Ministries
If you would like more information about any of the following miistries, or if you would like to volunteer or participate, please call the parish office at (805) 995-3243. You can email us regarding any of our ministries. Just click on the following link to email us at admin@stjosephcayucos.org.Liturgy is the center and focus of our parish life. The term "liturgy" refers to the worship life of our parish community of faith. Our celebrations of the Eucharist and the Sacraments, our prayer services, and other forms of parish prayer are all part of our community worship and liturgy. The liturgy committee assists in developing our parish's liturgy, which includes prayer and music, so that the worship experience of our parishioners are faith-sustaining and meaningful.
The liturgy committee meets at least quarterly to evaluate, plan, and implement the worship life of our parish community. Membership on the committee is open to all members of the parish. For more information please call the parish office at (805) 995-3243.
"The Eucharist constitutes the very life of the Church, for the Lord said, "I am the bread of life. No one who comes to me will ever be hungry, no one who believes in me will ever thirst." The role of Eucharistic Ministers is to minister the Body and Blood of Christ to the assembled faithful. In reality the role of each Eucharistic Minister is to draw faith from the people of God, to become more and more like the Body and Blood of Christ. Thus, Eucharistic Ministers are called not only to minister the Body and Blood of Christ, but also to take on Christ's likeness. The ministers accomplish this by strengthening their faith from within and sharing it with the faithful at communion.
The invitation to serve as a Eucharistic Minister is open to all adult and teenage members of the parish 16 years of age and older. Eucharistic Ministers distribute the Eucharist at regularly scheduled weekday and weekend Masses. They also may assist in ministering to homebound parishoners and those in hospitals and nursing centers.
Training is required to become a Eucharistic Minister. If you are interested, please contact the parish office at (805) 995-3243.
Lectors are members of the parish who proclaim the Word in the first two Scripture readings at weekday and weekend Liturgies. They also assist in creating a hospitable and prayerful environment by praying the Prayers of the Faithful. Proclaiming the Sacred Scripture is different from other kinds of public speaking. Thus, training and preparation are necessary for those persons wishing to be Lectors.
As Vatican II proclaimed, "[Lectors] exercise a genuine liturgical function and must discharge their office with the sincere piety and decorum demanded by so exhalted a ministry. Christ is present in His Word since it is He Himself who speaks when the Holy Scriptures are read in the church."
Any adult or teen with effective communication skills who wants to absorb and express the spirit of the Liturgy, is welcome to be a part of this ministry. Please contact the parish office at (805) 995-3243.
Sacristans assist the priests and other ministers in the immediate preparation for Mass. This ministry is a very special and importand part of service for the Liturgy. Sacristans arrive about 15 minutes before Mass to prepare the altar and sanctuary. Prior to the start of Mass, the sacristan sets out the bread and wine, to be consecrated during Mass, and the appropriate books and vessels. After Mass has concluded, the sacristan returns the sacred vessels and articles for worship to their proper places. If you are interested in becoming a sacistan, please contact the parish office at (805) 995-3243.
Children of the parish are invited to attend 9AM Mass each Sunday during Advent and Lent with their families. At these Masses, children are dismissed during the Liturgy of The Word to consider the Word of God at an age appropriate level. This is a wonderful way to initiate our parish children into the parish community.
More volunteers are always welcome. For more information, please contact the parish office at (805) 995-3243.
Ushers have a special role to play at every parish liturgy. The primary ministry of ushers is to be of service to everyone in the assemble so that all may celebrate the Sacred Liturgy to become one with Christ. Ushers may be the first people that those entering the church encounter. Therefore, a true spirit of welcome should be the hallmark of an usher's service!
Ushers also help maintain a prayerful atmosphere and are involved in other elements of a good Liturgy, Including:
- Escorting people to their seats and helping them find seats when the church is crowded
- Inviting people to bring up the gifts of bread and wine
- Taking up collections
- Helping with the communion procession
- Handing out bulletins
No special talents are needed for this ministry --- just a willingness to participate in the parish liturgy and welcome others. For more informstion, contact the [arish office at (805) 995-3243.
The Alter Server Program is a wonderful way to involve people in the liturgy. The Alter Servers assist the presider at the regularly scheduled liturgies as well as at funerals, weddings and special Masses throughout the year.
Please contact the parish office for further information at (805) 995-3243.
We care about our parish homebound people. If you know someone; friend or relative, interested in receiving a parish visitor to bring Home Communion, please call the parish office, (805) 995-3243, and give that person's name and phone number so they may be contacted.
If you wish to volunteer to be a Home Communion Minister, please call the parish office and give us your name and phone number and our Coordinator will contact you.
Please call the parish office at 805-995-3243 if you would like to request that a Mass be offered for a particular intention.
To have a Mass or several Masses offered for a person who is deceased is a commendable practice. A Mass is offered to pray for a person that they may be at peace and knowing that the intention is joined with the Prayer of the Church.
Every Mass is a wonderful gift of God to us. It is the center of the Church's life, "the source and summit of the Christian life" because, in the celebration of the Mass, we are brought back to Jesus' Last Supper, the first Mass celebrated. We consciously recall the love of God poured out for us in the life, death and resurrection of His only Son, Jesus Christ. At each Mass, all the intentions of all God's people, both living and dead, are included. Yet, "in the established tradition of the Church, the faithful, moved by an ecclesial and religious sense, join to the eucharistic sacrifice a kind of sacrifice of their own, as a way of taking part more intensely. They thus do their share to provide for the Church's needs, especially the support of its ministers..." (Pope Paul VI, motu proprio "Firma in Traditione")
This policy for Mass Intentions is issued so that this parish's practice of Mass Intentions and Mass Offerings will be in conformity with the universal law of the Church and the "General Policy for Mass Intentions" of the Diocese of Monterey.
- Anyone may request a Mass Intention for:
- A person who is living,
- A person who is deceased,
- Members of a given family (not all names will be listed or mentioned from the altar),
- A special intention appropriate to the celebration of the Eucharist, e.g., World Peace, Vocations, Respect for Life, etc.
- The Church allows that one or two Masses per week may have Collective Mass Intentions. The faithful are free to combine their intentions and offerings for the celebration of a single Mass, as long as they have been previously informed and have freely consented to combining their intention and offering with others in a single offering of Mass. The Collective Mass Intentions also accommodate the immediate needs that come up for which a person wishes to request a Mass Intention, for example
- the death of a loved one
- an impending surgery, etc.
- Mass Intentions are filled on a first-come first-served basis.
- The date of a Mass Intention is subject to change.
- One Mass Intention per day is the norm.
- Currently, the suggested offering is $10.00 per Mass.
- The one requesting the Mass Intention may request that a card be sent to notify a person that the Intention has been requested and the date and time of the Mass (one card per intention).
Outreach is an important part of our parish ministries. Below is a brief summary of the activities that the parish sponsors. These activities provide opportunities for you to volunteer your time and talents, depending on your schedule.
If you are interested in any of these activities, contact the parish office at (805) 995-3243.
- Harvest Bag - Food distribution every Wednesday
- Loaves and Fishes of Atascadero
- Foley Charitable Fund - Helping those in need
- Smile Train - Cleft palate surgeries
- Alpha Pregnancy Center - Change for Life
- Achievement House - Christmas Party
- Giving Tree at Advent - Prado Day Center and Women's Shelter
- Gift of Love - Food bags and Christmas Toys
- Guadalupe Catholic Worker - Collect blankets and diapers
- Walk for Life - Respect Life rally
- Get on the Bus - Children visit incarcerated parents
- Provide leadership for advocacy on public policies to protect, sustain, and nurture human life, especially the most vulnerable — at its beginning and at its end
- Use resources on critical beginning and end-of-life issues, including the death penalty
- Promote pastoral care and prayer for those involved in these issues
- such as aid to pregnant women
- post-abortion reconciliation
- care and support for terminally ill patients and their families
Our mission is to distribute food to anyone who is in need. We also work closely with other outreach agencies and have a referral list for those in need.
Please make an appointment by calling 805-541-9110 before going to
751 Palm St., San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 (at Mission San Luis Obispo).
Click here for their website.
Saint Joseph's Parish Library provides reading materials, study aids and spiritual reading material.
If you would like to look at the materials in our library, please visit us after Mass on Sundays or call the parish office for an appointment and a library volunteer will be happy to help you.
We are continuously recruiting volunteers to assist in the parish library. If you would like to help, please call the parish office at (805) 995-3243.
- Assist in the preparation of the annual budget
- Assist in monitoring financial reports and the annual budget on an ongoing basis
- Assist the pastor in assuring that the financial statements are presented to the parish community
- Assist in the implementation of acceptable internal control practices including reviewing and implementing diocesan policies
- Assist the pastor in evaluating the impact on parish finances
Maintain and/or improve existing structures located on parish property, as well as oversee any replacement or building of new structures.
Anyone who has skills associated with the construction or maintenance of buildings, i.e. construction, plumber, electrician, contractor, engineer, and would be interested in being on the committee, please call the office at (805) 995-3243.
Saint Joseph's Parish Round Table in Cayucos is tasked to organize, coordinate, evaluate, unify and support activities within the parish, ensuring the extension of our mission. The council will present all members of the parish with the opportunity to participate in the effort of bringing unity through encouraging, guiding and directing parish life.
The Round Table (Parish Council) and its committees exist to serve our parish community. Our goals are defined:
- To assure through its committees continual and integrated surveys of both spiritual and temporal needs of the individual, the family, the parish and the greater community. After setting priorities, develop and implement programs aimed at meeting these needs.
- To serve as a structure for constructive dialogue so all can work in close cooperation as a Christian community in fulfilling its mission.
- To provide leadership direction, education, resources and encouragement in accordance with the mission, and the constant and continuing goals of the parish, the Diocese and the Roman Catholic Church
- To cooperate with and effectively carry out the guidelines and directions given by the Bishop and the Diocese.
- To plan and implement suitable programs which affect the life of the parish
The Mission and Purpose of the Council and our bylaws and statements of purpose define what we do and why we do it.
Linen Ministry volunteers help maintain the dignity of our worship by laundering and ironing the alter linens, including the purificators and alter cloths. This is a perfect ministry of service for those who cannot attend regular meetings but wish to offer their service for the benefit of the liturgy.
If you are interested, please contact the parish office at (805)995-3243.
The Stewardship Committee seeks to deepen our parish family's commitment and responsibility to the church by increasing individual parishioner's commitments of prayer, time, talent and treasure to Saint Joseph's Church.
Some people want to give and have those gifts used immediately to buy a needed item or service on behalf of the parish. Some people want to give and only have the income used. The first is usually called "memorial giving." This is often called "endowment" giving. Actually, memorial gifts can be directed to either purpose. Saint Joseph's Endowment Fund uses the interest for which the gift was given.
The gift strategy of our parish is to help facilitate a person's desire to give.
Memorial gifts are traditionally given at the time of a person's death. The invitation is often listed in the obituary as "in lieu of flowers." They are a means of saying that a person was important and will be missed. But, memorial gifts do not have to come at a person's death.
Some people also like to make memorial gifts on the anniversary of someone's death or on another date significant in the life of the individual.
Some gifts are given to "honor" someone who is still alive. Each is a celebration of one's life at an anniversary or birthday, or just to say, "Thank you."
Four Elements of a Memorial Fund:
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Appropriate and immediate response to donors and families
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Public and permanent record of the name of the person being remembered
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Adherence to policy on the use of such funds
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Complete annual reports to the parish
