LITURGICAL COMMITEEE REPORT FOR PARISH ORIENTATION 2018

ST. MARY’S CATHOLIC CHURCH, DUBAI

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Saturday 9th June 2018

LITURGICAL COMMITTEE

THE LITURGICAL COMMITTEE OF OUR PARISH COMPRISES THE MINISTRIES OF: 1. ALTAR SERVERS SODALITY 2. AUDIO-VISUAL (OPERATIONS & TECHNICAL) 3. EXTRAORDINARY MINISTER OF HOLY COMMUNION 4. CHOIR 5. LECTOR 6. USHERS SODALITY 7. CCD (CLASSES FOR CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE)

MEMBERS OF THE LITURGICAL COMMITTEE: • J JAMES - ALTAR SERVERS SODALITY • VIJU JOSE - AUDIO VISUAL (TECHNICAL) • PRAJWAL COLLACO - AUDIO VISUAL (OPERATIONS) • CATHY PENAFLOR - EXTRAORDINARY MINISTER OF HOLY COMMUNION • SARAH CASTRO - CHOIR • KAREN DATE - LECTOR • VENITH TORRES - USHERS SODALITY • JANET JOSEPH - CCD (CLASSES FOR CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE) WE HAVE MEETINGS WITH OUR DEAR PARISH PRIEST FR. LENNIE J.A CONNULLY, OFM Cap EVERY MONTH TO DISCUSS ABOUT THE LITURGY OF MAIN EVENTS OF THE PARTICULAR MONTH, AND TO GET HIS SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENTS.

THE STRENGTH OF THE ALTAR SERVERS SODALITY STOOD AT 300 IN THE YEAR 2017. CURRENT STRENGTH IS 269 WITH 142 BOYS (53%), AND 127 (47%) GIRLS. THEY ARE IN THE AGE GROUP OF : BELOW ELEVEN YEARS (43 MEMBERS) BELOW TWELVE YEARS (47 MEMBERS) BELOW THIRTEEN YEARS (63 MEMBERS) BELOW FOURTEEN YEARS (59 MEMBERS) FIFTEEN AND ABOVE (57 MEMBERS)

EVERY YEAR THROUGH THE ANNOUNCEMENT IN THE CHURCH, CHILDREN ARE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENTER THE SODALITY. AFTER EXTENSIVE TRAINING THEY ARE INDUCTED INTO THE SODALITY. ALTAR SERVERS SERVE ALL MASSES IN THE CHURCH EXCEPT 12PM AND ON SUNDAY AT 9AM. DURING HOLIDAYS THEY ASSIST ALL MASSES.

ALTAR SERVERS SODALITY

MONTHLY ROSTERS ARE PREPARED ACCORDING TO THE PREFERENCE OF THE CHILDREN, AND ALL CHILDREN GET A CHANCE TO SERVE THE MASS EVERY MONTH. OUR PARISH PRIEST, FR. LENNIE J.A. CONNULLY, OFM Cap IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE SODALITY, AND FR. ANDRE FRANCISCO FERNANDES OFM Cap IS THE SPIRITUAL FATHER. THERE IS A TEAM OF EIGHT ANIMATORS WHO TRAIN AND TAKE CARE OF THE ALTAR SERVERS. MONTHLY MEETINGS ARE HELD EVERY SECOND THURSDAY AND ATTENDANCE IN THE MEETING IS MANDATORY.

THE AV MINISTRY IS MADE OF 2 PARTS: 1. OPERATIONS TEAM 2. TECHNICAL TEAM

THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVE OF THE OPERATIONS TEAM IS TO ENHANCE THE LITURGICAL EXPERIENCE OF THOSE WHO ATTEND THE MASS AT OUR PARISH BY HELPING THEM READ; MEDITATE; PRAY AND CONTEMPLATE ON THE WORD OF GOD. THE TEAM HAS BEEN IN RELENTLESS SERVICE OF THE PARISH. THE TEAM COMPRISES OF ABOUT 30 MEMBERS.

AUDIO VISUAL (AV) MINISTRY

1. PPT TEAM – THE TEAM THAT CONSOLIDATES THE CONTENT AND TRANSLATES THEM TO A STANDARDIZED FORMAT THAT CAN BE PRESENTED ON THE CHURCH SCREENS 2. OPERATORS – THE TEAM THAT PERFORM THE PROJECTIONS DURING THE MASSES. THIS IS DONE THROUGH A ROSTER SYSTEM 3. SUPPORT TEAM – THE MEMBERS OF THIS TEAM SUPPORT THE ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS SUCH AS ASSIGNING ROSTERS, ACCOMMODATE CORRECTIONS OR CHANGES AND COMMUNICATE COMMENTS AND FEEDBACK FOR REVIEW.

OPERATIONS TEAM PERFORMS ITS FUNCTIONS THROUGH THREE MAIN UNITS:

THE TECHNICAL TEAM IS ENGANGED TO ENSURE THAT THE SYSTEM BEGINNING WITH THE COMPUTERS AND VIDEO SWITCHERS AND EQUIPMENT THAT DELIVER THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE MASS ON THE ALTAR AND THE AUDIO IS DISTRIBUTED NOT ONLY IN THE CHURCH AND CHAPEL BUT ALL AROUND THE CHURCH INCLUDING THE MAIN HALL, MINI HALL, GROTTO, THE VARIOUS COURTS AND THE SURROUNDINGS ESPECIALLY DURING THE WEEKEND MASSES AND SPECIAL OCCASIONS. THE TECHNICAL TEAM IS IN THE PROCESS OF UPGRADING AND BUYING SOME NEW EQUIPMENTS FOR THE CHURCH NAMELY NEW LED SCREEN FOR OUTDOOR AND MICROPHONES FOR THE ALTAR AND WIRELESS TRANSMITTER AND RECEIVER FOR PROJECTION OF EVENTS AND OCCASSIONS OF THE CHURCH.

EXTRAORDINARY MINISTER OF HOLY COMMUNION

EXTRAORDINARY MINISTERS OF HOLY COMMUNION (EMHC) ARE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO ARE CALLED TO BE MORE INVOLVED IN THE CELEBRATION OF

MASS. THE EXTRAORDINARY MINISTER’S FUNCTION IS TO ASSISTS THE PRIEST IN DISTRIBUTING HOLY COMMUNION DURING THE MASS. THEY ALSO TAKE THE CONSECRATED HOST TO THE SICK PERSON, WHEN AN ORDAINED MINISTER (BISHOP, PRIEST OR DEACON) IS NOT AVAILABLE.

MEMBERS = 181

AFRICAN 3 FILIPINO 54 GENERAL 4 KONKANI 45 MALAYALEE 50 PAKISTANI 2 SRILANKAN 8 TAMIL 15

Gender: 76 Female, 105 Male

EMHC STATISTICS

NEW EMHC (Batch 2018) = 52 Commissioned on Tuesday 27th March 2018

1 stepped down in May 2018 2 stepping down in June 2018

Mass Coordinators : 37 Members Homebound/Hospital Visit : 41 Members

EMHC ACTIVITIES

• MONTHLY HOLY ADORATION – EVERY 2ND WEDNESDAY OF EACH MONTH • QUARTERLY MEETING • MASS COORDINATORS MEETING • HOMEBOUND/HOSPITAL VISIT MEETING • EMHC ANNUAL GATHERING • EMHC FORMATION • EMHC PRE CHRISTMAS PARTY

THE ST. MARY’S PARISH HAS A TOTAL OF 34 CHOIRS SERVING FOR THE ENGLISH AND DIFFERENT LANGUAGE MASSES. FROM A CHOIR GROUP RANGING FROM 5 – 50 MEMBERS PER CHOIR. THE CHOIRS’ MISSION IS TO SERVE GOD, ASSIST IN THE EUCHARISTIC CELEBRATIONS AND PASTORAL PROGRAMS OF THE PARISH BY LEADING THE CONGREGATIONAL COMMUNITY THROUGH THE JOYOUS GIFT OF MUSIC AND IN WORKING TO DEVELOP THOSE TALENTS TO THE BEST OF THEIR ABILITIES, THAT THEY MAY CONTINUE TO MOVE THE HEARTS AND ACCOMPANY THE VOICES OF ALL IN PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING.

Total number of Choirs: 34

Daily Mass (Mon – Thurs) 4 Choirs

Weekend Masses ( Fri, Sat, Sun) 15 Choirs

Catechism Choirs

( 3 Children’s Choir, 2 Youth Choirs, 1 Adult Choir – special masses i.e

Adult Confirmation masses)

6 Choirs

Vernacular Choirs

(Arabic, Konkani, Malayalam, African, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Tamil)

7 Choirs

Special Choir Groups

(Marriage Encounter Choir, Come Alive Youth Group)

2 Choirs

CHOIR MINISTRY UPCOMING ACTIVITIES

CONTINUED LITURGICAL FORMATION CHORISTERS ANNUAL GATHERING

THE MINISTRY OF LECTORS CONTINUES TO PERFORM AS A

VITAL PART OF THE LITURGICAL MINISTRY BY PROCLAIMING

THE WORD OF GOD DURING ALL THE ENGLISH MASSES IN

OUR PARISH.

THE STRENGTH OF THE MINISTRY AS PER LAST REPORT WAS

171 OUT OF WHICH 22 LECTORS RETIRED DURING THE YEAR

OWING TO RELOCATION OR JOB SITUATION.

LECTORS MINISTRY

NEW LECTORS: AUDITIONS WERE HELD ON SATURDAY, 27TH OF JANUARY 2018 FOR THE SELECTION OF NEW

LECTORS. OUT OF THE 89 CANDIDATES WHO AUDITIONED, 32 NEW LECTORS WERE SELECTED. THE PRESENT STRENGTH OF THE MINISTRY NOW STANDS AT 185 LECTORS FROM 09 DIFFERENT NATIONALITIES (INDIA / PHILIPPINES / CANADA / NIGERIA / PAKISTAN / CAMEROON / USA / KOREA / SRI LANKA).

AN INDUCTION CEREMONY & BRIEFING SESSION WAS HELD FOR THE NEW LECTORS ON 17TH

FEBRUARY 2018.

LECTORS WORKSHOP: LECTORS HAVE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED 5 WORKSHOPS WHICH COMMENCED FROM MAY 2016 UNTIL NOVEMBER 2017. EACH WORKSHOP WAS FOR A PERIOD OF 8 CONSECUTIVE WEEKS WITH 12 PARTICIPANTS IN EVERY BATCH. THE WORKSHOPS WERE FACILITATED BY MR. JOEL FURTADO (A SENIOR MEMBER FROM THE MINISTRY OF LECTORS).

J JAMES COORDINATOR LITURGICAL COMMITTEE

ST. MARY’S CATHOLIC CHURCH, DUBAI

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES