Holy Cross Parish Community
225 Purchase Street South Easton, MA 02375
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Programs & Ministries
| RCIA | Prayer Shawl Ministry | Health Ministry |
| Youth Ministry | Outreach Sunday | God's Squads |
| Worship & Spirituality | Bible Study | Ministry of Hospitality |
| MainSpring | Prayer Group | Music Ministry |
Bible Study
Bible Study meets in the Parish Center on Tuesday evenings at 7 p.m. and Friday mornings at 9:30 a.m. We will study Philippians, Colossians, and Ephesians--letters of St. Paul that inspire and challenge us to greater discipleship. Join either group and grow in the knowledge of Scripture. Everyone is welcome. For more information, call Fran Long at (508) 238-2255. Back to Top
God's Squads
Our "God's Squads" here at Holy Cross are composed of those men, women, and teens who have assumed responsibility for the maintenance of our worship space. Making the words of King David their own, they dedicate themselves to keeping the interior of our church shining clean, explaining why they so generously do so by saying, "...Because of the delight I take in the house of my God..." (1 Chronicles 29:3)
Health Ministry
The Health Ministry of Holy Cross Church is founded on the principle that we bear witness to Jesus’ healing love, as proclaimed in the Gospel. We seek to extend that love to all in our faith community and beyond, as we strive to minister to their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs through assessment, advocacy, referral, education, and compassionate support.
Parish nurses are licensed professional nurses (R.N.) who, through experience and education, incorporate spiritual assessment and care into their practice as agents of the Health Ministry of Holy Cross Parish.
Health Ministers are parishioners who, regardless of their background or education, seek to serve Holy Cross Parish in this special ministry.
MainSpring Shelter
The Holy Cross Church Parishioners serve a meal at MainSpring Shelter on the 2nd Tuesday of even months, and the 3rd Saturday of odd months. The following are our scheduled dates for 2008: Saturday, January 19; Tuesday, February 11; Saturday, March 15; Tuesday, April 8 Saturday, May 17; Tuesday, June 10; Saturday, July 19; Tuesday, August 12; Saturday, September 20; Tuesday, October 14; Saturday, November 15; Tuesday, December 9. For information on what you can contribute, please click here.
Ministry of Hospitality
Hospitality Ministers accomplish those services long rendered by our ushers. Those who choose to be greeters rather than ushers (or to be both ushers and greeters) introduce into our worship community a wonderful warmth of welcome as they greet each fellow-worshipper upon his or her arrival at church. Please call the parish office to volunteer.
Music Ministry
With over 50 parishioners involved in our music ministry, we are ready to begin a new season.
- The children’s choir, grades 2-6, sing weekly at the 8:30 a.m. liturgy
- The adult choir sings weekly at the 10 a.m. liturgy
- Our teen group sings weekly at the 5:30 p.m. Sunday liturgy
Each group has its unique repertoire and style to enhance our liturgies. Instrumentalists are welcome. Please consider being part of this exciting ministry. Please see music director Chris Iannitelli, after any mass, with any questions.
Outreach Sunday
In lieu of making separate appeals for each outreach program (My Brother’s Keeper, Louison Shelter, Mainspring House, Womansplace Crisis Center and Birthright), there will be one Outreach Sunday designated per month. Non perishable food items as well as linens, diapers, formula, kitchen items, etc. will be collected and distributed amongst these programs. This will ensure that all of the needs of the individual programs are covered. Outreach Sunday is the first Sunday of every month.
Click here for testimonials for the Outreach Program.
Prayer Group
Holy Cross Prayer Group gathers every Wednesday evening at 7:00 p.m., in the parish center, to praise and honor God. During the meeting, we sing songs of praise, read and share scripture, and witness to God's goodness for the many ways He blesses us. We also pray for the needs of those who have requested prayer. If you would like to join us, want information, or need prayer, contact Fran Long at (508) 238-2255.
Prayer Shawl Ministry
Visit the International Prayer Shawl Ministry web site at www.shawlministry.com.
“He who works with his hands is a laborer. He who works wish his hands and head is a craftsman. He who works with his hands and his head and his heart is an artist.” St. Francis of Assisi
Deacon George Zarella and Pat Brophy give prayer shawls to Herbert Bates, Donna Bonia, William Ings, and Shirley Cronin, who all recently completed their sacraments through RCIA.
Calling all knitters and crocheters – those that can, those that would like to learn, and those that would like to support us through prayer and/or by supplying materials for our devoted group who pray and knit shawls into creation.
We are sponsored as an outreach program through the Health Commission. We strive to reach out to the people of Holy Cross Parish and the wider community, bringing the mystical reality of God into people’s lives, using shawls as an outward sign. The Spirit is moving. The ministry is growing. It is an exciting venture, which includes prayer, community spirit and sharing.
Since beginning the ministry here in 2004, our parish has given away over 90 shawls. We have a wonderful group of creative people. Many prayers are knitted into each shawl being created. We began by giving shawls to the homebound. Since then we have reached out to people receiving chemotherapy, people with serious medical problems, and people in grief. Our newest recipients have been parish families whose babies have received the sacrament of baptism. All recipients have been very touched by our gesture. However, as with all ministries, I surmise that we receive more blessings in the giving.
Can’t make the meetings, but would like to participate? If you would like to make a shawl(s) for the ministry, but can’t make the meetings, please call Pat Brophy at (508) 238-2194 for a packet of information about the Shawl Ministry, including patterns and prayers to use when creating your shawl.
Prayer Shawl Ministry has ended for this season. There have been over 200 shawls distributed!
RCIA the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults
RCIA, the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults, is the program adults participate in when they decide to complete the sacraments or convert to Catholicism. Deacon George runs an educational and entertaining RCIA program here at Holy Cross, and he invites everyone to attend. Many life long Catholics and active parishioners find their faith enriched by the program and attend several weeks of RCIA. If you would like to learn more about RCIA, please call Deacon George at (508) 238-2235.
Please click here for testimonials.
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The 2007 RCIA candidates receiving their sacraments at the Easter Vigil
Worship & Spirituality
The Worship & Spirituality Commission exists to nourish the faith of our parish community through spiritual enrichment programs, penance services, Marian evenings of prayer, missions during Advent and Lent, bible study, prayer groups, retreats, planning liturgies for special occasions such as the annual Memorial Mass and the annual Mass of Anointing, devotional services, altar decorations, communion to the homebound, as well as recruitment and training for the fallowing ministries: altar servers, arts & environment, lectors, Eucharistic ministers, musicians, cantors, choirs, God's squads, and ushers and greeters.
We hope that what we do will appeal to your heart and prompt you to participate in the worship life of our community. We meet once a month and warmly welcome new members. For more information, please call Linda Sullivan at (508) 586-5476.
Youth Ministry/Confirmation Preparation Program
High school youth are invited to participate in our Youth Ministry program as they prepare for the sacrament of Confirmation and beyond. All youth are encouraged to become involved with our youth Mass, Confirmation preparation sessions, service projects and social events. Please contact the Religious Education office with any questions or to become involved.
We are always seeking adult volunteers with ideas and energy to become involved with our youth as group leaders or simply to assist with planning and implementing teen oriented spiritual and social events. Please contact the Religious Education office if interested.
For more information, please contact Holy Cross Monday through Friday at 508.238.2235.
Revised: 05/09/08
© 2006 Holy Cross Church, Diocese of Fall River All Rights Reserved.