish office.

Ministry to the Sick Participation in this ministry can take the form of sending cards to parishioners we know are sick, or one can be trained to do hospital visits to parishioners who experience longer hospital stays and would like a parish visitor.

For more information or to become involved in Ministry of Care, please contact Mary McHugh at 284-4266 or email .