stephen ministry

On Sunday, June 4, 2000, the pastor, Fr. Henry Frascadore commissioned a group of nine parishioners from St. Dominic Church as Stephen Ministers. That date marked the beginning of a new opportunity to have a lay caring ministry in our community. In the years since, others have been called to join in using their gift for caring to serve our parish and community.

Stephen Ministry is an inter-denominational network of care that exists in churches throughout the Southington area and across the country. As Christian care givers, Stephen Ministers come together and complete 50+ hours of initial training and later continue their studies as a group through bi-weekly education meetings for the duration of their service. This enables Stephen Ministers to foster their ability to provide one-to-one, quality Christian care to the bereaved, hospitalized, terminally ill, separated, divorced, unemployed, relocated, and others facing a crisis or life challenge.

Stephen Ministry plays a vital part in our parish's ever increasing reliance on lay ministry. It provides a confidential, free and flexible platform for those who are called to caring ministry to act as the loving hands of Jesus reaching out in compassion to support those among us who are heavily burdened.

People Who Need Care

  • Receive quality, Christ-centered, confidential care for their hurts and needs

  • Find hope, healing, and a new sense of self-worth through the support of a Stephen Minister

  • Know they are remembered and supported by our church in times of personal difficulty

  • Receive ongoing care for continuing needs long after the onset of a crisis, when many others have forgotten about them

  • Grow in a deeper relationship with our Lord as they experience God's unconditional love for them through their Stephen Minister

The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing, and face us with the reality of our powerlessness, that is the friend who cares. - Henri Nouwen

If you need help,
If you know someone who needs to share his or her burdens,
If you think you might be interested in becoming a Stephen Minister  yourself,

Then please contact:

Sue Kienle 747-8389 This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

or Toni Escott at 621-6693.

Other Saint Dominic Resources

Health Care Ministry A ministry provided by working, licensed health care professionals who volunteer their knowledge and time to St. Dominic Parish. The ministry members encourage wellness and optimal health from a whole person perspective - body, mind, and spirit. Although led by nursing professionals, members also represent various branches of therapy. These caring professionals are available by request, to assess, counsel, educate, and connect parishioners to appropriate local health care and programs.

Social Justice Ministry  A ministry designed to identify social issues and human needs, raise awareness of these issues within our parish and to match the talents and skills of parishioners to help meet those needs through service, advocacy, and empowerment.

Click here for a Complete List of St Dominic Programs and Ministries

As a public service to our visitors, the Saint Dominic Stephen Ministry provides the following links to other parish ministries, community programs and resources that are available to the public via the Internet. Caveat: Neither Saint Dominic Church nor any of its affiliated ministries make any claim as to the factual accuracy of content of the links provided here.

Other Resources

Town of Southington | Catholics Coming Home (Around the Globe) | C'mon Back | Father Pat's Place

Once Catholic | Alcoholics Anonymous | Alanon/Alateen | Wheeler Clinic | Others