Many of the laity came forward to serve liturgical functions and do so well and efficiently. For many years, dedicated married couples have participated in the preparation of those preparing to be married by offering them insights into marital life through the in-home Pre-Cana program. Lectors read at Mass and Eucharistic Ministers not only help with the service of Communion at Mass, they are also invaluable to bring the Eucharist to the homebound. The parish priests took over the chaplaincy of Deep Dale Hospital and were aided by the Eucharistic ministers. Even today, the priests of the parish celebrate Mass each Thursday at Little Neck Nursing Home, and Eucharistic Ministers help distribute the Eucharist on these occasions and also on Sundays. A generous group of volunteers count the collection each week, and prepare it for bank deposit. Young people, both girls and boys, serve at the altar and enhance the celebrations of the Liturgies, and a folk group enhances the Eucharistic celebrations by leading song at the 5:30 Mass on Saturday evenings. The Sunday liturgies have been skillfully led in song by Mrs. Delahunt as organist and Mr. Brian Donohue as cantor. The parish sponsors an active scouting program and Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) that, through the active support of adults, serve the social and sporting ambitions of the children who belong. These and the now defunct societies, or replacements for them, will be more necessary in the future.

It should be noted that each parish is a corporation and the diocesan structure is called “corporation aggregate”. That means that while each parish is a separate legal entity, all are united in the diocesan structure. The bishop and vicar general are president and vice-president respectively of each parish corporation, the pastor is secretary-treasurer, and there are two lay trustees. To trace trustee membership all the way back would be cumbersome, so let me name the lay trustees since 1983, during my administration: Judge Robert Groh, Mr. John Blaha, Mr. James Flaherty, Sr., and now Mr. Ivan Starcic and Mr. Donald Harris. The trustees with a compliment of eight other parishioners who are lawyers, accountants, banker, businesspersons and educators are members of the finance-advisory committee. They are a valuable asset to advising the pastor and reviewing the workings of the parish.