Father Stephen Jones, Director of Stewardship for the Diocese of Jefferson City, preached at the Masses last weekend, giving a wonderful summary of the spirituality of stewardship. His primary illustration of the need for active stewardship was the dramatic decline in attendance at the Sunday Mass in the last three years. I do concede that our October count last fall was still impacted by the pandemic. But in reality, the decline in Mass attendance is testified to by the twenty years the diocese has been keeping records. In 2002, Mary Immaculate recorded an average of 576 persons at the weekend Masses. The pre-pandemic weekend average in 2019 was 457.
Over the years I have pastored parishes who have struggled with decreasing Mass attendance. One effective way to inspire greater participation is to find ways to help make a parishioner’s attendance at Mass more meaningful. Initially we think that is accomplished by helping parishioners “get something more” out of Mass. That means we must examine how we as a parish celebrate the Mass and ensure that all of us are giving our best in our leadership roles. Most importantly it means helping parishioners understand that the Eucharist is the greatest gift that Christ gives us. What more could we possibly want than the Presence of the Lord, body and blood, soul and divinity?
The other strategy is to help a parishioner “give something more” at Mass. That doesn’t mean increasing the collection. It means helping each parishioner know that their own participation at Mass means something to others. You are giving of yourself by being present to others who need you there to assist them in their prayer and worship. Just showing up means that you are claiming your membership in the Body of Christ and thus are willing to live out your role as a steward of God’s grace for others. We give witness to our faith and fidelity by simply being present and participating in the Eucharist.
Besides the simple gift of presence to others, parishioners have an opportunity for service at the Mass. There are many roles that are necessary in assisting the congregation in full, active, conscious participation in the Mass and to ensure that the liturgy is a worthy offering to God. We have had a great tradition of engagement in liturgical ministries. But time and the pandemic has whittled down the number of ministers to a bare minimum. It’s pretty much now the same people who do the same ministries at the same Mass time each week. That is a problem in several ways: one, it is an unfair burden on individuals—even though there has been no complaint and people are willing to do this. Two, it is unjust in that it doesn’t allow others to take their rightful turns. Additionally, if the usual minister is not able to attend, substitutes who have not had the preparation necessary for the role are unfairly tapped at the last minute. Things can get neglected or forgotten in the meanwhile.
tewardship and ministry is much more than liturgical ministries; however, we can use the opportunity to renew and reform our liturgical ministries as a model for renewing and reforming all the roles of service and charity that a stewardship parish engages in. We are continuing to meet each month as a group who are rebuilding the Worship Commission at Mary Immaculate and Saint Rose. While the primary task will be to prepare for Holy Week and Easter, we will also give attention to identifying coordinators for the various liturgical ministries. It’s a very simple step to take. But entrusting leadership and responsibility to an identifiable person will assist everyone in the parish in finding their own role to play at the Mass. Here is a list of the key responsibility areas for the liturgy. Consider this a job posting. Please contact me (monsignor.mak@miparish.org) if you are willing to accept the role of coordinator of a particular ministry.
The role of the coordinator is fairly defined: maintain the standards of excellence that the liturgy requires of a particular ministry or role; train ministers to meet these standards; recruit others to participate in the ministry; assist in scheduling the ministers so as to expand the pool of volunteers. This is an important and necessary step to engage in if we are to indeed live up to our baptismal calling and bring others to, and into, the Church. If we provide committed leadership, generous disciples will respond.
• Ministry of Hospitality: The coordinator of the ministry of hospitality recruits, trains and inspires parishioners to serve as ministers of hospitality so that all who visit our parish find a welcome place to worship. The coordinator is the person primarily responsible for a safe, inviting, and comfortable worship space. • Ministry of Reader: The coordinator of the ministry of reader recruits, trains and inspires parishioners to serve as ministers of the Word at public liturgies of the Church so that the Word of God is encountered at each liturgy as living and effective. • Ministry of Music and Song: The coordinator of the ministry of music and song identifies, invites, and assists the various music ministers of the parish in such a way that parish liturgies are occasions of joyful participation by the whole community in adding delight to prayer, fostering unity of minds, and conferring greater solemnity upon the sacred rites in service of the Lord. • Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion: The coordinator of the Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion recruits, trains and inspires those who assist the priest in distributing Communion to the faithful within Mass and to those who are sick or unable to come to the Eucharist so that Communion is distributed in a reverent and accessible manner. • Sacristan: The coordinator of sacristans recruits, trains and inspires the sacristans who prepare the sacred vessels and furnishings for the celebration of the Mass and also assist the priest and other ministers prepare for the celebration of the Mass so that all the things and persons necessary for a worthy celebration of the liturgy are ready as needed. The sacristan also ensures that after the service is completed, the church and the sanctuary are restored to proper order. • Art and Environment: The coordinator for the art and environment procures, manages, and makes available the practical, artistic and liturgical materials necessary for a worthy celebration of the liturgy according to the season of the year and degree of solemnity. The vestments and sanctuary paraments are under the coordinator's care. • Prayer and Devotions: One commission member shall be designated as the coordinator of prayer and devotion. He or she will assist the pastor and parish leadership in providing worthy opportunities to worship the Lord with the rich devotional life of the Catholic Church. Special attention will be given to the communal recitation of the rosary, ample opportunities for Adoration and Benediction, processions, novenas, and the Way of the Cross. The Book of Blessings will guide this coordinator in providing regular opportunities for blessing of persons, places and objects significant to the faith life of the parishioners. • Altar Servers: The coordinator of altar servers recruits, trains, and inspires young people to assist at the altar during the Mass so that all young people experience an invitation to draw closer to the Lord in the celebration of the Eucharist, the sacraments and other devotions. • Audio-Visual Systems: The coordinator for audio-visual systems maintains the technology necessary for ensuring that the public address and live stream technology is effective and adequate. The coordinatortrains the ministers in the proper use of audio equipment, ensures that the live streams are responsibly maintained, and recruits others in assisting the management of the live-streams.