Ascension Catholic Church



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East Avenue Oak Park, IL 60304 Phone: (708) 848-2703 Fax: (708) 848-2773 Support Ascension Parish Donate Now Ascension Catholic Church	Liturgical Ministries Liturgy Committee The Liturgy Committee meets four times a year to plan, execute, and evaluate regular Sunday Masses and other special liturgical celebrations. Their purpose also includes formulating policies on liturgy for Ascension Parish. The committee serves at the invitation of the Pastor and is chaired by the Direcor fo Liturgy. Members include staff members (pastor, the Director of Liturgy, and the Director of Music) and volunteers appointed from the following ministries: ministers of communion, lectors, ushers, music ministers, and art and environment. Two or three assembly representatives are also appointed. Ministers of Communion Extraordinary ministers of coomunion share in the great privilege of offering the Body and Blood of Christ to the faithful at Mass. Most ministers serve in this capacity twice each month. All baptized and confirmed Catholics are welcome to serve in this important ministry. Training for new ministers occurs two or thee times each year. If you are interested in serving in this ministry, contact Vicky Tufano, Director of Liturgy, at 708-434-1533 or vtufano@ascensionchurch.com. Lectors Lectors have the sacred duty of proclaiming the assigned readings from the Old and the New Testaments at Mass on Sundays and during the week. A desire to read scripture at the liturgy, a willingness to be trained and practice the readings, the ability to read aloud in public, and a commitment to live what they proclaim are required for this ministry. The primary tool for lector preparation is the annual Workbook for Lectors, which the parish provides to each lector. They also receive group and individual training. Lectors are assigned by the lector coordinator on a rotating basis. Anyone high school age or older may serv in this ministry. If you are interested in serving in this ministry, contact Vicky Tufano, Director of Liturgy, at 708-434-1533 or vtufano@ascensionchurch.com. Mass Coordinators Mass Coordinators serve as communion ministers while serving as sacristans for a particular Mass each weekend. Their ministry is to prepare the altar and to make sure that all is prepared for each Mass. These coordinators are appointed by the communion minister coordinator and come from the ranks of extraordinary communion ministers. If you are interested in this ministry, contact Vicky Tufano, Director of Liturgy, at 708-434-1533 or vtufano@ascensionchurch.com. Mass Servers These young men and women are trained to assist the priest during the celebration of the Eucharist and at weddings and funerals in the parish. They are usually from the upper elementary grades of both the parish school and Religious Education program. Sometimes called "acolytes," they carry the processional cross and candles, hold the sacred books for the presider and assist with the gifts at the presentation during the Eucharist. Recruitment and training of servers take place in the fall of each year and they are assigned to Masses on a rotating basis. If you are interested in serving, contact Vicky Tufano, Director of Liturgy, at 708-434-1533 or vtufano@ascensionchurch.com. Sacristans Sacristans maintain the readiness of the church for the litirgies that take place there. Some take turns working for one hour on Fridays to clean the altar, candlesticks, holy water fonts, cruets, bread plates and communion cups, change linens and clean the sacristies; others take home linens to wash and iron them so they are ready for Mass each week. If you are interested in this ministry, contact Vicky Tufano, Director of Liturgy, at 708-434-1533 or vtufano@ascensionchurch.com. Ushers/Greeters At each of the weekend masses, ushers serve the assembly by seating people, taking up the collection, orchestrating the communion processions and distributing bulletins at the end of Mass. Each crew has appointed a head usher who makes sure that the doors are open (or closed) as necessary, ensures that the church is ready, clean, and welcoming to each person who attends Mass. They are also ready to assist in case of emergencies and answer questions for visitors or newcomers. If you are interested in this ministry, contact Vicky Tufano, Director of Liturgy, at 708-434-1533 or vtufano@ascensionchurch.com.