Parish Pro-Life Committee

Mission Statement

Our parish pro-life committee is dedicated to support life from conception to natural death by prayer, education, pastoral care, advocacy, and participation in pro-life activities and service with charity and compassion.

Many hands make work light

As we strive to make a difference in our community, we invite you to share with us your time and talents in a way that is suitable to you. Please consider helping in any of the following ways:

Prayer

We ask for God’s guidance in all that we do as an organization. We also need constant prayer against abortion, euthanasia and the lack of respect given to individuals who are elderly or handicapped in any way.

Service

You are invited to come to our monthly meetings or leave your name to be called to help with specific projects.

Suggestions

We are eager to hear any suggestions you may have for our organization to address - Contact Msgr. Larry Droll at
682-6303.

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Girl Scouts

We are proud to announce the promotion of our two fifth graders up to Cadette rank. Araceli Sanchez and Abby Sanchez celebrated their advancement on May 16. At the same time Troop 177 and Troop 149 merged to become one troop.

In recently held troop elections the girls’ came up with their own officer designations and the new leaders are as follows:  Emma Bowman is our Chief. She will help run the meetings and assists the adult leaders as needed. Chloe Houston was elected Major and will lead the members in the opening and closing ceremonies each meeting. Marisol Sanchez is Lieutenant. Marisol takes notes during the meetings and handles all the paper work. Georgia Pisklak was elected Sergeant.  Georgia collects the meeting dues and is responsible for other money matters. Araceli Sanchez is the Troop Corporal. Araceli will help with snack, passing out supplies during the meeting and leads our cleanup efforts.

Our Troop has a busy summer scheduled. Six of our members recently received their Program Aide training: Emma Bowman, Carmen Dragun, Chloe Houston, Sarah Friday, Marisol Sanchez and Emma Sitzman. Our Troop will be responsible for the recreation games during VBS. And every Friday morning they will be found building food boxes at the St. Vincent de Paul Society food pantry. In addition, we will be working to earn our Leadership pin and badge. So for the Cadettes at St. Ann’s, the end of school is just the beginning of a summer of service.

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Criminal Justice Ministry
Volunteering In Ministry Service
Contact Sr Estela Tovar 432-520-7394

The Church Behind the Walls

Most correctional facilities have a chaplain who is responsible for the spiritual care of offenders; however, the ratio of one chaplain to a thousand or more offenders is common. With administrative tasks and emergencies taking up much of the Chaplain’s time, it is difficult to run programs without volunteers.

Background

The Catholic Church has a rich tradition in ministry to our brothers and sisters incarcerated in Texas. This is rooted in our social teaching, which directs the community to minister to those who are on the margins of society including those in jails and prisons.

This attitude of services comes directly from Sacred Scripture, particularly in the Gospel of Matthew (25:36) where we are directed to visit those who are in prison.

Present Situation

There are 50 incarceration facilities in our diocese with 8,000 Catholic men, women and youth in federal and state prisons, county jails and juvenile centers. This is a huge mission field for the Church. Many of the offenders are un-churched, have a broken relationship with their family and community and need to hear the Good News of God’s unconditional love and forgiveness. If nothing is done to restore the faith of these offenders, the cycle of crime will continue.

Volunteers

Clergy volunteers are needed to minister to the incarcerated offering Mass, confession, liturgy of the word and communion, rosary, bible study, catechism, RCIA and sacramental preparation. Also, volunteers in the parishes are needed to establish support groups to assist victims of crime in need of healing, families with a loved one in prison and those dealing with drug and alcohol abuse. In addition, volunteers can assist ex-offenders with basic needs and employment, mentor those on parole or probation and work on social justice issues dealing with criminal justice, such as capital punishment, alternative sentencing, juvenile crime prevention, and prison reform.

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St. Ann’s Early Childhood Center
Recognizing the God-given gifts of each preschool child

Philosophy

As a Catholic educational community, St. Ann’s Early Childhood Center is dedicated to recognizing the unique God-given gifts of each child. Through a variety of experiences we strive to create an atmosphere which stimulates learning and promotes growth.

The St. Ann’s Early Childhood Center Program provides a safe, loving and organized learning environment of play, guided exploration and hands-on activities appropriate to each child’s needs. We strive to interact with students, parents and faculty in a manner which demonstrates our love of God and one another. Our program establishes a preparation for Kindergarten in a manner which demonstrates a respect for the dignity and needs of the whole child; spiritual, physical, intellectual, social and emotional.

Math

Blocks, puzzles, shapes, scales, pegs and games are just a few of the materials used to promote mathematical reasoning, number recognition and special relationships. Children know these materials as toys, but teachers carefully select these toys to teach concepts. As children play with the manipulative they simultaneously form a stronger foundation on which to build more complex mathematical concepts.

Environment

Our child-center facility is bright, cheerful and safe. Spacious, yet well supervised, the rooms are inviting, well maintained and clean. Work and play spaces draw children in and hold their attention by surrounding them with children’s art, books, a wide variety of carefully selected material and equipment. Natural, pretend and real-life manipulates allow each child to discover, experiment, problem-solve, play and stretch as they achieve a deeper enjoyment of the learning process.

The playground is safe and accessible to a wide range of abilities and interests.

Literacy

The teachers at St. Ann’s Preschool have created an environment rich in print and language opportunities. There is an emphasis on literacy throughout the daily schedule. Children are encouraged to develop their expressive language and listening skills through play, story telling, conservation and sharing at circle time.

Stories, poems and informational materials related to the themes are read every day. As children hear and see meaningful words around them, they begin to connect sounds to letters and expand their understanding of language.

Writing and drawing are vital components in the reading process and materials for written expression are also provided. Children are gently encouraged to “write” their own books and share them with the class.

Science

The classroom is filled with science. As the children learn about the plants and animals in the world or in the play yard, they learn to appreciate the world God has given them. They investigate nature and explore cause and effect with a wide variety of materials. Playful ways to extend scientific ideas are used by incorporating sand, water and other sensory materials. Watching a caterpillar become a butterfly or a tadpole become a frog helps children understand the wonder and miracles of the cycle of life.

The teachers know nothing peaks the curiosity of a child like science, so that interest is used to motivate learning in all areas of the curriculum.

Art, Music and Movement

The children at St. Ann’s Early Childhood Center are exposed to all types of art supplies including paint, wood, clay and paper mache. Supplies are used in many different ways to promote self-expression, teach a concept or to provide a specific tactile experience. Children are also introduced to the work of illustrators and artists and experiment with their techniques.

Music and movement are experienced daily at circle time, outdoor time and throughout the day. Use of instruments is always an exciting addition to circle time.

Use of our indoor and outdoor large muscle equipment is safe and a fun way to increase physical development.

Christian Development

Christian values are integrated throughout the daily routine and are expressed and modeled in everything we do. Bible stories and religious themes are related to everyday life. A heightened understanding is reached through music, art and dramatic play.

Social and Emotional Development

A feeling of community is fostered at St. Ann’s ECC. Children learn to respect one another, cooperate and appreciate the differences among themselves as they work together on group projects or play with their peers. Self-directed and teacher-directed activities promote independence and social competence. With patience, a gentle balance of setting limits and encouraging self-confidence, teachers work with parents to help children make a smooth transition from St. Ann’s ECC to kindergarten.

Parent Involvement

Parent involvement is welcomed in many forms. Parents are kept abreast of plans, activities and assessments through calendars, newsletters and conferencing. A mid-year report card and end-of-the-year portfolio is done for each child.

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MINISTRIES

These ministries are open to those who might be called to serve in this capacity and are willing to be trained. For more information about the committees, please call the Parish office at 432- 682-6303.

Homebound and Hospital - Lay Ministers visit the Hospital daily and the homebound parishioners weekly. If you know of anyone who might want to be visited, call office.

St. Ann's has a Social Justice committee which meets regularly during the year to plan activities for the parish. These activities are published in the weekly bulletin. If you have suggestions or would like to be a member of this committee please call.

Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist are those parishioners who after being trained and commissioned by the Bishop are called upon to help with the distribution of communion at Mass. Call or check the bulletin for training dates.

Baptismal Team is formed from a group of trained parishioners. These volunteers conduct sessions to prepare parents and godparents for the Baptism of babies.

Coffee and Donuts is a hospitality committee that serves coffee, juice, and donuts each Sunday morning September thru May. Families, couples, singles take turns helping and each group helps once a month.

Lazarus Committee
St. Ann's Lazarus Committee was established to help families prepare for funerals and wake services.  Members of the committee meet with the family of the deceased to choose readings and music for the funeral Mass.  There is a booklet with good suggestions and a separate sheet of songs for the bereavement choir to sing.  We have a form for the wake/rosary if the family wishes to have one.  The committee also inquires if a meal is wanted following the funeral.  If so, members of the St. Martha Committee prepare and serve this meal for the family and friends.  This ministry is an effort to comfort and assist those dealing with the loss of a loved one. 

Lay Carmelites
The Marienfeld Lay Carmelite Community at St. Ann's received its charter from Rome in 1988.  This is a lay group that is part of the Carmelite Order sharing in all the prayers and spiritual advantages of the order.
Meetings are held on the second Saturday of each month.  This is a contemplative order trying to live the gospel each day--walking with Christ. If you are interested, please call the church office for contact information.

Altar Society
All women of the parish are invited to membership in the Altar Society.  Members participate in projects and activities so necessary to liturgical celebration and parish life.  These activities and projects include Altar Service, Spiritual Growth and Development, Ways and Means, Organization, Hospitality, Fun and Fellowship. Call the church office for contact information.

St. Martha Committee
St. Martha Committee is a parish ministry serving the hospitality needs of the Church Community.  Members are asked to serve actively on the committee to help occasionally with the following duties.  Duties include: reception, refreshments for meetings, planning, preparing and serving meals for various activities. 

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