Service Ministries
ELDERLY AND HOMEBOUND
With the help of parish volunteers, this program reaches out to the unique needs, concerns and hopes of this important segment of our parish. The scope of this ministry includes Ogden House, Wilton Meadows, The Greens, Brookdale Place of Wilton, Meadow Ridge in Redding, as well as our homebound parishioners. If you or someone you know has needs, and we are able to help, please contact the Parish Office at 203 762-3928. We are always in need of new volunteers in this most worthwhile and valuable ministry.
FUNERAL HOSPITALITY
Our Lady of Fatima’s Hospitality Committee is available to assist you in the planning and preparation of a luncheon or reception in our Parish
Center following your loved one’s funeral. For more information or to volunteer please contact Jeannie Rubsam at:
therubsam5@sbcglobal.net.
GROWING FOR GOOD
The Growing for Good charitable garden was established in 2016 on the field at the back corner of the church parking lot. Animated by the generosity prayer of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, the purpose of the garden is to grow fresh, organic produce for distribution to local area food pantries, residential shelters, and private families in need of food assistance. Now in its fifth year, the garden has distributed approximately 4,000 pounds of produce, including leafy greens, several varieties of peppers, tomatoes, squashes, cucumbers, eggplant, green beans, and specialty items such as okra and herbs. A blueberry garden annex was planted in 2020 to increase variety. Over the past two years one of the primary beneficiaries of the garden has been Malta House, for which we grow giant butternut squash which is turned into baby food to assist the resident mothers and babies. In addition, Growing for Good volunteers invite the OLF middle school science classes, and the elementary youth group, to a hands-on learning day at the garden each year. Community participation through the annual Grange fair is another part of the garden’s outreach.
A group of volunteers works together prepping, harvesting, and maintaining the crops throughout the growing season. The work is casual, friendly, and fun. Family participation is welcomed, for parents and children to work together. If you are interested in learning more, you may contact Kathy Rooney at
203-762-8053 or
toons90@icloud.com.
Lord, teach me to be generous; teach me to serve you as you deserve, to give and not to count the cost, to fight and not to heed the wounds, to toil and not to seek for rest, To labor and not to seek reward, except that of knowing that I do your will.
SOUP KITCHEN/FOOD PANTRY MINISTRY
Recipient Organizations
Open Doors
The Open Doors, in Norwalk, provides overnight shelter, a Soup Kitchen, Food Pantry, Community Closet, Financial Opportunity Center and many other support services and resources for those in need.
The Open Doors Soup Kitchen serves almost 400 hot meals a day to individuals and families in the community. It is located within the Open Door Shelter at 4 Merritt Street in South Norwalk.
The Open Doors Food Pantry provides critical assistance by providing supplemental groceries to over 200 families a month. The Food Pantry, as well as their Community Closet, Financial Opportunity Center and additional programs, are located within the Smilow Center at 55 Chestnut Street, Norwalk. The Food Pantry receives and distributes food between 9:30 AM and Noon, Monday through Friday.
Person to Person
Person to Person also offers food, housing, and other assistance programs for those in need. Their Norwalk facility operates a Food Pantry Program on weekdays from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM, as well as from 9 AM to Noon two Saturdays a month. Person to Person, Norwalk is located at 76 South Main Street, Norwalk.
Our Lady of Fatima parishioners help by providing support in the following ways:
- OLF Parishioners donate food to be prepared and served at the Open Doors Soup Kitchen on the 1st or 3rd Tuesdays of each month. Each donor is assigned a specific food item(s), which they provide on a monthly basis for the preparation of that day’s hot meal. The donations are collected at the Parish Center in time for a Tuesday 10 AM pick-up. Some items may be dropped off in the days just prior.
- On weekday mornings, as well as two Saturday mornings a month, parishioners deliver rescued food from the Village Market and/or Wilton Stop and Shop to the food pantries at Open Doors and/or Person to Person, Norwalk. Driver participation levels vary from a weekly to a monthly basis. Substitute drivers are vital to the success of the program.
- Every October, in recognition of Make a Difference Day, OLF parishioners host a food drive outside of the Wilton Stop and Shop to help stock the shelves at the Open Doors Food Pantry.
- Occasionally there is a special non-perishables food drive held at the Parish Center. If you or your group is interested in hosting a drive, please contact the Parish office.
- OLF Parishioners may contact Erin McDonough directly at emcdonough@OpenDoorsCT.org for information regarding additional volunteer opportunities at the Open Doors.
For more information, or if you would like to participate in this rewarding ministry, please contact Sharon Steinberg at
mcsharon100@optonline.net.
OUR LADY'S ASSOCIATION
We welcome all women of the parish to demonstrate their devotion to our Blessed Mother through prayerful and enriching activities as well as through social gatherings. Our activities include retreats, trips, lunches and brunches as well as gathering for Mass and saying the Rosary at Our Lady of Fatima.
See the bulletin for our meeting dates and events. We don't meet during the summer. Please contact Joyce Ploder at
rploder@plodercm.com or Anne Novitsky at
yiayia907@icloud.com.
SPIRITUAL BREAK GROUP
This group meets in the Parish Center once a month on the 4th Tuesday from 10:30 - 11:45am for prayer, reflection and discussion on how to incorporate God in our daily lives as the gospels teach us. All are welcome to join us for one month or every month September through May.
Join us in sharing your faith with others spiritually and socially. Contact Kathleen Kalamarides at 203-834-0222.
SEPARATED/DIVORCED GROUP
This group meets in the Office Conference Room at 7 pm, as the need arises, on various dates, (see the parish bulletin for actual dates) with our pastor Father Reginald Norman. Come and learn about the healing process, how we are welcomed in the Catholic Church, the Annulment process and a variety of related topics. This group is open to anyone interested or in need of love and understanding of what you are going through.
See the latest on the Pope's news about streamlining annulments at:
Contact Fr. Reggie at pastor@olfwilton.org.
BEREAVEMENT MINISTRY
After the death of a parishioner, a sympathy note is sent to the family offering private counseling or the option of speaking to someone from the bereavement ministry team. Each November a Mass is offered for those who have been buried from OLF in the previous year, and family and friends are invited to this event, followed by a breakfast reception. And when the need is apparent, a bereavement support group is formed, meeting for four evening sessions in the spring or fall. Please contact Fr. Reggie at
pastor@olfwilton.org for more information.
RESPECT LIFE
The parish Respect Life Ministry fosters respect and legal protection for every human life from the moment of fertilization until natural death. The ministry educates parishioners about current pro-life issues including abortion, euthanasia, stem cell research, cloning, assisted suicide, death penalty, and end of life medical issues. Please contact Kathleen Dineen, 203 762-7674 for more information.
