An Invitation to Gospel Ministry in St Joseph Como Parish

What’s going on in this parish?

How can I be more involved?
How can I respond better to my Baptismal vocation
and the call of the Gospel?
How can I serve God, the Church and my fellow men and women better?

We are an active parish which relies on the volunteers from within to help. Each Ministry is an invitation and an opportunity to serve and to be involved in the Parish community.

If you are interested in any of the ministries please contact the Parish Office or send us your details via New To Parish page.

Outreach Ministries

Our parish is blessed with various people serving in different Outreach ministries such as; Mildred Symons House Communion, Homebound Communion, Legion of Mary, State school Catechist, St Vincent De Paul Society Conference, Youth and Family services etc… These people serve others to make the parish family a more enriched society and exemplify the deep spiritual value of service. If you believe you have a talent to help us make the Parish a more joyous and beautiful place in whatever capacity you have to offer, we’d love to hear from you.

State School Catechist

Welcome to the Catechist section of St Joseph Parish Alive. Here you can find out a bit about our involvement in the state schools catechist programme.Who we are: The Catechists of St Joseph’s Como Oyster Bay Parish are a group of 10 committed volunteers, and 2 dedicated helpers, who teach Catholic Scripture to Catholic students attending Public schools in the Como, Jannali and Kareela areas. We teach at:

  • Bonnet Bay Public School
  • Como Central PS
  • Como West
  • Jannali Primary School
  • Jannali East Primary
  • Kareela Public School
  • Oyster Bay Public School
  • The Jannali High School

How we were established: Confraternity of Christian Doctrine( CCD) are an Ecclesiastical Organization of the Archdiocese of Sydney. It was established in 1958 on the authority of the Archbishop of Sydney as an autonomous, non-profit organization for the primary and principal purpose of providing religious education and Christian formation for Catholic Students in Public Schools. The scripture teaching resources we use are published by the CCD . Our Catechists are encouraged to attend Accredited Training and Faith formation workshops including Reflection Days, Lunch & Learns, Ministry Courses and Annual Area Masses. The workshops are a foundation not only for teaching but also deepening the Catechists’ spiritual and religious growth. As Catechists we enjoy delivering God’s message and sharing our faith with the children and young adults. Please contact our director if you are interested in becoming a catechist. Your help would be greatly appreciated and warmly received.   Coordinator:  Father Jerzy Chrzczonowicz 0411 125 357 or contact Parish Office 02 9528 0205.

Legion of Mary

THE LEGION OF MARY CELEBRATES OVER 45 YEARS IN OUR PARISH

Founded in Dublin in 1921 and now established in most countries throughout the world, the Legion of Mary began in Sydney in 1942. The object of the Legion of Mary is the glory of God through sanctification of its members by prayer and active work in union with Mary.
The Legion is continually seeking new members to continue this work. Membership is open to both men and women of all ages. Meetings are held each Friday morning at 9:30 in Parish Meeting room

Directors: see parish contacts.

Resources: Legion of Mary handbook.

St Vincent de Paul

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul was founded in 1833 to serve impoverished people living in the slums of Paris, France. The primary figure behind the society’s founding was Blessed Frédéric Ozanam, a French lawyer, author, and professor in the University of Paris|Sorbonne. He was 20 years old when the society was founded. The Society took Saint Vincent de Paul as its patron under the influence of Sister Rosalie Rendu, D.C. Sister Rosalie (who was herself beatified in November 2003 by Pope John Paul II) was a member of the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul and was well known for her work with people in the slums of Paris. She guided Frédéric and his companions in their approach towards those in need.

The Society numbers about 700,000 in some 142 countries worldwide, whose members operate through “conferences”. A conference may be based out of a church, community center, school, hospital, etc., and is composed of Catholic volunteers who dedicate their time and resources to help those in need in their community. Non-Catholics may join with the understanding that the society is a Catholic organization.

Our parish operates a Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVDP) conference providing emergency financial assistance and food assistance to hundreds of people within our parish area. During 2013/14 financial year, we actually visited 227 homes which resulted in assistance being given to 594 persons. Major collection appeals are held twice a year to fund this vital works – these are the Christmas and Winter Appeals.

Interested in volunteering with St. Vincent de Paul? There are a variety of ways to participate including Home Visits where conference members go in pairs and visit someone who is in need of rental or utility assistance; we also receive a large number of calls for food assistance.