St. Mary’s in Oxford involves entire parish in Year of Eucharist project

Fr. Ken Schuckman looks on as Kathy Sutton, left, hands Mary Lou Schau a Year of the Eucharist scrapbook at St. Mary Church in Oxford. (Courtesy photo)

Myra Jacobs sat next to Travis Pearson during a Year of the Eucharist meeting last month at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Wichita.

Jacobs, a representative of St. Mary Parish in Oxford, one of the smallest parishes in the diocese, next to Pearson, a representative of St. Francis of Assisi Parish, one of the largest parishes in the diocese.

“I knew Travis was thinking he could have a Eucharistic procession and a 40 Hours Devotion – and this and that,” she said. “I was thinking, what can we do? What is our niche?”

She thought: How about a scrapbook?

“So I talked to a few people and asked them what they thought of it. Would they be able to help with the design in the scrapbook, determine what needs to go on the inside, help with mailings, and that kind of thing,” Jacobs said.

In no time she had five parishioners volunteer to help. Forty empty scrapbooks were prepared and distributed to St. Mary’s parishioners and a few regular Mass attendees from nearby Wellington and Winfield. The out-of-town visitors join them, Jacobs said, because it’s easier to hear the celebrant in the small church or because of the time of the Mass.

The 24-page scrapbook is labeled “St. Mary’s Parishioners and Friends” and is designed to catechize parishioners about the Eucharist while strengthening the bonds among the St. Mary’s parishioners who make up the Body of Christ.

The first scrapbook insert was a reproduction of the announcement of the Year of the Eucharist that appeared in the Catholic Advance, Jacobs said. The committee plans to distribute a couple of items monthly so that the scrapbook will be filled by Dec. 31, 2022.

“I’ve already taken a picture of the tabernacle with its white cloth,” she said, adding that additional photos showing the green, purple, and red color changes would help explain the seasons of the church year.”

More scrapbook items such as holy cards and prayer prompts are planned that will be linked to the 40 Hours planned at the parish at the end of the Year of the Eucharist, Jacobs said.

Fr. Kenneth Schuckman is pastor of St. Mary Parish in Oxford and Holy Name in Winfield.