Pastoral Visitors share their faith and bring the care of the parish community to our sick and homebound neighbors. They are prayer companions who offer Eucharist on a regular basis to the sick and homebound who live either in their own homes or at one of the nursing centers in Stoneham. They are parishioners who volunteer to serve as a vital link between the Church and the homebound, who are unable to attend Mass with our community due to illness, injury, or advanced age.

Training to become a Pastoral Visitor will prepare you to bring Holy Eucharist to the homebound and to be an active listener and attentive prayer companion. Many homebound parishioners are delighted to visit with you while they share their life stories or their concerns with someone willing to listen. You may also consider leading a group Rosary at one of the nursing centers. If you cannot commit to a regular schedule, you might also provide back-up to a regular visitor in case of illness or vacation. If you would like to join this ministry, please call or stop by to see Diane McCarthy (781-438-0200) to discuss how you might share your gifts with other parishioners who miss being an active part of our parish community.

All pastoral visitors must complete a CORI, training in distributing Holy Eucharist and the Pastoral Visitors Training Workshop offered by the Archdiocese of Boston.

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul began in Paris, France, in 1833 when a young law student at the Sorbonne, Frédéric Ozanam, was challenged during a debate to demonstrate what he and his fellow Catholic students were personally doing to help the poor in Paris. Ozanam's reaction was immediate. Within weeks, Ozanam, at 20 years of age, and six of his peers formed the first "Conference of Charity." Under the conference, this group of seven men financed their works of charity out of their own pockets and from contributions of friends. They visited the poor in their homes, providing them with needed aid and assistance. At the prompting of Monsieur Emmanuel Bailly and Sister Rosalie Rendu, superior of a convent of the Daughters of Charity, Ozanam soon placed the conference under the patronage of St. Vincent de Paul who had spent his life in 16th century France serving the poor. Within a few years, the original group of seven grew to 600, spreading to 15 other cities and towns in France, numbering more than 2,000 members.

Twelve years later, in 1845, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul crossed the ocean to St. Louis, Missouri, where the first American conference was formed. Today, the Saint Vincent de Paul Society here at Saint Patrick Parish responds to the needs of our community in such areas as household issues, educational issues and even a small food pantry to help those in need sustain themselves in times of family struggles.

The society responds to the needs of the community which includes a food pantry. Please call 781-438-0960 for more information.

The mission of the Prayer Shawl Ministry is to make shawls and lap robes, weaving special prayers into each and every stitch. Completed shawls are blessed and distributed to those in need to provide warmth and comfort to those who receive them. Please call the Parish Office at 781-438-0960.

Each week. teams of men and women clean the church for weekend worship. The men and women offer their services voluntarily in thanksgiving to God and to the parish. Please call the Parish Office at 781-438-0960.

Several adult volunteers launder and iron the small altar linens used at worship. Please call the Parish Office at 781-438-0960.

On the third Tuesday of the month, St. Patrick Parish Food Group sponsors the weekly Stoneham Community Dinner at the First Congregational Church on Church Street. The guests of the community dinner come together to enjoy a delicious and nutritious meal and to share some companionship.

The Food Group volunteers purchase and transport the food, and at the church, the volunteers prepare the hall, serve the guests, and clean up. The dinner begins at 5:45pm and is finished by 7:00pm. The menu for our dinner is salad and rolls, chicken, ziti and broccoli, calzone, green beans, and dessert.

A write-up on the Stoneham community dinners was published in the Stoneham Sun on May 17, 2012. You can  download a copy of the article.

Currently we are in need of servers, dishwasher help, and a person to make reminder calls one week before. Are you recently retired or have a couple of hours a month to volunteer? If so, please consider volunteering with St. Patrick Food Group.

If you are interested in being part of a dynamic group that does amazing work, or if you have any questions, please leave your name at the rectory at 781-438-0960.

‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ Matthew 25:40