Mission

The mission of the OLPH Evangelization Committee is to share its faith in Jesus Christ with others through word and deed; to promote a welcoming atmosphere at OLPH that is open to people of all ethnic and cultural backgrounds; to assist in creating opportunities for fellowship within the parish; to reach out to those who have fallen away from the Catholic Faith or who may be lacking in  previous faith formation; and to promote the establishment of small faith-driven communities, through various adult-formation programs, in which faith-sharing and prayer result in the transformation of people's lives.

What exactly IS evangelization? The word itself stems from a Greek word meaning "good news." In simple terms, evangelization is the act of bringing the Good News, or Gospel, of Jesus Christ to others. But it implies a sense of dynamism and activity! Evangelization is born from a heart that is alive with the message of Jesus, a heart that longs to bring others to a deeper, more meaningful relationship with God, through Christ, propelled by the love and guidance of the Holy Spirit.

CURRENT ACTIVITIES:

• Fellowship Sundays-Held once a month after both Masses in Marian Hall, these are special gatherings in which coffee, doughnuts, and other snacks are served as a way of promoting fellowship and conversation amongst parishioners;
• "Shared Hope" Group-For the benefit of those who have lost a loved one, this very uplifting group meets monthly to walk the journey of grief together, and to share the hope that is ours through the love and healing of Christ our Lord;
• Hispanic Ministry-Directed towards the members of the local Latino community, the ministry features weekly Spanish-language Masses held on Saturday evenings at OLPH, as well as Spanish-speaking prayer group meetings ( held weekly, Mondays) and a Rosary group;
• OLPH Feast Day Celebrations-Held annually on, or near, June 27 to celebrate the parish feast day, these celebrations range from Mass followed by a dinner-dance , to casual, fun ice cream socials;
• Miscellaneous special occasions such as the Celebration of the New Roman Missal (Dec. 2011)

UPCOMING PROJECTS IN 2012:

Creating "Welcome Baskets" for new OLPH members; examining the feasibility of forming a Young-Adult Ministry group for ages 18-35 years; establishing ways of seeking out those who have fallen away from the Catholic Faith and assisting in bringing back any who long for a return to the Church; establishing an adult faith-sharing program at OLPH through collaboration with the OLPH Pastoral Leader and/or the Religious Education Office.

EVANGELIZATION COMMITTEE CONTACT PERSON: Margaret Wood (margmccwood@yahoo.com)

"SHARED HOPE" GROUP CONTACTS: Michele Callaghan (callagh@verizon.net), Karen Hogan (hogan_karen@hotmail.com), Margaret Wood (margmccwood@yahoo.com)

HISPANIC MINISTRY CONTACT PERSON: Adriana Figueras (afigueras@verizon.net)

"We pray that the fire of Jesus enkindled in us by God's Spirit may lead more and more people in our land to become disciples, formed in the image of Christ our Savior." (from "Go and Make Disciples," USCCB)