Our parish family includes more than those who attend our weekend Masses. Some of our longest-standing parishioners are those who are homebound and unable to attend Mass anymore, but they are just as valuable to our community. The Ministry to the Homebound ensures that these parishioners know they are not forgotten, bringing them the most central part of our faith — the Eucharist.
Susan Wiegers has been coordinating the Ministry to the Homebound for about 10 years. Her personal experience has taught her to give special care to the elderly.
“I was a home health nurse for years, so I’m very partial to older people as I am becoming one myself,” Susan says. “In our society, older people are kind of pushed to the side and I think that this ministry helps to make them feel like they are still an important part of our community.”
The trained volunteers visit parishioners in their homes and nursing homes. When someone is assigned to a minister of care, they arrange to meet with them regularly, bringing them the Eucharist directly from Mass. The minister leads those present through a brief service including the Confiteor, a Scripture reading, and the Our Father before administering Communion. By bringing the Eucharist directly from Mass, the ministers of care are able to include the homebound parishioners in our community’s celebration of the Holy Mass.
“Any time that you serve people, it’s important to let them know that they are still part of the parish,” Susan says. “The Eucharist is, to any Catholic, the most important thing in our faith.”
Ministers of care receive training as Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion if they have not already been trained. They are encouraged to spend some time with those they are visiting. These visits, even when they are brief, make such a difference to our parishioners.
“It’s very rewarding,” Susan says. “The people that we see are so happy to be part of it. They just feel like they’re not forgotten.”
Homebound parishioners, or their family members, can reach out to the Ministry to the Homebound to ensure that they have the opportunity to receive the Eucharist. Often, families reach out to the parish, and the names are passed on to Susan, who then assigns one of her ministers to meet with that parishioner. While the Ministry to the Homebound serves those in their homes or nursing homes, hospital visits are made by a priest, deacon, or religious.
Parishioners are always welcome to join the Ministry to the Homebound. This ministry has served the parish long before Susan became part of it and seeing the dedication of the volunteers has impacted her deeply.
“They’re very committed and no one has ever turned me down when I’ve asked them to do something,” Susan says. “Our ministers are wonderful people who take this very seriously.”
To serve, or to receive visits from the Ministry to the Homebound, contact Susan Wiegers at 618-304-2355 or suwi@sbcglobal.net.
We recognize and extend our gratitude to the members of this essential ministry.
Susan Wiegers
Ministry of Care Leader
Ministers of Care Members:
Mary Campbell
Catherine Epplin
Deacon David Fields
Julie Harris
Peter Joergensen
Phyllis Lang
Robert McCormack
Susan McCormack
Lynn O’Neill
John Reitano
Carissa Reitano
Paula Segert
Rachel Strong
Stephen Szewczyk
James Townsend
Deacon Wayne Weiler