Liturgy Team Report

Mission
The liturgy team of St. Margaret Mary's Parish assists the Pastor in all areas of our parish liturgical life. The team prepares the rites and rituals of worship in order to support the needs of the different assemblies and unite the parish as a whole in praise, thanksgiving, intercession, and ministry.
In particular, the team:

• Prepares and evaluates all liturgies, including the Paschal Triduum, celebrations of feast days and liturgical seasons, Sunday masses, the liturgy of the hours, the liturgical rites that accompany the sacraments, and other formal worship activities
• Supports and coordinates liturgical ministries, including those of preparation, the word, communion, music, environment, hospitality, and related ministries.
• Promotes the liturgical formation of members of the team, members of liturgical ministries, and invites to formation the parish as a whole, through catechesis, practical training, individual learning, and reflection.
• Provides guidance for appropriate devotional practices, as requested or required.

Liturgies
Liturgies that the team oversees and co-ordinates:

• Weekend Masses, Sun 9:30am, 11:30am ( 9:45 mass time  changed to 9:30 am in September 2008) During the summer months (July and August) one mass at 10:30am only.
• Evening Prayer: Tue 7:00 pm
• Feasts and special liturgies: Feast of St. Margaret Mary, All Saints, All Souls, Advent, Christmas, Ash Wednesday, Lent, Holy Week, Triduum, Easter, Pentecost, liturgies for Sacraments (First Communion, Confirmation, Baptism, Anointing, RCIA Rites)
• Reconciliation Service in Advent and Lent
• Lenten liturgies Stations of the Cross on Good Friday for families and parishioners 

Team Members

• Fr. John DeCoste, Deacon Derek Eugene Perabo, Dan Alder(chair: resigned Apr. 2008), Janet Alder(new chair: Apr 2008) Linda Gunning, Mede McAtee, Mary Pilgrim. Team welcomed the chairpersons of the various committees: Lorelee Nicholson(CLOW), Diane Jesmer and Brian Cano (Music) Dorothy Wood( MOHE)’
• Mary and Mede resigned effective June 2008.

Seasons, Feasts and Activities

Feast of St. Margaret Mary: Our parish feast day was celebrated at all masses. Coffee and cake was available after each mass)

All Saints: We had an anointing mass as well as a pot luck dinnerfollowing the liturgy.

 All Souls: Allparishioners who have died between1975 and 2008 were remembered.

Advent: Parishioners are encouraged to come to our weekly evening prayer every Tuesday during Advent.

Christmas: Masses were held 6pm, 10:00pm,10am. Children’s pageant was not part of the liturgy. but took place before the 6pm mass .This was complemented by a similar pageant on Epiphany.

Lent: For Ash Wednesday mass;sackcloth and reflection materials were available for adults and children.

Holy Week: Processed from the parish hall for Palm Sunday.

Paschal Triduum: All liturgies for the three days are carefully prepared, They flow together forming one unified celebration. At the end of \Lent the church is emptied of all books and decorations. Special daily booklets are used for each liturgy, liturgy of the hours and Stations of the Cross included (Good Friday morning Stations of the Cross for children and Way of the Cross in the evening for all parishioners). The church is opened each day for personal prayer and devotion. There were no Baptisms /Confirmations at the Vigil this year.

Easter Season: First communion and confirmation of children in April and May. Infant baptisms at both masses throughout Easter Season and beyond.

Sacrament of Anointing: was offered at a special mass on Nov 1, 2008 ; a potluck followed in the church hall.

Ministries

Lectors: Linda Gunning and Marjorie Gallagher were responsible for the the ministry and its scheduling.   

Eucharistic Ministers: Ministers are scheduled by Dorothy Wood. Meeting on Nov 4, 2008 for all Eucharistic Ministers was well attended and informative. Bread baker numbers have declined to only 1, but at EM meeting it was decided to try again to make licit bread for all masses.

Music: 9:30 am choir was headed by Diane Jesmer. Cornerstone continues to sing at 11:30 mass. On second Sunday of each month the choir also sings at St. Patrick’s Home. All music ministers are encouraged to come and sing at the paschal Triduum as well as at the various extra liturgies throughout the year.

Environment: provided appropriate and simple décor for all liturgical seasons and feasts

Children’s Liturgy of the Word: The team works in pairs to prepare and lead celebrations of the Word for the scheduled Sundays during the 9:30am (formerly 9:45am) liturgy. Children gather in Mary Beattie Hall.  The team’s coordinator Lorelee Nicholson, keeps the teams on track using the booklet Celebrating the Liturgy of the Word for Children. The teams continue to apply the Listen-Reflect-Respond method of homiletic reflection.

Family Liturgies: At the 945am mass a youth proclaims the Word and leads the Prayers of the Faithful on the first Sunday morning of the month when Children's Liturgy is not celebrated. John DeCoste calls the children to sit with him and participate in a dialogue homily.

Goals for 2008-2009
Though our numbers have declined, we are in agreement that the liturgy team is fundamental and necessary in our parish. In September we decided to review our committees - members and responsibilities. In November the Eucharistic Minister Team met to discuss challenges and changes in their duties. We will continue to meet with the different ministries throughout the year.

We continue to seek leaders for our youth, greeters and coordinators. Although these are not a fully integrated groups, they are very much needed at St. Margaret Mary’s. During 2008-2009 we will endeavour to organize these ministries at both Sunday morning masses.