Taking our lead from our parish mission statement, found on the front of every bulletin, Health and Bereavement Ministry provides a link between the needs of the whole person, body, mind, and spirit, with resources of the church and entire community, supported by a core of all-important volunteers. The Parish Health Advisory Council, made up of parishioners with a focus or interest in health, provides support to the Parish Nurse and assistance in developing new programs.

Serving Jesus Where We Find Him We pray, plan, and propose all sorts of programs, but we must always stand ready to encounter Jesus where and when He chooses to engage us. Typically, we enter a home or room prepared to wrap a person in a prayer shawl, or to bring the Eucharist, or just offer our presence as gift. But Jesus has His own plans. Not infrequently, we are asked by a stranger, “May I receive Communion, too?” or “I’d love to have someone pray with me,” or “Are those prayer shawls only for members of your church? I’d love to have one.” So our practice is simple: Bring enough for the unexpected Jesus or be prepared to share or return quickly with more. Volunteer! St. Mary's Parish Health Ministries need your help! We're looking for volunteers to help out in any of several areas. Please click here to access the volunteer registration form. The form will be displayed in a separate window - use the File/Print function of your web-browser to print a copy of the form, fill it out and return to Vi Jefferson at the Pastoral Center. Thank you!

St. Mary's Parish Health Ministries Programs:

Parish Nurse Program

The program links the needs of the whole person and the resources of the church and the community. Click here for more information.

Vi Jefferson: 508.925.7647

St. Mary's Telephone Connection

Parishioners who may be homebound or feel somewhat isolated from the parish are called once or twice a month by a parish volunteer to engage in uplifting conversation. Discussions may include personal, parish and town happenings, and offer a way to replace lonliness with healthy connections springing from our common interests. Usually, the same person will be calling participants each month, resulting in new friendships based in our shared faith in Jesus Christ. Any parishioner who would like to receive these personal calls should contact our Parish Nurse in the Health Ministry office.

Vi Jefferson: 508.925.7647

Adoptive and Pre-adoptive Parents Support Group

This peer group meets monthly (except July and August) on the last Thursday of the month to explore topics, share experiences and resources, and inspire each other as parents to grow and learn in a faith-filled environment.

Donna White: 508.842.2529

Bereavement Aftercare & Support

Supporting those experiencing the loss of a loved one through:

• Mailings (customized letters and inspirational insertions) to families of deceased parishioners over the first year following death @ 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 & 12 month anniversaries, as well as special mailings for dealing with grief during the holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year) as well as Lenten/Easter messages.
• Annual Mass of Remembrance – in November commemorating those who died since last November 1st, followed by breakfast sponsored by Britton Funeral Homes and served by volunteers who decorate the church, the hall, and produce beautiful worship aids and commemorative altar cards with the names of deceased parishioners. (Liturgy Committee involvement).
• One-on-one grief consultation available to any parishioner experiencing loss of loved one, or families of parishioners, and even those in the greater community. Not infrequently, the parish nurse communicates by phone with family members living in states all over the country.

Vi Jefferson: 508.925.7647

Bereavement Support Groups

St. Mary’s offers a 12-week “closed” support group for grieving individuals from within and outside our parish boundaries, following the model known as “companioning” and texts developed by Dr. Alan Wolfelt, renown author, educator and grief counselor. Participants are guided through a specific agenda providing insights into understanding their grief in order to guide them toward healing and acceptance, as well as encouraging the development of “grief buddies” resulting from relationships forged within the “closed” group. Note: A “closed” support group limits participants to the group that develops within the first two sessions in order to facilitate a logical progression in moving onward toward healing. Anyone wishing to join the group after the 2nd session are managed in a number of ways - one-on-one meetings with parish nurse and/or priests until the next group is formed, referrals to other support groups, counselors, psychologists/ psychiatrists as needed. “Open” support groups provide another option, but differ from a “closed” group by continually adding and dropping participants. Anyone interested in learning more about our Bereavement Support Groups should contact Viola Jefferson, Parish Nurse, in the Health Ministry office.

Vi Jefferson: 508.925.7647
Corinne Hetzler: 508.842.2449

Parish Health Advisory Council

Members include Dr. Rudolf Utzschneider, Dr. Robert Blute, Sr., Joyce Bellerose, Pam Cawley, and Terry Lunt. PHAC is an advisory board to the parish nurse and helps develop Health Ministry goals and programs.

Vi Jefferson: 508.925.7647
Jean Marie Carey, Chair

Health Education Programs

Development of education on a variety of health issues – including:

• CPR classes for Health Professionals and Non-Medical persons (Heartsavers)
• Programs dealing with end-of-life issues within the context of our faith – Health Care Proxy; What I’d like my family and physicians to know; How I want to be treated if I can’t speak for myself, etc.
• Cancer prevention health tips
• Heart Health issues
• Diabetes education
• Alzheimer’s and other dementias
• Developing plans for Parish/Cluster Health Fair in the spring pending development of relationship with St. Vincent Hospital and agencies such as American Cancer Society, American Heart, American Red Cross, weight control, health clubs, etc.
• Medical protocols must be developed including consents for tests and reporting mechanisms for findings or results outside acceptable parameters in order to meet professional standards, medical–legal, and moral requirements.

Vi Jefferson: 508.925.7647

Health Ministers

Health ministers provide respite for caregivers as well as perform errands. Health ministers are also available to drive parishioners to local doctor appointments. Volunteers are needed.

Vi Jefferson: 508.925.7647

Knitting Ministry

Parish Nurse coordinates distribution of the prayer shawls, knitted, prayed over and donated by Knitting Ministry volunteers under the guidance and direction of Marti Page, who brought this ministry to St. Mary’s. An album with thank you notes from recipients is kept. Recipients are deeply moved when “wrapped” in the shawl and prayed over. Anyone may request a shawl and the prayers to wrap a friend or relative who is sick, grieving or even celebrating a special event such as a birth, baptism, engagement, wedding, anniversary, promotion, graduation, etc. Often, the parish nurse is the wrapper, bringing the shawl to present during visits.

St. Mary's Knitting Ministry now has a blog! www.stmaryshawlministry.blogspot.com Take a look, post a comment or join us at our meeting.

Marti Page: 508.835.3470

Pastoral Communion Calls & Visits to Homebound, Nursing Homes & Assisted Living Facilities

Pastoral visits by the parish priests and parish nurse to bring Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament to parishioners no longer able to worship with us at St. Mary’s and maintain the connection between them and their parish family. In addition, St. Mary’s serves all Catholic residents @ Shrewsbury Nursing Home with 1 Mass and 2 Communion Services per month, and with a monthly Mass at Shrewsbury Crossings. Service offering Sacrament of the Sick (Anointing) is also offered by the parish priests, assisted by the parish nurse, both at SNH and at St. Mary’s..

Vi Jefferson: 508- 508.925.7647

Outreach to Parish Homebound, those in Nursing Homes & Assisted Living & Family Care-givers

Taking our call from Mathew 25, we reach out to fill the needs for parishioners’ special needs:

• Friendly visitors to bring God’s love through presence and words
• Eucharistic Ministers to bring Communion
• Establishing caring relationships
• Running errands/shopping/picking up prescriptions/driving to appointments
• Reading to sight impaired
• Preparing and/or delivering a meal for a special need
• Offering support and/or respite for family care-givers
• Hospice support by trained volunteers
• Yard work/minor home repairs
• Other needs shown to us by God.

Note: Autumn leaf raking coordinated between parish nurse who identifies those needing assistance and Gina Kuruvilla (Youth Ministry).

Tea & Mother Teresa

Based on the Christian call to see Jesus in one another and to be Jesus to one another, and using Mother Teresa of Calcutta as our model, we invite the nearly-homebound parishioners together to renew old friendships, make new friendships, enjoy fellowship and a light lunch, hear inspirational messages from the example of Mother Teresa’s life and writings, and spend a few minutes in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in St. Teresa’s Chapel - all within the comfortable setting of their parish. Using lace tablecloths, linen napkins, china, silver service, and seasonal decorations, we serve tea sandwiches and pastries, with a variety of teas coffee, and cold drinks, and provide transportation by way of many volunteers. Current space and access issues force us to limit the number of invitees, but our prayer is that the proposed parish expansion and installation of elevators will help us reach more people. Note: Our guests arrive “dressed to the nines” wearing their finest fashions crowned by a big smile!

Vi Jefferson: 508.925.7647
Lorraine Covino & Mary Naples, Co-Chairs

St. Mary’s Angels

Our “Angels” support and encourage parishioners who are homebound, in nursing homes or assisted living facilities by sending a hand-written monthly message. As the “Angels” write each note, they pray for the recipient and form a true spiritual bond. The monthly message is developed by the parish nurse, who also provides a monthly updated list of recipients.

Vi Jefferson: 508.925.7647
Mary Ellen Streeton, Coordinator

Christmas Caroling to Homebound

Parish Nurse identifies & coordinates homebound parishioners whose schedules and conditions permit our youth and high school students to share the parish Christmas spirit by Christmas caroling outside (and sometimes inside) their homes as Christmas approaches.

Vi Jefferson: 508.925.7647
Gina Kuruvilla