Jean and Janice Charbonnet , Chairpeople
St. Joseph from St. Theresa, Little Flower Church in New Orleans
SANCTITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE
Mission: The Sanctity of Life Committee is dedicated to preserving the dignity and sacredness of each and every human life from conception to natural death including the disadvantaged, aged, mentally, or physically challenged.
Each life has been created in the image and likeness of God, and as such, we, as baptized Catholics, dedicate ourselves to defend, safeguard, and nurture each life as the precious gift that our loving heavenly Father has given. Through prayer, peaceful demonstration, and education, we strive to speak to the hearts of our government officials, medical professionals, and citizens, so that everyone will realize the truth that LIFE is the only choice.
Annual Pro-Life events include Right to Life Sunday (First Sunday in October) with a presentation at all Masses.
In January, to commemorate the infamous Roe vs. Wade decision of the Supreme Court, the Sunday closest to the anniversary is dedicated to concentrated prayer and education for the reversal of that decision. The community is invited to spiritually adopt a baby by praying for a period of nine months for an unborn child who is in danger of being aborted. At the end of that period, a parish baby shower is held, and the gifts collected are donated to a pregnancy crisis center.
ELIZABETH MINISTRY
Mission: Seeks to respond to the needs of women during the childbearing years. By sharing personal stories and similar experiences, women are able to support, encourage and assist one another during this unique time in their lives.
In this ministry women help other women during times of pregnancy, birth, adoption, or infant crisis. It also provides support to those who are suffering the pain of miscarriage, infertility, or failed adoption.
Women volunteer to minister to women who are experiencing a similar situation as their own. For example, a woman who has twins would visit someone expecting twins. Continued support is given throughout the pregnancy and after the birth. This support comes in the form of visits, phone calls, cards, and other means of outreach.
MARRIAGE ENRICHMENT:
MARRIAGE ENCOUNTER
Mission: Worldwide Marriage Encounter’s mission of renewal in the church and change in the world, is to assist married couples to live fully intimate and responsible relationships by providing them with a Catholic “experience” and ongoing community support for such a lifestyle.
Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekends are “pro-active” experiences that target couples with good marriages that want to make them better. Our focus is on communication, making decisions to love and be loved, our sacraments, and renewing our Church.
NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING
Learning Natural Family Planning (NFP) is a normative part of marriage preparation.
The Couple to Couple League (CCL) is an international, interfaith, non-profit organization dedicated to teaching NFP to married and engaged couples. CCL teaches the Sympto-Thermal Method of natural family planning. Volunteer teaching couples, who have been professionally trained and certified by CCL, teach all classes.
More information on NFP related topics (chastity, breast-feeding, morality, health, etc.) can be found on CCL’s website: www.ccl.org.
NEW BEGINNINGS
Mission: To provide positive and spiritual support for separated, divorced and widowed people and to support a new beginning in their lives.
New Beginnings Ministry seeks to provide a compassionate venue to allow parish members who have undergone the above circumstances to express fears, hopes and dreams and through shared experiences provide support for each member. We also try to help members cope through prayer and by listening, compassionate insight, and reflection.
PRE-SCHOOL PARENTS CLUB
Leader: TBA
The Pre-School Parents Club is an organization of volunteers who give all parents of pre-school age children (ages 0-5) the opportunity to meet and interact spiritually, intellectually, and socially. We welcome mothers, fathers, grandparents, and caregivers.
Playgroup meets three times a week for an hour and a half with our children to play games, do crafts, and just have fun. We go on field trips to fun and educational places. Parents meet in the evening the first ____day of every month for business and adult social.
Pre-School Parents provide opportunity for the older child, 3-5 years of age, to get together in an atmosphere tailored to their age group and have fun learning and doing crafts. These groups meet once a week. We also invited the whole family for family fun activities, which includes our annual PSPC Easter egg hunt-picnic, and occasional potluck dinners. The club has a lending library to guide our families through the changing and ever challenging paths of parenthood
“SUPPER AND SUBSTANCE”
Coordinator: TBA
This supper is an enjoyable meal in a “romantic atmosphere”. The substance is a presentation by a married couple about their faith an marriage journey. Offered several times a year. (This program promoted by the Willwood Community issues grants to parishes for this program).
PARENTING PROGRAMS
Coordinator: TBA
Workshops on building strong family relationships that address family issues such as communication, faith, coping skills, and understanding and accepting personality differences. True Colors and Common Sense Parenting (sponsored by PRIDE) are two such programs. Programs on family prayer, spirituality, and those dealing with teen issues such as alcohol and drugs are also offered.
Women of Worship
Coordinator: TBA
MARRIAGE PREP
Pre-Cana (one of three options) –
- Sponsor Couples is a couple to couple approach to marriage preparation consisting of several meetings between the engaged couple and the Sponsor couple. During the six meetings, the Sponsor couple discusses various topics related to the sacrament of marriage and the practical issues that Catholic couples face.
- Engaged Encounter is a one-weekend program held at Carmelite Spirituality Center in Lacombe. It is a series of presentations made by married couples and a priest or deacon with time set aside for reflection, writing, and dialoguing on the topic. It is a very intense but worthwhile weekend.
- Day for the Engaged is a one-day program, which offers the opportunity to spend time, as a couple, in thought, conversations, writing, and prayer in pleasant, relaxed surroundings and in the company of other couples.
Re-Marriage Prep
Re-Marriage Prep is a course that is required by the Archdiocese of New Orleans to help couples prepare for a remarriage that is deeply sacramental. It serves as an active example of the church’s compassion by addressing the special needs of remarrying couples.
It is a couple-to-couple peer ministry program. Remarried (sponsor) couples in the parish help engaged couples make realistic preparation for their marriages. It is adult education that provides information at a “teachable moment,” and it invites both sponsors and engaged couples to deepen their religious commitment.
Re-Marriage Prep provides practical guidelines as well as theological and psychological information to the engaged.
Special Marriage Prep
The Special Marriage Preparation Program was established to respond to certain special needs of couples contemplating marriage in the Catholic Church. Some of these special categories include couples who are already civilly married and who are seeking church validation of their marriages, couples with long-term relationships, and much older couples.
