To find out more about the Ministries at STV Parish see below:
ADVENT GIVING TREE
Buyers, wrappers, angel sellers, and delivery people are need for this ministry. During the first three weekends of the Advent Season, parishioners make donations by purchasing “angels” which are hung from trees in each of our worship spaces. Volunteer buyers then purchase gifts for persons affiliated with one of five faith-based organizations located in Philadelphia. Costs are fully covered by the sale of the angels. Gifts are wrapped during a scheduled time. Wrapping takes approximately 2-3 hours. Angel sellers only serve for 10-20 minutes following the Mass they are attending. The time commitment to deliver packages varies by location.
ALLELUIA MINISTRY
Serve as a hospitality minister to welcome parishioners and guests to Easter liturgies. Arrive one hour prior to the start of the Mass you plan to attend, greet people as they arrive, hand out worship aids and otherwise assist as needed prior to the start of the liturgy. At the end of the service, plan to stay 15-30 minutes to hand out bulletins and other items, help prepare the worship space for the next liturgy, etc. This is a wonderful ministry for families to do together.
ANTI-RACISM COMMITTEE
Following the instruction of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in their letter “Open Wide Our Hearts: The Enduring Call to Love, A Pastoral Letter Against Racism” (2018), members of the Anti-Racism Committee (ARC):
“endeavor to be missionary disciples carrying forth the message of fraternal [sic] [familial] charity and human dignity….to fight the evil of racism by educating themselves, reflecting on their personal thoughts and actions, listening to the experience of those who have been affected by racism, and by developing and supporting programs that help repair the damages caused by racial discrimination” (27).
Parishioners meet the 4th Tuesday of most months, from 7:00 pm till 8:15 pm on Zoom. One takes a turn to chair the meeting and present on a topic of their choosing, which is followed by discussion. All are welcome.
BREAD FOR THE WORLD
The parish is a member of Bread for the World, a nationwide Christian movement that seeks justice for the world’s hungry people by lobbying the nation’s decision makers. Parishioners participate in a letter-writing campaign in June each year. Teens and adults are needed to distribute packets and staff tables to encourage participation after weekend liturgies.
BUTTERFLY BLESSINGS
Parishioners knit or crochet baby blankets, baby hats, and lap blankets (for wheelchairs) for children at local children’s hospitals. You can make as many baby gifts as you can at home.
CASSEROLES FOR ST. JOHN’S HOSPICE
Volunteers prepare casseroles for St. John’s Hospice (SJH), a Catholic Social Services shelter for men located in Center City Philadelphia. We have two freezers in the lower level of the Rosemont Chapel where we store the casseroles until they are picked up by a member of the SJH staff each month. Frozen casseroles may be dropped off during Mass times or during the week when the Parish Center is open. Recipe suggestions, casserole tins and lids are available in the Parish Center.
CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES (CRS) PARISH CHAPTER
The goal of the Chapter is to equip and empower volunteers to become champions for the families and communities that CRS serves, and to lead the way to a more just and peaceful world. Chapter members encourage our elected officials and the media to highlight and support CRS’s lifesaving work and mobilize essential resources that make CRS’s work possible. The Chapter is a joint effort between our parish and our sister parish, St. Cyprian.
CRADLES TO CRAYONS
Parish volunteers (middle school age and older) go to the Cradles to Crayons warehouse in Philadelphia throughout the year to sort and process new or nearly new children’s items donated by the local community. Volunteers package items that are later distributed to disadvantaged children through a collaborative network of social service agencies and school partners.
DINNERS TO THE DOORSTEP
Volunteers make and deliver dinners to families who request them when there is a need due to the arrival of a new baby, illness of a family member, or other crisis. Two parish coordinators call volunteers as needed.
FAMILY PROMISE OF THE MAIN LINE (formerly IHN)
Five times a year, the parish hosts homeless families for a one-week stay in the Parish Center. Meal providers, dinner hosts, overnight hosts, and set up/clean up crew are needed. The families move in on a Sunday evening and leave the following Sunday morning. Volunteers are needed for light lifting and moving during these Sunday hours. Volunteers prepare meals each night for the families, and two volunteers staff evening and overnight shifts to welcome and assist the families. This is a wonderful ministry for families to do together.
FOOD DRIVE COORDINATORS
Volunteers needed to organize and deliver large food collections in the parish. Deliveries of nonperishable food and other items will be made to our sister parish in West Philadelphia.
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
Join our parish team (must be 16 years or older) and work at a Habitat for Humanity construction site in Philadelphia. The team participates on various Saturdays throughout the year, meeting around 7:30 am at the Rosemont Chapel and working at the construction site from approximately 8:30-2:00 pm. Dates and times will vary.
HOLIDAY HUGS FOR HEROES
Volunteers help sort and pack (and mail if needed) a variety of items collected for military personnel serving overseas and for veterans in the Philadelphia area. The collection drive begins in mid-January and ends in mid-February.
IMMIGRANT OUTREACH AND REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT COMMITTEE
This committee works to address the needs of recent arrivals to our region. Activities range from assistance with housing, job searches, driver’s licenses, ESL classes and medical appointments. The aim of the committee is to “welcome the stranger” and to provide accompaniment as needed.
INNKEEPERS MINISTRY
Serve as a hospitality minister to welcome parishioners and guests to Christmas liturgies. Arrive one hour prior to the start of the Mass you plan to attend, greet people as they arrive, hand out worship aids and otherwise assist as needed prior to the start of the liturgy. At the end of the service, plan to stay 15-30 minutes to hand out bulletins and other items, help prepare the worship space for the next liturgy, etc. This is a wonderful ministry for families to do together.
JOY OF SOX
Founded by an STV parishioner in 2010, the Joy of Sox is a nonprofit whose mission is to provide joy to the homeless by giving them new socks. Volunteers are needed to assist with sorting and coordinating the delivery of donated socks.
MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY OF SERVICE
On Martin Luther King Day, parishioners participate in a full or half day of service projects in the Rosemont Auditorium or in outreach events throughout the Philadelphia region. The service projects at the parish are geared toward our younger parishioners who work together with older volunteers on a variety of activities including crafts, sandwich making, and the assembly of toiletry bags for the homeless. Full day outreach trips to a variety of service sites are available for middle school age students and teens. For those who cannot attend in person, “Service in a Box” activities are available for families to complete at home.
MOTHER AND NEW FAMILY SUPPORT MINISTRY
Parishioner and nurse practitioner volunteer offers support to new moms and their families who are navigating the complexities of motherhood and the addition of a new baby to the family.
PARISH FOOD CLOSET
Volunteers help to maintain the donations received throughout the year for the parish food closet in the Rosemont Auditorium. Volunteers assist with the purchase, sorting and delivery of food and other staples to our sister parish and to other food pantries in the area.
PARKING MINISTRY
A group of parishioners facilitate parking outside the Rosemont Chapel during large liturgical celebrations (Easter, Christmas, etc.)
PEACE AND JUSTICE COMMITTEE
Parishioners encourage the parish to act both in direct ministry and advocacy to bring about social justice. Committee members meet throughout the year to plan and implement peace and justice activities, including prayer, speakers and presentations.
PRAYER LINE
As part of a phone and/or email chain, volunteers are contacted to pray for special intentions and assist those in need of special prayers.
ST. FRANCIS INN MINISTRY
St. Francis Inn is a Franciscan community which ministers to the poor and homeless of the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia. A team of 5-6 volunteers (must be 16 or older) helps to serve the midday meal on the third Sunday of each month. The community residents are served “restaurant style” and the volunteers help fill plates, bus tables, etc. The team arrives at St. Francis Inn by 10:45 am and is usually finished by 1 pm. Volunteers often carpool together from the Rosemont Chapel.
SATURDAY FOOD RUN TO ST. FRANCIS INN
Each Saturday afternoon, a team of volunteers collects the leftover food from the vendors at the Farmers Market in Wayne and transports the donations to St. Francis Inn in Kensington. Volunteers arrive at the Farmers Market about 10-15 minutes prior to closing time. Each Saturday the time commitment is approximately two hours (which includes the drive to and from Kensington). With the number of volunteers involved in this ministry, the individual commitment is 3-4 times a year.
SHARE THE HARVEST
Parishioners are needed to grow or purchase fresh fruits and vegetables throughout July, August and September. Drivers are needed to deliver the produce to the food pantry at ElderNet in Bryn Mawr.
TURKEYS TO THE TABLE
Parishioners donate frozen turkeys and other items for complete Thanksgiving dinners for our sister parish (St. Cyprian) and members of its surrounding community. Volunteers are needed to help receive donations on the Sunday prior to Thanksgiving and deliver them to St. Cyprian. This is a great opportunity for families to volunteer together.
TUTORING
Volunteers are needed to work with children and adults throughout the region who have varying levels of education and needs. Currently, we have a team of volunteers working with students online, providing after school homework help and other academic assistance. In person opportunities are available to work with children and adults, particularly with recent arrivals in need of language support.
Buyers, wrappers, angel sellers, and delivery people are need for this ministry. During the first three weekends of the Advent Season, parishioners make donations by purchasing “angels” which are hung from trees in each of our worship spaces. Volunteer buyers then purchase gifts for persons affiliated with one of five faith-based organizations located in Philadelphia. Costs are fully covered by the sale of the angels. Gifts are wrapped during a scheduled time. Wrapping takes approximately 2-3 hours. Angel sellers only serve for 10-20 minutes following the Mass they are attending. The time commitment to deliver packages varies by location.
ALLELUIA MINISTRY
Serve as a hospitality minister to welcome parishioners and guests to Easter liturgies. Arrive one hour prior to the start of the Mass you plan to attend, greet people as they arrive, hand out worship aids and otherwise assist as needed prior to the start of the liturgy. At the end of the service, plan to stay 15-30 minutes to hand out bulletins and other items, help prepare the worship space for the next liturgy, etc. This is a wonderful ministry for families to do together.
ANTI-RACISM COMMITTEE
Following the instruction of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in their letter “Open Wide Our Hearts: The Enduring Call to Love, A Pastoral Letter Against Racism” (2018), members of the Anti-Racism Committee (ARC):
“endeavor to be missionary disciples carrying forth the message of fraternal [sic] [familial] charity and human dignity….to fight the evil of racism by educating themselves, reflecting on their personal thoughts and actions, listening to the experience of those who have been affected by racism, and by developing and supporting programs that help repair the damages caused by racial discrimination” (27).
Parishioners meet the 4th Tuesday of most months, from 7:00 pm till 8:15 pm on Zoom. One takes a turn to chair the meeting and present on a topic of their choosing, which is followed by discussion. All are welcome.
BREAD FOR THE WORLD
The parish is a member of Bread for the World, a nationwide Christian movement that seeks justice for the world’s hungry people by lobbying the nation’s decision makers. Parishioners participate in a letter-writing campaign in June each year. Teens and adults are needed to distribute packets and staff tables to encourage participation after weekend liturgies.
BUTTERFLY BLESSINGS
Parishioners knit or crochet baby blankets, baby hats, and lap blankets (for wheelchairs) for children at local children’s hospitals. You can make as many baby gifts as you can at home.
CASSEROLES FOR ST. JOHN’S HOSPICE
Volunteers prepare casseroles for St. John’s Hospice (SJH), a Catholic Social Services shelter for men located in Center City Philadelphia. We have two freezers in the lower level of the Rosemont Chapel where we store the casseroles until they are picked up by a member of the SJH staff each month. Frozen casseroles may be dropped off during Mass times or during the week when the Parish Center is open. Recipe suggestions, casserole tins and lids are available in the Parish Center.
CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES (CRS) PARISH CHAPTER
The goal of the Chapter is to equip and empower volunteers to become champions for the families and communities that CRS serves, and to lead the way to a more just and peaceful world. Chapter members encourage our elected officials and the media to highlight and support CRS’s lifesaving work and mobilize essential resources that make CRS’s work possible. The Chapter is a joint effort between our parish and our sister parish, St. Cyprian.
CRADLES TO CRAYONS
Parish volunteers (middle school age and older) go to the Cradles to Crayons warehouse in Philadelphia throughout the year to sort and process new or nearly new children’s items donated by the local community. Volunteers package items that are later distributed to disadvantaged children through a collaborative network of social service agencies and school partners.
DINNERS TO THE DOORSTEP
Volunteers make and deliver dinners to families who request them when there is a need due to the arrival of a new baby, illness of a family member, or other crisis. Two parish coordinators call volunteers as needed.
FAMILY PROMISE OF THE MAIN LINE (formerly IHN)
Five times a year, the parish hosts homeless families for a one-week stay in the Parish Center. Meal providers, dinner hosts, overnight hosts, and set up/clean up crew are needed. The families move in on a Sunday evening and leave the following Sunday morning. Volunteers are needed for light lifting and moving during these Sunday hours. Volunteers prepare meals each night for the families, and two volunteers staff evening and overnight shifts to welcome and assist the families. This is a wonderful ministry for families to do together.
FOOD DRIVE COORDINATORS
Volunteers needed to organize and deliver large food collections in the parish. Deliveries of nonperishable food and other items will be made to our sister parish in West Philadelphia.
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
Join our parish team (must be 16 years or older) and work at a Habitat for Humanity construction site in Philadelphia. The team participates on various Saturdays throughout the year, meeting around 7:30 am at the Rosemont Chapel and working at the construction site from approximately 8:30-2:00 pm. Dates and times will vary.
HOLIDAY HUGS FOR HEROES
Volunteers help sort and pack (and mail if needed) a variety of items collected for military personnel serving overseas and for veterans in the Philadelphia area. The collection drive begins in mid-January and ends in mid-February.
IMMIGRANT OUTREACH AND REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT COMMITTEE
This committee works to address the needs of recent arrivals to our region. Activities range from assistance with housing, job searches, driver’s licenses, ESL classes and medical appointments. The aim of the committee is to “welcome the stranger” and to provide accompaniment as needed.
INNKEEPERS MINISTRY
Serve as a hospitality minister to welcome parishioners and guests to Christmas liturgies. Arrive one hour prior to the start of the Mass you plan to attend, greet people as they arrive, hand out worship aids and otherwise assist as needed prior to the start of the liturgy. At the end of the service, plan to stay 15-30 minutes to hand out bulletins and other items, help prepare the worship space for the next liturgy, etc. This is a wonderful ministry for families to do together.
JOY OF SOX
Founded by an STV parishioner in 2010, the Joy of Sox is a nonprofit whose mission is to provide joy to the homeless by giving them new socks. Volunteers are needed to assist with sorting and coordinating the delivery of donated socks.
MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY OF SERVICE
On Martin Luther King Day, parishioners participate in a full or half day of service projects in the Rosemont Auditorium or in outreach events throughout the Philadelphia region. The service projects at the parish are geared toward our younger parishioners who work together with older volunteers on a variety of activities including crafts, sandwich making, and the assembly of toiletry bags for the homeless. Full day outreach trips to a variety of service sites are available for middle school age students and teens. For those who cannot attend in person, “Service in a Box” activities are available for families to complete at home.
MOTHER AND NEW FAMILY SUPPORT MINISTRY
Parishioner and nurse practitioner volunteer offers support to new moms and their families who are navigating the complexities of motherhood and the addition of a new baby to the family.
PARISH FOOD CLOSET
Volunteers help to maintain the donations received throughout the year for the parish food closet in the Rosemont Auditorium. Volunteers assist with the purchase, sorting and delivery of food and other staples to our sister parish and to other food pantries in the area.
PARKING MINISTRY
A group of parishioners facilitate parking outside the Rosemont Chapel during large liturgical celebrations (Easter, Christmas, etc.)
PEACE AND JUSTICE COMMITTEE
Parishioners encourage the parish to act both in direct ministry and advocacy to bring about social justice. Committee members meet throughout the year to plan and implement peace and justice activities, including prayer, speakers and presentations.
PRAYER LINE
As part of a phone and/or email chain, volunteers are contacted to pray for special intentions and assist those in need of special prayers.
ST. FRANCIS INN MINISTRY
St. Francis Inn is a Franciscan community which ministers to the poor and homeless of the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia. A team of 5-6 volunteers (must be 16 or older) helps to serve the midday meal on the third Sunday of each month. The community residents are served “restaurant style” and the volunteers help fill plates, bus tables, etc. The team arrives at St. Francis Inn by 10:45 am and is usually finished by 1 pm. Volunteers often carpool together from the Rosemont Chapel.
SATURDAY FOOD RUN TO ST. FRANCIS INN
Each Saturday afternoon, a team of volunteers collects the leftover food from the vendors at the Farmers Market in Wayne and transports the donations to St. Francis Inn in Kensington. Volunteers arrive at the Farmers Market about 10-15 minutes prior to closing time. Each Saturday the time commitment is approximately two hours (which includes the drive to and from Kensington). With the number of volunteers involved in this ministry, the individual commitment is 3-4 times a year.
SHARE THE HARVEST
Parishioners are needed to grow or purchase fresh fruits and vegetables throughout July, August and September. Drivers are needed to deliver the produce to the food pantry at ElderNet in Bryn Mawr.
TURKEYS TO THE TABLE
Parishioners donate frozen turkeys and other items for complete Thanksgiving dinners for our sister parish (St. Cyprian) and members of its surrounding community. Volunteers are needed to help receive donations on the Sunday prior to Thanksgiving and deliver them to St. Cyprian. This is a great opportunity for families to volunteer together.
TUTORING
Volunteers are needed to work with children and adults throughout the region who have varying levels of education and needs. Currently, we have a team of volunteers working with students online, providing after school homework help and other academic assistance. In person opportunities are available to work with children and adults, particularly with recent arrivals in need of language support.