-
-
Altar Rosary Society
The St. Denis/St. Columba/St. Kateri Altar Rosary Society is a women’s organization established for the advancement of the spiritual, social, and financial needs of our parishes. We sponsor many events throughout the year such as our Holiday Craft Fair, Bake Sales, Days of Recollection, Mother/Daughter Communion Breakfast, dinners, trips, and guest speakers. Funds that are raised are used to help support all three parishes as well as the St. Vincent de Paul Society. We need and welcome new members who wish to serve St. Denis/St. Columba/St. Kateri Parishes.
Contact: Joan Taranto, 845.297.9589
Church Decorating
Coordinate planning and set up of the litugical environment and floral decoration of the church for Sundays, various liturgical seasons, and special feasts like First Communion and Confirmation.
Gifts/Skills: Eye for detail and some lifting is required.
Contact: Sue Ellen De Forest, OFS, 845.489.2624Cheery Church Cleaners
We are a group of committed, reliable volunteers who work in teams to keep the church beautiful and clean for the Lord and our parishioners. One Friday a month is the commitment. We do light cleaning such as arranging the hymnals, lots of dusting, cleaning the sanctuary, sacristy, vestibule, choir loft etc. Because the church is empty the work seems like a prayer.
Contact: Nancy Keller, 845.661.3750
Comfort Corner
Our ministry reaches out and brings comfort to those in great need, those with incurable cancer. Using special padding, donated sheets, and pillowcases, and a simple sewing stitch, we make “comfort pads” for patients at the Rosary Hill Home in Hawthorne, NY. These soft pads help them feel more comfortable as they sit in wheelchairs or lie in bed, alleviating some of their pain. We meet on Thursdays from 10 a.m.-noon to do some basic sewing while enjoying fellowship and friendship with one another.
Contact: Carol Deacon, 845. 297-0975Cooking for the Homeless
In Matthew 25:35, scripture tells us to remember and serve those who are hungry and without food. The St Denis Cooking Ministry has partnered with the Hillcrest Homeless Shelter and serves a meal at the shelter every fourth Tuesday of the month. We meet the night before to prepare the meal, then on Tuesday, the entire meal is taken to the homeless shelter and served hot while we visit with the shelter’s guests.
Please let us know if you can help by contacting us www.stdeniscookforthehomelessminis@gmail.com or call Mark at 914-474-3161. If you need to reach someone during the cooking hours, please call or text Kris at 914-525-3876
Gardening & Grounds Committee
We are fortunate at St. Denis to have a fine parish complex enhanced by our beautiful grounds and lovely cemetery. Parish volunteers have done a wonderful job helping with planting, cleanup, and beautification of our parish grounds and cemetery. We hold three fundraisers throughout the year to support activities at St. Denis – Sale of Mother’s Day Plants, Christmas Poinsettia & Wreaths, and Easter Palm Crosses.
Gifts/Skills: Gardening, Sales
Volunteer Opportunity: Unloading & Sale of plants for above fundraisers, clean-up & planting of grounds.
Contact: The Rectory 227-8382Hearts & Hands Outreach Ministry
The mission of our Hearts & Hands Outreach is to promote the physical, spiritual and emotional well-being of the individual as well as the parish community as a whole. We strive to heighten the awareness of the parish community to the needs of our neighbors. All requests for service are considered and provided or a referral is given to an appropriate agency for further assistance.
Time need not be an issue! Maybe you have 5 minutes to make a friendly phone call, an hour for a personal visit or 2-3 hours to accompany someone to an appointment! All volunteers are welcome!
Contact: Diane O’Connor, 845.221.2930
Hospitality Committee
Our mission is to serve St. Denis Church through the gift of hospitality; offering an environment where people feel welcomed and cared for. We provide food for special church events on a “will call” basis. On occasion, we may be asked to support, offer assistance, host, and/or serve at such events. The committee members are placed on an email distribution list and are notified when a need arises. You decide when and where you’d like to help and serve.
Some of the events we host are:
Coffee & Bagel Sundays – a monthly fellowship, generally held on the second Sunday of the month in the Parish Hall, Adult Wine & Cheese Social, Dessert Social, Parish Picnic.
Contact: Linda Delia, 845.221.1492 / delia103@comcast.netKnights of Columbus & Columbiettes
Founded in 1882 by Fr. Michael McGivney, the Knights of Columbus is an international society of Catholic men numbering more than 1.5 million members. Along with their sister organization, the Columbiettes, they are dedicated to a wide range of spiritual, charitable, and social activities designed to promote the values of charity, unity, fraternity, and patriotism. The Knights have a history of assisting in the Church in countless spiritual and charitable endeavors, including the care of the disadvantaged and promotion of respect for life. We cook for our Vets and volunteer in our churches and at various events.
Joining over 10,000 councils worldwide, members of St. Denis parish belong to the St. Mary’s Council # 4065.
Contact: Craig Gruszecki, 845-724-4501 (H), 845-518-4105 (C)Lazarus Ministry
The Lazarus Ministry is a group of volunteers who attend a wake and/or funeral when informed that someone has passed away and there are few people or sometimes no one to mourn their passing. We gather together to attend the wake and/or funeral Mass to comfort, to weep, to fill the pews, to sing the hymns and most importantly to pray for the deceased.
Contact: Susan Messina, 845-896-0141Loving Hands
Our community mission is to hand make items for anyone in need in our community. In the years of our existence, we have produced thousands of items that have been donated to many agencies, such as lap robes for Vassar Hospital Cancer Care patients, baby items for agencies in Dutchess County and hat and scarf sets for the clients of the homeless shelter. We respond to any community need.We invite anyone to join our friendly group. We meet on Wednesday morning from 10am to noon throughout the year. If you would like to learn to knit or crochet, we have members who will teach you. We have yarn and needles and hooks for learning. All are welcome to stop by any Wed. morning in the Rectory Meeting Room.
Prayer Shawl Ministry
Our Prayer Shawl Ministry meets every second and fourth Thursday of the month in the Rectory Meeting Room at 7 PM. New members are always welcome. If you don't know how to knit or crochet, or need a refresher course, we have members who would be happy to teach you. We are always in need of yarn (approximately 16 oz. makes a shawl) and donations would help us to buy new yarn. If you have any questions please call Barbara Haessler at 227-3304.
If you are in need of a Prayer Shawl for someone who is ill, or bereaved, or just needs comfort, please stop at the rectory.
Respect Life – Tri-Parish
The Respect Life Committee prays to promote a culture of life in our society and to eliminate abortion-on-demand in our nation. We also recommend non-judgmental and healing resources to those who have experienced the pain of abortion. In addition, we plan, promote, and participate in presentations and Respect Life events such as 40 Days for Life and local Life Chains.
Contact: Ed Haege, (H) 845.223.8228 (C) 845.242.4721
Saint Vincent de Paul Society
The Saint Vincent de Paul Food Pantry brings together volunteers from the parishes of St. Denis, St. Columba, and St. Kateri to fulfill the corporal works of mercy by acts of charity to others. We do this primarily by helping people in genuine need of supplemental food assistance on a regular or emergency basis. We coordinate holiday food baskets for Thanksgiving, Easter and Christmas. We collect school supplies in September, and provide coats for the children in the winter. To learn more, visit our website: http://www.svdpfoodpantry.org
Contact: Joyce Pfirman via the pantry hotline 227-7863
Alcoholics Anonymous
We meet on Mondays at 7:00 p.m. (Step) and Fridays at 7:00 p.m. (Beginners) and 8:00 p.m. (Open Meeting) in the lower room of the church. All are welcome.
Narcotics Anonymous
We meet on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. in the lower church. All are welcome.Bereavement Support Group
The Journey from Grief to Healing
It can be a difficult time when we lose a loved one. Our Tri-parish (Sts. Denis, Columba & Kateri) Bereavement Support Group is here for those who need help in dealing with that loss. All those who attend the group sessions are encouraged (if they want) to share their thoughts and feelings, in complete confidentiality, with who are present. There are two eight week sessions each year (Spring & Fall) as well as quarterly gatherings for those who have attended a group session or are looking into doing so. These are all held at St. Kateri. Each of the parishes offers a Mass of Remembrance during the year and there are also special events such as Bereaved Stations of the Cross, Mini Retreats and guest speakers. In addition, the clergy of our parish are available to those who may need to speak to them.
Contact: Lorraine Travia or Deacon Bob Horton bktbereavement@optonline.net