MESSAGE MINISTRIES
Learning in the Heart of Jesus
Children’s Liturgy of the Word (CLOW)
During the 9:30 a.m. Sunday Mass, children in grades K-4 are invited to leave the church with a team of volunteers to go over to the school foyer where Scriptures are proclaimed from the Children’s Lectionary. The team then provides a reflection experience after which the children pray the Apostles’ Creed and Petitions. The children return to church during the offertory. The program runs during the academic year, and there is no fee or registration for children to participate. Four teams of parishioners rotate through the weekends of each month to provide the formational experience. Contact: Katie Schoen (314) 487-2522 ext 232 kschoen@smmaparish.org
Natural Family Planning Classes
The Natural Family Planning (NFP) ministry aims to help married couples to deepen their conjugal love. Practical help in learning NFP and pastoral care helps to instill conviction and how to live out their parenthood in a responsible way. Contact: Mary Lee Barron PhD, RN, FNP-BC(R), barronml@gmail.com.
Religious Education
The PSR Program provides religious instruction for students in grades 1-8 who do not otherwise receive formal religion classes. The program runs from September through May and meets on Monday evenings, 6:00-7:15 p.m. Registrations are taken in May for those returning and in August for new participants. Mid-year registrations are handled individually by the Director of Religious Education. Additional information is available at the PSR website. Contact: Tim Markowski, (314) 487-2522, Ext. 230, tmarkowski@smmaparish.org.
Respect Life Committee
Rooted in the love of all human life from conception to natural death in keeping with the law of God, we commit ourselves as the Pro-Life Committee of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque parish to prayer, physical and financial assistance where there is a need to help save lives with particular focus on those issues in the culture that threaten life – abortion, infanticide, euthanasia and unethical advances in scientific technology. The SMMA Respect Life Committee meets on the third Monday of the month. All pro-life parishioners are welcome. Contact: Ray Kalbac, (314) 461-2367, rkalbac@outlook.com.
Stewardship Committee
We joyfully gather as a committee to be guided by the Holy Spirit to support our parish mission. We brainstorm, develop and strategize ways to help ministries and parishioners recognize their gifts are from God and encourage them to use their gifts to glorify God and build up His kingdom. Some fruits of our gatherings are Catholicism Uncorked and the Stewardship Newsletter. The committee is open to new membership. Contact: Fr. Tom Wyrsch, (314) 487-2522, ext. 235.
Youth Ministry
St. Margaret Mary Alacoque’s Youth Ministry strives to guide our young Catholics towards the WAY of TRUTH by providing opportunities to develop and dedicate their thoughts, words and actions to living the LIFE of Christ.
Middle schoolers, high schoolers and young adults are invited to grow in their faith as a community through many and varied opportunities and events throughout the year. Along with weekly youth group programming, we participate in the Steubenville Youth Conference, annual fall retreat, quarterly XLTs, Luke 18 Youth Retreat, plus much more.
Middle School Ministry (6th, 7th & 8th Graders): Two Mondays a month at 7:15-8:30 p.m. in the Youth Room during the school year, supplemented by summer activities.
High School Ministry (9th–12th Graders): Every Sunday 7:30-9:00 p.m. in the Youth Room, supplemented by weekly activities.
If you are a young adult and feel called to serve in ministry with the youth, please contact our SMMA Youth Ministry Team. Adult volunteers are needed for regular programming and special events throughout the year. Contact (314) 487-2522, Ext. 106 or youthministry@smmaparish.org. Follow us on Instagram @smma_ym.