Parish Organizations

Holy Child Parish Youth Group
   Youth From both Holy Child and Saint Mary's Church are invited to participate in out Youth Group. Monthly meetings and\or activities are held in the Holy Child Parish Hall.
   The Youth Group involves religious education, social activities and fund raising for trips and special events.
   Adult supervision is needed to give guidance to the group.

The Good Neighbor Club
   The Good Neighbor club is a service and social organization whose members are retired or who have the time to devote to assisting parishioners in meeting some of their needs. The club members are aware of their own needs for socializing. There are no dues. Membership is open to both men and women.
   The type of services that they strive to provide are: transportation, letter writing, visits to nursing home patients, sending greeting cards, as well as giving a monthly donation to the area food pantry and to other charitable causes.
   Social activities include day trips, picnics, card playing, and the anniversary luncheon cruise on one of the Finger Lakes.
   Meetings are held on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month except November, December, June, July and August when the meetings are on the second Tuesday only.
Contact Person - Francis Murphy (835-5387)

The Holy Child Ladies Guild
   Shortly after World War II, a small group of women met on the steps of our old church. It was then a Mission of Saint Andrews in Blossburg. These ladies felt that there was a need for someone to care for the alter linens, flowers, cleaning and other needs of the church.
   Over the years, the Guild membership has grown and they have assumed many other responsibilities. They are called upon to help in large part with the annual Christmas Craft Fair, which raises a considerable amount of money primarilyfor the parish religious education programs.
   Some of the functions of the Guild are to provide meals after funerals, offer masses for deceased members and their families. Any time there are special functions, the Guild members are called upon for their assistance, especially in the kitchen.
   Membership is open to all women of the parish.
Contact Person - Patty Hutcheson 662-2034

Catechesis
   Catechesis (religious education) offers a chance to share in Christ's love and to grow in faith, to help the church fulfill it's mission, to live one's beliefs in a positive way, and to serve the community through Christian actions.
   At Holy Child, catechetical instructions for preschool students through the Confirmations Classes are held Sunday mornings from 9:30 Am until 10:45 Am . Most classes meet in the Parish Center. The programs we are presently using for all grade levels, with the exception of the Sacramental Preparation Classes, is Lectionary Based, meaning that the lessons are based on the Scripture readings of that Sunday's Liturgy.
   At Saint Mary's, religious education classes for preschool children through the Confirmation Classes meet each Saturday from 5-6:15 PM. Classes are held in Saint John Neumann Center.
Contact Person - Jennifer Minnich 549-3079

RCIA
   The process by which new adult members join the Catholic Church is known as the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). This involves a period of instructions to prepare candidates for reception into the Catholic Community. This process begins in September with weekly meetings which continue through lent culminating in the reception of the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation) at the Easter Vigil.

Parish Prayer Chain
   The Parish Prayer Chain is an organization of people linked together for the sole purpose of praying for others. There are no monthly meetings or fundraisers. The only requirement is to pray daily for the petitions of others.
   When there is a prayer request, the word is passed along the prayer network, and, almost immediately, approximately forty people lift their minds and hearts to God. Sometimes the petitions are of an urgent nature and others are prayers of thanksgiving. Once a request is made for prayers, the prayers are offered until the crisis has passed.
   Membership is open to all who believe in the power of prayer. The prayer chain is an outgrowth of the RENEW process in our parish.
Contact Persons -Joan Miller 662-3594; Mary Jane Seifried 549-7561

Knights of Columbus
   Men from the parish are invited to join the Knights of Columbus, a social and service organization for Catholic men.
   Knights of Columbus, 4th Degree, meets the third Thursday of each month at 7:30 at rotating locations throughout the county. Meeting information is posted in the parish bulletin and on the monthly calendar. Knights of Columbus, MU Council meeets at 6:00pm on the 1st Sunday of the Month.
Contact Persons - Nick Musshafen 537-6620 or Phil Foley 827-2433

Holy Child's Health Ministry
   Organized in the autumn of 2000, The Health Ministry promotes health and wellness within our parish community in a pastoral way. Our initial focus has been on sponsoring educational presentations based on an 'interest' survey and on outreach to the ill and shut-ins. We also have had a wonderful Healing Mass, given rides, rocked babies, "listened", provided meals to families with new babies, compiled a resource/ information library, and prayed with and for the ill.
   Join us! We welcome EVERYONE with a caring heart and a wee bit of time to reach out to others!
   Our monthly meeting (September through May only) is held in Holy Child Church on the morning of the first Tuesday of the month. (Please check the bulletin or call the rectory for the time.) If you are interested in joining, or if you have questions or ideas, please contact MaryLou Smith 724-2574.