Parish Groups & Organizations

Youth Organizations

Boy Scouts
A parish sponsored organization for boys 12-18 which helps them, through work and play, to become better citizens.  Weekend camping trips Sept. – June (one per month), week-long camping in July, community service including Adopt-a-Highway, Scouting for Food, Meals on Wheels, Operation Christmas Child, twice a year grounds clean-up at St. Athanasius and Keating Fire Company.

Cub Scouts
Boys from 6 to 11 years old learn skills and hobbies and how to be healthy and strong.  We teach boys positive Christian values in an alcohol, drug and tobacco-free environment.  We camp, fish, hike, do handicrafts, field trips, etc.

Adult Organizations

Catholic Men's Fellowship
The Catholic Men's Fellowship's mission is to help men renew their minds and transform their hearts and lives for Christ. Two groups meet for prayer, study and fellowship at Haber Hall on the campus of St. Sebastian Church. Meetings:

• Every other Thursday evening from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.
• Every Saturday morning from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m.

Christian Mothers
A spiritual and social group open to all women.  Our meetings are socials with various types of programs.  We have monthly meetings with speakers and/or programs to help us spiritually, intellectually and to socialize.  We contribute to our Pastor's projects for the parish and other charitable organizations like

• St. Vincent DePaul
• St. Joseph's House of Hospitality
• Community and non-profit organizations
• Annual communion breakfast
• Covered dish dinners
• Day of Recollection
• Praying the Rosary at the funeral home for deceased members
• Attendance at funeral Mass
• Sending cards to sick members
• Helping at the parish festival and other parish organizations
• Praying for families and each other.

Confraternity of Christian Mothers
Christian Mothers learn to unite their own hearts to Christ so that they can help to draw their families closer to the Lord. In that way they become the leaven which makes their own parish and community more alive with the presence of the risen Lord.  Mary, the “Mother of Sorrows, as mother to all of Christ’s followers is the patronage of the organization. All women over the age of 18, single or married, with or without children, are invited to join and share their gifts and talents to serve the church, school, and community. The group attends Mass together on the first Sunday of the month and participates in group prayer after communion. Coordinator: Georgiann Schaefer

Knights of Columbus Council #13959
Open to Catholic men, eighteen and over, committed to the exemplification of charity, unity, fraternity, patriotism, and defense of the priesthood. The Order is consecrated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Order is unequivocal in its loyalty to the Pope, the Vicar of Christ on earth. It is firmly committed to the protection of human life, from conception to natural death, and to the preservation and defense of the family. The Order serves the parish and community wherever needed.
Visit the Council’s website at KOFC13959.org.

Knights of Columbus Council #14696
Founded in 1882, the Knights of Columbus is an organization of practicing Catholic men 18 years of age and older. We come together from different walks and stages of life in sharing a desire to become better husbands, fathers, sons, and neighbors. Committed to our Order's core principles of charity, unity, fraternity, and patriotism, we exist to support the Catholic Church and faithfully serve our parish and our community. For more information, please visit KOFC14696.org.

Ladies of Charity
The Ladies of Charity visit shut-ins in nursing homes, make calls to shut-ins, help families that may be in need of rides to church or to doctors, make meals for people returning home from the hospital, and visit the bereaved at funeral homes.  We have an anointing Mass for the sick twice a year.  We sponsor the giving tree for parish members in need and also help with other community projects.

Needle Threaders
The Needle Threaders make comfort quilts for members of our community to let them feel the love, support, and encouragement from the parish during difficult times.  They also make many items for the church, homeless, nursing homes, hospitals, charity in addition to sewing for special projects.

Oaxaca Mission Group
(Please note: the annual Harvest Brunch scheduled for Sunday, October 10 has been cancelled due to the ongoing pandemic.)
The Oaxaca Mission Group provides financial and spiritual support to the Anna Seethaler Hospital in Oaxaca, Mexico. Through various annual fundraising events, the group raises much needed funds that benefit the operation of the hospital and the care of its patients. The hospital, located in the third poorest state in Mexico, serves about 1800 patients a month, many of which are so poor they are unable to pay for their treatment. Click here to learn more about the mission of the clinic or to make a donation. Coordinator: Janet D. Lindner

Respect Life Program
The Respect Life Program creates and sustains respect for human life at every stage of its existence and in every situation from conception until natural death.  They sponsor the bus trip to Washington DC in January for the March for Life.  They hold an annual flower sale with the proceeds donated to organizations that offer supportive services to homeless women, children, and pregnant women.  They focus on such issues as abortion, war, the death penalty, euthanasia, elder abuse, poverty and racism.

St. Vincent de Paul Society
This organization works closely with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Pittsburgh. The Society of St Vincent de Paul was founded in Paris, France on April 23, 1833 by a group of laymen headed by Frederick Ozanam, who named St. Vincent de Paul as the patron of the group.  The Society is a lay organization inspired by the Gospels.  The Society leads women and men to spiritual growth through person-to-person service to those in need.  St. Vincent witnessed God's love by embracing all works of charity and justice.

Temporalities Ministry
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish's Temporalities Ministr is composed of a group of dedicated parishioners who have proven expertise and hands-on professional skills in construction, maintenance, property management, risk management, and/or other related business fields. Members of this ministry are called upon on an as-needed basis to support our parish with their skills.

Legion Of Mary
The Legion of Mary is an international organization founded in Dublin, Ireland by Frank Duff in 1921 as a Roman Catholic Marian Lay Apostolate.  The members of the Legion are primarily engaged in serving our Clergy, parishioners, and neighbors through the performance of the Spiritual Works of Mercy. Members can be active or auxiliary (praying). The Legion of Mary is divided up into smaller groups. The Parish group is known as a praesidium. The praesidium at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish is Mary, Ark of the New Covenant. Some of the works being performed by this praesidium are:

• Visiting the elderly and sick in their homes, personal care facilities, nursing homes, and hospitals.
• Providing the Pilgrim Virgin Statue Home Visitation Program to parishioners.  The statue can stay with the parishioners for at least two weeks. Family and friends are encouraged to pray the Rosary daily to develop a closer relationship with Jesus.
• Providing a Book Barrow near the entrance of the church to share evangelization materials with parishioners on a variety of topics in the Church.
• Facilitating, collaborating, co-hosting, and co-sponsoring Spiritual Development Events.
• Leading Rosary Prayers in Church and at other facilities.

The Pilgrim Virgin Statue
The Pilgrim Virgin Statue is a blessed 28-inch tall replica of our Lady of Fatima. It is a traveling sacramental offered by the Legion of Mary of our parish for installation in your home to create a prayerful, sanctifying space where family and friends to pray the Rosary, and meditate on the mysteries.

By request, the Legion of Mary members will transport the statue and pray welcoming prayers with you. The statue may remain in your home for at least two weeks.  At the end of the visitation, Legion of Mary members will retrieve the statue and pray farewell prayers with you. 

All parishioners of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish are welcome to request the statue. Individuals from all corners of our parish have experienced our Blessed Mother’s generous care while praying the Rosary.  Please contact our  “Mary Ark of the New Covenant Praesidium” c/o Araceli Victoria at 570-234-5775 or Jane Sestric at 412-841-3923 to welcome our Mother Mary into your home.

More information:
Download a flyer (PDF).

If you are interested in discovering more, please email us at:
mary.ark.of.the.new.covenant@gmail.com

Or call:
Jane Sestric 412-841-3923
Araceli Victoria 570-234-5775 

To discover more about the Legion of Mary in the Pittsburgh area, please visit: 
https://pittsburghregia.com