Volunteering

Voluntas is a Latin word meaning “free will,” and it is from this root that we derive the term “volunteer”—one who freely chooses to serve others.

Two thousand years ago, after Christ’s death, St. Peter, the apostles, and St. Peter’s successors embodied this spirit by continuing to evangelize and engage in missionary work, answering Christ’s call to “Go out and proclaim the good news.” Today, about one billion of the eight billion people are Catholics. Christ said that the harvest is great but the workers are few so he asked for prayers for more workers. St. Peter and St. Paul, the apostles led by example in evangelizing. This inspired others to form religious orders/congregations of priests, brothers, nuns and lay volunteers.

Two facts made mission work more difficult today. In the early 1950s, materialism, individualism (not we, not team effort) and worldliness led to the closure of convents, seminaries, churches. This was compounded by the phenomena of cellphones, tablets, computers, social media, AI, which drew the young away from church involvement.

We can bring about positive change by choosing to volunteer. Here’s how you can actively participate in the life of the Church and your community:

1. Serve in Liturgical Ministries – Join as an altar server, lector, choir member, gift bearer, or collector during Mass.
2. Engage in Parish Activities – Participate with your family in Flores de Mayo, parish fiestas, retreats, novenas, processions, and the Black Rosary.
3. Be Part of Church Organizations – Become a member of the Eucharistic Ministers, Daughters of Mary Immaculate (DMI), Cursillo, Knights of Columbus, and other church groups.

The key to true volunteerism lies in direct participation and active involvement. We lead not by uniforms or mere words, but by example. Our mission is not just to encourage others but to take part in the planting, sowing, and harvesting of faith and service.