The Pastoral Care Ministry at the Church of the Immaculate Conception exists to give spiritual care to those parishioners who have special needs. We visit the sick, those who are homebound, those in adult homes, hospitals, and nursing homes. We visit people after they have been hospitalized upon returning home, and we follow up with Hospice patients. We keep in touch with these special people by phone and/or mail. We also work collaboratively with the Funeral Ministry.

The Pastoral Care Ministry consists of the Parish Priest, the Pastoral Care Coordinator and parish volunteers.

Homemade for the Homebound

This originally appeared in the December 2nd parish bulletin and was written by Michele DiLorenzo, Faith Formation Assistant.

    We give heartfelt thanks to Rachel Winters and her family. For the fifth year in a row, the Winters family made sure that our homebound parishioners who would be alone for the holiday, had a warm, home cooked Thanksgiving meal. Rachel, Frank, Luke, Colin, and one of the boys’ friends, along with Rachel’s parents, Joan and Thomas Kudlacik, prepared and delivered delicious feasts to 12 very thankful people. Every year, on the day before Thanksgiving, the Winters’ kitchen turns into a bustling and harmonious assembly line. This year, turkey, homemade stuffing, gravy, butternut squash (from

her dad’s garden), broccoli casserole and dinner rolls, along with delectable apple pie for dessert was delivered on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.

    Kathy Friscic happened to stop by and was amazed at the lovely scene of a peaceful preparation of turkey dinner meals. Frank was carving the turkey, Joan was stirring the homemade gravy, Rachel was spooning the food and the boys were wrapping the plates of food, inserting festive holiday napkins then separating them into labeled bags for delivery. Rachel always adds a specific treat to each person’s bag.

    Then delivery begins with a phone call to say the meal is on its way. Some of the grateful recipients are already prepared with their placemats and drinks, ready to partake that evening, while others save the meal for Thanksgiving Day.

    Her sons look forward to and enjoy this wonderful annual event of giving. They ring the doorbells and enjoy seeing the smiles and hearing the comments of “how much

you have grown since last year!” Everyone visits for a short while, then on to deliver some more happiness to the next person. 

     Thank you again, Rachel and family for five years of giving love, warm meals, and warm memories to our homebound.

Healing Mass

Twice a year our Parish celebrates a healing Mass. Thanks to the efforts of Rachel Winters, our Pastoral Care Coordinator, the parish Nurses and several other volunteers the Mass was beautiful.  

Fran Rossi Szpylczyn has written a beautiful first hand account of the morning with several additional photos for the Parish Blog.  

Volunteering with Pastoral Care

There are many volunteering options in the Pastoral Care Ministry

Please click HERE if you would like to volunteer with the Pastoral Care ministry or you can contact Rachel Winters, our Pastoral Care Coordinator, at 399-9168 ext 226 or [email protected]