THE HOMEBOUND MINISTRY at OMC
The Homebound Ministry at OMC provides Holy Communion for our elderly, sick and homebound parishioners as well as for those Catholics residing in small care centers in UC and Clairemont and in the major Assisted Living and Residential centers in UTC. There are approximately 35 parishioner volunteers at OMC who are designated as Eucharistic Ministers of Communion who are trained and selected to distribute Holy Communion to those folks who cannot come to Mass at OMC on Sundays. At the end of each of the five Saturday/Sunday Masses, several of the Ministers receive the Sacred Hosts from the Celebrant and visits the Homebound people as a continuation of the Mass they just attended.
On any given weekend, approximately 30-40 parishioners who live at home in UC/Clairemont and approximately 50-60 residents of the care home, assisted living and residential centers receive the Body of Christ and hear the Gospel for that Sunday as read by the Ministers. Many of the folks we visit watch the Mass for that Sunday online and the reception of the Sacred Host given by the Ministers is the highlight of their Sunday visit.
Many of our Homebound long for visits by the priests for in-person Mass and Confession. The great shortage of priests and their overwhelmed schedules make these visits rare and most anticipated. The residents of Atria Living, a residential center on Nobel Drive were most fortunate to receive a visit by Father Mark Campbell, former pastor of OMC who was the first priest to say Mass at Atria since the pandemic. His visit was joyful for these folks.
As with all of our other needs for volunteers at OMC, the Homebound Ministry can always use Ministers to visit the ever-increasing number of homebound folks who need and want the Blessing of Holy Communion. This Ministry did not exist before Vatican II and the honor and privilege of being able to bring the Body of Christ to our neighbors is a singular one.
If you are interested in being a part of this Ministry, contact Jack Beresford at (858) 453-7695 or email at captainjackb@san.rr.com.
