St. Joseph School

   Father John Connell and his Associate, Father Daniel Wendel, would like to see St. Joseph High School students take a more active role in church Liturgy. They're encouraging 11th-12th graders who are Catholic and have been confirmed to volunteer for training as Extraordinary Ministers of Communion (EMC). Catholic 9th and 10th graders who've been confirmed or are preparing for Confirmation can also volunteer for training as ushers. The EMCs are being trained by High School Counselor Karen Davis while religion teacher Phyllis Eubanks is working with usher candidates.
   "The reason we decided this is because we want them to take up the grace that is being offered to them by the grace of their baptism, confirmation, and reception of the Eucharist,Father Wendel said. "Grace is given by God in these sacraments but this grace must be received and acted on. It is important because their leadership should not just be in the classroom, field/court, or school functions, but in the most important area of their life, which is their faith life. Their witness as young people to their classmates and even to those older than them is a gift that the Church needs to see."
   Current EMC volunteers are Teresa Gomez, Carolina Ferrer, Nick Harmon, Ella Martin, Emma Allison, Kate Nabholz, Izzie Garrett, Lily Vaughn and Vincent Pham. The volunteer ushers include Ethan Loynachan, Samuel Luyet, Virginia Grasmuck, Amelia Erstine, Anneke McGhee, Annamarie Rawls, J.B. Failla, Dylan Simmons, Olivia Brewer, Tyler Evans, William Washum, Autumn Patterson, Mason Downey and London Dunaway.
This past Wednesday, the first of these volunteers served at Mass. The EMCs were Lizzie Garrett and Kate Nabholz. Tyler Evans, J.B. Failla, Virginia Grasmuck and Anneke McGhee served as ushers.