Parish Life

Parish Life Purpose

The purpose of the Parish Life Commission is to promote family life, to help build the parish community, and to foster a sense of belonging among the parishioners. It is primarily responsible for identifying and providing for the social and communal needs of the parishioners that will strengthen the faith community and give people a sense of belonging.

Parish Life Key Contacts

Parish Life Groups and Ministries:

St. John's even had a Junior Holy Name Society, pictured here in 1931.

Holy Name Society has been an integral part of the parish since 1925. The main purpose of the Society is to promote the glory of God’s name by enhancing the spiritual well being of its members and the parish family. The Society promotes corporate stewardship in Worship, Service and Fellowship through example and participation in the following: monthly Mass and meeting (second Sunday/9:00 a.m. Mass), Holy Hour service in Advent and Lent, annual retreat, parish events, and social activities.

Rosary/Altar Society: The purpose of the Rosary Society is to cultivate and promote devotion to our Lord and His Mother by attendance at monthly Benediction and the daily recitation of the rosary. The Society welcomes all women of the parish. Meetings are held on the third Thursday of the month and begin with Benediction and the Rosary at 1:00 p.m. Members are assigned to a group called a “Rose” made up of a Promoter and 14 women. Each woman is assigned to pray one Mystery of the rosary daily. Beside the recitation of the rosary, members are asked to attend wakes and funerals of deceased members, the monthly meeting and various social affairs sponsored by the Society.

Here is our Rosary Society circa 1931. A younger Fr. Kostik can be seen in the front row.

Homebound Ministry to our homebound parishioners is considered essential to our parish life. The priests visit the homebound once a month. Commissioned lay ministers visit weekly to administer the Sacrament of the Eucharist. Names of parishioners in special need of prayer are published weekly in the parish bulletin. Please call the rectory if you wish to receive the Sacraments or wish to have your name added to the prayer list.   Marian Theatre Guild: Since the days of Jim LaPert back in the 1920's, St. John's has had a rich history of performance. Today, The Guild contiunes that long tradition of producing excellent drama and musical theatre in our parish auditorium. Two shows per year are presented: one in the spring and one in the fall season. Auditions to the shows is open to everyone, parishioners are encouraged volunteer on stage or behind the scenes.   The image at left is of Mary and the child Jesus, located above the entrance to the Marian Memorial Auditorium which was completed with the second phase of the school expansion in 1955.   Girl Scouts of the Calumet Council: St. John the Baptist School and the parish strongly support the scouting program. St. John offers scouting experiences for girls from Kindergarten through the 8th grade. Troops are under the direction of dedicated leaders and the Girl Scouts of the Calumet Council.

Our scouting program provides girls with the opportunity to develop lasting friendships, strong leadership skills, self esteem and a direction for their future. The girls learn good citizenship and participate in community service activities and projects.

Troop sizes range from five to thirty girls and the majority of the Troops meet at St. John School after school hours. Registration generally takes place in August/September. Registration information is sent home with girls from their classrooms.

For information about the scouting program, visit the Girl Scouts of the Calumet Council website, call the Council at 219.838.3171 or contact a St. John School Girl Scout Recruiter.

Cub Scouts Pack 204 is open to boys grades one through five. The parish provides a safe, secure meeting location in Benedict Hall (church basement). Volunteer den leaders under the guidance of the Officers and the Associate Pastor provide adult supervision. The Dens meet twice a month. General Pack meetings are held monthly during the school year at various locations in the parish buildings. Parvuli Dei, a Catholic scouting instructional program, is provided yearly to all scouts who have received First Holy Communion. For more information , please call 1.800.513.2343 or visit the website for the Boy Scouts of the Calumet Council.

Elizabeth Ministry is an international movement designed to support women and their families during the joys, trials and sorrows of the childbearing years. Elizabeth Ministry’s mission is to cherish children, encourage families and build community. It offers peer support, mentoring, spiritual nourishment, educational and inspirational resources.

Volunteers become Elizabeth Ministers in the areas they have experienced. For example, a woman who has twins would visit and mentor a woman who is pregnant with twins. Continued support is given throughout the pregnancy and after the birth. This support comes in the form of visits, phone calls, cards, prayer, resources and assistance. The areas of Elizabeth Ministry include, but are not limited to: pregnancy, birth, miscarriage, stillbirth, regretted abortions, infant or child death, crisis or special needs, adoption, fertility and infertility.

Elizabeth Ministers are volunteer representatives of a faith community. They are not counselors, but are present to offer peer support, mentoring and friendship only. No lengthy training is needed. Ministers are women willing to share their presence, stories, and experience in the hope that these will encourage another woman and her family.

Parish Library/Parenting Resource Center is available to all.

Our St. John the Baptist Parish Library is located on the third floor of St. John School, adjacent to the Pastoral Center. Access can be obtained through the school office Monday thru Friday during school hours. For other times, an appointment can be made through the Office of Religious Formation. Call 473-7557 and leave a message for Rita Krilich to make arrangements.

The Parish Library offers hundreds of books on various topics which can be borrowed. There are videos and a number of magazines which can also be signed out. Selections are also available on the bookshelf at the side entrance to church. The categories of books we have include:  Adult Faith Formation; Biography; Catechism; Christian Fiction; CPPS books (written by authors from the Missionaries of the Precious Blood); Church Documents; Church History; Grief Management/Bereavement; Marriage and Family; Liturgy and Ministry; Mariology; Parenting Resources; Poetry/Literature; Prayer; Sacraments; Saints; Scripture; Seasons; Spirituality; Theology; and Women’s Spirituality.

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