St. Joseph Church...Altar Rosary Society

The St. Joseph Altar Rosary Society is an organization made up of single and married women. The society has been active in the parish for 75 years. It currently has about 100 members. Our Rosarians participate in the prayers and good works of the members of the Society throughout the world, and also share in all the Masses and good works of the Order of St. Dominic with which the Society is affiliated. Members obtain the special protection of the Blessed Virgin, since the Society was established by her inspiration and in her honor. Innumerable special indulgences have been granted to the Holy Rosary. A Plenary Indulgence is granted to members on the day of admission.

Obligations of a Rosarian

Members are expected to work in the Society according to their ability.

· A Rosarian should recite the 20 decades of the Rosary weekly (including the new Mysteries of Light recently announced by Pope John Paul II) meditating on the mysteries.

· All members should attend evening Mass, receive Communion and attend the Society’s regular meeting the fourth Monday of each month.

· The Rosary is to be recited at evening viewing for: deceased members, their mother, father, husband and children.

· All Rosarians, if physically able, should participate in the processions of: St. John, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Assumption, and all other parish devotions pertaining to the Blessed Virgin.

· Members are asked to volunteer for washing the albs of the priests on a weekly basis for one month at a time.

· Members are asked to volunteer to work the kitchen for bingo on Sunday Evenings.

Membership

Induction of new members takes place each October after the evening Mass of the Society’s regular monthly meeting. Members pay dues of $3.00 per year. Letters are mailed in September to advise of the activities for the current year. If a member should become incapacitated at any age, she is considered an honorary member.

Activities

Although the Society’s main focus is a spiritual one, such as the annual Fall Communion breakfast, it also sponsors activities to support the financial needs of the parish. Recent fund raising activities included publication and sale of a holiday cookbook to which members contributed their favorite recipes, and the annual weaving of palms which are sold on Palm Sunday. The society also sponsors an annual “cakeless” cake sale to help pay for the pies used as refreshments at the parish bingo on Sunday evenings. Society members volunteer for kitchen duty at Sunday bingo.

During the month of May, the Society sponsors a Living Rosary to which they invite the Altar Rosary societies from St. Martin and St. Anthony parishes to join them for the Rosary followed by refreshments in the parish hall.

When a member or close relative dies, the Society gathers together at the deceased member’s viewing to recite the Rosary. Rosarians also visit their sick and homebound members during the Christmas season bringing them Poinsettia plants or other small gifts.

Membership - Madge Codone (561-5533)	Welfare - Jennie Presti (561-5277)
Activity - Sandra Marinella (561-6023)	Refreshments - Yolanda Ammirato (561-5061)
Public Relations - Peggy Doyle (561-4759)	Palm Weaving - Carol Effinger (561-6633)
Bingo - Pat Campanella (561-8570)	Telephone Calling - Elberta Steiger (561-1457)