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Visiting Homebound Ministry Builds Strong Connections In Our Faith Community
The very act of taking the Eucharist — the Body of Christ — to a fellow parishioner has a profound, spiritual impact on both the giver and the recipient. The members of our Visiting the Homebound Ministry are privileged to share the love of Christ with those who cannot take part in the celebration of the Mass, but who long for that precious connection.
Sister Bernadette Engelhaupt coordinates and trains the ministry members who provide Eucharistic care to those who are homebound and do not have family available to help. Currently, however, the COVID-19 restrictions have prevented the ministry members from making their rounds.
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When Sr. Bernadette learns of homebound parishioners, she contacts them to see if they have family members available to take Communion to them. If family is available, she will train them to take the Eucharist. If not, she will assign a ministry member to that parishioner.
“We haven’t had a lot needing it, but we did have several,” Sr. Bernadette says. “It’s a very positive experience on both sides.”
While the recipients certainly benefit from receiving Communion, the ministry members also find that their own faith has grown in their service.
“One said to me, what her service did was bring her to a greater experience, a greater appreciation for what the Mass and Communion are for herself and why it is important to the recipients,” Sr. Bernadette says. “Since the homebound can’t get to Mass, she sees their longing for it when they can’t get to Mass. The experience gives her a much greater appreciation of it.”
The ministry members also find that they take the presence of Christ and love of Christ to others during their service.
“When they are trained, we talk about the fact that they bring Christ not only in the host, but also in their very presence,” Sr. Bernadette says.
Anyone interested in becoming a ministry member may do so during the Stewardship Renewal period. Invitations also are posted in the bulletins.
Sometimes, however, all it takes is an “ask.”
Before the ministry was established, Sr. Bernadette learned of a person who was homebound, but wanted to receive Communion. She looked around the church one day during Mass, and spotted a particular individual.
“I asked this man to do it, and he jumped at the chance,” she says.
Sr. Bernadette has found that when parishioners are asked to serve, some say ‘no,’ and sometimes it’s a person waiting to be asked.
The training is typically done in a group, but she can provide individual training.
If someone is thinking about becoming a member of the Visiting Homebound Ministry, the main reason to do so is to bring the community of the church to others.
“As for yourself, you will probably grow in your faith as you share and visit and know their faith,” Sr. Bernadette says. “And you get to know someone you didn’t know or know well.”
The family members of those served are appreciative of that extra connection with the church that the ministry brings.
“One of the ministry members said, ‘I feel like I wasn’t worthy to do it — yet, I realized it wasn’t about worthiness, but about doing what Jesus, and the Mother of Jesus would have done, offering comfort and friendship and closeness to Jesus,’” Sr. Bernadette says. “One said to me, what her service did was bring her to a greater experience, a greater appreciation for what the Mass and Communion are for herself and why it is important to the recipients. Since the homebound can’t get to Mass, she sees their longing for it when they can’t get to Mass. The experience gives her a much greater appreciation of it.” — Sister Bernadette Engelhaupt
