Family Life at St. Patrick

St. Patrick Catholic Church is a place where families come to worship together, to grow spiritually, to form life-long bonds of friendship and to serve each other and the Lord.

Formed from four neighboring parishes in the 1980's, St. Patrick still reflects the uniqueness and diversity or each of those communities, while at the same time blending to create a wonderfully warm and inviting place of worship. Both the church and its people carry a strong bond with the traditions of the past, but at the same time, embrace the changes that will help meet the needs of a constantly changing world. Having resulted from the combination of these four churches, our family here at St. Patrick remains very close-knit and friendly. This is why we have been known as the "Jewel of the Diocese."

The center of our faith is sharing in the Eucharist.  Daily Mass is celebrated in the chapel which accommodates around fifty people.  On weekends, a Saturday evening and one Sunday morning liturgy are offered. Many feel having only one Sunday Mass gives people a chance to get to know each other better by bringing most of the parish together to worship at the same time, rather than being spread out over several weekend Masses. This helps St. Patrick to maintain a small parish feel, which is true to its roots and makes it easier to become part of parish life.

Welcome to Our Family

Throughout the school year, children of the parish participate in the weekly faith formation program which includes sacramental preparation for First Communion and Confirmation. Activities to enrich adult education and spirituality are presented which focus on the current needs of the parish. During the year, families are encouraged to take part in many spiritually enriching programs. Included among these are daily Rosary, Stations of the Cross during Lent, Penance services, a Lenten retreat, and the Divine Mercy celebration.

Service to each other and community is an important part of St. Patrick parish life. Each year at Christmastime, parishioners contribute to our Angel Tree Project. Ornaments representing gifts for families in need are "adopted" and the gifts are returned unwrapped so that those less fortunate will be able to enjoy Christmas. Other ornaments representing monetary donations for the less fortunate help to provide food or pay bills for those in need. This work is continued all year by our St. Vincent de Paul Society.

Other opportunities for service abound throughout the year. Our Lenten Day of Service is a parish-wide event for all ages. Parishioners gather at the church and are divided into teams of adults and youth to tackle many chores throughout the facility.  On some occasions, the day includes visits to parishioner homes that need assistance.

Each spring, the church conducts a major fundraiser to provide much-needed funds for ongoing expenses incurred throughout the year. For 35 years, this fundraiser was known as Springfest and that included amazing authentic Italian spaghetti, meatballs, Italian sausage, and additional traditional home-baked goods provided by the parish. The major raffle was a big focus for this event awarding thousands of dollars in prizes for a donation of $1.00. Springfest included an auction, lots of games for children and adults, and even included a huge yard sale and outdoor entertainment over the years. Our fundraising is taking a different direction going forward, but we have amazing memories of Springfest days past.

St. Patrick has several organizations that give opportunities to serve the parish and community. The Sunshine Club gives seniors an opportunity to share fellowship and prayer during their monthly meetings and outings.  Adult men are invited to be part of Knights of Columbus Council 10567, one of the most active councils in the state.  The Ladies Auxiliary sponsors a retreat for women and has many programs throughout the year. Our Prayer Shawl Ministry meets every other Monday evening. This group comes together to learn how to crochet or knit, and uses this time to create beautiful shawls, hats, lap blankets and more to donate to parishioners, family members, and even nursing homes or hospitals. The youth of the parish (grades 6-12) participate in SPIRIT (Saint Patrick's Involved and Religiously Inspired Teens). SPIRIT offers social as well as spiritually enriching activities, including a retreat. Younger children can participate in sports activities and even younger children benefit from our Sunday morning Children's Liturgies.

And we know how to have fun too!  Any time St. Patrick people get together it can be fun, but especially so when celebrating St. Patrick's Day or Mardi Gras. Our patron's feast day is celebrated attending Mass followed by a covered dish supper with the best food around. The Mardi Gras dance is a new tradition sponsored by the St. Vincent de Paul Society and brings fun and dancing while at the same time, raising much needed money to support their mission.

The many activities, spiritual, educational, social and service, combine to make St. Patrick Catholic Church a wonderful place for families to grow in their faith.  Putting that faith in action by serving others is what is truly rewarding.  Those who participate fully in parish life gain a greater love and appreciation of the Catholic faith, but also, they develop a deeper love for their community and especially, the faith family called St. Patrick.