Ministries & Organizations

If interested in one of these ministries and a contact name is not listed, contact parish office 

Join together in song. Sing at 4:00 pm Saturday Vigil or 9:30am Sunday Mass, as your schedule allows. Rehearsals are before Mass or as agreed upon by musicians and choir.  Cantors lead the assembly in song, especially the Responsorial Psalm and Gospel Acclamation. Cantors and Musicians rehearse before Mass. 

Boys and girls from grade 4 and above who assist the priest at the liturgy. Deacon John Mote is the coordinator. Sign up at Relgious Education Classes or by calling the parish office.

Adult men and women who assist at Sunday Mass once a month and Funeral Masses to facilitate the action of the liturgy and assist the priest and deacon..

First Friday of the month from 8:30AM to 5:00PM. The Blessed Sacrament is exposed and adored by volunteers who sign up for one hour or more to pray before the Lord Jesus present in the Blessed Sacrament. Sign up list is in the vestibule of the Church. Benediction is held at 5:00 pm to conclude the period of adoration.  Contact David Lonctot (618)789-1260 for more information. 

Extraordinary Ministers of Communion who serve the Body and Blood of Christ at Mass and to the sick and homebound.

The Parish Pastoral Council is responsible for setting forth the mission of the parish. The council is responsible for strategic planning. Additionally, it is responsible to descern, with the pastor and pastoral staff, the pastoral and spiritual needs of the parishioners. The council sets in place the structures needed to fullfill the parish's mission and meet the pastoral needs of its members. The Pastoral Council meets on the third Wednesday evening of each month (excluding December and July). Membership is determined by nominations by parishioners and filled by the drawing of lots. Members serve a term of 4 years, renewable for four years. 

Current Members are:

• Fr. George Zieba, C.R.
• John Mote, Deacon
• Tom Ritzheimer, Deacon
• Christine Wheeler, President
• Lora Heier, Secretary
• Dennis Diekemper
• Jennifer Flanagan
• Janice Huelsmann
• Vernon Huelsmann
• Josephine Kandler
• Dottie Lanctot
• Barb Lodes
• Pam Padfield
• Jim Timmermann
• Jeanne Thole
• Jeni Wallenberg
• Denlle Whitlatch

Advises the Pastor on financial matters and temporal property of the parish. Responsible for monitoring all income and expenses, and approving the annual budgets. Members include the parish lay trustees and members appointed by the Pastor.

Current Members are:

• Fr. George Zieba, C.R.
• John Mote, Deacon
• Tom Ritzheimer, Deacon
• Dale Zurliene, Parish Trustee
• Karen Pokasta, Parish Trustee
• Kevin Wiegmann
• Carol Wiegmann
• Eva Missy
• Terry Kahrhoff

This committe is currently active. It is responsible for organizing and carrying out a campaign to raise funds for "capital" improvement that address repair and restoration of our parish buildings. 

The Building and Grounds committee oversees the maintanace and repair of parish buildings, grounds, and our parish cemetary. Volunteers are invited to care for and beautify the parish campus grounds.

Volunteers who coordinate social activities and gatherings of parishioners during the year.

A group that counts the funds collected at Mass each week. Collection counting is on Tuesday morning at the parish office.

Parish volunteers who warmly welcome parishioners as they enter the Church for Mass.

Reader who proclaim the Scriptures at Mass and other services.

Volunteers who decorate and maintaine our worship space according to the liturgical season. 

Responsible for the preparation and care of the altar linens. This includes the washing and ironing of purificators, corporals, and altar linens.

Held Wednesday evenings at 6:30PM during Lent. The Stations are lead by lay members of various parish organizations, committees, and ministries.

Rite of Christian Initiation – preparation of adult candidates for initiation into the Catholic Church..

Volunteers who assist people to their seat if necessary. They also take up the collection. Usually assist with greeting members of the congregation as they arrive for liturgies.

Duties include preparing items needed  for Mass and maintaining the sacred vessels and items used for liturgies.

All men are welcome! Meetings are held every other Saturday morning from 7:00am - 8:00am. Join us for coffee, a light breakfast, socialization, and engaging (no pressure) conversation about our faith in a relaxed environment. Questions? Please email the coordinator for future dates

Members are responsible for the organization of the annual fund raising Parish Picnic, The picnic is held on the last Saturday of July. 

The St. Mary Ladies Sodality assists the Parish by responding to various needs through its services and financial support. Some of the Sodality's services include hosting funeral luncheons, helping with parish dinners, supporting youth ministry and altar servers, and providing candles, bread, wine, and hymn books for church liturgies. Some projects and activities extend beyond the parish as well.

Fund raisers include spring and fall rummage sales and quilt-of-the-month raffle.

Meetings are held monthly on the 4th Tuesday evening of each month in the parish center. Meetings are not held during the summer months.

President: Barb Lodes

Vice President: Judy Alberternst 

Secretary: 

Treasurer: Jodi Mote 

The mission of this Knights of Columbus (instituted June 10, 1945) is to render financial and physical aid to its members and their families; to render mutual aid and assistance to its sick, disabled, and needy members and their families; to promote social and intellectual communication among its members and their families; to promote and conduct educational, charitable, religious, and social activities among its members and their families.

Fundraisers include the following:  Euchre Tournaments scheduled the third Sunday of each month, the Intellectual Disabilities (ID) Drive (otherwise known as the Tootsie Roll Drive) held the third weekend of September, and the Turkey Raffle held in November.

Meetings are held monthly, normally on the first Wednesday of each month at 7:30 PM in the Knights of Columbus room in the St. Mary’s School basement.

Click here for K of C Newsletter

Grand Knight: Kurt Gajewski

(Phone 220-9073)

email: kjgajewski67@gmail.com

Deputy Grand Knight: Frank Mottola

(Phone 340-0385)

Chancellor: Tom Ritzheimer

(Phone 660-5114)

email: ritztom@ezeeweb.com

Recorder: David P. Lantot

Treasurer: Dale Gall

Advocate: Joe Heiligenstein

Warden: Tom Rakers

Inside Guard: Robert Schleper

Outside Guard: Jim Timmermann

1 year Trustee: Sam Gullo

2 year Trustee: Tom Venhaus

3 year Trustee: Jeremy Spaeth

Chaplain: Father Joe Rascher

Financial Secretary: Pete Schumacher

(Phone 224-9347)

Catholic Fraternal Life provides life insurance, financial services, and volunteer programs for its members and their communities. CFL is a fraternal organization based in Belleville, Illinois, and has served members for more than 118 years. Through the years, CFL has provided occasional financial support to various programs or needs in St. Mary Parish and beyond. To learn more about the organization, contact the home office at 1-800-240-2554.

Meetings are held Monthly.

President: Dan Haselhorst (Phone 224-7305)

Fraternal Secretary: Dana Weh