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Christian Service Commission

The Christian Service Commission oversees the charitable activities and services that are offered at St. Linus, and is made up of representatives of organizations that are part of the parish’s Christian Service effort. 

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Following are the names, affiliations and contact numbers for members of the St. Linus Christian Service Commission:

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Christian Women's Club

The Christian Women’s Club (CWC) is comprised of women of the parish who meet on a regular basis to promote the social and spiritual welfare of their group and the parish at large. The specific mission of the Women’s Club is to promote devotion to Mary, the mother of Jesus.

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Open to all women of the parish without regard to their ability to participate, the Christian Women’s Club serves the parish under the direction and advice of the pastor. The CWC advances the spiritual welfare of its members through regular liturgies, a ‘Living Rosary’ in October, and the May Crowning of Mary each year, together with all the families and parishioners of of the parish, to honor the Blessed Mother.  Regular meetings, special programs and group outings accommodate the social needs of CWC members.

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These women of the parish contribute to the parish’s Christian service effort by helping to maintain and decorate the church; by collecting coats for the homeless and providing layettes and other items for families in need, and by donating to several charities. The Christian Women sponsor one bake sale each year to raise the funds necessary to accomplish their goals.

Catholic Order of Foresters

The Catholic Order of Foresters is a Fraternal Organization concerned with the financial, social and spiritual welfare of its members. Its threefold mission is to serve Catholics, help local communities, and provide financial security through the sale of insurance and investment products.

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Each year, the Foresters sponsor numerous social events for children in the parish and schedule an annual ‘Soup and Bread’ fundraiser that supports the St. Linus conference of St. Vincent De Paul. In 2012, the Foresters contributed over $1100 from that event to St. Vincent De Paul for the care of those who are less fortunate in our community.

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Dedicated to supporting Catholic families since 1883 by providing:


• Member Benefits
• Financial Protection
• Opportunities for spiritual, social, and charitable growth

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We encourage members to participate in local volunteering opportunities:
• Clothing God’s Children 
• Feeding God’s Children
• Matching Funds Program
• Church Loans

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Protect your family, secure your financial future, and save for college or retirement with our quality financial products:
• Whole Life Insurance
• Term Insurance
• Annuities/Retirement Plans

St. Vincent de Paul

Inspired by Gospel values, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, a Catholic lay organization, leads women and men to grow spiritually by offering person-to-person service to the needy and suffering in the tradition of its founder, Blessed Frederic Ozanam, and patron, St. Vincent de Paul.

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As a reflection of the whole family of God, members, who are known as Vincentians, witness God’s love by embracing works of charity and justice. The Society collaborates with other people of good will to help relieve the suffering of those in need, with no distinction as to race, gender, color or belief.

At St. Linus, members of our St. Vincent De Paul conference meet with those who come to us for help to:

  • Verify the type of need that exists (food, clothing, counseling, etc.);

  • Determine ways that we might assist the person in need;

  • Where necessary, solicit help from neighboring SVDP conferences and other organizations to meet the family’s needs.

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Where food is the issue, our St. Vincent De Paul conference often assists those who come to us by providing a box of food to assist with immediate needs and/or to refer them to an organization that can provide food on a longer term basis.

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If the problem is financial, our SVDP conference is often able to assist with at least the partial payment of utility bills, or even rent or a house payment. Because our resources are limited, payments by the SVDP are also limited, so in the case of a larger need, local parishes will often share that burden through a process called “twinning.” In that way, a substantial need can be met by more than one SVDP conference sharing the burden.

Where the problem is of a personal nature, SVDP representatives will refer the person to an agency that can better assist them. Such referrals have helped people obtain food stamps, apply for Social Security benefits, negotiate an overdue utility payment, seek help for addictions, and even arrange the adoption of a child who could not otherwise be cared for.

 

Our St. Vincent De Paul conference also participates in the solicitation, preparation and serving of food at St. Leo’s Soup Kitchen and St. Patrick’s Senior Center each year and at the serving of Thanksgiving dinners each November at Manna House in Detroit. Our conference is also involved in the preparation and delivery of 130 food baskets at Christmas and in the gathering of clothing and toys at Christmas for families who are in need.

Food and funds for our St. Vincent De Paul conference come mainly from donations from parishioners who recognize the work of the SVDP and who wish to share in the scriptural call to help those who are in need. We also benefit financially from two fundraisers staged by the SVDP each year — the annual Friends of the Poor Walk in September, and a casino fundraiser each spring. And we benefit, too, from donations by parish organizations, most notably the Men’s Club with their annual golf outing, the Foresters Club with their Soup and Bread fundraiser, and by contributions from the Knights of Columbus.

Men's Club

Wherever there is a school, there are children. And wherever there are children, there will be games — games such as baseball and basketball where young people get their first real taste of team sports, where they learn to work together, where they learn the joys of victory, and where they learn how to handle defeat.

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At St. Linus, the story is no different. And there to provide the sports activities for the students is the St. Linus Men’s Club. To enable the boys and girls of the parish to play team sports, league schedules must be arranged; ball fields or courts must be prepared; equipment must be purchased and maintained; and coaches must be recruited. Members of the parish who belong to the St. Linus Men’s Club do all of this and more, providing the opportunities that our children need to play in a team sport.

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Each summer, the Men’s Club also sponsors a golf outing which honors a deceased member of the parish for past contributions and which raises funds for the parish’s St. Vincent De Paul conference. The work of the Men’s Club helps make men out of boys, women out of girls, and helps support those in need in our community.

Hospitality Committee

An important aspect of Christian Service is hospitality, which combines the attitudes of welcoming, of generosity and of service to one another in Christ.

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Based on Jesus’ own examples of love and service, hospitality is a key element of our community’s expression of faith. We stand ready to welcome to St. Linus not only members of our own congregation, but also visitors as well.

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Our St. Linus Hospitality Committee is responsible for preparing and serving meals or appetizers to celebrate special occasions or celebrations. Recent Hospitality events included the installation of our pastor, Fr. Paul Ballien, the reception into the Church of catechumens and candidates at the Easter Vigil, our parish’s annual Mass of Remembrance for those who have died in the past year, and the celebration of anniversaries for married couples in the parish.

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The Hospitality Committee also plans and prepares an annual celebration honoring volunteers who serve St. Linus in so many ways.

Knights of Columbus

The Fr. Veryser Council # 13810 is located at St. Linus Catholic Church at 6466 Evangeline, Dearborn Heights, MI. 48127.

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The Grand Knight for 2021-2022 is Marco A. Barcenas.

You can contact the Knights by email at Knight E-mail

 

Our meeting dates are the 4th Tuesday of the month.

The next meeting will be January 27, at 7pm in the activities room at St. Linus. We need your input and attendance to make this council a success!

 

Fr. Maurice Veryser Council was founded in 2005 through the efforts of our charter members.

It is named after Fr. Maurice Veryser, who was the first pastor of St. Linus in 1956.

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The Fr. Maurice Veryser Council works closely with St. Linus Parish in Dearborn Heights, providing funds for various projects, members being active participants in their parish.

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Elizabeth Ministry

Elizabeth Ministry is an international movement focused on the dignity of human life and strengthening relationships in order to build up the family and create vibrant communities. Our mission is to offer hope and healing on issues related to childbearing, sexuality and relationships.  The Elizabeth Ministry core values are to respect all life, cherish children, encourage families, enrich marriages and build community.

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Roman Catholic in origin and outlook, Elizabeth Ministry began in 1991 at St. Bernard Parish in Appleton, Wisconsin.  Elizabeth Ministry is ecumenical in its outreach and chapters have been formed in a variety of Christian churches.

 

Elizabeth Ministers are not counselors, or experts. They are women who are willing to share their presence, stories, and experiences, in the hope that these will support, encourage, console, and at times bring healing. They offer the greatest gift they possess, namely themselves.  Elizabeth Ministers are representatives of the parish community.  Their baptismal call enables them to share in the prophetic, priestly, and kingly mission of Jesus.  They minister in a compassionate, caring and loving manner, thus proclaiming the Good News of God’s unconditional and faithful love.

 

As women share their stories and experiences, they engender confidence, overcome fears, and help each other to become open to the wonder of new life with trust.  They unite their joys and trials gaining strength from a mutually shared faith in which their stories mingle with and are linked to the story of Jesus.  There sharing empowers them to become instruments of celebration and healing for other women.

Food Committee

The St. Linus Food Committee oversees the operation of the parish food pantry and works hand in hand with our St. Vincent De Paul conference to provide food for those in our church and in our community who are in need.

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Our first responsibility begins at the doors of the church, when individuals approach us seeking food for themselves and their families. Through the generous donations of parish members, we are able to stock our food pantry and provide emergency food boxes for those in need. We also provide referrals for those who have continuing needs for food on a regular basis.

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The Food Committee also shares responsibility with our St. Vincent De Paul Conference for the purchase, preparation and distribution of food at soup kitchens each year.  Last year, St. Linus provided lunches for visitors at St. Leo’s soup kitchen and for members of St. Patrick’s Senior Center in Detroit. And each year in November, St. Linus prepares and presents hundreds of full Thanksgiving dinners to homeless residents of Detroit who visit Manna House at the corner of Michigan and Trumbull Avenues for their holiday feast.

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But the efforts of the Food Committee do not stop there. Beginning in September each year, Food Committee members begin collecting extra canned goods and other items for the preparation of food boxes at Christmas. Sr. Linus parishioners contribute enough food and effort to prepare 130 boxes for the holidays, each including a turkey or ham for a complete Christmas dinner.

Peace and Justice

It is the responsibility of the Legislative Advocacy Commission to help keep the parish informed about Catholic teaching regarding specific issues that are facing our society – particularly peace and justice issues.

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What does the Church teach about embryonic stem cell research? About the use of capital punishment in the United States? About the treatment of immigrants who may have entered the country illegally? What are the 10 Catholic principles calling for economic justice in the face of persistent poverty in the U.S. and around the world? What are the seven core principles of Catholic social teaching and how do they apply to current social issues? What is the Church’s position on war, on universal health care, on environmental issues in this country?

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The St. Linus Legislative Advocacy Commission helps to inform members of our parish by researching Church teaching on these issues and then making that teaching available through information offered by sources that include the Michigan Catholic Conference or the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

Right to Life

One member of the St. Linus Christian Service Commission represents Right to Life of Michigan, a nonpartisan, nonsectarian, nonprofit organization dedicated to the protection of human life from fertilization to natural death.

Right to Life strives to educate people on life issues, to motivate them to action, and to encourage community support for participation in programs and legislation that foster respect and protection for human life.

  • Our Right to Life representative at St. Linus

     

  • Organizes fundraisers each year that benefit life causes (the sale of silk roses on Mother’s Day, “Baby Bottle Boomerang” from Mother’s Day to Father’s Day each year; and the sale of Right to Life Greeting cards each Christmas);

  • Solicits support for the annual “40 Days for Life” campaign each fall during which parishioners picket and pray outside an abortion clinic in Dearborn;

  • Encourages participation in a “Life Chain” on the first Sunday in October in which church members from throughout the metropolitan area line major highways with signs that support the cause of life;

  • Keeps Christian Service members and parishioners informed of legislation and election proposals that affect issues of life and death.

Income generated by the Right to Life fundraisers is donated to local centers that assist pregnant women and provide diapers, formula and other items for newborns.

Outreach Ministry

Representatives of St. Linus visit a local nursing home each week to conduct as scripture service that includes the distribution of Holy Communion.

Catholic residents of the nursing home who are able, gather each Wednesday afternoon in one of the home’s gathering areas to participate in the service. Following the Liturgy of the Word, all pray the Our Father and then Communion is distributed to those Catholics who wish to receive.

Visits are then made to other Catholics who are unable to leave their rooms to receive Communion. In this way, they are able to benefit in a personal way in the Church’s effort to reach out to all members of the Church who seek to live their faith.

Visiting the homebound and the sick is another ministry of the Church and one in which representatives of St. Linus regularly participate. Every First Friday, following the morning Mass, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion are sent forth with the Holy Eucharist to visit the homebound and the sick and take them the Blessed Sacrament.

Moms of Tweens and Teens

Mothers of Teens and ‘Tweens is a St. Linus group for mothers of older children – of those who are in their teenage years or who are fast approaching that age.

In a culture that is challenging child-raising principles as it never has before, this group of moms provides a forum for exchanging ideas and suggestions about how to answer those challenges. The Mothers of Teens and ‘Tweens is a support group for mothers who are seeking to share their experiences and their ideas on how best to raise their children in this fast-paced, hi-tech society in which we live.  Catholic teaching is the basis for their efforts and they seek not just to know and understand Catholic principles, but also how to apply them in their families.

Moms of Young Children

Supporting each other in their vocation as mothers of little children is the St. Linus MOMs (Meet Other Mothers) Group, which seeks a scripture-based understanding of their role in the life of their families.

Objectives for the MOMs group include:

  • To offer opportunities for socialization with other Catholic mothers

  • To provide spiritual, social and developmental opportunities for their children

  • To provide service to the community

  • To enhance their own spirituality as individuals, as women, and as mothers

The MOMs Group understands the demands that are placed on their time, so they seek to achieve these objectives without over-taxing a family’s budget or time. Commitments of time and expense are to be minimal and will be left up to each individual member.

The group is comprised of the following five committees, each relating in some way to Catholic motherhood:

  • A children’s/playgroup committee which will organize play groups and monthly outings to the park or zoo or other locations for the children

  • A social committee that provides for the moms or for couples, including the husbands in their monthly excursion.

  • A service committee that provides opportunities to assist in charitable activities in or out of the parish.

  • A spirituality committee to prepare prayers, and organize retreats, seasonal rosaries, and children’s prayer services

  • A hospitality/bulletin committee which welcomes new members and uses the parish bulletin to keep members informed of group activities

For more information on the MOMs group at St. Linus, please contact Shannon Bauer at (313)282-9256 or e-mail catholicmom@stlinusparish.org

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