Lectors

At St. Rocco, it is a common practice for someone to volunteer as a lector when a relative is prayed for at Sunday Mass, for example, a deceased mother or father. Both men and women are welcome to read the first and the second reading. If the lector is not ready to sing "The Word of the Lord" at the end, the priest or a choir member can sing it.  Usually, an usher will recruit two lectors before the beginning of each Mass, confirm with the priest what readings are used, and see if each lector will sing the conclusion, "The Word of the Lord."

Ushers

The ushers have a serious and important responsiblity.  They make sure that the visitors feel welcome; they attend to the needs of all in the congregation.  The ushers pay special attention to such things lighting, heating, access, and good order. They give special care to those who are disabled or elderly. They also take up the collection and coordinate the procession for the preparation of gifts, which includes the collection, as well as the bread and wine.  If a deceased family member is commemorated at a given Mass, that family can appropriately take part in the presentation of the gifts, in the procession.

Servers

While others are welcome to serve, especially at weddings and funerals, at Sunday Mass, we usually have the same children serve. St. Rocco is blest with a small, reliable group of servers. They lead the entrance and preparation processions at Mass, with at least one candlebearer.  One of them carries the processional cross during the entrance procession. One of them holds the book or anything else needed, for the priest. They help with the preparation of the bread and wine.  At the appropriate times, one of them rings the bells for the Eucharistic Prayer. At the Gospel and during Communion, two servers hold candles, in honor of Christ among us.

Most important of all, the servers give good example, by devout attention to the Scripture proclaimed, by enthusiastic participation in the singing, and by reverence throughout the liturgy.

Choir

The work of our music director, Marty Bramlette, and our choir is a special ministry all to itself, meriting a separate page.

Editors

August Anzelmo and his secretary, Linarae Mueller, compose a weekly bulletin, featuring news about the San Rocco family, a message from the rector, information about the liturgy, and current, religious news. This bulletin is regularly illustrated with line art, including a cartoon or two.  Annette Nordstrom also helped with this work.

Planning Committee

Especially for the annual festival, committee members make all arrangements necessary. The festa is a complex operation, requiring budgeting, fund-raising, purchasing, staffing, and promotion. This festa committee also considered the construction of a new assembly hall, intended to be used for both the festa and other gatherings.

Sanctuary Care Committee/Sacristans

Carol Dallesandro coordinates those who do cleaning work in the church.  Priscilla Fushi helps in maintaining the vestments in good condition, especially the albs.  This group of people performs the usually unseen task of keeping in good order both the sanctuary and the body of the church.

Landscaping and Maintenance

The Petrelli family regularly provides landscaping services, for both the oratory and the assembly hall.  In the winter, Jim Rees regularly clears away the snow in the parking lot and in front of the church.  Eric Leader has helped clear snow from walkways. Mike Prisco helps maintain the air conditioning and heating units.  August Anzelmo maintains the checking account and bill payment.

Substantial painting work has been done by Dave Hilgen and Tom Planera. Tom painted the rerodos in the chrch building, the beautiful, blue sky on the north wall, with white clouds, behind the wall crucifix.  In addition to the rerodos, Tom Planera also painted the white crosses in the grotto, the side door of the oratory, and the outside of the Mt. Carmel Club.

Finance Committee

Catholic churches are required to have a finance committee, a group of lay people who advise the pastor periodically and help him manage expenditures; he chooses them.  This is not a parish council but an advisory, staff committee. As it was set up, San Rocco Oratory was to rely on the finance committee of St. Agnes church, with which the oratory was anticipated to have some association.

On the one hand, such association has been virtually non-existent, so perhaps there will be  some development in this area in the future. On the other hand, Ray Grothaus of   the St. Agnes finance committee has graciously prepared the budget each year for San Rocco Oratory. Perhaps this sort of thing is what was envisioned in the statuta by which the oratory came into being.

Evangelization Committee

Not yet formed is a group of people who would help reach out to those who  might be alienated from the Catholic Church or who might need to be invited to join.  Reasonably, many Mexican Americans in the immediate neighborhood prefer to share in the life of nearby St. Paul's church, which features Mass in Spanish.

Evangelization at St. Rocco, then, would in part be directed to former members of the closed San Rocco parish, rather than the territory in the immediate vicinity of the church building.  Nevertheless, St. Rocco is open to everyone, regardless of ethnic origin.  Long standing members include families named Baumgartner, Betancourt, Boyd, Davis, Foster, Garcia, Graham, Hapniewski, Hilgen, Koite, Kondziolka, Martinez, Nordstrom, Pinnow, Ristenpart, Rodriguez, Swan, Vanderhei,  Vega, Wess, and Wolter.  Maybe we need to evangelize the Irish.