Summer Ministry was a Breath of Fresh Air
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August 8, 2022My summer ministry at St. Mary of the Assumption in Whittier was a real joy, a breath of fresh air to be immersed in ministry at this dynamic parish.
My three main responsibilities were working at the parish food bank, teaching math to the fifth, sixth, and seventh graders attending summer school, and helping out with graveside services. I also participated in the Masses celebrated in parishioner homes on Tuesday evenings, as well as and the neighborhood Masses celebrated on Friday evenings.
I joined the food bank volunteers to prepare and assist with food distribution every other Saturday morning. Around 200 families receive food on those Saturdays; this does not account for the people who walk up to receive groceries.
I felt blessed to witness many volunteers faithfully follow Christ and put the Gospel message of loving their neighbors into action in a very special way. Working with these men and women feeding the poor brought joy to my heart and made me work that much harder for them.
Assisting Mr. Martinez in teaching math to the fifth, sixth, and seventh graders was so much fun. I taught the students addition, subtraction, multiplication and division with fractions and numbers with decimals. I also taught the students geometry and algebra. It is exciting to introduce new material to the students and have them understand the concepts and work out the problems. I hope the kids continue to enjoy math and wish them the best in their education. It was such a blessing to work with them.
I assisted the priests with gravesite services when I had the opportunity, which was a learning experience in helping people in their grief. I met people from every walk of life and listened to beautiful stories about their loved ones, and gained confidence in my ability to serve God’s people. Most of the services were done at Rose Hill Cemetery, said to be the largest cemetery in the country, and one of the largest cemeteries in the world. It is an amazing, huge place.
Fr. Patrick Keyes celebrated home and neighborhood Masses that allowed me to be with the people where they live. Some people who participated in the Masses were not regulars at church, and some people had slipped away from their faith. The neighborhood Masses were in Spanish, giving me more exposure to different cultures.
I enjoyed summer ministry in Whittier very much. The parish is dynamic, and the people are very kind. I wish them nothing but the best, and hope to visit again.
