Pastoral Council

Click the month below to view the Parish Council Minutes

St. Paul’s Pastoral Council was formed to accept the responsibility with the pastor for the life and mission of the Church, the parish and to act as a representative voice of the People of God to the Pastor. They provide an open forum of communication and dialogue regarding parish affairs among the Pastor, the parish staff and the laity.

The council also assists the Pastor in the administration of the parish through recommendation and active cooperation. They also meet with other religious bodies and with civic, business and professional organizations in working for the common good of the community.

The council in conjunction with the Pastoral Administrator prepares annually, a statement of the needs and goals of the parish and recommends priorities among such needs and goals with respect to the allotment of personal, physical, and financial resources.

Recommend ways and means of increasing parish income and reducing expenditures, and where appropriate, take steps to provide for their practical implementation.

The council also provides for the maintenance and upkeep of parish property and recommends improvements to the property that may be deemed desirable.

For more information contact Paul Bartholomew at 607-637-5409.

Bethany Ministry

Fr. Stephen Morris started this ministry in 1999.   The group was named the “Bethany” to remind us of Jesus bringing Lazarus back from the dead in the Town of Bethany.  Over 100 parishioners volunteered to participate in this bereavement ministry.   The group consists of lectors, Eucharistic ministers, servers, pallbearers, greeters, and parishioners who come to sing and pray at the wake and Funeral Mass.   The group also provides a luncheon for family and friends after the Mass.   It is a wonderful way to participate in the ministry of the parish.   The group is also looking for new members and all are welcome to participate.
For more information, please contact Maureen Hunt at 607- 637-2757.

Holy Name Society

The Holy Name Society of St. Paul’s meets on the second Tuesday of each month at 1:30 p.m. at the Fr. Rausch Hall. The Society is dedicated to increasing reverence for the holy name of Jesus.

The society owes it’s origin to Pope Gregory X in the year 1274, who commanded the newly founded Dominican Order to inculcate greater devotion to the Holy Name of God and of Jesus Christ. Many popes have blessed the Society and enriched it with indulgences. Pope Pius IV in 1564 commanded “patriarchs, archbishops, ordinaries of places, and vicar generals to favor with all their power The Holy Name Society and to assist and sustain it when and wherever necessary.”

St. Paul’s Holy Name Society was first formed on May 16^th, 1956. Father Ryan was the parish priest at that time. The first officers where:  

The members present for the first meeting were:  

     
Membership dues were to be 25 cent per month per member. The meetings were to be held on the 1^st Thursday of each month at 8:30 p.m. The monthly Communion Sunday   would be the 2^nd Sunday of each month.  At  t he first meeting it was decided to have refreshments after the meetings were finished..

Throughout the years the Holy Name Members have done many different things to raise money for St. Paul’s church projects, as well as the upkeep of the buildings and grounds. Clam steams, as they were call in those days, were a favorite way to raise some money and have fun at the same time. Suppers of all kinds, raffles, dances, and work bees where just a part of belonging to The Holy Name and St. Paul’s.

The men even helped the firemen when they built the pavilion at Firemen’s Park. A kitchen was installed at one end and the clam steams were moved to the park from then on.

An interesting note: There were two members assigned to each weekend mass to help direct parishioners in the parking of their cars in the parking lot. That dropped off someplace through the years, but maybe it’s not a bad Idea to have it re-instated. Just Kidding!
For more information on The Holy Name Society contact Leonard Sienko at  607-637-3461. 

Parish Visitors Ministry

The Parish Visitors Ministry replaces the Befrienders Ministry that was started in the fall of 2001. The Parish Visitors  Ministry is a lay pastoral care program. It is a group of men and women that not only visit the sick and homebound, but also are an outreach to all our parishioners needs. The volunteers are trained and counseled on how to be a Parish Visitors Minister. The visitors ministry  is one that brings emotional and spiritual support to those in need and often the volunteers  gain a deeper understanding of unity in Christ by appreciating the value of each member of our community.  We learn how Christ calls us to be together in our joy and our pain.   It is a great way to give back to God what he has given to you by helping others.   
For more information call:  Mary Ann Hunter at 570-635-5054.