A guide to getting involved at Holy Infant

In the second chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, the Evangelist Luke describes the behavior of the first Christians after the arrival of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost:

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need (Acts 2: 42-45, NIV).

From this brief passage, we see that early Christians, ripe with the fruits of the Holy Spirit, were a community bound by prayer, service, and generosity.  Underlying these attributes was a deep trust in the abiding presence of Christ, for they were still in the very city, Jerusalem, in which Jesus had been crucified; trust empowered them to pray, share the Eucharist, and to care for the needs of their community.  It is this same trust that would drive them forth from that city into the entire world, following Christ’s instruction as recorded in The Gospel of Matthew:

Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

(Matthew 28:19-20, NIV)

Thus, from the very beginning of our Church, the heart of discipleship has been a twofold dedication to prayer and service, which mirrors Jesus’ dual commandment to love God and neighbor (see Mark 12:30-31).  Discipleship is the mission of our Parish, and stewardship flows from discipleship.  Stewardship is the deliberate manner in which we shape ourselves to live lives of service and prayer in imitation of Jesus Christ.  The first letter of Peter reminds us: “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms (1 Peter 4:10).” Through stewardship, we decide the best way to offer the gifts that we have received for the welfare and sanctification of others. 

As a community, our gifts are diverse and this gives us multiple ways to reach out to the world within and beyond our parish:

Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; he who teaches, in his teaching; he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who contributes, in liberality; he who gives aid, with zeal; he who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

(Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2004)

Equally varied are the ministries of the Holy Infant Catholic Community, offering numerous means for each person to live out his or her call to discipleship through stewardship; they are the visible expression of our parish mission.  The guide below is designed to help you discern which ministry best fits the gifts that you have been so generously blessed with by the Spirit of God.  It is our hope that after praying about the ministries described below that you will be able to imagine yourself as the prophet Isaiah when he heard God calling him to service:

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’  And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me."

(Isaiah 6:8, NIV).

Liturgical Ministries

Faith Development for all ages

Sacrament Preparation

Fellowship, Service and Pastoral Care Groups

Prayer Ministries 

Addressing Racism
CROP Walk
DeSales Service Works
Families Moving Forward
Food Justice Garden
Food Pantry
Habitat for Humanity
Meals on Wheels
Respect Life
Share Your Christmas
Social Justice Education & Initiatives
Urban Ministries Shelter Dinner
Yarn Ministry

Giving

Parish Leadership

Operations and Planning