Justice & Outreach

Bereavement Ministry

The time following a loved one’s death is often difficult for family and friends. The Bereavement Ministry is a vital ministry at Christ Our Light which provides compassionate care for those in need.

Bereavement Ministry/funeral preparation

This is a huge ministry just by volume. We typically have about 100+ funerals at Christ Our Light each year. Maybe half of them are parishioners or are related to parishioners. We get a lot of calls from funeral homes asking for us to have a funeral for someone who was Catholic and did not have a home parish. All are welcome, alive or deceased. Trained bereavement ministers meet with family members to plan the funeral for their deceased loved one.

Cards that are sent out throughout the year for those who have lost a loved one

We send out cards on the first anniversary of loss. We include a CareNote on the first anniversary of your loss. We also send out a card prior to Christmas for those who lost a loved one since last Christmas along with a CareNote about getting through the holidays when you’ve lost a loved one. The bereavement ministers sign the card for the families they ministered to.

November 2 Mass of Remembrance

This is a lovely memorial, and the friends and family members who come really appreciate it. Bereavement volunteers also help with this Mass. A letter goes out to all those who lost a loved one since the last November 2 Mass. Bereavement ministers follow up with a phone call to all the families they ministered to the previous year.

Care Notes

We have a Care Notes rack. We try to include ones for mental health, spiritual life, ones for teens, family issues and issues of loss.

Remembrance for those who have lost a child

Oct. 15 is the international day for those who have lost a child. Our tradition has been to put out a tablecloth and people can put the name or other remembrance of a child or grandchild they have lost. We don’t make any distinction if the child died pre-birth, after birth, as a child or even an adult child of someone. Losing a child is losing a child. This cloth is put on the altar for the month of November as we remember All Souls.

Some other aspects of bereavement ministry include helping people find an appropriate grief support group if they are looking for one. This may include making them aware of TLA (To Live Again), a support group specifically for widows and widowers or helping them find a support group from another loss through GriefShare (griefshare.org) or through services provided by one of our local hospices. This may also include a referral to one of our Stephen ministers.

If anyone is interested in learning more about this ministry, please contact Julie DeMareo in the parish office. Training is done online with a session that lasts two hours. Trainees then shadow experienced bereavement ministers until they feel comfortable in that role. A special thank you to our present bereavement ministers:

Sandwich Making Ministry

Groups and individuals make sandwiches for Cathedral Kitchen, Joseph's House, the Cathedral Lunch program, and St. Bart’s. This is generally scheduled for the third Sunday of each month in the parish center from 8:00 am – 10:30 am. You are invited to bring a king-sized loaf of bread, a pound of turkey or beef bologna and a half pound of American cheese. There are announcements at Mass and in the church bulletin. Parishioners are welcome to make sandwiches at home and drop them off on the third Sunday of each month between 8:00 am - 10:30 am in the parish center.

Cherry Hill Food Pantry

We support this area food pantry with two monetary collections during the year and with volunteers several times a year.

Normally, the Cherry Hill Food Pantry only serves those with a Cherry Hill zip code; however, if you are a parishioner and outside Cherry Hill, you can still receive food by obtaining a letter from Julie DeMareo at the parish office (856-667-2440 x. 327). All requests are confidential.

Cathedral Kitchen

If you're interested in volunteering to serve meals at Cathedral Kitchen, please visit their Volunteer Hub to register.

Thursday mornings, parishioners take donations of sandwiches and snacks to the Cathedral Kitchen. These items can be dropped at Maureen Pagano’s house, 66 Ivy Lane, Cherry Hill.  If you have any questions, please contact Maureen Pagano.

Ministers of Communion to the Homebound

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion serve the community by assisting in the distribution of communion to the homebound and sick of the parish. Arranged into teams so that each minister visits the homebound about once a month, ministers visit the elderly and ill who cannot get to church. Visits occur on Sundays as well as midweek. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion are trained through the diocesan Office of Worship School of Liturgy programs. Once that training is complete, individuals are prepared to serve at Christ Our Light by parish staff or experienced EMs. Schedules are created based on individual availability and needs of the parish. If you are interested in becoming a part of this ministry or need a Eucharistic Minister to visit someone, please contact George Sundell.

Short Term Immersion Trips

Parishioners travel to Guatemala to work with the indigenous Maya in a ministry of presence for one week every other summer, usually in early August. There are formation meetings for the team and work meetings to plan the programs for the children and adults.

Parishioners also participate in a one week service immersion trip to David, KY to work with St. Vincent Mission. The focus is on home repairs in this section of Appalachia and volunteers are also able to work in the mission thrift shop and in the gardening program. The next trip is scheduled for May 26-June 1, 2024 and is open to people of all ages and non-parishioners as well. Please contact the Parish Office for more information and to receive an application.

Mustard Seed Jamaica is a service immersion is open to youth 16+, young adults, families, priests, religious sisters, doctors, physical therapists, artists, musicians students - all vocations! The experience involves painting, gardening, working in the orphanage, and feeding children with varying disabilities. Trip includes Mass at the cathedral with the local community, a beach day, a restaurant night out, a tour of the mission sites, and tons of interaction with the culture, staff, and children. For questions, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Fair Trade

The Catholic Community of Christ Our Light has committed itself to serving only Fair Trade coffee at parish events and meetings. The next Fair Trade Holiday Sale will take place on November 24-25, 2024.  Parishioners can order Fair Trade certified coffee, tea, chocolate, and other products from Equal Exchange.

Periodically during the year, parishioners have the opportunity to order Fair Trade coffee, tea, chocolate, and other products from Equal Exchange. To become a part of the fair trade order co-op…

Respect Life Ministry

Parishioners support women who have opted not to have an abortion and also pray and witness against abortion. Contact the parish office. There is a national network for post-abortion healing called Rachel’s Vineyard. You can call the national hotline at 888-456-HOPE(4673).

Refugee Outreach

Parishioners work with Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Camden to provide services for newly resettled refugees. If interested in learning more, contact Julie DeMareo in the parish office.

Justice and Outreach Commission

This Commission serves to awaken parishioners to injustice and to engage them in concrete actions that can transform unfair structures into ones more balanced towards compassion and care for all humankind.

-Mission Statement of Justice and Outreach Commission

The Commission meets bimonthly to discuss, coordinate, grow and strategize the outreach efforts of the parish.  The Commission is led by Kathy Zippilli and consists of about 18 members. Working Groups include Mitzvah Day, Fair Trade, Care for Creation, homeless outreach, One Book, Lenten Soup Suppers, immigration justice, etc.

Membership on the Commission is open to those who are willing to commit to attend meetings and assist at Commission sponsored parish programs. Membership in a working group is open to anyone interested in those activities.