Altar Servers - All children of St. Leo the Great Parish, from Fifth Grade on, are invited to be Altar Servers. This is a great opportunity for our young people to actively participate in their Catholic Faith. If you are interested in being an Altar Server, please contact Deacon Joe at 732-450-2090.
Bereavement Support - To respond to the gospel message “to comfort all who mourn,” and to reach out to those who are experiencing grief due to the death of a loved one. The group provides opportunities for the bereaved to receive support while working through the changes in their lives by sharing their stories in a faith community.
There will be two 9-week Guided Bereavement Series offered. The meetings are held on Monday or Wednesday evenings from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. in the Parish Center. Contact Sr. Ann at 732-747-5466. The next series will start on Monday, September 24, 2007 and will end on Monday, November 19, 2007
Eucharistic Ministers - Eucharistic Ministers are laity who are privileged to assist in the distribution of the Eucharist during liturgies and prayer services. They also bring the Holy Eucharist to the ill and homebound. If you are interested in becoming a Eucharistic Minister, please call Deacon Joe at 732-450-2090 or Julie Olski at the Parish Center – 732-747-5466. Training will be provided.
Evangelization Team - The Evangelization Team is involved in raising the awareness of the parish community to our basic mission of sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ. The Team sponsors an information table at the Parish Carnival, hosts a Coffee Sunday on Pentecost, conducts an evening for making family Advent Wreaths, sells greeting cards with a spiritual message and hosts the Parish Picnic.
Meetings will be held quarterly at 7:00 p.m. in the Parish Center. Study of Pope Paul’s II’s document on Evangelization in the Modern World will be arranged for any parishioner who would like to become a member of the team.
Greeters - are the official hosts for and of the congregation at weekend liturgies and other special functions in the parish.
Holy Name Society - The Holy Name Society is comprised of a group of dedicated men joined together to reaffirm their faith in the name of Jesus Christ and to promote the fellowship of the parish community. Activities include: Holy Name Softball, Annual Golf Outing, assisting at the Annual Parish Carnival and Annual Fish Fry. All adult men of the parish are encouraged and welcomed to actively participate in this ministry. Contact Pete Maclearie at 732-530-0593 or John Senkewicz at 732-842-4110.
Interfaith Hospitality Network - In recognition of the need for helping families who are homeless in Monmouth County and our responsibility to put our faith into action, we actively support Interfaith Hospitality Network of Monmouth County (IHN Monmouth) through the Social Concerns Ministry of St. Leo's.
IHN Monmouth provides shelter, meals and programming to assist families who are homeless and are struggling to get back into permanent housing. For more information you can access the IHN Monmouth website at www.ihn-of-mc.org
Lazarus Ministry - The Lazarus Ministry contacts families of deceased parishioners to offer comfort. The ministry will help with preparations for liturgies if requested by the family. There is an Annual Memorial Mass at St. Leo’s on Monday, November 5, 2007 at 7:30 p.m. in the church. There are no scheduled meetings for this ministry. For further information, telephone Sr. Ann at 732-747-5466.
(Lectors)/Readers - Readers are laypersons who are entrusted with proclaiming the Word of God by the reading of Scriptures at liturgies and other prayer services. If you are interested in being a Reader, please call Deacon Joe at 732-450-2090 or Julie Olski at the Parish Center – 732-747-5466. Training will be provided
Lunch Break - Over the past ten plus years, the St. Leo’s Community has supported a program called St. Leo’s Project Lunch Break. This program was designed to provide weekend meals to over 150 needy individuals in the Red Bank area. The support of this program has come through parish volunteers who make and deliver packaged lunch/snacks, and financially through the contributions made by the parishioners.
Through the years, your generosity and support has allowed us to prepare and deliver over 75,000 weekend meal packages. We would like to thank you for your past efforts as well as for your continued support during the bi-annual second collection that is held for Lunch Break.
We are always looking for volunteers to help:
Supervisors - Each week we need two supervisors to help coordinate the process. These individuals are responsible for ensuring the supplies have arrived and coordinating the activities of the volunteers and ultimately the distribution in Red Bank. We currently rotate this responsibility among 20 dedicated individuals who rotate the supervision of activities each Saturday morning, but we could use more help. Supervisors generally volunteer to assist once a month or less.
Volunteers and Community Service Hours - Volunteers are needed each Saturday for approximately one hour in the cafeteria between 10:00 and 11:00 a.m. Parishioners and students who would like to help or need community service projects (Confirmation, Scouting, High School or other) are welcome to join us.
Phone Volunteer/Scheduler - Volunteers are needed to make phone calls for approximately one hour each month to help schedule volunteers on a weekly basis.
Call Cheryl Keefe at 732.758.0786 to assist in any of the above areas.
Mommy & Me - is a play group for children from infant to five years of age and a support group for moms. The group meets on FRIDAYS from 10:30 to 12:00 Noon. at St. Leo’s Parish Center or St. Leo’s Playground (depending on season and weather). They also plan trips to such places as the “Pumpkin Farm” & Holmdel Park.
Nicholas Ministry - The Nicholas Ministry reaches out to the sick, hospitalized and shut-ins of our parish by visiting, sending cards and making telephone calls. There are no scheduled meetings. There is an annual Healing Mass on Saturday, October 6, 2007 at 10:00 a.m. in the church. Contact Sr. Ann at 732-747-5466.
Parish Pastoral Council - The mission of our Parish Pastoral Council is to work collaboratively with the Pastor to lead the people to Christ in a newer, deeper and more personal way, and to help individuals and families to reach out in love and service to the community. Involving and encouraging all members of the parish to make the parish better will accomplish this mission. The Council will assist the Pastor in discerning the current and future needs of our parish, formulate specific proposals to meet those needs, and improve or create structures within the Council and within the parish, which will effectuate the proposals.
Membership - Those who would be members of the Parish Pastoral Council must be active Catholics of proven faith, good moral character and prudence, who are active members of the parish and have a record of service to the parish.
There are 19 members on the Council: Pastor, Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Secretary, Deacon, Parish Trustee, Parish Delegates to the Diocesan Pastoral Council, two Staff members and ten At-Large members. There are six standing committees reporting to the Council:
Spiritual Life Committee - Plans and conducts prayer services for meetings of the Council, Parish-Wide Ministries Awareness Day and introduction of Council Members to the Parish at large.
Finance Committee - Facilitates the preparation of the annual budget, both income and expenditures. Advises the Pastor and the Council on the investment and expenditure of moneys.
Communications Committee - Publicizes programs and activities of the Council. Solicits input on parish activities. Produces a quarterly newsletter.
Nominating Committee - Prepares a slate of officers. Selects the At-Large members for approval of the Council. Solicits the names of future Council members for annual and unexpected openings.
Building and Grounds Committee - Oversees and monitors the physical assets of the parish. Is responsible for the planning and construction of new buildings.
Development Committee - Advises on the number and type of fundraising activities.
AAC Committee - Advises on issues pertaining to maintaining and scheduling the Arts and Athletic Center.
Meetings - The Parish Pastoral Council meets at 8:00 p.m. on the fourth Monday of each month in the Parish Center, from September through June. Each month’s agenda is published in our Parish Sunday Bulletin one week prior to the date of our meeting.
Prayer Chain - If you would like to be supported in prayer for a particular reason, you may call the Parish Center. They will call a member of the team, who will then in turn contact all those on the special prayer team. If you would like to become a member of this special prayer team, please let us know!
Saint Anne's Guild - The St. Anne’s Guild seeks to bring senior women who are registered members of the parish together spiritually and socially. Meetings are held every third Wednesday of the month at 1:30 p.m. in the Arts & Athletic Center at St. Leo’s. There are no meetings held during July or August. The Guild sponsors bus trips to Atlantic City at different times throughout the year. There is a communion breakfast in October, a Christmas luncheon in December, and an end-of-year luncheon in June. Anyone who would like to join St. Anne’s Guild on any of these occasions are welcome. The Guild also helps out in the Parish at various activities and whenever needed New members will be appreciated and welcomed. If you are interested, please attend a meeting.
Saint Joseph Society - The St. Joseph’s Society is comprised of a group of retired men of the parish who desire to serve the community on a volunteer basis. Service is offered in all areas where the society is able to provide qualified workers to do the job. Some activities include: Maintaining outdoor Stations of the Cross, Delivering the food baskets for our Social Concerns Ministry, Sending get well and sympathy cards and Hosting a Coffee Sunday, Helping with the Parish Carnival in June. Meetings are held on the third Friday of each month, except during June, July and August. They hold a St. Patrick’s Day Luncheon in March, a picnic in May and a Christmas Party in December. New members are always welcomed. Contact ministry leader Deacon Joe De Paolis at 732-450-2090.
Secular Franciscans - If you are in the Real World, but want to multiply the song of your faith, consider the Secular Franciscans, a group that has been meeting in Lincroft since 1987. The group meets at St. Leo’s Parish once a month, usually on the second Sunday of the month. The members, both men and women, are a community of brothers and sisters who wish to live the gospel more fully. While pursuing their vocation as Franciscans, the members continue their lives as corporate employees, professionals, homemakers, butchers, bakers, etc. In addition to being a community of like-minded persons, the group moves out into the larger community with projects they choose. If community prayer and good works in the style of St. Francis appeal to you, please call parishioner Alex Kiczek at 732-671-3787. You will be given the date of the next meeting and welcomed to it.
Separated, Divorced, Widowed Support Group - The ministry to the Divorced, Separated and Widowed is a caring ministry designed to provide support to assist those with being able to cope with the trauma and pain of separation, divorce and death - single-parent challenges, and continued support and follow-up as well as a greater feeling of belonging to the Church.
You are not alone. As children of God we will stand together to help each other through our hurts, knowing we are not alone on this journey.
The Support Group will meet the first Wednesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the School Cafeteria. There is no meeting the month of July.
If you have any questions, please contact Margaret Lang, Facilitator, at 732-530-0717.
Social Concerns Ministry - Seeks to be part of an ongoing, caring ministry by coordinating volunteer efforts for needs that arise in our community. The ministry serves those who require assistance and also serves our parish by providing us with opportunities to serve others, such as:
Monthly Food Collection in January * Monthly Food Collection in February * Lenten Sharing Tree in March * Easter Baskets in April * Mother Mary’s Cradle Project in May * “Undee Sundee” Collection in June * Monthly Food Collection in July * Back-to-School Supplies Collection in August * Monthly Food Collection in September * Monthly Food Collection in October * Thanksgiving Baskets in November * Giving Tree and Christmas Baskets in December
Spiritual Direction - An Opportunity for Spiritual Growth - Spiritual Direction is a one-on-one ministry in which a person who is desirous of being more attentive to God’s presence in our lives begins meeting with the director to better notice and respond appropriately to this action in their prayer and relationships. Spiritual direction is primarily the work of God’s Spirit. Being in Spiritual Direction can be a help to you if you find yourself wanting to deepen your relationship with God; if your search for God is at a crossroad; if you want to explore new ways to pray, or if prayer has become difficult; if you feel the need for someone to help in prayerfully discerning a call of God for you; or if you desire a companion on your spiritual journey, no matter where you might be.
If you are seeking to expand your spiritual grounding in a confidential setting and you feel this might be for you, or you have further questions, call our Parish Spiritual Director, Lucy Campanella at 732-842-5864.
Also available, is the St. Ignatius Loyola 19th Annotation at Home Retreat. These spiritual exercises begin in September and end in May. For more details, please call Lucy at the above number.
Abortion Healing: a retreat for abortion healing is held in various locations and sponsored by various diocese in the state of New Jersey. This retreat, called Rachel’s Vineyard Retreat, is designed for men and women who have been hurt by abortion. It is a beautiful opportunity for anyone who has struggled with the emotional, physical or spiritual pain of an abortion recently or in the past. It can be a time of great inner healing, of reconciling the experience of abortion, of forgiving yourself and others, and of finding the unconditional love of God. For detailed information, answers to questions and out-of-state locations cal Lucy Campanella, Spiritual Director at 732-842-5864.
Transportation - Parishioners are actively involved in reaching out to members of the parish community who are in need of transportation to Mass, parish events, medical appointments and hospital visits. Please contact Sr. Ann – 732-747-5466
Ushers - play an important role in the Parish. The most obvious role is in collecting the monetary offering at every Mass. They also welcome the parishioners at every Mass and assist in locating seats for the faithful prior to Mass. Ushers also assist at special occasions, such as First Communion, Confirmation and visits by the Bishop.
The Ushers are proud of their role as a "welcoming committee" for Parish functions.
If you are interested in serving as an Usher, please call Gene Garvey, Head Usher, at 732-544-8338.
updated 05/08/2008
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