Liturgy & Worship

Altar Servers & Acolytes

Altar serving is one of the oldest ministries in the Church. It is a great opportunity to grow closer to God and to serve in a very solemn manner at the Mass. This ministry helps to assist the priest throughout Eucharistic celebrations and is for adults and children (10 and over).

Eurcharistic Ministers

Eurcharistic Ministers assist the clergy to serve Holy Communion to our brothers and sisters in Christ at Mass.

Greeters

The greeters are the people that our parishioners and visitors first meet upon entering the Church.

Lectors

A lector is the person who proclaims the first or second reading at Mass. This person also may lead the Prayers of the Faithful at Mass.

Funeral Guidelines

Death is an inevitable part of life and though our faith paints for us a picture of hope, for those left behind it is often a struggle that seems insurmountable. Your family of faith at Assumption/Saint Anthony's is here to provide the support and prayers you need to get through these difficult times. If at all possible it is extremely beneficial if the family has kept in close contact with the parish in the days and weeks leading up to a loved one’s passing. This is often made possible through frequent visits (for Anointing of the Sick or company and consolation) between the person who is ill, their family and Father Gil. When death occurs, whether it is an event you have been prepared for or something more sudden, we highly recommend that you contact Father Gil immediately. Funeral arrangements are usually made as a joint effort between the family, their priest, and the funeral directors.

From time to time parishioners have asked us about the proper directives given by the Church in regards to funerals. The central message in the Catholic Funeral liturgy is to give praise and thanksgiving for God’s victory over death. It is for this reason that the Church’s Order of Christian Funerals states that:

a)The proper place for the celebration of the Funeral Mass is in the parish church.

b)The use of Christian symbols must be insured.

c)Music used during the celebration must come from an approved Christian hymnal.

d)The place for ‘words of remembrance’ or the ‘eulogy’ is during the Vigil for the Deceased (or ‘Prayers’)the night before the funeral, or at the lunch following the funeral but not at the Funeral Mass itself.

The goal is to make the celebration a proclamation of Christian faith and hope about life, about death and about sharing eternally in the glory of Christ’s resurrection. Eulogies are a celebration of the person’s life and accomplishments, but that is not the central meaning of the Christian Funeral, which is to place that person’s life in the context of the paschal mystery.

The focus of the Funeral Mass is not solely or primarily on the person, but on the celebration of faith that gives meaning to a life lived, and hope for everlasting life. Pastorally, that means that all of the steps are to be well done in terms of preparation - meeting with the family, preparing the homily, selecting the Scripture readings, selecting the hymns - to help the family and community find comfort, solace and hope in that linking together of the memories of their beloved with the Christian faith.

Reverence for Life

Accept - Celebrate - Witness
Life is a Gift

"Even the weakest and most vulnerable, the sick, the old, the unborn and the poor, are masterpieces of God's creation, made in His own image, destined to live for ever, and deserving of the utmost reverence and respect."

Pope Francis, Communique to the CBCEW
(Bishops of Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales),
July 17, 2013