Pastoral Care Ministries
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Eucharist to the Sick must be conducted by trained Eucharistic Ministers, under the direction and coordination of the Pastoral Minister. This ministry includes Eucharist to the Hospitals in Portsmouth, to the three nursing homes in Portsmouth, and to all homebound parishioners who request to receive the Eucharist at home. Training is provided for all these ministries. They are individually described below.
Hospital Ministry Description
Bring the Eucharist to the sick of Portsmouth Regional Hospital on a weekly basis. Patients receive the Eucharist daily, but the Eucharistic Minister makes a weekly commitment. There are, ideally, two Eucharistic Ministers who serve per day on a weekly basis. All Eucharistic Ministers who serve at PRH must be approved volunteers of the hospital, and must go through hospital orientation and training, as well as Eucharistic Minister training.
Nursing Home Ministry Description
Bring Communion to residents individually to their rooms on a weekly basis.
Eucharist to the Homebound
Bring the Eucharist to our homebound parishioners. Individuals who are homebound will contact the Pastoral Minister to request to receive the Eucharist. The Pastoral Minister matches these requests to trained Eucharistic Ministers who are willing and available to make “house calls.” The Eucharistic Minister and the parishioner make arrangements between them as to time and day they are both available. This commitment is usually, but not always, weekly. It is sometimes temporary while a person is recovering from surgery or an illness, and sometimes permanent if the parishioner knows they will not be able to physically attend Mass due to a permanent condition.
We could use your help!
If you would like to participate in any of these ministries, or if you want more information, please call Carol Jacques-Dow, Pastoral Minister, at the parish office 603-436-4555, X115, or email her at [email protected].
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MUSIC
All music MUST be liturgical and in keeping with the character of appropriate music used in parishes of the Diocese of Manchester. Requests for music not found on the list provided, or in the parish hymnal, are at the discretion of the pastor.
You may choose from the list of suggested Funeral Music provided by our parish, or leave the selections to the Director of Music. Please circle your music selections, choosing one hymn for each of the Mass Parts indicated, and return to the Pastoral Minister as soon as possible, at [email protected], or at 436-4555.
It is the policy of the Diocese of Manchester and of Corpus Christi Parish that our parish musicians and cantors MUST lead the music at ALL funerals and Memorial Masses where music is requested.
(Diocese of Manchester Guidelines for Christian Funerals)
EULOGIES
One family member, or friend, may share one brief reflection, not more than five minutes, after the Communion Rite of the funeral Mass. The reflection should speak of the person in a context of faith. A previously prepared text must be provided to the pastor the day before the funeral for his review. The pastor’s email address is: [email protected]. If the pastor is unavailable, the text must be provided to the pastoral minister for review @ [email protected]. If the eulogy is not received within 24 hours prior to the funeral for the pastor’s review, there will be no eulogy during the funeral Mass.
(Diocese of Manchester Guidelines for Christian Funerals)
MERCY MEALS
We currently do not have a parish hall, so we are not able to offer the use of a parish hall for Mercy Meals for an indefinite amount of time. We can, however, provide you with information for local restaurants and caterers who may assist you with such an event. Please see the form titled “Options for Arrangements for a Mercy Meal”.
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By its nature, funeral ministy is a “short notice” ministy.
Funeral Team
Assist at the funeral Mass by serving as a lector or adult altar server. The commitment is as required, with frequency dependent on the number of teams formed. You would be notified through email. Most funerals are in the morning, usually at 10AM, but times may vary. Training is provided, though there is a presumption that a lector would already be performing these duties for the parish. Contact the Pastoral Minister, Carol Jacques-Dow, at [email protected] or 603-436-4555, X115 if you want more information or wish to volunteer.
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