Pastoral Care at Saint Olaf focuses on visiting parishioners who have become sick or have had an accident in the short term or due to age or illness in the long term are no longer able to come, worship, and pray with their Church community on a regular basis.
Pastoral Care Ministers bring the church community to them through supportive and practical ways such as visits, bringing communion, as well as supplying news of events and parish literature.
Pastoral care derives it name and nature from the meaning of shepherd and suggests the work of the shepherd with the flock. That is why Canon Law speaks of Pastoral Care as a necessary service for parish life.
Because of the Right to Privacy laws, Saint Olaf is not notified of parishioners who are hospitalized, homebound, or have entered a health care facility. We must hear from the parishioner, family member, or friend if they would like to be visited by a member of the pastoral care team. Please call 612-332-7471.
New Pastoral Care Ministers Needed
Saint Olaf must continue to be prepared to meet and serve the growing pastoral care needs of our parish community. Additional volunteer pastoral ministers are always needed and welcome. To qualify for this ministry, those interested must attend a series of training evenings. In addition, a candidate must be: dependable, understand and support confidentiality, reliable in keeping appointments, a good listener, accepting of others, respectful of persons and their dignity, comfortable praying with others, compassionate and caring. With respect to risk management, a background check is required for this position. Pastoral ministers report on their responsibilities and supervision on a monthly basis at our pastoral care meetings.
If you are interested in becoming a pastoral minister, contact the parish office at 612-332-7471.