Some of the faithful, whether due to advanced age or illness, are bound to their homes and so cannot come to the Mass, receive the Eucharist, or participate in the communal life of the Church. Our Home Bound Visitation team seeks to make sure that these men and women know that they are still part of our family, praying with and for them, and bringing them the Eucharist under the species of the Precious Body when requested.
Our Home Bound Visitation Team is committed to helping the above-mentioned members of our community to feel connected, to feel loved, and most importantly, to stay in communion with the Lord by the reception of Holy Communion. These visits can include time spent in prayer, discussion, or simply visiting with one another. Many of the home bound may feel isolated, ignored, and lonely; our Ministry seeks to breathe love and life back into their days by their presence and the Presence of the Blessed Sacrament.
The Eucharist is Jesus Himself, as we profess as Catholics. So naturally, if we believe this, we still want to receive the Eucharist, even when we cannot attend Mass (this is also why we have things like Eucharistic Adoration outside of the Mass). Also due to the fact that we believe that this is God Himself coming to us, we surround the Eucharist with as much love and devotion as we can during these home visits. A Communion Service is performed by our trained ministers so that those being ministered to can be properly disposed to receive Christ. We want to honor both the dignity of the person in front of us while also reverencing the Most High God.
Many members of our Home Bound Ministry Team are also members of our Grief to Grace Ministry at Saint Hilary. Grief to Grace seeks to help you find the tools for healing at all levels of grief. If you are interested in any literature or simply wish to talk and share about the process, please don't hesitate to ask your Home Bound Minister about Grief to Grace.
If you, a family member, or a friend are in the hospital or at home and cannot get to Mass but would like to receive Communion or talk with a priest, please contact the front office so that we can send a team member to you! Or, you can directly contact the head of our Homebound Ministry: