Angel Tree
Angel Tree is an outreach program which strives to make the Christmas holiday special for needy families, individuals and organizations. New items suitable for Christmas gifts are organized and requested in October and sorted and delivered in December. Volunteers with computer skills are needed in October to make tags for the Christmas trees. Volunteers are needed during the 2nd and 3rd week of December to sort and deliver the Christmas gifts.
Time Commitment: Varies by interest and availability of the volunteer.
Contact: Parish office, 262-782-4575.
Bakers for Parish Events
Volunteers are needed from time to time throughout the year to provide baked goods for parish events. Volunteer bakers are called as needed and can bake for an event or ask to be called at another time.
Time Commitment: Completely up to the volunteer.
Contact: Kathy Janusz, 262-782-4575 or kjanusz@stmaryeg.org
Feed the Hungry Food Collection
St. Mary's Visitation collects food and/or money on the second Sunday of every month. We deliver the food to the old St. Phillip's Church on Silver Spring Drive every other month beginning in January and to St. Rose Parish on 32nd and Clybourn the opposite months. Please note that if you would like to donate money, you may write the check out to St. Mary's and put Feed the Hungry in the memo section. For questions, please contact the Parish office at 262-782-4575.
Gardeners
We need members in this group who are interested in and capable of doing typical gardening work for St. Mary’s on occasion. Work sessions of approximately four hours occur primarily in May, July, and October, but may be scheduled at other times for specific projects. Watering assignments are available throughout the growing season and usually take one to 1 ½ hours.
Time Commitment: No specific commitment of time is required, but it is assumed that participants will be fairly regular.
Contact: Parish office, 262-782-4575
Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity volunteers participate in the construction of the many homes currently being rehabilitated or newly constructed. Volunteers can be active in all facets of construction from cleanup to painting, carpentry, plumbing, electrical, and drywall work. No experience required. Other volunteers work in the warehouse and dispatch material or work on some of the fundraising activities Habitat conducts during the year.
Time Commitment: Weekday volunteers can work as little as 3 hours per shift with morning and afternoon shifts available. Weekend workers typically work a morning and afternoon shift for a total of 6 hours. Volunteers can be scheduled to participate for as little or as often as they would like to participate.
Contact: Parish office, 262-782-4575
Legion of Mary
The Legion of Mary promotes Christianity and Christian values through active works. Members may visit the sick and elderly and encourage Catholics to return to Mass and the Sacraments.
Time Commitment: Members say a daily prayer, attend weekly meetings and spend time doing active work.
Contact: Parish office, 262-782-4575
Ministry to the Sick & Homebound
This ministry is of service to nursing home residents, hospital patients and homebound persons. Volunteer duties could include visits, shopping, simple errands, or transporting to doctors appointments or mass. This ministry is also responsible for organizing the annual Bereavement Mass. As a volunteer you would be invited to participate in the quad parish bereavement group and setting up joint Bereavement Programs during the course of the year.
Time Commitment: Varies greatly depending on volunteer's availability.
Contact: Parish office, 262-782-4575
New Beginnings
This quad parish organization is for widows and widowers of all faiths. It provides support for each other through spiritual, social and cultural activities. The activities have included art shows, travel, concerts, fish fries and retreats. Meetings have included presentations by several pastors and visiting priests.
Time Commitment: General meetings are held monthly.
Contact: Parish office, 262-782-4575
Respect Life
This group promotes Pro-life activities in the parish and provides information on activities and speakers throughout the area. Organizes annual Mother’s Day Rose Sale, Baby Shower for Pregnancy Help Center, and the Annual Life Chain.
Time Commitment: Can become as involved as your time permits.
Contact: Parish office, 262-782-4575
Seniors Club
This club provides an active social and educational opportunity for people in the area. Programs include dancers, speakers, musicians, occasional day trips, luncheons, or a game of bingo. This group is open to all seniors, couples and singles.
Time Commitment: Meetings are held on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of each month except January and July in the Senior Center (Handicap access). Attendance is your choice.
Contact: Parish office, 262-782-4575
St. Ben's Meal Program
St. Mary's prepares the meal for St. Ben's Meal Program on the 1st Tuesday of every month. We alternate months, one month preparing the main dish and the next month we prepare the Jello and desserts. We also help to serve the meal every other month.
Time Commitment: You may volunteer as often as you are able.
Contact: Parish office, 262-782-4575
St. Vincent De Paul Society
Founded in 1833 by six university students in Paris under the patronage of St. Vincent de Paul, today the Society includes almost 900,000 members spread among 46,000 co-fraternities in 130 countries of five continents. The Society’s purpose is to provide direct aid to those who suffer, and to help individuals reduce and even eliminate the causes of their suffering, themselves. Society members use their own resources, sharing not only possessions but the valuable gift of their presence.
Time Commitment: The St. Mary Visitation Parish St. Vincent Society Conference meets every Tuesday at 3:30 p.m.
Contact: St. Vincent de Paul Society members Tom Glatch, 262-784-2972, or Jerry Fennell, 262-787-0966
Theology on Tap
If you are a young adult in your 20’s or 30’s (single or married, with or without children), Theology on Tap is for YOU! This four-week summer speaker series will connect you to Catholic adults your own age, your faith, and address issues of interest to young adults. Come to one session or come to many sessions, but don’t miss this opportunity to put a little faith into your summer activities. Food and drink provided. There are several sites throughout the archdiocese. Dates are mid-July through the beginning of August. Go to www.livingourfaith.net/home/ToT.htm for additional information.
Time Commitment: YOU Decide.
Contact: Dave Braun, 262-782-4575.
Working Boys' Center
Note: The 2012 Spiritual Journey trip is set for February 29 - March 6, 2012. Have the experience of a lifetime on a truly unforgettable trip to Quito and the Working Boys' Center.
The Working Boys Center in Quito, Ecuador, is a human development project founded in 1964 by Fr. John Halligan SJ and expanded into a family program when Sister Miguel Conway BVM joined Fr. Halligan in 1967 as the co-director of this project. WBC offers three meals every day except Sunday, grade school and trade school, medical and dental care, job training and job placement, and many other services to the poorest families in Quito. WBC exists to make the poor agents for their own prosperity. This program teaches participants the moral values necessary to establish a new lifestyle which will lead to a productive and independent new life free of the poverty which has crippled them for so long. They learn that work is a privilege, not a punishment.
St. Mary's has a long history of cooperation with WBC. Pat Parks of St. Mary's is the founder and president of Family Unity International, Inc. which is the 501c3 organization representing WBC in the United States. Sister Miguel is her sister.
St. Mary's has been supporting this work for over twenty years. Many young people from this parish have gone to Quito as volunteers in the summer or for year long terms of service. A number of young parishoners have served at WBC for two years after college graduation.
Many parishoners have also gone on the annual Spiritual Journey Trip to WBC. Parishoner Jim Parks, Jr. leads a Minga (work group) each year, too. This group works on building a house for a WBC member. Some St. Mary's parishoners have worked on more than one Minga.
Each year St. Mary's sponsors the Third World Fair which features items imported from Ecuador which are sold as a fundraiser for WBC. St. Mary's has been an ongoing support system for WBC in Quito. For more information, contact Pat Parks at 262-797-8988 or visit WBC's website at www.workingboyscenter.org.
Y.A.C.C.
A metro-Milwaukee/Waukesha group for young Catholic adults ages 18 to 40, single or married, with or without children. Monthly activities and meetings are scheduled with groups that are peer facilitated, and involvement is as much or as little as you would like. Events are posted on their webpage, www.yacconline.org.
Time Commitment: Individual’s choice.
Contact: Mary Janowak, Adult and Family Minister at St. John Vianney, 262-796-3944 or maryk@stjohnv.org
