Pastoral Care

(Current funeral arrangements and family information)

Pastoral care is simply our way as a parish of trying to respond to people in need as Jesus did as a Good Shepherd. Members of the parish community are called in baptism to serve one another and the wider community. Christ said that if we visited the sick, ministered to those in prison or helped the “anawim” (the little ones), that we did it to him. Thus we encourage people to always call us if there is any way that we can together assist those in need.

Ministry to the Sick

Emergencies:
Always call the office 660-582-3833 to reach a priest in an emergency; leave a message but then keep trying to reach us if needed.

Hospital calls:
St. Francis Hospital; Sr. Mary Hettich
Our local Catholic Hospital in Maryville is Saint Francis Hospital. It is located on the south side of Maryville on Main Street. Sister Mary Hettich, SSSF, is the minister to all the sick. Father Martin visits the hospital throughout the week and offers the Sacrament of the Sick to patients. Sister Mary Hettich, SSSF is a sister of the School Sisters of Saint Francis with her motherhouse in Milwaukee. Learn more about her order at http://www.sssf.org/

To learn more about the Franciscan Sisters of Mary who run the hospital, click on http://www.fsmonline.org/

History of Saint Francis Hospital
The local hospital was first only a home on the campus of the old St. Mary’s parish (now St. Gregory’s). Later the Hospital was built at the corner of First St and Davis. Then a new hospital was built at the current location on South Main in 1970.

The Franciscan Sisters that built a motherhouse east of Maryville in 1948 called Mount Alverno ran the hospital. The old motherhouse and Catholic High School at Mount Alverno sat empty for many years until the state bought it and opened the Maryville Treatment center in 1997 as a prison for inmates with addictions who come to the center for treatment.

In 1877, the Sisters opened their first hospital, St. Mary's Infirmary, just southwest of today's downtown St. Louis. In 1894, five former Sisters of St. Mary, led by Sister Mary Augustine Giesen, organized themselves as a separate religious congregation, named the Sisters of St. Francis of Maryville, Missouri. They gave special attention to health care in rural areas and established the first hospital in the Oklahoma Territory in 1898. In 1987, the Sisters of St. Mary and the Sisters of St. Francis reunited and refounded to form one religious congregation: the Franciscan Sisters of St. Mary.

St. Francis Hospital & Health Services,

2016 South Main Street, Maryville, MO 64468

(660) 562-2600

Michael A. Baumgartner, President

Tobin Golf Benefit: Each year the hospital hosts a golf tournament usually in late May at Mozingo Golf Course in Maryville that raises funds for St. Francis Hospital. For many years, Bill and Vince Tobin have led the benefit through their many contacts and work in professional NFL sports. Both brothers were born in the old hospital. Bill’s son, Duke Tobin, now also helps the committee. For more information call the hospital at (660) 562-2600.

Heartland East Hospital, St. Joseph, MO (816) 271-6000
Many of our parish are also sent to Heartland East Hospital; various priests will visit the sick there.

Nursing Homes:

Masses at Nursing Homes:
The parish has Eucharistic Ministers who visit the nursing homes on a regular basis and the parish offers Mass monthly at homes where there are several Catholics.

Nursing Homes:
Beverly Health Care of Maryville, 524 N Laura, Maryville, MO,

660-582-7447
Nodaway Nursing Home, 22371 Highway 46, Maryville, MO,

660-562-2876
Parkdale Manor, 814 W. South Ave. Maryville, MO, 660-582-8161
Village Care, 810 E Edwards, Maryville, MO, 660-562-3515
Bristol Manor, 323 E. Summit Dr. Maryville, MO, 660-582-4131

Communion Visits:
Eucharistic Ministers visit the homes of shut-ins or sick on a regular basis. Call the parish to place a person on the sick list for a visit.

First Friday Home Visits:
Normally the priests or Eucharistic Ministers visit all of the sick in their homes each month on First Friday. Call the office to place someone on the list.

Return to Top

Death and Dying:

Always call the office when someone has a serious or terminal illness. It is important that someone from the pastoral team visit with the person about death and dying and assist them if possible to prepare for death. Dying can be a very confusing and fearful time but it can also become a very blessed time, a time of sharing, a time of giving thanks, a time of healing and a time of appreciating each moment of life. Staff will be glad to help with funeral preparations and details and assisting the family in other ways.

The priest will celebrate the Sacrament of the Sick with the person but also someone will be assigned to give the sacrament of Viaticum to the dying person. Copies of the prayers for the dying are also available.

If Hospice is working with the family, please communicate that to the priest by calling the office.

Hospice:
Hospice is a wonderful program of assisting a dying person and their family in many ways. Several parishioners volunteer with Hospice to visit and assist those who are dying.

The local contact for Hospice is: SSM Home Care of NW Missouri, 1912 South Main Street, Maryville, MO 64468 (660) 562-7904, Deb Herring, Branch Manager.

Return to Top

Funerals:       (Current funeral arrangements and family information)

Wakes and Funerals, Graveside:
The parish staff will work with any family in preparing for a funeral. Call the office before the death if possible. The priest will be glad to meet with the family and make the various plans for the wake and funeral Mass. Our parish also offers to prepare a printed program with the order of service and list of family members if contacted soon enough.

Often we will host the Wake service here at the Church with visitation before and after the prayer service. Our team often provides refreshments during the visitation time in the hall. Usually the body is then left in the chapel in preparation for the funeral Mass.

We use 3 key symbols of baptism at the beginning of the funeral service: the sprinkling of baptismal water, the lighting of the baptismal or Christ Candle and the covering of the body with the baptismal robe or pall.

When funerals are held out of town, we will gladly arrange for a graveside service here in Maryville when needed.

When there is the death of a baby at birth or even a miscarriage, please call us for prayer and assistance to the degree needed.

Funeral Dinners:
Our parish will provide a funeral dinner through the guild group; contact the office for details.

Planning Your Funeral Now:
We encourage every family to think about and plan ahead for their own funeral. We suggest that families should have a will and talk about their financial plans and know where important papers are kept.

We also provide a booklet called “Now and At the Hour of My Death” that is an excellent planning book for all aspects of preparing for death and a funeral. It is a workbook that you can jointly fill out as you discuss things like where you would be buried, what liturgical aspects of your funeral you would like and what financial and legal steps you have taken and where your important papers are located. Call us if you would like to talk more about planning for death and your funeral.

An interesting look at the Trappist view of death is available at http://www.trappistcaskets.com/

Aftercare:
Please let the parish know how we can be of help after the funeral is over; everyone grieves in their own way but sometimes we can help with prayer, sharing, and opportunities for service and working with others.

Yearly Remembrances of the Dead:
Each year on Memorial Day and All Souls Day on Nov 2nd, we offer special prayer services at the cemetery to remember our loved ones.

Before All Souls Day, we invite people to list the names of deceased friends and family in preparation for our services over those days.

Weekly Prayers for the Dead:
You are always welcome to ask the priest to remember family or friends who die. Call the office or let us know before Masses on the weekend and we will place their names in the prayers of the faithful.

Widows Dinner and Prayer:
Around the feast of All Souls Day on Nov 2nd each year we invite all of the widows and widowers of the parish to join us for a prayer service and meal remembering their loved ones.

Return to Top

Prison Ministry:

Our prison ministry team conducts weekly Communion Services on Wednesday evening at 6:30 p.m. at the Maryville Treatment Center located in the old Mount Alverno convent buildings. Mass is celebrated monthly with the inmates. Sunday Scriptures are shared with the inmates. Seminars are conducted quarterly, and we help facilitate. RCIA classes are provided for those inmates wishing to join our Catholic faith. Father administers the Sacraments. For more information contact Ellouise Decker at 660-582-5779.

County Jail, Other visits:
Always call the office if a friend or family member is in jail or needs our support and concern.

Psychological help, Addictions:
If members of your family or a friend need help with a mental illness or addiction, be certain that they get professional help. If they are in treatment and we can assist them during that treatment, please call us.

Support Groups:
There are many support groups or 12 step groups that can be a great help during difficult times for a person or their family. Please call us if we can help you contact a support group such as AA, AlAnon, groups for divorce, widows, eating disorders, single parents, etc.

Psychological Counseling:
Catholic Charities office in St. Joseph provides counseling opportunities in Maryville through the Ministry Center on Main Street. You may call to make an appointment at 888-629-2886.

Families in Need:
Maryville Ministry Center, 971 S. Main, Maryville, MO 582-6649 Open 1-4PM Monday, Wednesday, Friday

The Maryville Ministerial Fellowship sponsors a Ministry Center on Main Street to assist families in need. Clothing and food are available on a regular basis throughout the week.

Clothing Room
Food Pantry
Catholic Charities Counseling Service

Saint Gregory’s sets aside every first Sunday weekend to invite families to bring food gifts for the food pantry to Mass that weekend. We especially encourage people to bring canned fruit or fruit juices (not cold) for the pantry to Mass on that First Sunday. You may also call to volunteer to help sort clothing or food at the Ministry Center by calling them at 660-582-6649.

Return to Top