Jubilee of Hope for Liturgical Ministers gathers parish lay leaders, volunteers and staff for day of renewal, hope, fellowship
DETROIT — More than 200 liturgical ministers from all corners of the Archdiocese of Detroit gathered Aug. 20 at Sacred Heart Major Seminary for a day of renewal, formation and ultimately, hope.
The daylong Jubilee of Hope for Liturgical Ministers, hosted by the Archdiocese of Detroit's Department of Evangelization and Missionary Discipleship, was an opportunity for parish liturgical leaders — both volunteers and parish staff — to gather in the spirit of the 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope, said Michael Chamberland, the department's director.
Those attending the event included parish leaders and volunteers in OCIA, sacred music, lectors, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion and others involved in parish liturgical life.
Participants began the day with Mass celebrated by Detroit Archbishop Edward J. Weisenburger and Archbishop-emeritus Allen H. Vigneron, who gave the homily, followed by a keynote also delivered by Archbishop Vigneron and several breakout educational sessions.
Chamberland said the hope is that liturgical ministers find hope and encouragement to continue sharing Christ through their work.
“It is so easy for us, especially when it comes to these deep, mysterious sacred things like the liturgy and the Mass, when we are around it so often, that we can lose a sense of the mystery and the sacredness and how important it all really is," Chamberland told Detroit Catholic. "It becomes so normal because we do it so regularly every day.”
Chamberland, who formerly served as coordinator of faith enrichment at Divine Child Parish in Dearborn, hopes participants walked away from the conference with a renewed sense of purpose in their work, whether serving at the altar or in the sacristy, ushering or lectoring. There is beauty in these small acts of service, Chamberland said, echoing Archbishop Vigneron's remarks.
“When we celebrate the Mass beautifully and simply and to the best of our abilities — whether it be the priest down to an usher — we’re allowing our parishioners and people attending that Mass to connect to the future glory of heaven,” Chamberland said. “There is a simplicity in just keeping it about our Lord.”
Kathy Fech, sacred worship coordinator for the Archdiocese of Detroit, said while the event was celebrated within the context of the Jubilee Year of Hope, there is a benefit to regularly gathering with others doing the work of ministry.
“In our work with parishes, there can be a fair amount of frustration, confusion and misinformation, and we thought, ‘How could we bring liturgical ministers together and provide an experience that supports them, fills them with joy, gives them a little bit of formation and lets them know that they are part of a much larger ministry?'” Fech said.
“Everyone who attended left with such a feeling of optimism — there was a lot of joy and hope in the seminary. There was a shared sense of communion and community that we are not the only ones doing this ministry.”
