The Parish Council and the Parish Finance Council meet as a group under the title of Pastoral Council. These groups are mandated by the Diocese of Fall River and remain an essential body of consultation and recommendation to the pastor. This group meets four times a year, from September to June. 
 

FINANCE COUNCIL MEMBERSHIP

Mike Donly            Donald Hoffa        Bill Malchodi         John Michaels          Daniel Cunha   

• Altar Servers:  altar serving at Saint Anthony’s is a ministry for both youth and adults in our parish.
  • Youth Servers range from third graders through high school seniors and serve at the weekend Masses. We'd love to have you join us. Contact Fr. Steve at 508-548-0108 or stanthony31@comcast.net if you have a son or daughter who might be interested in serving. A brief training session will prepare them for this ministry.  The latest schedule for servers for weekend Masses is found under the Schedules to the right. 
  • Adult Servers assist at daily Mass and another group at funerals. Bev Murphy coordinates the Daily Mass group and those who serve funerals are contacted by the parish secretary as needed.  If interested in participating in this ministry, please contact the parish office. 
• Extraordinary MInisters of Holy Communion:  Eucharistic ministers assist in the distribution of Holy Communion. They are divided into two groups: those who assist at daily Mass and at our weekend Masses, and those who minister to the sick in health care facilities and at home. Connie Kiss, our parish secretary, coordinates the ministry to the homebound, and Bev Murphy schedules the ministry for Masses. The latest schedule may be found under the Schedules to the right. If you are interested in serving in this ministry, please contact the parish office.  
• Lectors:  Readers proclaim God's Word at both our daily and weekend Masses. Scheduling is done by Cindy LaRuffa. The latest schedule may be found under the Schedules to the right.  If you are intersted in serving in this ministry, please contact the parish office. 
• Greeters:This ministry puts a face on the welcoming spirit here at St. Anthony's, greeting parishioners and other guests at the doors of the church for our weekend Masses.  All ages welcome... as long as you bring a smile.  Contact the parish office if interested.
• Music Ministries:  St. Anthony's Parish offers a variety of opportunities to participate in the musical aspect of our worship.
  • Parish Choir:  Our newly formed adult choir sings during the Christmas and Holy Week/Easter seasons.  Contact Kathleen Kaneley, the director of music, if you would like to join. 
  • Children's Choir:  This choir is open to all students in 1st grade and up. Practices are scheduled on Monday afternoons from 5:15pm- 5:55pm. The choir will sing at monthly masses and on holidays such as Christmas. Any student who is interested in joining our choir may show up at any rehearsal and speak with Mr. Korey Charles or Mrs. Kathleen Kanaley.
  • Contemporary Music Choir:  This group is open to anyone who is high school aged or older. Practices will be held an hour before we have our bi-monthly Contemporary Mass at the 11am Mass (see Confirmation schedule for these dates). Anyone who is interested in being a part of this group may show up at any rehearsal and speak with Mrs. Kathleen Kanaley. 

• RCIA:  The RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) is for adults who have never been baptized, or have been baptized in another Christian church, or baptized Catholic but never received First Eucharist or Confirmation.  Prepartion begins in the fall with celebration of the Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil. Jonathan Galo coordinates the team involved in this process. For further information, contact the parish office or faith formation office. Generally the process begins in the fall in preparation for the Easter sacraments. 
• Youth Faith Formation:  We are blessed to have so many adults willing to share their faith with our parish youth. Our religious education program offers catechetical and spiritual formation for grades 1 through 9. The ministry of Faith Formation is another title for the ministry of religious education or CCD. For information about assisting in our programs as a catechists for Grades 1-7 or a mentor for the Confirmation program, or an office volunteer, click on Faith Formation. Our director of Youth Faith Formation is Jonathan Galo.
• St. Vincent dePaul:  "Serving our neighbors in need."  We have a very active society in our parish. Members meeting held in St. Anthony church hall basement every second Monday of the month at 6:30 pm. The president is Doug DeCosta. If interested, call 508-548-1944. For those in need of financial assistance please call 508-548-1944 and leave a message. A representative will call you to set up a home visit or an appointment.
• Funeral Planning:  The Funeral Liturgy Planning Ministry meets with family members in order to lend support to families who have lost loved ones and to assist them in the preparation of the Funeral Liturgy.  After arrangements are made with the funeral home, a member of this ministry will contact the family. If you would like more information, please contact the parish office. 
• Altar Guild:  Those in this newly formed ministry are responsbile for the weekly upkeep of the altar and sanctuary area of the church. These dedicated women give great witness to the sanctity of our sacred space. Contact the parish office if you would like to help. 
• Food Pantry:  For decades, the parishioners of Saint Anthony’s have responded to the Gospel mandate to “feed the hungry” with their active participation in “Around the Table” and our own food pantry. Each week, our parish bulletin lists the items that we need for our pantry, which serves several needy families each week. In addition, the pantry provides “Holiday Baskets” at Thanksgiving and Christmas. The coordinators for our Food Pantry are Bill and Carolyn Malchodi. If you are in need of food assistance, you may drop by the parish offices during regular hours. 
• Bethany Visitation:  In this ministry, parishioners visit, on a regular basis, fellow parishioners who would appreciate someone to call on them, sharing with them some time and presence in the name of Christ. If you enjoy spending time with others, or you, or someone you know, might enjoy a visit from someone, please contact the parish office.  
• Parish Nurse:  Each Sunday our parish nurses are in the basement of the church to assist parishioners with answers to their questions, take their blood pressure, and address other health-related items. On Wednesday mornings at 8:30, this ministry offers an exercise class in the church basement. For more information, contact Carolyn Malchodi and Maria Bairos.
• Prayer Shawl:  This group provides beautifully knitted and crocheted shawls to distribute to the sick and greiving at home and in health facilties. They also provide handmade baptismal blankets for our newly baptised members as well as "pocket prayer shawls" located at the back of the church.  The group meets on the first Tuesday of each month (from September to June) in the Rectory at 10:00 a.m. The contact person is Carolyn Malchodi.
• Council of Catholic Women:  The Saint Anthony’s Council of Catholic Women is a group of women in the parish who gather on a monthly basis for spiritual and social programs.  The CCW meets on the first Monday of each month (September through June) in the church basement. Contact Mary Lou Palumbo, president at mlpcommunications@gmail.com
• Couple's Club:  Started in the early seventies, the Saint Anthony’s Couples Club was established to promote “friendship through religion.” It began with only six couples, and has grown tremendously since that time. The Couples Club meets on the first Sunday of each month in the basement of the church. The presidents are Reinhold and MaryEllen Alwardt. 
• T.O.P.S.:  TOPS (Take off Pounds Sensibly) is a nonprofit, noncommercial affordable weight loss support organization with more than 10,000 associate chapters in the United States and Canada. We offer friendship and fun, incentive and recognition programs for a low membership fee of $32.00 per year. Local chapter dues are $2.00.  We meet every Tuesday in the church basement.  Weigh-in 5:30-7pm, meeting 7-8pm.  Join us for a meeting free of charege. You are under no obligation to join. www.eastfalmouthtops.org
• Scouts:  Several scouting groups are sponsored by Saint Anthony’s Parish. For information, please contact the following:                                         
  • Boy Scout Troop #42     
    Scoutmaster: 
    Committee Chair:    
  • Cub Scouts Pack #41     
    Cubmaster: 
    Committee Chair: 
  • Girl Scouts of Falmouth
    Service Unit Coordinator: 
    Service Unit Organizer: 
• Seasons of Hope: Seasons of Hope serves those who are struggling to find the consolation of Christ after the death of a loved one. Its innovative approach to group faith-sharing is rooted in scripture and Catholic traditions. It offers new and ongoing participants four nonsequential seasons that meet for six weeks apiece. Some participants find one season is all it takes to start healing. Many look forward to attending all four. Seasons of Hope is offered in the fall, winter, and spring for folks from Saints Anthony, Patrick, and Elizabeth Ann Seton parishes. The bereaved from other local churches are welcome too. Enrollment is done the month prior to a season. Group size is limited. Sign up in advance is required to reserve a seat.
  For a brochure, further details, or to sign up, call Donna 508-477-1401.