At St. Katharine Drexel, there are many opportunities to share your time and talents with your parish family. Below is a brief description of all the ministries offered. To volunteer or to ask for additional information about any of the listed ministries, fill out the volunteer form below. Click HERE to jump straight to the form.
Click on any of the ministries listed below for a description.
Liturgical Ministries
Youth (>4th Grade) assist the priest at the altar during weekend liturgies, and for funerals and weddings as needed.
Commitment: Attend training and ongoing formation. Serve once or twice monthly (more as you are able). Arrive 20 minutes before Mass and serve on a rotating schedule.
Parishioners with an artistic eye, floral arranging skills or ability to help move things into place are encouraged to join this ministry. This team sets the prayer mood for our Church seasons. Volunteers also are responsible for continued watering and care of live plants.
Commitment: Varies/Seasonal
Parishioners (> 16 y/o) assist in distributing the Body and Blood of Christ during Mass.
Commitment: Attend training and ongoing formation as offered. Serve once or twice monthly (more as you are able). Arrive 20 minutes before Mass.
Great family ministry! Greet each person as they arrive at Mass with a warm welcome and give assistance or direction as needed.
Commitment: Serve approximately once a month. Arrive 20 minutes before Mass.
Proclaim the Scriptures and Prayers of the Faithful at Mass.
Commitment: Attend training and ongoing formation as offered. Serve once or twice monthly (more as you are able). Arrive 20 minutes before Mass.
Assist with weekend Mass by assuring that all ministers are present.
Commitment: Serve twice a month. Arrive 20 minutes before Mass.
Volunteers work to maintain vestments and altar linens, clean vessels, as well as set up for and clean up after Mass.
Commitment: Attend training and ongoing formation as offered. Serve approximately twice monthly. Arrive 20 minutes before Mass.
Assist people as we gather for Mass, facilitate collecting our gifts of treasure, direct people to Communion, and distribute bulletins.
Commitment: Attend training. Serve approximately twice monthly (more as you are able). Arrive 20 minutes before Mass.
Coordinators are a point of contact to the couple as their wedding date approaches. They assist the priest with the needs of the bride and groom at church. They are responsible for conducting the rehearsal, preparing the church, and providing assistance at the wedding ceremony as needed.
Hostesses assist Coordinators during the wedding.
Commitment: Varies.
Music
Assist the congregation in song during liturgy by playing piano, organ, or other instrument. Solo proficiency on the instrument and an audition with the director are required.
Commitment: Serve as scheduled, with regular rehearsals.
This fun and faith-filled group is a SATB choir whose style ranges from classical to contemporary.
Commitment: Attend rehearsals on Thursday evenings and sing at the 9:00am Mass twice a month and as needed.
Lead the parish in song during liturgy. Requirements include a clear, inviting tone, ability to read noted music, and time for planning and rehearsals. An audition with the director is required.
Commitment: Serve as scheduled, with regular rehearsals.
Kids (3rd-8th Grade) are invited to join this contemporary music ensemble that provides music at several 9:00am Masses through the school year.
Commitment: Weekly rehearsals on Thursdays during school year. No experience required!
Teens (9th – 12th grade) are encouraged to join this ensemble either as a vocalist or an instrumentalist to enhance our liturgy at 10:30am traditionally on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month.
Commitment: As you are able.
Adults guide students through textbook lessons, art activities, songs, and prayers using a designated teacher’s manual, as well as other books and teaching materials. Can serve individually or as co-catechists.
Commitment: Orientation, weekly classes, and ongoing faith formation during school year.
Confirmed High School students are invited to assist in the Family Faith Formation classrooms.
Preschool and elementary school children are invited to participate in a week long Vacation Bible School experience at SKD each summer. Many teen and adult volunteers are needed to help plan and execute this exciting program.
Adult Faith Formation
The LOTW Retreat is an immersive weekend retreat experience where participants personally encounter Christ through the presentation of the gospel message. The retreat is offered once a year and put on by fellow parishioners.
Commitment: A three-day weekend retreat and recommended participation in follow-up faith-building activities and small faith groups.
This dynamic and welcoming process is for any adult with questions about the Catholic faith – those considering becoming Catholic, those missing some sacraments, or parishioners who simply have things to discuss. Personal discernment concerning moving on to each new stage is made on an individualized basis, so the timeline is flexible. Each stage involves a special weekend Rite in church.
Commitment: Attend 90-minute weekly sessions on Tuesdays as long as participating in the process. There are a few additional activities scheduled periodically.
Active Catholics who are willing to share their faith with those involved in the OCIA program. Team Members choose various tasks, duties, and stages. Some Team Members serve as Parish Companions assigned to journey in support of one individual participant. At times, a Companion may also be chosen as an official sacramental Sponsor or Godparent. The process is extremely flexible to meet team members’ needs. Commitment: Attend 90-minute weekly sessions on Tuesdays as often as possible (dependent on role / stage chosen), occasional Team meetings, and periodic additional activities.
Virtual Saturday morning men’s group that helps participants become men after God’s own heart.
Commitment: Saturday mornings at 6:30am as you are able.
Be a comforting presence and a warm welcome to visitors at funeral Masses, offer to help with funeral luncheons, or be involved in efforts to care for those who are working through grief following a death.
Commitment: Varies.
Contribute to the worship experience and evangelization efforts through the use of technology and media. Commitment: Varies.
Work to help the SKD community take a “wholistic” view of health that encompasses body, mind, and spirit. This ministry plans and sponsors programming to encourage healthy lifestyles.
Commitment: Varies.
For those men interested in helping those in need, serving our parish, and growing in your faith.
Commitment: Varies.
Volunteers make and deliver meals to parishioners and their families during times of sickness or suffering, offering care and support during a difficult time. Or offer to make a dish and/or help serve guests for funeral luncheons held at church.
Commitment: On an as-needed basis.
Men of the parish (> 18 y/o) meet monthly to build connections to their faith and provide service to the parish community.
Commitment: Monthly meetings (first Monday) and other activities as planned.
Volunteers help with answering the phone on those occasions that office personnel have meetings or offsite events. Occasionally daytime and/or evening support with parish mailings or special projects is also needed.
Commitment: Varies.
Ministry volunteers agree to pray from home for specific parishioner requests shared via email.
Commitment: As prayers are requested.
Parishioners > 55 y/o are invited to be a part of this social group.
Commitment: As interested; events scheduled periodically.
The committee plans, recruits volunteers for, and implements social events throughout the year. They also coordinate simple receptions after parish events such as the Parish Mission and guest speakers. If you enjoy baking, consider signing up to provide treats for social events.
Commitment: Varies.
Ministers make personal contact with newly-registered parishioners to welcome them, answer general questions about the parish, and encourage their active involvement in the life of the parish. Invite them to a personal/group tour of our facilities.
Commitment: Varies.
Women of the parish (> 18 y/o) meet monthly and embrace stewardship, spiritual growth, and friendship by supporting the charitable endeavors of the St. Katharine Drexel faith community.
Commitment: Monthly meetings (third Tuesday) and other activities as planned.
Our gardens and planters need many hands to keep them looking wonderful. This committee will help with planting flowers, pulling weeds, and fall clean-up, typically on Wednesday evenings from spring through fall.
Commitment: Once a month or as you are able.
Occasional assistance with snow removal, especially when it falls just before Mass times.
Commitment: As needed.
Occasionally there are bigger projects with tree trimming or other needs on the grounds.
Commitment: As needed for special projects.
This ministry is made up of parishioners commissioned to serve the values and principles of St. Katharine Drexel and the Sister of the Blessed Sacrament.
Commitment: Varies
We provide manpower to the Aurora-based Feed My Starving Children organization to pack meals for distribution to poor children around the globe. Children age 5 and older are able to participate with an accompanying adult.
Commitment: 2nd Thursday of the month at 9:30am.
Volunteers collect donated items before Masses on one weekend a month and transport those items to Sugar Grove’s food pantry. The pantry also needs assistance with stocking items.
Commitment: Monthly collections before all Masses on the fourth full weekend each month.
Parishioners cook, receive, transport and/or help with dinner and breakfast at Hesed House four times a year.
Commitment: Our parish is assigned to serve every fifth Tuesday.
Ministers take the Body of Christ to sick parishioners in hospitals, at home and in local nursing homes. These parishioners bring spiritual comfort, love and encouragement to those unable to attend Mass.
Commitment: Attend special training and serve on rotating schedules or as needed.
These parishioners provide news and information to the SKD community on right-to-life issues and events such as the Worldwide Rosary for Unborn Babies and the Life Chain.
Commitment: Varies, with events primarily focused in May and October.
Our motto is “Changing Lives…Restoring Hope.” We do this by providing person-to-person service to those in need within the community.
Commitment: Meetings are held on the second and fourth Thursdays each month. Team members also do home visits as needed.
This ministry raises money to support the development of communities in Haiti that provide residents with sustainable living skills. Parish fundraisers include free trade sales, an annual dinner/dance, and Lenten Collection boxes.
Commitment: Craft sales three times a year, annual dinner and other occasional initiatives.
In an effort to continue to make church a safe and healthy place for all persons who enter, volunteers are required to read and sign safe environment documents. Bishop David J. Malloy has declared emphatically, that “one case of abuse is one too many.” Sexual misconduct can have devastating consequences and effects on the victims and their families, the Church community, and for the transgressor. The Diocese of Rockford remains committed to preventing sexual abuse and remains diligent in its vigorous efforts to educate in the detection, and prevention and reporting of abuse, and to assist victims in healing. As a parish of the Diocese of Rockford, we respectfully ask all our volunteers to complete the following paperwork virtually through Virtus. Click HERE to access complete instructions.
Every volunteer (16 and older) must read the following policies online at the diocese website and sign the applicable Acknowledgement Form at the end of each policy:
Additionally, all volunteers (16 and older) must:
Lastly, all volunteers (18 and older) must: