Who was Saint Stephen?
Stephen Ministry, named for Saint Stephen, the first martyr of the Church, educates, empowers and supports lay people to provide a ministry of caring to their community.
Who are Stephen Ministers?
Stephen Ministers are Saint Patrick Catholic Church parishioners, who have undergone more than 50 hours of training to bring another layer of pastoral care to the parish.
Stephen Ministers are volunteers who will provide confidential, one to one care and support to anyone experiencing a difficult time. Stephen ministers are not counselors. Instead, they are a compassionate friend, a hand to hold, a listening ear, someone to walk with you when you are in need.
A Collective Effort
Priests, Deacons and Pastoral Staff Assistants will always be on the front lines of care, especially during times of crisis. But there are always many needs for ongoing care. It is our hope that through Stephen Ministry that more of our faith community’s needs will be met.
Accepting Care Receivers
In late February 2017, we will begin to accept requests from the community for Stephen Ministers. In the meantime, we ask for your prayers as this group completes the formation training.
