Worship
Worship is central to who we are and what we do as Catholics. We believe in an all-powerful and omniscient God who is worthy of praise and worship. And so we are called to “Keep holy the Sabbath Day” – to join in praise and worship of God each weekend in our churches.
Our celebration of the Mass is a re-presentation of Jesus’ sacrifice on Calvary. Vatican II teaches us that the Eucharist is the “source and summit” of our faith. Through our participation in the Eucharist, we are in communion with God, the angels and saints, and one another.
According to the Encyclopedia of Catholicism, in its Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Vatican II “. . .situated the dying and rising of Christ at the center of all worship. . . It called for a full, conscious and active participation of all the faithful in the liturgy, and a reform of worship so that it would be more accessible to peoples of every culture.”
Adult Altar Servers
Registered parishioners who are available to serve for funerals during weekdays and/or Saturdays are invited to consider this ministry. Servers help to prepare the chairs, vessels, incense, font, and other items. Servers assist with orienting those who are participating in the Mass in special ways, such as Lectors and Eucharistic Ministers, and assist the priest during the Mass with various needs. Training is available for any who wish to be considered for this ministry.
To join this ministry or request more information, please contact the parish office at (313) 274-4500.
Altar Servers
Youth who are in the fifth grade or older and have completed their First Communion are eligible to become altar servers. Servers are trained, then assigned to a rotating schedule according to Mass time preference. Altar Servers are also invited to serve at our weekly School Mass.
To assist in this ministry, or request more information, please contact the parish office at (313) 274-4500.
Art & Environment
The Art & Environment is a subcommittee of the Worship Commission. Together, we decorate the church to visually bring to life the changes of liturgical seasons and the focus of specific liturgies. Members assist as their individual schedules, talents, and preferences allow. Volunteers are needed to plan, gather supplies, sew and create, conceptualize and arrange displays, care for plants seasonally, decorate the church on specific occasions, and to help put away decorations at the end of a season. Those who participate in conceptualizing and planning are asked to attend meetings throughout the year. Others may volunteer for specific tasks, such as to sew a banner or remove decorations. Parishioners are invited to join in helping to make St. Linus Church a beautiful worship environment.
To join this ministry or request more information, please contact the parish office at (313) 274-4500.
Devotions
Catholic devotions are “external practices of piety” which are not part of the official
liturgy of the Catholic Church, but are part of the popular spiritual practices of Catholics.
Eucharistic Adoration
Eucharistic Adoration is offered on First Fridays in the church following our 8:30 AM morning Mass, from October-June, followed by Benediction at 6 PM.
Novenas
Various Novenas are said throughout the year, including the Divine Mercy chaplet which is said from Good Friday through Mercy Sunday.
Stations of the Cross
Stations of the Cross are normally offered at 7 PM on Wednesdays and again at 7 PM on Fridays during Lent, and at 12:15 PM on Good Friday.
The Word Among Us
Copies of “The Word Among Us” are made available for parishioners
during Advent and Lent for daily meditation.
Eucharistic Ministers
Any registered parishioner who has celebrated the sacrament of Confirmation and is a practicing Catholics in good standing is eligible to be considered for the ministry of serving as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, commonly called a Eucharistic Minister. Individuals must complete training before beginning to serve. At St. Linus, we have a sacristan for each Mass, and all other EM positions are filled on a first come, first served basis. Additional ministry opportunities include serving at our weekly School Masses, serving the homebound, and serving at local hospitals and nursing homes.
To join this ministry or request more information, please contact the parish office at (313) 274-4500.
Lectors
Lectors proclaim the Word and lead the Prayers of the Faithful at Mass, prayer services, and special events. Lectors are trained and provided with a workbook. Registered parishioners who have celebrated the Sacrament of Confirmation are eligible to become a lector.
To join this ministry or request more information, please contact the parish office at (313) 274-4500.
Prayer Groups
We know from Sacred Scripture that Jesus often went off alone to pray, and that Jesus taught his disciples to pray. So prayer is an important part of what we do.
Meeting in groups to pray can be an effective way to improve and strengthen our prayer lives, whether by participating in devotional prayer such as Perpetual Help devotions on Tuesday evenings, or by meeting in informal prayer groups that offer prayer on behalf of family, friends, members of the church community, and for special intentions.
Everyone is encouraged to follow Jesus’ example to pray, and Scripture reminds us that “. . . where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them,” (Mt. 18:20) and “Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive,” (Mt. 21:22). And so, gathering together to pray can be a productive and powerful way to approach God with our requests.
Roman Missal 3rd Edition
At St. Linus, we have integrated the new wording in the Mass and other changes found in the new Roman Missal. To learn more about these changes and why they are important, please visit http://old.usccb.org/romanmissal. You may also go to usccb.org and click on Roman Missal.
Ushers
Ushers are confirmed members of the parish who serve as Ministers of Hospitality. Ushers help with doors and lighting, greeting and seating people, assisting the handicapped, taking the collection, distributing bulletins, and assisting with emergencies or special needs. The ushers meet once a month to review procedures and address issues.
To join this ministry or request more information, please contact the parish office at (313) 274-4500.
Video Ministry
St. Linus serves as the cable community access channel for the Dearborn Heights area. To serve our homebound parishioners and others in our immediate area, we broadcast our Sunday 9 AM Mass live and rebroadcast it at 11 am on both WOW and Comcast. A number of special events are also broadcast live, such as our 8:30 AM First Friday Masses, and we record Masses such as First Communion and Confirmation for our participants. Those celebrating weddings in our parish may make arrangements for videography by our trained parishioners. We recently installed new video recording equipment and permanently mounted cameras, thanks to the tremendous generosity of an anonymous donor and our parishioners, so we are now better able to serve the needs of our parish and the homebound in our community.
Serving in the area of video ministry is a unique opportunity for parishioners who have are interested in video production and technology.
To join this ministry or request more information, please contact the parish office at (313) 274-4500.
Wake Ministry
Wake ministers are parishioners who are trained to preside at the vigil service prior to a funeral. The vigil service is normally held at the funeral home at 7 PM the night before the funeral, and it typically consists of either a scripture service or praying the rosary.
To join this ministry or request more information, please contact the parish office at (313) 274-4500.
Music
Music is instrumental to our practice of worship and so we especially encourage the participation of the faithful in all of the sacred music that is part of the Mass.
St. Augustine gave us an idea of the importance of music in the liturgy when he suggested that “He who sings, prays twice.” Liturgical hymns are specifically selected to correspond to both the liturgical calendar and the scriptural message of a particular liturgy. So, in the practice of worship, there is much to be gained by being attentive to the words of selected hymns and joining in the singing of those hymns.
Participation in the singing of hymns with other members of the congregation further serves to strengthen our communion with one another, which is part of our worship experience.
Cantors
Cantors assist in the liturgy by singing the hymns and verses of the Psalms. A cantor must have confidence and proficiency in singing and reading music, with a pleasant voice that clearly conveys the text. Cantors are not required to join the choir or another music group, but must prepare ahead and rehearse.
Cherub Choir
Coming SOON!
The Cherub Choir is a beginning choir for grades K-2. We rehearse on Wednesdays in the Music & Liturgy office immediately after school, from 3:15-3:45. This choir introduces children to a wide range of music that is appropriate for young singers who are not yet skilled readers. Many of the songs incorporate hand motions, and we also use small instruments such as shakers and a hand drum.
Children’s Choir
Children in grades 3-6 are invited to join the St. Linus Children’s Choir. The choir rehearses throughout the school year on Tuesdays after school from 3:15-4:30 in the Music & Liturgy office. This choir introduces children to a wide range of music that includes anthems and songs written for children’s choirs, hymns, and spirituals. This choir also learns how to sing the verses of the psalms, and individuals are given the opportunity to learn to serve as cantors. We typically sing once a month at the 11:00 AM Sunday Family Mass, and twice a month at the School Mass.
Handbells
Share the gift of music with your parish by joining the handbell choir! We currently have two octaves of handbells. The handbell choir serves the parish at special liturgies and at one Sunday Mass per month between October and May. We play special handbell anthems in a variety of styles, including arrangements of traditional hymns and Christian contemporary music. The handbells also occasionally play during congregational hymns or with the Liturgical Choir. No ringing experience is needed to join this group, though music reading skills are helpful. If you cannot participate all year, substitute ringers are also needed. Rehearsals are Tuesdays from 5:30-6:30pm, from mid-September through Pentecost.
Instrumentalists
Those who play an instrument with a minimum of high school proficiency and who read music are welcome to assist at Mass. Instrumentalists are not required to join another music group, but must prepare ahead and rehearse.
Instruments books are available for guitars, and for C and/or Bb instruments to play the melody or descant parts with congregational hymns. A variety of sacred music resources are also available for playing a solo instrument with piano or organ.