Please use our new Haitian email to contact us for information or questions: HaitiMinistry@stgabrielma.org
The Cursillo method aids at helping to transform, in a Christian way, the environments where people live and work through the involvement of “new men and women” who have become such from their encounter with Christ. This is a goal of the three day “little course” on Christianity, in which a team of priests and lay people, supported by the prayer and sacrifices of the movement’s other members, communicated the fundamental truths of the Christian faith in an especially “living way.”
This prayer group meets 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet. The prayer was created by St. Faustina and is credited with many blessings.
Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist assist the priest in the distribution of the Eucharist and the Consecrated Wine at each Sunday mass. The schedule of teams is published through the office. Each minister is also requested to bring the Eucharist to shut-ins of the parish. A Sunday visit is made to the Milhaus Apartments, Coach Road Apartments and to various homes throughout the community. Other parishioners are visited during the week at a pre-set schedule.
Facilities Committee meets monthly to review the maintenance and projects of the church building, its properties and the rectory.
The festival Choir is a group of individuals who sing at special services and feasts of the church. Practices are once a week beginning before the event. No special talent is required other than the love of music and the desire to help in community prayer.
Finance Committee meets monthly to review the finances of the parish. Operating expenses are considered and evaluated in keeping with the proper operation of the parish and its campus.
Our food pantry helps families in our parish who are in need. The food collected weekly keeps our shelves stocked and some food is sent to area food pantries; Mendon Food Pantry, Daily Bread in Milford and Mustard Seed in Worcester. Volunteers transport the extra food to these pantries.
Every funeral performed at St. Gabriel has a booklet with songs, readings and special remembrances for the family. It is different for each mass and requires some easy computer and printing work shortly before each funeral.
This ministry provides toys and clothing to children and adults across the diocese. Names are derived from the various charitable agencies. The names are placed upon the Christmas tree and parishioners chose to make a Christmas for a specific child/adult or donate an unwrapped gift for any child/adult.
Parishioners are greeted as they walk into the church and offered a missalette. If the mass is full, people are assisted in finding seats and collections are taken up during the offertory. Bulletins are also offered on the way out of mass and the pews are checked for anything left behind.