St Barbara extends a hand to help ease the burden after the death of a loved one. The Bereavement Committee interacts with clergy to provide liturgies and opportunities for worship for families of the deceased. In addition the committee contacts the families of the deceased prior to the burial and assists with the preparation of the funeral liturgy, visitation and reception.
The mission of our parish newsletter is to spread “The Good News from St. Barbara” to our parish family. Each quarter, the Crosstalk is nestled inside the parish bulletin as well as posted on the parish website and app. The Crosstalk is also emailed to all parishioners with an email address on file in the parish database. The issues are normally published mid-month in February, May, August, and November.
Each issue of the Crosstalk typically includes articles from Father Sterling and Deacon Melville, as well as features on our parish ministries and inspiring stewards. To contribute content or suggestions, please email crosstalk@stbarbaraky.org.
Families for Life provides a structure through which people of all ages and abilities can channel their energy and direct their efforts to be involved in pro-life ministry in our parish, diocese and community. Our purpose is to educate and raise awareness for the Church’s teaching regarding the sanctity of life, through parish programs, activities, and service projects. They include the Spiritual Adoption Program, Baby Shower for area pregnancy centers, Cross the Bridge for Life, Field of White Crosses, and various other opportunities to foster awareness for respect for life from conception to natural death. Planning meetings are held when needed. All parishioners are invited to become involved.
GriefShare is a support group led by caring people who have experienced grief and have successfully rebuilt their lives. We welcome anyone who is grieving from a loss of a loved one.
GriefShare meets once a week for 13 weeks. Each session shares encouraging information from recovery experts through videos, group discussions, journaling and personal study exercises.
The purpose of this ministry is to extend our hearts and hands to our faith community in a professional and personal manner. By sharing the time and talents of this ministry we are bringing an appreciation and understanding of how body, mind and spirit make up the whole person and how they are linked to a spiritual growth and physical well-being.
The Hearts and Hands Ministry supports the faith community through the following:
The ministry continually looks for members who are nurses and health ministers (non-nurses) to share their unique talents surrounding good physical and spiritual health. Everyone is invited to share their related talents to this important ministry.
If you or a loved one suffers from Parkinson’s we encourage you to join. Patients, family and care givers are invited to learn all about this condition. The Parkinson’s support group meets monthly on third Thursday from 6:30 to 8pm. We have various speakers, doctors, nurses, and pharmacist. Q&A , lively and informative discussions
This ministry is a group of parishioners who take specific prayer requests for anyone in need of prayers within our parish or throughout our extended community. Prayers are offered daily by these individual “Prayer Warriors” and all prayer intentions are also remembered by the congregation during each mass.
You can submit any prayer request through the link on the St. Barbara website, the prayer journal (found in the church narthex) or by emailing your request to prayer@stbarbara.org.
If you would like to have one of the Prayer Warriors visit your home and bring the Holy Eucharist, you can make that request through the Prayer Request website link or via the email address.
Members of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul (known as “Vincentians” ) offer tangible assistance to those in need on a person-to-person basis. It is this personalized involvement that makes the work of the Society unique. This aid may take the form of intervention, consultation, or often through direct dollar or in-kind service. An essential precept of the Society’s work is to provide help while conscientiously maintaining the confidentiality and dignity of those who are served. The Society recognizes that it must assume, also, a role of advocacy for those who are defenseless or voiceless. Some 12 million persons are helped annually by Vincentians in the United States - more than 1,000 in the St. Barbara Parish boundaries.
Check out the videos below:
This short 9 minute video tells you the Society's mission and what it does
3:30 minute video on what the Society does