Pastoral Care
Pastoral care at Holy Apostles encompasses a range of support services aimed at nurturing the spiritual, emotional, and physical well-being of the faith community. Here are some key aspects:
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Spiritual Guidance: Our pastor, deacons, and lay ministers offer counsel, hear confessions, and provide spiritual direction to individuals seeking to deepen their faith or navigate life's challenges.
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Sacraments: The administration of sacraments, such as Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation, and Anointing of the Sick, plays a crucial role in pastoral care, fostering a sense of belonging and spiritual nourishment.
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Community Support: We offer a grief support group, prayer network ministry, prayer shawl ministry, respect life ministry, meal train ministry, etc., to help those in need. We also provide events such as Companions for Care, which gives our members the opportunity to learn more about what services are available for caretaking or as we age and My Final Wishes, which provides services for end-of-life decisions and honoring final wishes.
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Hospital and Home Visits: Pastoral care includes visiting the sick, elderly, and homebound to provide companionship, prayer, and the sacraments when possible.
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Overall, pastoral care at Holy Apostles is about building a compassionate, faith community that fosters spiritual growth and support for all its members.
NEW-Meal Train Ministry
Would you be interested in making meals for members of our faith community when the opportunity arises? We occasionally receive requests for meals when one of our members becomes ill or is taking care of someone who is ill and cannot make meals for their family. Sign Up Genius will be created for a Meal Train schedule, along with pertinent information such as food allergies, dislike of certain foods, home address and phone number. Meals can be provided in disposable containers -- preferably bio-degradable containers as part of our Care for Creation.
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Please prayerfully consider being a disciple of Jesus by helping those in need. We are also looking for a leader for this new ministry at Holy Apostles. If you are interested in joining this ministry, please contact Jan Fredrickson, Mission Coordinator - Pastoral Care, 262-754-0158 or jfredrickson@hanb.org.
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Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” “Seven,” they replied, “and a few fish.” He ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, gave thanks, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds. They all ate and were satisfied. They picked up the fragments left over—seven baskets full. Those who ate were four thousand men, not counting women and children. - Matthew 15:34-38
NEW-Care & Support Ministry
The Care & Support Ministry provides confidential listening and support to members of our faith community who are isolated, facing a time of crisis, trauma, or personal loss.
Elizabeth Ministry
This ministry provides Christian support for the joys, challenges and sorrows of the childbearing years. Our mission is to cherish children, encourage families and build community. This ministry reaches out to families of new infants.
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Funeral Planning
Celebration of Life of a Loved One
As people of faith, we have come to understand from the moment of conception to natural death, human life is sacred, for God created us out of love and in His own image and likeness. We experience joy at the arrive of a new life because we recognize life as a gift from God. However, when it comes to death, we experience pain and sadness due to the separation from our loved ones. Our Catholic faith can help us understand death not as a separation but as a transition to newness of life in God. The Holy Apostles community is here to help you during the funeral planning process and even after the funeral through Grief Support Ministry, setting up Memorials, Sanctuary Lamp dedication, and Mass intentions.
Funeral Planning Process
1) Contact the Pastoral Care Coordinator, Jan Fredrickson, at (262) 754-0158 to begin the process of celebrating the life of your loved one. Jan will assist you in determining the date and time of the funeral, provide you a funeral planning sheet, and guide you through the entire process.
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2) Meet with the priest/presider of the funeral. In this meeting, you will discuss the liturgy in detail. You may also share with the priest/presider any stories, memories, or additional information about your deceased loved one.
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3) Speak with members of the Resurrection Ministry before the funeral if you need further assistance in preparing for the Funeral.
Grief Support
This is an opportunity to share your story of grief in a safe and supportive environment. Let us walk as companions with each other. Meetings are held on the second Monday each month from 6:30-8:30pm in the Holy Apostles Welcome Center. If you have questions, please contact Ruthann Castelaz at (414) 405-4564 or Michelle Ray at (414) 333-0330.
Prayer Network
"God is our refuge and our strength, an ever-present help in distress." Psalm 46:1
Holy Apostles Prayer Network would love to pray for you and your intentions. Send your prayer requests online through the contact form here.
Prayer Shawl Ministry
The mission of the Prayer Shawl Ministry is to engage the power of prayer through the communion of parishioners who volunteer to produce a gift that is both tangible and spiritual to bring ongoing comfort and support to an individual in need. Volunteers can contribute to our ministry by knitting or crocheting a variety of items: prayer shawls, winter neck scarves and hats for outreach organizations, and infant hats and mini angels for newly baptized in our parish.
To support the Prayer Shawl Ministry, donations of 4 ply acrylic yarn (any color) and monetary donations to purchase yarn for our members are always welcome. To learn more, contact Jan Fredrickson at jfredrickson@hanb.org or (262) 754-0158.
Respect Life Ministry
Holy Apostles Respect Life Ministry upholds the sanctity of life from conception to natural death. The Respect Life Committee meets monthly to pray and plan pro-life activities for the parish community. To learn more about the Respect Life Ministry, click here.
Resurrection Ministry
The primary function of the Resurrection Ministry is to provide the family and friends of the faithful departed a welcoming and comforting atmosphere for a funeral service.
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The Parish Office informs the members of an upcoming funeral and asks for two volunteers. The members are not scheduled to serve but the ministry asks that each member be active and volunteer on a regular basis.
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In working with the funeral director and Pastoral Care coordinator, the ministry members perform the following chores:
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· Welcome family members and assist with their needs
· Make and serve coffee
· Serve ice water
· Set up video equipment if family provides a flash drive
· If needed, provide tables, and easels for pictures and flowers
· After Mass, place glasses and coffee cups in the dishwasher and run the dishwasher if it’s full
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We prayerfully hope you will consider being part of our ministry to serve and support the families of the faithful departed at a time of their need.
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If you have any questions about the ministry or wish to volunteer, contact Rich Stopczynski, Resurrection Ministry Leader, at
414-704-6645 or Jan Fredrickson, Pastoral Care Coordinator, at
262-754-0158 or jfredrickson@hanb.org.
Spiritual Direction
If you are seeking spiritual guidance, there are several trained Catholic spiritual directors in our area who are available to pray with you, challenge you, and help you see how God is calling you and loving you every day.
To learn more about spiritual direction, click here or contact Mary Wisniewski, trained spiritual director and parishioner of Holy Apostles.
Visitation Ministry
The Visitation Ministry seeks to comfort the sick and homebound and offering Holy Communion to those who are unable make it to Sunday Mass. To learn more about the Visitation Ministry, contact Jan Fredrickson at jfredrickson@hanb.org or (262) 754-0158.
Prayer List for Our Parishioners
Please pray for the following members of our faith community:
Heather Hafferkamp, Bill Sommers, Eric Steininger,
Dennis Machnik, Nancy Machnik, Susan Machnik,
Denise Szewczykowski, Robert Pichler, Harper Dillett,
George Zahorik, Sam Wollenhaupt, Carleen & Ed Ericksen,
Alice Torres, Diane Hart, Joe D’Amico, Caleb Trewyn,
Kathy Emanuele, Gary Sneider
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Our faith community would like to pray for healing for those who are ill, going through surgery, terminally ill, grieving, aging, receiving therapy, or struggling, etc. If you would like to have your name or loved one’s name appear in this section, we will include the name for eight weeks. Prayer is powerful! Remember that we must have the person’s permission before adding his/her name to this list. If they need prayers beyond eight weeks, you may write their name(s) in the Prayer Request Book in the Narthex (main entrance of church) or send a prayer request using our website, www.hanb.org/pray.
If you need to add a new name to this Prayer List, please call Jan Fredrickson, Mission Coordinator: Pastoral Care at 262-754-0158 or email jfredrickson@hanb.org.
Additional Resources
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St. Camillus Community - A faith-based home health agency in Wauwatosa that provides independent living, assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing, and short-term rehabilitation. This community offers Daily Mass and weekly Ecumenical Services in their Chapels. Learn more here.
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St. Colletta of Wisconsin - Provider of support services for adults with developmental disabilities and other challenges, established by the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi. Learn more here.
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Waukesha County Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) - The ADRC provides information, assistance, counseling and supportive services for older adults age 60 and above; caregivers; adults with physical or developmental disabilities; and adults with mental health or substance use concerns. Learn more here.
For any questions about Pastoral Care ministries and resources, contact Jan Fredrickson at jfredrickson@hanb.org or (262) 754-0158.