Food Bank - San Martin de Porres Contact: Mariela Amaya - (310) 329 0993 - e-mail Description: We provide staple food, frozen food, canned food, and bread for needy families on the last Saturday of every month from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The Food Bank "San Martin de Porres" is operated by the Spanish Prayer Group "Rios de Agua Viva" and the Grupo Guadalupano. It is financed by private donations. Meetings: Food is provided on the last Saturday of every month from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Legion of Mary Contact: Marge Henderson - (310) 370 1154 Description: Our Legion of Mary group is called Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Praesidium. We have nine active members who are committed to doing one and a half hours of Legion work each week, which is assigned by the president. We visit shut ins, visit convalescent homes where we have a prayer meeting with Holy Communion distributed, plus piano music and singing. We have the Pilgrim Virgin circulating to different families in the parish. We do door-to-door evangelization. We have 212 auxiliary members who commit to praying the Legion prayers daily but do not attend meetings or do Legion work. Meetings: Every Tuesday at 9:00 a.m. at the Ministry Center. Our meeting consists of praying the Legion prayers which includes the rosary. We have minutes, reports on assigned work and spiritual reading and planning for our new work assignment. Events: All active members visit the Lawndale Care Center on the second and fourth Saturday of each month. We meet at 10:00 a.m. This facility is at Marine Avenue and Prairie Avenue. Once a month our praesidium and eleven other parishes who have Legion of Mary groups gather at Nativity Parish Annex in Torrance for a Curia meeting. The meeting is structured similar to ours at St. Catherine Laboure. Each year all praesidiums are assigned a month and date to give their annual report of their work accomplished. Parish Mission Committee Contact: Daniel Arceo - (310) 327-3237 Description: St. Catherine Laboure Parish is proud to be part of the mission tie up program of the Archdiocese. Our Mission Committee was started in 2002. Rev. Fr. John Joseph Sundaram (Fr. JJ), our former student resident, initiated this program and formed the committee with twelve members. We gather once a month. In our meetings we pray for the local parish and discuss a theme relating to the mission of Jesus. We share our views and reflect on the need to be active evangelizers. We discuss the happenings in our adopted parish and their needs. The vision of the committee is to create greater awareness for the need for mission among parishioners, to search for the stranded parishioners, to comfort the people in need and pain and to make each parishioner and effective evangelizer. The committee will choose a third world parish every three years and study the needs and help it financially.
St. Vincent De Paul Conference Contact: Eddie Lavado - (310) 323-8900 Description: The Society of St. Vincent de Paul of LA consists of over 100 conferences that serve the less fortunate in communities within the LA area. Our primary emphasis here at St. Catherine's Conference is in providing food for those in need. We have a food pantry where we make up lunches and family packs of food for distribution to those in need. We provide food baskets at Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. We conduct a toy drive for distribution to the needy at Christmas. During the year we collect usable clothing that goes to the LA Council where it is sorted, cleaned and distributed. The Council has a "Free Distribution" program that has clothing, furniture, appliances, etc. available to those in need.
We also provide some limited assistance for housing, utilities, etc. depending on available funds. We also give referrals to other organizations that are available to assist on certain needs that we cannot provide. Meetings: The conference meets on the Third Thursday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in Room 16 of the School. The meeting lasts about one hour. Volunteer Opportunities Are Available! What Is Needed: We need some people who would be willing to serve as an Officer in the Conference. Our Officer positions are President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Spirituality Leader. We would also like to start a Youth Conference. Requirements: Computer skills, leadership, communications, food purchasing. Training: LA Council and St. Catherine Conference provide training. Commitment: Depending on office position, 80 to 500 hours per year. Contact: Eddie Lavado (310) 323-8900
Eucharistic Ministry for the Homebound Contact: Donald Chaney - (310) 324 4638 - e-mail Description: Eucharistic Ministers for the homebound bring communion to the members of our parish who are unable to attend Sunday Mass. In this way the homebound realize that they are united not only with the Lord's sacrifice but also with the community itself and are supported by the love of their brothers and sisters. Generally the visits are weekly. Please contact us if you are in need of a visit from a Eucharistic Minister or know someone who does. Volunteer Opportunities Are Available! What Is Needed: The volunteer will be visiting a homebound person in their home once a week at a time that is mutually acceptable. To assist the volunteer a document, Eucharistic Celebration for the Sick, has been prepared which contains the prayers and instructions for use in the visit. Requirements: Basically any sensible, considerate person who loves people and bringing them the Lord of their lives cannot miss succeeding in this ministry. It is highly desirable that the minister be fluent in the language of the homebound person. Training: After the training for the Eucharistic Ministry for Liturgies, the Homebound Minister will be given a brief one-on-one training. This consists in reviewing two one page documents (Eucharistic Celebration for the Sick and Suggestions/Guidelines for Eucharistic Celebrations for the Sick) and visiting a homebound person where the volunteer will conduction the celebration with the help of the coordinator. These visits will continue until the volunteer has demonstrated competency and feels comfortable. Commitment: Visiting a homebound person usually takes one hour weekly including travel time. Contact: Donald Chaney - (310) 324 4638 - e-mail Bereavement
When a family experiences the death of a loved one, our Bereavement Ministry is there to represent our community by reaching out and offering support. Our team members assist in a variety of ways to help coordinate arrangements and plan for the Funeral or Memorial service. Please contact ourBereavement Coordinator for more information on how you can help others during this difficult time. Bereavement - Spanish Contact: Front Office (310) 323-8900 Description: Being there for grieving families, especially the ones that encounter a language barrier. Provide comfort, love and guidance, mainly in the religious part and only if asked. Follow up with the families in the weeks ahead to make sure they have found closure. Meetings: No set times or day, once a month convenient to all.Volunteer Opportunities Are Available! What Is Needed: Visiting grieving families, say the rosary if asked, helping in providing information, and being a companion as we work in pairs. Requirements: Be a good listener, capacity to offer solace and hope in difficult times, able to lead the rosary. Training: Classes about six weeks in duration are periodically offered in different local churches. Commitment: Once or twice a month. Contact: Front Office (310) 323-8900