Altar Society

The St. Teresa Altar Society is a service ministry whose primary objectives are to cherish and promote devotion to the Most Blessed Sacrament and to provide and maintain the provisions needed for the altar and sanctuary. Their work includes caring for and replacing altar linens, maintaining a supply of wine and bread for Holy Mass, providing altar candles and maintaining vigil candles, preparing and arranging flowers and seasonal decorations in the Church, and caring for altar server cassocks and surplices. In addition, the Altar Society offers prayer for our parish priests, seminarians, and religious.

Altar Society members also devote time and effort to preparing and serving food for funeral luncheons, cleaning and maintaining the parish kitchen, and assisting the pastor in building up our parish family through spiritual and financial support.

The service of the Altar Society regularly extends to spiritual retreats for women in the parish, service at the Good Council Retreat House, supporting the Lincoln Diocesan Council of Catholic Women, preparing and serving food for the Bishop’s Sisters' Appreciation Dinner, participating in the Parish Bazaar, supplying coffee and rolls to engage the parish community, sponsoring the Advent Giving Wreath program to assist the needy, preparing and selling pies and dessert at Knights of Columbus Lenten Fish Fries, partially subsidized spiritual retreats, and assisting priests with the deanery dinner and the Bishop's Confirmation luncheon.

All women of the parish 18 years and older are automatic members of the Altar Society. Officers are elected for a two year term in May.

Altar Society dues are $10 per year for active members ($30 for inactive) and are used to help pay for:

·      Altar bread and wine

·      Altar cloths, linens, and candles

·      Altar boy cassocks and surplices

·      Flowers and church decor

·      Funeral luncheons

·      Partial expense of the weekend retreat for all parish women

·      Monthly Mass stipends for all parish women

·      Coffee and rolls five times a year for building community

·      Kitchen supplies and paper goods

·      Donation to the Confirmation and First Holy Communion receptions

·      Annual contributions to the Bishop's special project

·      Welcome and farewell receptions for our parish priests

·      First Mass receptions for newly-ordained priests

·      Dues for the Lincoln Diocesan Council of Catholic Women  

·      Charitable donations to the needy