By Lori Paul | Social Ministry and Community Outreach Manager
Those who are sick or homebound are often forgotten or avoided. Despite their illness or limitation, these individuals still have much to offer to those who take the time to visit and comfort them. As we enter the Share Jesus years, Catholic Charities continues to expand its Corporal Works of Mercy by offering education to parish care ministers.
Care ministry has always been a part of parish life, however, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the ministry shifted to in-home support and was paused. In 2023, Catholic Charities brought parish leaders together to discuss what care ministry could look like in a post-pandemic world. Participants discussed the need for a broader view of “caring” and set a goal of establishing consistent educational webinars for care ministers.
In 2025, Catholic Charities provided four quarterly webinars on topics requested by care ministers.
The first quarter focused on end-of-life planning and featured a new pastoral letter from the Catholic Bishops of Wisconsin titled “Now and at the Hour of Our Death.” The pastoral letter fosters conversations and addresses questions about end-of-life decision-making grounded in the Catholic Church’s teaching.
The second quarter coincided with the NFL Draft and addressed the increased risk of human trafficking in the diocese. Awaken, a human trafficking prevention agency, trained care ministers to recognize signs of someone being trafficked, respond appropriately if someone seeks help from the Church, and connect individuals with readily available resources.
The third quarter focused on the role of caregivers and preventing burnout. Maureen Pratt, author of “Peace in the Storm,” discussed ways caregivers can build faith, understand Catholic tradition, and strengthen prayer and spirituality.
The year ended with a presentation by Carol Masuga of Divine Mercy for the Dying. She explained how this apostolate prepares Catholics for eternal life through the administration of the sacraments and offers heartfelt prayers for all those in the final hours of their earthly lives. This ministry trains individuals to pray at the bedsides of those who are actively dying. Not only does it provide comfort, but it has also served as an instrument of evangelization to the family and friends of the dying.
Looking ahead, Tara DeGrave, associate director of Catholic Charities, will host a webinar on Thursday, February 26, from 12 to 1:00 P.M., focused on accessing community resources for the homebound.
Caring for the sick and homebound also involves the spiritual works of mercy. Care ministers may counsel the doubtful, instruct those unfamiliar with God’s love, or comfort the sorrowful. Indeed, prayer is truly the greatest way to help.
To learn more about care ministry, please contact Lori Paul at lpaul@gbdioc.org or 920-272-8318.