If you are interested in expanding your knowledge and understanding of the Bible and would enjoy sharing your faith with others, you may be interested in attending one of the parish Bible studies that form throughout the year and have various themes.

The mission of the Parish Religious Education program is to echo the message of Jesus and to share and guide the faith journey of the students.  Our goal is to help our children know, love and follow Christ and His Church.  We offer religious education for students in public schools or home schools in grades K-8.  There is one session of Parish Religious Education: 6:00-7:15 p.m. on Wednesday nights (corresponding to the OPS school year). 

There are many opportunities to volunteer, such as: catechist (teacher), teacher aide, hall monitor, office worker, and parking lot attendants.  For a complete listing of volunteer opportunities, contact the P.R.E. office. Adults may be involved in the program even if they do not have children in the program .(Safe Environment Training required.)

The Little Flowers Girls Club is a Catholic program for girls ages Pre-K and up with the focus of teaching virtues through the lives of the saints, Scripture, and the Catechism of the Catholic Church. This club strives to bring the Catholic faith alive and inspire girls to become authentic Catholic young women.

We meet on the 4th Mondays of the month in the St. James Parish Center from 3:15-4:30 pm Sept.-May. Each month, the girls learn a new saint, virtue, and a Bible verse that goes along with that virtue, and in doing so, earn a patch for their sashes. Activities include prayer, games, crafts, songs, and snacks. Cost is $35 for the year with discounts for volunteers.

Adult helpers are needed to lead/assist at meetings, prepare snacks, and babysit the children of helpers in the nursery. Homeschoolers are welcome! Please contact Jenny Morrison for more information or to register. SET required.

Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Matthew 14:19)

If you have a son or daughter ages 3-5 who is not yet in kindergarten, you are welcome to send them to this program. We will offer this during the 9:30 am Mass on the first, third, and fifth Sundays, September through mid-May, with some breaks for holidays.

Depending on the number of children, we may need both preschool teachers and teacher aides. Volunteers 19 and older are asked to have Safe Environment certification. 

Please call or email if you are interested in helping us.

Teachers and aides, both adults and youth, spend five days in June teaching the Bible to children entering kindergarten through 4th grade, by using fun and interesting activities.  Vacation Bible Fun takes place in St. James/Seton School.    Safe Environment Training required.

Servers are an important part of the celebration of the Mass, preparing the altar and assisting the celebrant during Mass. Boys and girls are eligible for this ministry when they reach the second semester of 5th grade. Servers are assigned to weekday and weekend Masses. They also minister on Holy Days of Obligation, weddings, funerals, prayer services, and at special parish liturgies.

This group is responsible for the environment of the worship space, the narthex and beyond, to reflect the theme of the season or celebration. Talents needed may include flower arranging, working with fabric, design, art and much more.

Lighting a candle in our Adoration Chapel is a way of extending our prayer and showing solidarity with the person on whose behalf the prayer is offered.  This rich and ancient practice probably has its origins in the burning of lights at the tombs of the martyrs in the catacombs.  Candle and book care volunteers are responsible for maintaining and replenishing the candles that surround the Tabernacle in the Adoration Chapel.  They also are asked to straighten up the hymnals and missalettes in the pews.  Volunteers are usually scheduled once a month.  Substitutes are needed and appreciated, too!

Adults are invited to help make the Mass readings relevant to children, ages 6 through 9, in language they can understand.   We are looking for volunteers to lead 6-9 year old children at the 9:30 and 11:30 Sunday Masses.   Leaders will read Mass readings, provide a condensed homily and have children offer up prayer intentions.   We need two adult leaders per Mass.   A current Safe Environment Training Certificate is required.

In addition, we are looking for people to help with CLW during the school year. 8th graders needing service hours are welcome to assist. You do not need safe environment training to volunteer.

One of four Eucharistic Minister Teams take communion to the parish's homebound every Sunday after the 9:30 am Mass.  EMHCs visit two homebound parishioners once every four weeks.   Any Eucharistic Minister can be part of this special ministry.

Immanuel Hospital offers communion to Catholic patients. Two EMHC's from St. James bring communion to the sick on the first Sunday of the month and every Tuesday of the month. Volunteers for this ministry must be mandated EMHC's and will go through a background check and training at the hospital.

This ministry asks baptized Christians who already participate fully as members of the Body of Christ to assist with the distribution of the Body and Blood of Christ during our Eucharistic services. In our life as Christians, we live out this ministry in relationships within our home, work, school, and parish community. We take part in the sacrifice of Christ, and that same Christ is given to us by God as food and drink, as strength and nourishment, so we may carry out the work of Jesus to the world. Archdiocesan training and mandation are available during the year. Parish training follows mandation . To register or for more information, please contact the parish office  

Lectors are immersed in the Word of God by their commitment to regularly read the weekend Scriptures and Gospel in their preparation to "proclaim the Word" both by their lives and at their scheduled liturgies. The Lector Minister is the "herald of the Good News of Christ" proclaiming the Sacred Scriptures at liturgical services. Archdiocesan training is offered in August with mandation in November. Parish training will follow mandation. To register or for more information, please contact the parish office.

This ministry helps people connect with the celebration of the liturgy within their own lives of faith. Music Ministers are called to assist the community by leading the songs of worship at Masses and other liturgical services including weddings and funerals. Ministers must be prepared by rehearsing for their specific Masses and are to be fully prepared to lead the parish community during particular seasons and feasts.

Click Here for Links to Current Music

Teams care for vestments, altar vessels, providing and maintaining purificators, corporals and altar linen, server albs, holy water fonts and the processional candles.  They have overall care of all liturgical articles.

This is open to all, including couples, men, women, and youth.   These ministers direct and assist in seating the community before services.   Duties may also include helping those who are disabled, the elderly, expectant mothers, or mothers with young children, taking up the collection, and giving out the church Good News! bulletin after Masses.   The usher may also be called to attend someone who has become ill or help guide people if an emergency situation arises.

This is a social gathering for all parishioners 55 and older.  Events are held in the Parish Center the third Saturday every other month at 6:30 p.m.--after the 5:00 Mass.   Events consist of dinner, entertainment and socializing.  Watch the Good News! for the “55 and Alive” events.   Everyone is invited!  Dinners are very reasonably priced.  There is always a need for people interested in joining the core planning team.   Planning meetings are held the Monday after an event or on the third Monday of the month. 

This group meets once a month, April through October. You don’t have to read the book. Just come to hear the review. The book club meets on the 4th Monday of the month unless it's a holiday at 7 pm in the Parish Center.  All are welcome!

Bridge couples - This group plays the second Saturday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the SJ Parish Center. 

Bridge ladies -  This group plays on the 3rd Thursday of the month at 12:00 p.m. at St. Elizabeth Ann Parish Center.

Interested in playing party bridge?  Join us one evening a month at SJ Parish Center for a fun evening of cards.   Call Diana for information and details.

Catholic Daughters of the Americas (CDA) has nearly 63,000 members in 1,250 courts in the United States, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, and Mexico. CDA strives to embrace the principle of faith working through love in the promotion of justice, equality, and the advancement of human rights and human dignity for all.

Our Lady of Faith Court #2604, which meets at St. James Catholic Church, is a very active CDA Court. Members represent several parishes in the Omaha area. The Court supports the CDA mission through charitable works within parishes and the Omaha community.

All practicing Catholic women, age 18 or over, are invited to join Catholic Daughters. The Court is open to members of any Catholic parish.

Our Lady of Faith Court meets monthly (January-November) on the third Wednesday of the month. We gather in the St. James Parish Center beginning at 6:30 p.m. If you would like more information or have questions, contact us at cda2604@gmail.com. 

Officers for 2024-2026 are Colleen Haack, Regent; Julie Grosse-Rhode, Vice Regent; Shirley Simons, Recording Secretary; Kitty Heimann, Financial Secretary; and Karen Roth, Treasurer.

Come join us for a meeting and get to know the ladies of Our Lady of Faith CDA Court #2604.

Here are a couple of our favorite service projects: 

Each year, our Court prepares College Care Bags for the students at JPII Newman Center. The bags are filled with all sorts of goodies for the students to enjoy and share while they prepare for exams.

We prepare Welcome Bags for children entering Omaha homeless shelters. The colorful bags contain a fleece blanket, a stuffed animal, a book, and other fun items. 

Cleaning teams keep our beautiful Church  tidy and prepared to celebrate the Holy Mass. Each team works about four times a year on either Friday or Saturday morning.

This is a ministry of hospitality.   A funeral greeter welcomes funeral guests as they enter the church, inviting them to sign the guest registry and being available to answer questions.   Other tasks include straightening up the church pews before and after the funeral, presenting the offertory gifts and ushering.   Anyone wanting to be a welcoming presence for guests at funerals can be a funeral greeter.

 Set up and serve lunch for those attending the funeral. Time committment for this ministry is generally 3-6 times a year for 3-4 hours on the day of the funeral lunch.

Parishioners, men and women, offer comfort, support and fellowship by setting up a luncheon for those attending the funeral.   They prepare the dishes, then serve and clean up afterwards as needed.

The food is provided for the family and friends in the Parish Center.  There is a small fee to the family that covers the luncheon cost for some food items.  Members of the parish are called and asked to bring breads, chips and desserts for these meals.   The caller will ask you 1-2 days in advance for whatever is needed. Bring it to the Parish Center the morning of the funeral.

Thank you to everyone who provides comfort, food and support at our funeral luncheons.   We are going to try something different with our lunches by adding salads.   We will still have sandwiches, potatoes, green beans, basked beans and desserts, and now we are adding salads. 

We kindly ask that when you are asked to bring a salad, please be sure to make enough for 15-20 people (a 4-qt ice cream container or a 9x13 pan would feed 20 people).   If you have to purchase from the store, please remember that you will need more than 1 pint.   If you are asked to bring a dessert, please be sure to make enough for 24 servings (a 9x13 pan can be cut into 24 pieces).   We are happy to do the cutting here at Church if you would rather.

May through September, the meal consists of lunchmeat (turkey and ham), cheese, baked beans, potato salad, chips, relishes and desserts.
October through April, we offer scalloped potatoes and green beans with the lunchmeat, cheese, chips, relishes and desserts.   We also offer coffee, tea, lemonade, and water.
During Lent, if it is a day of abstinence, we have tuna and noodles, spaghetti (Minus meat) or macaroni and cheese, green beans or a salad.
Relishes: green and black olives, sweet and dill pickles (not hamburger-slice pickles), carrots, celery and sliced cucumbers with dip. 

The following is a list of foods we ask parishioners to supply:

• Breads: wheat, rye, and white (can be bought, not homemade)
• Olives: green and black
• Pickles: sweet and dill (not hamburger dill)
• Chips: plain 
• Salad and dressing
• Desserts:  Angel food cake, brownies, Rice Krispies bars, lemon bars, pumpkin bars, cherry bars, etc.   Please note: Cookies do not go over very well.   If you aren't making brownies, please make something that doesn't have chocolate so we have a nice assortment.   A 9x13 pan equals 24 pieces, which we ask individuals to bring if they're bringing dessert. 

Thank You for your commitment to this ministry.   Please be sure to bring the food you commit to bring.     If you cannot provide the dish that you committed to bring, please call so that we don't run short of food!  Having enough food is critical.   Recently we've been short on food because some have not brought the food they committed to bring.  

Just a gentle reminder: Please write your name on the dish that you bring and include a note that it is "for a funeral."   Sometimes there are other functions going on and by putting your name and note on your food we'll know that it is for a funeral and we can check to see that it was provided, which will save us from running to the store.   Also, pick up your dishes/containers afterward.    Also, if your food container is not disposable, please label your container with your name and pick up your container in a timely manner.   Abandoned containers will be donated to St. Vincent de Paul.

Prospective Volunteers.  As stewardship weekend approaches, please prayerfully consider volunteering your time and talent to this ministry.   We need you   We especially need more help from men.  This is a great opportunity to meet other parishioners in our church community.   Check interested on the Service Opportunity form to volunteer.

Parish grounds have been beautified by the hard work of our parishioner gardeners who are responsible for planting and nurturing flower beds by rotating the watering duties one week at a time during the growing season.  Once a month, the entire group gathers to fertilize, plant, trim and work on special projects.  Gardeners also hold an annual Plant Sale in May.   Proceeds go toward purchasing new plantings and garden supplies.

Join us for the SEA/SJ Couples Golf League.  The League is played Saturday evenings at Eagle Run.  All levels of players are welcome.  Please call Pat Arts if you are interested.

Men: Golf on Fridays, late afternoon, at Knolls Golf Course.

Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit, ecumenical Christian ministry founded on the conviction that everyone should have a decent, safe, and affordable place to live. Once a year our parish joins twelve other churches in funding & building a house for a family in need of housing. You can work on the house, prepare food for the crews, purchase a Habitat T-shirt. pray for the family and safety of all those helping with the construction or make a cash or in-kind donation.

Help Our Parish Excel is a SCRIP program wherein gift cards / certificates are purchased by the parish at various discounts from vendors and resold to parishioners at full face value.   This program benefits both the parish and its educational programs and costs parishioners nothing extra. In addition, a certain portion of the profit from a sale can be designated toward school tuition. We are always in need of volunteers to sell H.O.P.E. certificates at the weekend Masses.  Call now to volunteer.

This is a ministry of caring people who, by their presence, extend the healing touch of Jesus to the sick and hurting by listening, praying and bringing the love and comfort of the Christian community to those they visit.

A Hospital Minister is a trained layperson who has developed his or her own unique talents to become a loving, caring, listening minister. The lay minister is warm, sympathetic and, above all, has an awareness of human worth and the dignity of each person at all stages of life.

At St. James, our Hospital Ministry is organized into teams of two ministers each who generally visit during the day at Immanuel, Bergan Mercy, Select Specialty, Children’s and Methodist hospitals.  The time commitment is about two hours—including travel time, once or twice a month. The teams of ministers visit several patients each time.

Who: We are men of St James Parish ages 18–93 united by our Faith to support and promote our Parish and Community

What: Join the St James Knights of Columbus to support your Parish and Community and grow in Faith

How: Contact Phil Burris:402-739-0441 -or- Woody Armentrout:402-571-6241

Parishioners take great pride in the appearance of the parish grounds, which they mow and trim every Saturday morning from April through October. There are four crews and each works once a month.  The parish supplies the equipment.  Our lawn crews always can use more participants.

Many of our parishioners have plumbing, electrical, and mechanical expertise.  We ask them to share these skills to help the parish keep costs down.  Most projects are short-term and can be done at your convenience.

Marriage Matters is a faith based gathering designed to honor, support, and strengthen the covenant of marriage through a variety of different activities.  Whether you’re newly married, have been together for decades, or anywhere in between, this group is a place for you to celebrate your marriage and get to know other couples. 

This yearly entertainment is performed by registered St. James and St. Elizabeth Ann parishioners who are out of high school. You can work backstage, concessions, or onstage as actors, singers, dancers or crew members. Sign-ups for Olio (musical portion) and auditions for the Melodrama take place before Christmas. Rehearsals begin in January and performances are held over two weekends in late February.

You must have been registered in the parish for one year prior to becoming a money counter.   Each week, volunteers count and deposit the offertory collection received at weekend Masses.   The counters constitute the first step in the record-keeping system used by the parish to track donations in order to provide contribution statements for income tax purposes.  Volunteers are assigned to one of four crews.  Each crew then counts once a month.

Each summer in late July, our Parish comes together to celebrate the Feast of St. James with a parish festival. Volunteers can help with food, games, ticket sales, promotion, grounds keeping, food donations, and more. Planning begins in January or February.

Our church’s sanctuary space holds many varieties of plants that add to the living environment of the church.  If you have a green thumb and like working with plants, please call.   Volunteers are needed to help tend to these plants a couple of times a week.  December Helen Boer

This ministry makes rosaries for the missions, for evangelizing locally and overseas. They meet the first Wednesday of every month from 9:30am to 10:30am in the Church Library.

The mission of the Society is to grow as disciples of Jesus by materially and spiritually helping those in need .  Members accomplish this through personal visits.  When a call is received at the Parish Office, two members go to the home to assess needs, offer assistance of food, rent, utilities, guidance and hope to those experiencing difficulties. The St. James Conference of the St. Vincent de Paul Society is affiliated with the Omaha District Council, which is affiliated with the international organization in St. Louis, MO, and the international headquarters in Paris, France.  Meetings are held every other Tuesday.

A special Thank You to our St. James family.  With your help we were able to visit 669 families this past year and help with medical costs, rent, MUD and OPPD bills.   We also helped these families with food that was donated to our food pantry and vouchers (for household items such as dishes, clothing and furniture) that they could use at our SVDP store located at 21st and Leavenworth.   We also take advantage of the HOPE sales and buy certificates for perishable food items that our pantry doesn't have.

Another heartfelt Thank You to everyone who donated a coat for our coat give-a-way held Nov. 4.  We average around 4000 coats given each year.   Last, but not least, we also thank everyone in advance for your help with meals for Thanksgiving and Christmas and angel gifts for Christmas: Catholic Daughters, Knights of Columbus, Community Concerns and all parishioners for your year-round monetary and food donations.

This time of year we could use food donations of canned fruit, pork and beans, pasta sauce and soup.   We could also use jelly to go with the peanut butter that is donated.   We tend to have more families in need of food all year round but especially in the summer and around the holidays.     SVDP, 402-572-0499, Ext. 18.

Pantry Sunday
Our parish Vincentians ask you to remember the hungry by bringing non-perishable food items and placing them in the blue containers in the church’s library for those without enough to eat, both within our parish and in the community.  Donations can be placed in the blue containers found in the church's library.  You can also help support this ministry by using the green and white monthly SVdP envelopes found in your church packets.   We especially need canned foods of pasta sauce, fruit, meat, peanut butter and jelly, canned vegetables and soups.     Thank you for all your donations thus far.   YOU make a difference.

Please do not help strangers with money.   If you are at Church or in the parking lot during regular business hours and someone should approach you asking for help, please send them to the Parish Office.   Parish Staff will call SVdP for them.

Here is an expanded list for more opportunities within the larger St. Vincent de Paul Society, always remembering that charity begins at home!

• Parish Conference:  Contact St. James Parish Office.   SJ is blessed with one of the best conferences in the Archdiocese, but it can always use more help.
  a.  Join the St. Vincent de Paul Group
  b.  Help with Home Visits
  c.  Work with local agencies to find resources for unmet needs in your area
  d.  Solicit donations to be used by your parish group
  e.  Volunteer for the District Council Board of Directors
• Main Food Pantry: Contact Bruce Noble, 402-490-1366
  a.  Receive, sort and shelf donations and deliveries
  b.  Assemble weekly bag distributions
  c.  Clean food pantry area and refrigerators once a week
  d.  Solicit donations of food and personal care items from various sources
• Development: Contact Diane Mead, 402-689-6450
  a.  Help with fundraising activities
  b.  Solicit donations from private donors
  c.  Create new events
  d.  Write newsletter
  e.  Manage web site
• Phone: Contact Anne Severes, 402-689-3301
  a.  Volunteer a couple of hours a week at the main office to clear the voicemail associated with the central HELP line,
  and respond by phone   to those calls.
• Thrift Stores: Contact Louis Wright, 402-320-1318
  a.  Help with sorting donations
  b.  Help with pricing and hanging clothing
  c.  Clean the store area
  d.  Volunteer for Thrift Store Board of Directors
  e.  Help with marketing for the stores
• PRAY!  Contact God

Alanon is for family members and friends of an alcoholic. The group meets at St. James every Thursday at 5:30 p.m. in the Parish Center.

St. James offers a bereavement support group for those in need. 

If you are interested or would like more information, 
please contact the parish office at 402-572-0499, 
and we will connect you with someone to arrange a meeting.

 4/3/25

This group promotes devotion to the Blessed Mother by praying the Rosary and attending weekly meetings on Thursday evenings

St James Parish invites you to CELEBRATE RECOVERY

This Bible-based, Christ-centered group helps hurting adults experiencing addictions of any kind, divorce, abuse, and many other issues.   Meetings are every Monday at 7 pm in the Parish Center.

What is Celebrate Recovery?  Started in 1991, CR is an international network as a Bible/Christ centered recovery ministry for addictions and hurts (i.e. divorce, separation, domestic violence, sexual abuse) to find hope with Jesus Christ through the fellowship of CR.  CR crosses denominational and cultural boundaries to help hurting people in our church and community.

All meetings/lessons are confidential.   There is no charge except we do have a freewill offering and books are available for a nominal fee.   CR will provide a newcomer’s packet for you to keep and review.  Adults age 18+.

CR does not attempt to offer any professional clinical advice. Our leaders are not counselors and CR does not allow its members to attempt to fix one another.  We’re here as a fellowship to hear from others and offer support

Meetings are 1-2 hours as a large group and then small gender specific groups for sharing.   Refreshments will be served.  Then come join us!  You’ll be glad you did.
www.celebraterecovery.com for more details and facts. 

The 8 Principles

Principle 1- Realize I’m not God; I admit that I am powerless to control my tendency to do the wrong thing and that my life is unmanageable. (Step 1)
“Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor.” (Matthew 5:3)

Principle 2- Earnestly believe that God exists, that I matter to Him, and that He has the power to help me recover. (Step 2) “Happy are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” (Matthew 5:4)

Principle 3- Consciously choose to commit all my life and will to Christ’s care and control. (Step 3)
“Happy are the meek.”      (Matthew 5:5)

Principle 4- Openly examine and confess my faults to myself, to God, and to someone I trust.
(Steps 4 and 5) “Happy are the pure in heart.”    (Matthew 5:8)

Principle 5- Voluntarily submit to every change God wants to make in my life and humbly ask Him to remove my character defects. (Steps 6 and 7)
“Happy are those whose greatest desire is to do what God requires.” (Matthew 5:6)

Principle 6- Evaluate all my relationships; offer forgiveness to those who have hurt me and make amends for harm I’ve done to others except when to do so would harm them or others. (Steps 8 and 9)
“Happy are the merciful." "Happy are the peacemakers.”  (Matt 5:7, 5:9)

Principle 7- Reserve a daily time with God for self-examination, Bible reading, and prayer in order to know God and His will for my life and to gain the power to follow His will.  (Steps 10 and 11)

Principle 8- Yield myself to be used to bring this Good News to others, both by my example and by my words. (Step 12) “Happy are those who are persecuted because they do what God requires.”   (Matthew 5:10)

Since Saint John Paul the Great, our popes, bishops, and priests have urged a new springtime in the Church - A New Evangelization.  At Saint James, we are committed to pursuing Christ's will and mission for our parish community. With a foundation of prayer and discernment, the Evangelization Core Team works together in planning, facilitating, and implementing evangelization programs and efforts for both regular Sunday Mass goers as well as those within our community.

This group meets on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of every month at 8pm in the Church Library. They meet to talk about NFP and their fiath lives.

St. James has had Perpetual Adoration since 1973. Parishioners sign up for one hour per week for prayer, meditation, and spiritual reading in front of the Blessed Sacrament in the church's Adoration Chapel. A list of those who are ill, are in the hospital, or who have died is available for intercessory prayer. A Prayer Basket in the chapel contains requests for prayer from parishioners and visitors. In the cabinet just outside of the chapel is a sign-in book, written intentions and reading material. Nighttime adorers are given a code to insure their safety during the night hours.   

Our parish is working toward having around the clock Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. Currently there is Exposition from 6 pm Sunday through 12 midnight Thursday.

Click here for more information

Adults can serve as youth ministers, working with and guiding our parish teens. Work with the James GANG (high school youth group), junior high youth group and other ministries involving teens, on service projects, choirs and other groups.  Youth Ministers encourage teens’ growth as disciples by their presence and by assisting in various capacities at group meetings. (Safe Environment Training required)

Parishioners can call or e-mail prayer requests to the Prayer Chain.   Prayer Chain members are expected to respect the confidentiality of all prayer requests.  Calls are taken from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. at 402-933-6509, or e-mailed to kjmancuso@cox.net any time of the day or evening.  Prayer Chain members are notified of a request via email or a phone tree.

RCIA is a process for an individual not baptized (a Catechumen) who wishes to be baptized, or a person who is baptized (a Candidate) in another faith tradition, or baptized in the Catholic Church who is seeking the sacraments (First Communion and/or Confirmation) in preparation for full communion with the Catholic Church.   Those seeking baptism are required to register for Pre-catechumenate classes January through March.   Candidates need to register by August in order to attend fall RCIA sessions.   Parishioners are welcome to participate by joining the RCIA teaching team or by signing up to be a sponsor for a catechumen or candidate when a sponsor is needed.

That Man is You (TMIY) meets on Saturday mornings at 7am in the Parish Center.  We begin with a light breakfast and coffee (bring your own mug) and fellowship.   A presentation will begin at 7:15 am and is followed at 7:45 am with breakout groups.   Men are invited to join TMIY anytime during the year.  Weekly topics are listed under the Adult Faith Formation page.

This committee monitors and maintains the physical condition and operation of the campus in order to provide a clean, practical, comfortable and safe environment. The committee conducts a tour of the facilities and equipment each spring, develops a priority list for maintenance and makes budget recommendations.

This committee helps raise awareness of social justice issues, seeking ways for parishioners to be involved in promoting and supporting human rights, while protecting the dignity of all people. Activities include parish service projects such as the Lenten Soup Supper, shelter-needs collections, the Truck-a-thon, the Christmas Angel Project, and also for volunteer or monetary support of organizations and agencies that promote social justice.

Meetings are held the second Tuesday of the month in the library.  Guests are always welcome!  

The Finance Council assists the pastor in overseeing the financial stewardship of the parish.  The council aids in the preparation of the annual budget, the creation and communication of periodic financial reports and the protection and oversight of parish property. The Finance Council meets on the third Thursday of each month.  Individuals apply through “Opportunities for Service” each year, and appointments are made by the pastor, based on the individual’s financial expertise and desire to serve.

The Liturgy Committee is an advisory group who has invested their time and talent in the liturgies of our parish, as well as the continuing education of all liturgical ministers. The Liturgy Committee is composed of the representatives from each of the liturgical ministries, the Liturgy Coordinator and the Pastor.

Parish Pastoral Council representatives work in cooperation with the Pastor to put the Parish Mission Statement into action.  This Council is the primary planning and consulting body of the parish.  Responsibilities include assisting the Pastor in the determination of the direction and support of the work of the parish committees, boards and groups, and the approval of the parish financial budget.  Pastoral Council representatives are appointed for a three-year term. Each member also acts as a liaison to other leadership groups and reports on their activities to the Council.  The Council meets monthly.

Current Members:

The St. James for Life Committee is part of the archdiocesan and state Bishop’s Pastoral Plan for Pro-Life Activities.  This committee educates parishioners on pro-life needs and issues and encourages participation in pro-life activities and ministries.  St. James for Life meets monthly except for December.

We participate in the Life Chain in October to peacefully and prayerfully witness to God’s gift of life.  We also sponsor an Advent Baby Shower to benefit crisis pregnancy services.  Parishioners donate baby food, clothing and diapers for infants and children. On the first Sunday of each month, we lead a Rosary for Life at 9:00 a.m.  We also participate in prayer vigils at the Planned Parenthood abortion facility located in our parish boundaries and at the Bellevue abortion facility.  We work to end abortion and celebrate the gift of life at all stages.

St. James ProLife is on Facebook!   Please join the group to stay up to date on all announcements and events going on.   All are welcome.

The committee’s main function is to welcome people and provide an easy atmosphere for gatherings such as Welcome Sunday on the fourth Sunday of the month, and an occasional “cake and coffee” event to welcome a new priest or to say goodbye to a beloved minister.   Each event takes approximately an hour or so of preparation.  The Social Committee also hosts an annual Pancake Breakfast after morning Masses on Commitment Sunday.   This breakfast celebrates the many volunteer ministries that we have at St. James. 

Through the Growing in God's Grace stewardship initiative, this committee poses questions such as: Why and how do we pray?   Why and how much do we give of our talents?   Why and how much do we give of our financial resources?   How we understand these questions and their answers will go a long way toward strengthening our long-term health as a parish, as well as our own personal spiritual growth.   Together, we move away from the notion of giving because there is a need and toward the belief that we have a need to give in order that we may return to God a portion of what He has given to us.   See the teams below for ways to become involved.

• Core Team: Provides overall leadership for the other teams, generates ideas and guides the Growing in God's Grace stewardship initiative.
• Annual Renewal Team: Educates the parish about the "four doors" to God's grace - the doors of worship, spiritual growth, service and treasure - and conducts the parish commitment renewal process.  Oversees the parish's participation in the archbishop's annual appeal.
• Calling Team: Makes two rounds of phone calls a year to fellow parishioners about up-coming key events.
• Children's Team: Generates and executes ideas such as the children's poster parade that engage and educate children about their faith.
• New Parishioner Team: Participates in registration meetings and follow-up for families considering joining the parish, providing a warm welcome, information about the parish's stewardship foundation and ways to become active.
• Parish School Team: Provides a parish-centered connection for parents with children in the five-day school.   Activities include operating the "Buddy" program for St. James families new to the school.
• Prayer Team: Develops and executes spiritually focused activities, such as the Lenten parish mission.

The St. James / St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Total Board of Education is an advisory body operating under the concept of shared leadership in responding to the mission of faith formation.  The board forms a collaborative community that includes parents, pastors, the Director of Religious Education and the school principal.  The board is responsible for consultation and advisement on all education programs, including: school, Parish Religious Education, Adult Education, parish athletics and the Home & School Association.  It agrees to follow the policies and administrative procedures of the Archdiocese of Omaha and the Office of Catholic Schools.

Members selected from St. James and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton parishes are asked to use their talents, gifts and insights for the common good of the community to promote the mission and goals of Catholic education while meeting students’ educational needs. Members are appointed by the pastors for a three-year term.  The board meets on the third Tuesday of the month and alternates its meetings between the two parishes.

The Vocations Committee sponsors “Prayers for Vocations” each Sunday at Mass and through the “31 Club”.   The “31 Club” is a prayer program in which parishioners choose one date of the month when they go to Mass and pray for all priests, sisters, brothers, deacons and lay ministers who have served or are serving St. James Parish, and to pray that future church vocations will be forthcoming from the parish.

Please pray for Seminarians as they prepare for a lifetime of service in the Church.

Members of this committee, a subgroup of the Stewardship Committee, meet and welcome new parishioners at Registration/Orientation meetings and give presentations about St. James Parish.  Registration/Orientation meetings are held once a month and alternate between 10:30 am Sunday (between the Masses) and Thursday evening at 7:30 pm in the Parish Center.   This committee is open to anyone interested in meeting new people and helping make them feel welcome in the parish. 

This program helps families in the Omaha area, and in our parish, who are less fortunate, and struggling financially, or who are unemployed. Names are provided through Catholic Charities, the parish and our grade school. Angel tags colored by SJ/Seton students and prepared by volunteers are placed on Christmas trees in the church narthex in mid-November, with gifts being returned on a designated Sunday in December for delivery to Catholic Charities. This is a great way to give of your time and talent during the holiday seasons.  

This program helps families in the Omaha area, and in our parish, who are less fortunate, and struggling financially, or who are unemployed.  Names are provided through Catholic Charities, the parish and our grade school.  Angel tags colored by SJ/Seton students and prepared by volunteers are placed on Christmas trees in the church narthex  with gifts being returned on a designated Sunday in December for delivery to Catholic Charities. This is a great way to give of your time and talent during the holiday seasons.   Parishioners are also asked to consider monetary donations so that families will also receive gift cards for food during the holidays.   If you would like to provide a monetary donation to support the project, you may do so by placing your donation in an envelope marked " Christmas Angels" in the collection basket.

Client Needs:

Women's clothing: pajamas, all sizes, slippers, shirts/slacks (medium to 3x), maternity, seasonal, panties, (4-15), bras 36a-42DD, socks, shoes

Personal care items: bubble bath, bathroom sets, feminine care products, shampoo/conditioner, perfume, African-American hair products, blow dryers

Gift cards: Target, Wal-mart, Payless Shoes, Walgreens, Gas cards, postage stamps, phone calling cards

Miscellaneous: Day planners, book bags, PG/G movies, fingernail polish/remover, makeup, hair ties, clips, notebooks, journals, pens, stationery sets, candle sets, CD/Radio players, disposable cameras, relaxation tapes or videos

Shelter Needs:

Sheet sets (twin), bath towels, kitchen dish towels, food storage containers, sets of dishes, pans, baking pans, infant clothing and toys, umbrella strollers, baby power/bath/lotion

402-731-0238

They will accept clean clothing (men, women, children and infant), shoes/boots in pairs, jewelry, garden tools, hand tools, bedding, linens, housewares, dishes, pots/pans, small appliances (toasters, lamps, clocks, etc.) clean furniture, portable stereos and tvs, stuffed animals.

They are unable to accept console tvs, hazardous waste, chemical lubricants, plumbing fixtures, scrap building materials, large appliances, used tires, paint, oil, waterbeds, furniture in need of repair, pianos/organs, encyclopedias, children's toys and bicycles, collapsible cribs.

For the Pettigrew Emergency Shelter and Permanent Supportive Housing Apartments: bus tickets, toiletries and personal care items, shower caddies, shower shoes (adults), diapers sizes 4/5/6 and baby wipes, adult hooded sweatshirts, coffee, XL long twin sheets, and gift cards from Walmart, Dollar General, Kohl's, Target, any local grocery stores.

Books: Daily Meditation, recovery devotional bibles, overeaters anonymous big books, cocaine anonymous big books, any self-help books
Laundry: laundry detergent, Clorox, dryer sheets, cleaning supplies, Windex, furniture polish, Lysol disinfectant spray, carpet shampoo
Health and Beauty: deodorant, disposable razors, shaving cream
Office: white copy paper, pens
Kitchen: napkins, paper towels, 13 gallon trash bags, 36 gallon trash bags, aluminum foil, coffee, sugar, toasters, 100-12 cup coffee pots, crock pots, 96-100 cup coffee maker
Other: multi-fold paper towels, laminator, queen size sheets (new and good used), dish towels and cloths, new or clean used pillows, new or clean used blankets.

Parishioners remember families and individuals going hungry by bringing non-perishable food items to church and placing them in the blue containers in the church’s library throughout the year.

1702 Nicholas St., Omaha, 68102
www.sienafrancis.org
Needs: 

Kitchen: silverware, cooking/serving utensils, dinner plates, bowls, coffee cups, sheet pans (commercial size)
Canned fruit, mayonnaise and mustard for sandwiches, individually wrapped cookies, chips or crackers for sack lunches.

Food: Canned fruits and vegetables (#10 cans preferred), frozen meat (professional processed, lunch meats, chips/treats, coffee, coffee creamer, eggs, butter/margarine, peanut butter, jell cheese parmesan cheese milk, pasta/egg noodles, pasta sauce, tomato sauce, tomato paste, pancake mix (large) syrup, ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, salad dressing, tartar sauce, vinegar, cooking oil, spices, salt and pepper packets, sugar, fruit juice, salsa, instant potatoes, rice, flour, large cans of soup, fresh produce in season

Paper Products: toilet paper, feminine hygiene products, tissues, napkins for the dining room, Styrofoam cups 8 oz, zip lock bags all sizes, top fold sandwich bags, paper towels, trash can liners (13 gallon and 45-55 gallon), aluminum foil, plastic wrap, paper plates, brown paper lunch bags, rubber gloves for cleaning (L and XL) plastic gloves for serving in the kitchen

Housekeeping/Linen Closet: Cleaners (Pine-sol, bleach, etc.), soap for hand washing dishes, Windex type products for washing windows and mirrors, liquid disinfectant, oven cleaner, powdered cleaners/cleansers, brooms and dustpans, sink and tub disinfectant cleaner, mops, buckets, squeegees, pillow cases, Pillows, bath towels, wash cloths, sheets (twin/single only)

Toiletries: Bar Soap, deodorant, hair brushes, disposable razors, shampoo, conditioners, shower gel, hand and body lotion, lip balms, toothpaste/toothbrushes, combs, adhesive bandages, antacids, Q-tips, foot powder and spray, Neosporin or other wound ointment, Tylenol, Excedrin, aspirin

Clothing room: Jeans and shorts (all sizes from 12 month to 5x), Underwear, girl's size 2,3,4, Women's size 9, Men's boxers and boxer briefs, 30, 32, 34, Tennis shoes, men's and women's all sizes, work boots, all sizes.

Miscellaneous: MAT bus ticket books, batteries, masking tape, pens, pencils, markers, crayons, spiral notebooks, folders for schoolwork, 3 ring binders, copier paper, maintenance tools, backpacks, duffel bags

Siena/Francis House is also hoping to receive as a donation a handicapped-accessible passenger van, which we would use to transport the hopeless to medical appointments, job interviews, recover meetings, meetings with Veterans Affairs representatives, etc.

The Truck-a-thon is the annual grassroots collection project of canned goods and non-perishable food to help the St. Martin de Porres and St. Vincent de Paul food pantries.   Parishioners of all ages are invited to give food, to sign up to go door-to-door to collect food on their street or on a number of streets in their neighborhood, or to help load and unload the trucks for this yearly food collection.   Watch for notices in the weekly Good News! bulletin.  We also accept HOPE grocery store certificates (preferably small denominations).   Thank you for your continued support and to all who participated in this year's Truck-a-Thon.   A special thank you to those who help load and unload the truck!