Service Commission Ministries

Care Pantry (607)
(Adult, HS): Disperse food, lend a compassionate ear, and participate in projects throughout the year to assist the families registered in our program.  Click on the ministry name to learn more about ways to participate.
Staff Contact: Mike Ryder

Habitat for Humanity (613)
(Adult, HS): Travel to Mississippi to spend one week working side by side with families who have been selected for new homes under the Habitat for Humanity program. There is a nominal cost for volunteer housing, transportation, and food. These mission trips occur in June.
Staff Contact: Mike Ryder

Haiti Twinning (614)
(Adult, HS): Committee meets as needed to discuss opportunities to develop closer relationships with the people of Ste. Marie-Madeleine Parish and the town of Duchity to help them achieve their goals and objectives. We grow spiritually from our relationship and we strive to engage our parish in that growth. Smaller teams within the committee work in various areas as follows: Click the ministry name to learn more about all the ways to participate.
Staff Contact: Mike Ryder

Haiti Twinning Community of Interest (615)
(Adult, HS): Many people are involved in other ministries and/or have family/job responsibilities that preclude active participation in Haiti Twinning at this time. This is for those people who would like to be kept current with Ste. Marie-Madeleine activities. Emails will be sent providing the latest news from Ste. Marie-Madeleine and the Twinning Committee meeting notes. Please provide your email address.
Staff Contact: Mike Ryder

Jobs Ministry (617)
(Adult, HS): This ministry helps job seekers find employment through networking and various workshops. Click the ministry name to learn more about ways to participate in this ministry. Attention Job Seekers: In order to join our St Thomas Jobs Ministry and receive job leads and meeting notices, you are required to attend one of our meetings at St Thomas the Apostle Church and register your information. We will send you an invitation by email to join our Yahoo Groups. Follow the instructions and submit the information to become a group member. Membership will provide you with informative mails from the Jobs Ministry. Thank you very much for your interest. We hope to see you soon!
Staff Contact: Rev. Mr. Jim (Mary Jo) Breen

Lakota Nation Relationships (Adults, HS) (619)
St. Thomas has begun a relationship with the people of St. Agnes Parish in Manderson, South Dakota on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Committee meets as needed to plan trips to the reservation, to foster relationship building with the people of St. Agnes and the surrounding area, and to bring awareness to the St. Thomas Community of the situation of the people "on the rez".
Staff Contact: Mike Ryder

PADS Aurora Soup Kitchen (621)
(Adult, HS): Help set up and serve a lunch 9:30 am - 1:00 pm (Monday and Friday, three specific weeks, to be announced during the year). It is not necessary to help each of the three weeks, but please be generally able to do Mondays and Fridays.
Staff Contact: Mike Ryder

PADS Hesed House in Aurora (622)
Adult; HS; JH with a parent): Public Action to Deliver Shelter is a program that parishioners are involved with once a month at Hesed House in Aurora. On the first Thursday of each month, parishioners bring food to Hesed House to help feed the homeless dinner, breakfast, and a bagged lunch. Adult volunteers are needed at the shelter for the following three shifts: 5-11pm, 11pm-3am, 3-7am.
Staff Contact: Mike Ryder

PADS in Naperville (623)
(Community United Methodist Church) (Adult, HS, JH with a parent): The first Sunday of each month (Oct-May), parishioners are asked to provide dinner, greet/monitor guests, pack lunches, clean up, and serve breakfast for the homeless guests in the area who are sheltered at this site. There are several volunteers needed on each shift. Both middle school youth (accompanied by a parent) and high school youth are welcome to serve during the dinner shift. With the exception of the morning team, St. Thomas will be forming several teams of volunteers so that most volunteers only need to serve a couple of times during the year. Volunteers are needed for several shifts and responsibilities. Click the link for the full list.
Staff Contact: Mike Ryder

Prison Ministry - DuPage County Jail (625)
Participate in women’s or men’s communion services or Bible study at the DuPage County Jail. Commitment is once a month.
Staff Contact: Rev. Mr. Chuck (Sue) Lane

Prison Ministry - Illinois Youth Center Ministry (626)
Participate in projects at Warrenville Youth Center, such as weekly communion services, monthly birthday parties, and weekly group visitation.*
Protecting God's Children Required | Staff Contact: Rev. Mr. Chuck (Sue) Lane

Quito Barrio Outreach (Adults, HS) (627)
Fr. Don Kenny, former St. Thomas Pastor, has founded a missionary effort in teh poor barrios of Quito, Ecuador. This ministry is a consortium of people from St. Thomas and other communities that work to support Fr. Don's mission. It includes a soup kitchen, day care center, adult education, and a health clinic. Mission trips to Quito are organized.
Staff Contact: Mike Ryder

St. Vincent de Paul Society (628)
Inspired by Gospel values, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, a Catholic lay organization, leads women and men to join together to grow spiritually by offering person-to-person service to those who are needy and suffering in the tradition of its founder, Blessed Frédéric Ozanam, and patron, St. Vincent de Paul. Opportunities exist for home visitors, benefactors and helpers during the semi-annual clothing drives. Click the ministry name to read more about these opportunities.
Staff Contact: Mike Ryder

Transitional Housing (630)
(Adult, HS): (For 2 families who are facing homelesness)
Protecting God's Children Required | Staff Contact: Mike Ryder

Social Justice Communities (632)
Our Social Justice Communities strive to address social issues in light of our Catholic Social Teaching. Our efforts strive for systemic change in our society, as opposed to direct outreach assistance. The activities undertaken include prayer, awareness, education, and action. There are six Social Justice ministries (following this section). If you would like to address a Social Justice issue you feel is not being addressed, please sign up in this category. The OSJ Office will contact you for further discussions. Being Catholic requires faith and action. Our Catholic Social Teaching highlights key themes at theheart of our Catholic social tradition. • Life and dignity of the human person • Family, community and participation • Rights and responsibilities • Option for the Poor and Vulnerable • The dignity of work and the rights of workers • Solidarity • Care for God’s creation
Staff Contact: Mike Ryder

DuPage United (636)
(Adults, HS) DuPage United is a broad-based, non-partisan, civil organization with sufficient relational power to take collective action for social and economic changes to benefit the people of DuPage County. www.dupageunited.org It is made up of primarily faith-based institutions. We believe that the community of DuPage is best served when all it’s people have a part in the decisions that affect their well-being. We are currently involved in issues related to Naperville affordable housing, Job Creation, College of DuPage accountability, and the Forest Commission accountability. Other issues will arise.
Staff Contact: Mike Ryder

JustMatters (638)
(Adult, HS): Learn about the remarkable justice tradition of the Catholic Church. JustMatters presents 6-8 week introductory modules on many current social justice topics.  Available modules can be found at JustFaith.org/programs/JustMatters.html. JustMatters allows a group of 8-15 people to give sustained attention to a specific area of social concern or social ministry. All who sign up will be invited to a meeting to determine which module will be studied and to set session dates.
Staff Contact: Mike Ryder

Immigration Initiative (640)
(Adults, HS): Raise awareness and provide education and action opportunities regarding the issues of migration and immigration. Promote advocacy for legislation that is in keeping with the principles put forth by the US Catholic Bishops "Justice for Immigrants" campaign. Encourage a spirit of welcome and solidarity with immigrant families and individuals based on the core values of Catholic Social Teaching.
Staff Contact: Mike Ryder

St. Thomas Pax Christi (641)
(Adult, HS): (Adults, HS): Is peace your concern?  This ministry shares, brainstorms, and works to implement educational and awareness-raising events at St. Thomas.  Rooted in the teachings of Jesus, we want to witness to our convictions, with the hope of creating a less violent and more inclusive world. 
Staff Contact: Mike Ryder

Pro-Life (643)
(Adult, HS): Work to inform the community on the issues of abortion and other sanctity of life matters. Provide education to the parish and to our High School youth via speakers, movies, and discussion. Also organize support for women in crisis pregnancies. Meet four times in the year to coordinate activities in the areas of prayer, education, legislation, and service.
Staff Contact: Mike Ryder

Pro-Life Community of Interest (644)
(Adult, HS): Receive information, via email, of pro-life activities, legislation, and issues. For those who cannot actively participate in pro-life activities.
Staff Contact: Mike Ryder

St. Nicholas Relationship (646)
The focus is on expanding the relationship between St. Thomas the Apostle and St. Nicholas, a predominately Mexican parish in Aurora. This relationship provides liturgical, social, and cultural interaction as well as service-related opportunities. Interested parishioners meet on an occasional basis with representatives from St. Nicholas to develop relationships and plan activities.
Staff Contact: Mike Ryder