Altar & Rosary Society

Mission Statement:

We, the People of God, of St. Joseph the Worker Church, brothers and sisters in Christ, inspired by His Word, will use our God-given gifts and talents to promote unity in our richly diverse community, to encourage stewardship of the many gifts bestowed upon us and to give glory to our Heavenly Father by living the gift of Faith and Truth that is maintained through the grace of God and the Magisterium of the Church.

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How the Mission Statement is explained and Carried out:

The Altar and Rosary Society members have tried to promote friendships among its various members through attendance at First Friday Mass which is dedicated to the deceased, inactive and active members, its monthly meeting by saying the rosary and later by playing Bingo. This spirit of friendship was extended as well within the monthly work crews who saw to it that the church was maintained through weekly cleaning and regular cleaning and mending of the altar linens. Often, spouses and other relatives and friends would join a monthly work crew at the encouragement of the Society members. The general feeling among the members and assistants is one of "giving back" and "increasing spirituality" by working so closely in the House of the Lord.

History:

There is no exact date as to when the Altar and Rosary Society started. Originally, St. Joseph's Church was built as a mission church of St. Francis of Assisi Church in 1900. It became its own parish church in 1907. As pastors need volunteers , the Society probably began with a few women in those early years. The original church was small and located on the southeast corner of Kern and Oregon Streets.

In 1923, land was purchased at the Church's current site (northeast corner of Pacific and Baker Streets) to build a much larger church for a growing parish. Thus, more women became volunteers. By the 1940's the Altar and Rosary Society had been established and continues to exist as of this printing in June of 2016.

In August of 1952, there was a disastrous aftershock as a consequence of the July, 1952 earthquake of 7.5. The Church was so damaged it couldn't be repaired and had to be replaced. In June of 1953 the present church building was completed. However, the church was larger. The sanctuary area had been extended back (towards the east), the two side aisles and sets of pews were added, and the chapel was built. The duties for the Altar and Rosary Society members were increased. 

During these many years the Altar and Rosary Society has made generous gifts to the church like the Stained Glass Window of the All-Seeing Eye of God in the Chapel in 1962, Christmas money gifts from $50.00 to $75.00 to the Pastor and Assistant Pastor, the three blinds hanging in the hallway between the Chapel and Church, and altar linens-some with hand crocheted edging. Before 1987 a member would annually arrange a bus trip for the members.

Fund-Raising and Dues:

In the early 1980's the Society ordered and sold the votive candles adding a service charge for its efforts. Later, among the monthly envelopes sent to parishioners was a white envelope on which a particular church service organization could be designated to receive the value of the contribution. For many years up until 2011 the members of the Altar and Rosary Society staffed the Country Store at the annual Church picnic. This brought income in ranging from $400.00 to $700.00. These monies paid for any gifts given to the church and the work supplies needed to maintain the church. Now annual dues of $5.00 are collected to defray the costs of supplies.

Membership:

The Altar and Rosary Society membership has grown and fluctuated over these last  109 years since the first church was built in 1907. Meetings were held but membership paperwork was lost or not passed on to succeeding Society Presidents.

About 1943 these were some of the members: Mrs. Manuela Argain, Mrs. Grace Eyherabide, Mrs. Francesconi, Mrs. John McCaffrey, Mrs. Morales, Mrs. Pattini, Mrs. Rose Rothstein, Mrs. Zanotto. (As recollected by Mrs. Dolores Iribarren Schulte when she went with her grandmother Mrs. Grace Eyherabide to clean).

Membership records from 1987 to the present June 2016 indicate these women were active members:

1987-2014 Annie Aguilar, Joan Abler, Molly Andrada, Kathryn Aragon, Rachel Archuleta, Pam Bangloy, Patricia Barraza, Mary Bazan, Stephaie Beckwith, Frances Carrillo, Gloria Castro, Winona Clark, Josephine Colombana, Cecilia Contreras, Josie DeLaTorre, Maria Deleon, Doris Edwards, Sylvia Felix, Peggy Ferdinand, Norma Garcia, Frances Hartz, Arlene Jiron, Becky Jischke, Rose Joven, Virginia Kadell, Rose Lango, Antoinette Light, Mary Luna, Susan Magana, Diane Manzano, Rene Marquez, Dory Martinez, Martha Mendez, Katherine Miers, Virginia Moon, Mary Morales, Evelyn Morones, Rose Marie Mueller, Mary Murphy, Lilly McCaskill, Connie Narez, Julia Patino, Yolanda Perez, Teresa Pierucci, Lorraine Quinn, Patricia Ramos, Ramona Ramos, Niki Rivas, Connie Rodriquez, Teresa and Gene Salazar, Helen Saldana, Becky Sanchez, Lupe Sanchez, Rosemary Schoenborn, Shirley Smith, Joan Teixeira, Mary Tomlin, Carmen Torres, Carolyn and Roy Twisselman, Barbara Valenzuela, Susana Valenzuela, Mary Ellen Valladares, Gloria Vass, Madeline Wenzinger, Loretta Wilson, Gloria Duncan, Millie Diffenbaugh, and Jackie Kammerer.

June 2016

Active and Inactive members are: Martha Arellano, Patty and Manuel Barraza, Stephanie Beckwith, Gloria Castro, Teresa Cortez, Marcia Eyherabide, Sylvia Felix, Maria and Jesse Hernandez, Orpha Machado, Angelina Moreno, Ramona Nunez, Jeannine Robles, Sally Ruiz, Lupe Sanchez, Joan Teixeria, Teri Vasquez, Gloria Vass, Rose Villa, Alicia Welch, Angie Velling, Lupe Zepeda, Joan Abler (I), Mary Bazan (I), and Mary Tomlin (I).

For the last two years our Society has coordinated its work with the second-year confirmation students. Volunteer students have devoted from 3,6,8, up to 40 hours of time to help our service organization. This has been especially helpful in months when there were no original Society members to lead a work crew. I thank Ms. Katarina Flores, Director of the High School and Confirmation students , for encouraging the students to earn their volunteer hours by helping our program.

In the 1990s Confirmation students helped at Christmas and Easter as well according to Mrs. Rose Mueller, President , during that time period .

Meetings:
Up until September 2014 meetings were held monthly. Then, at the request of the Coordinator who is a Catechist in the English Religious Education program the meetings were changed being held quarterly in Classroom 1. An annual luncheon is held in January at a local restaurant. The summer quarterly meeting is being held also at a local restaurant. 

The agenda of a typical meeting before September 2014 included: Saying of the Rosary, conducting the Meeting, eating dessert and drinking coffee, ending with the playing of Bingo. The playing of Bingo ended about 2004.

Current and Past Presidents:     

Marcia Eyherabide, Coordinator, June 2014 to present

Barbara Valenzuela, President, 2008 to June 2014

Virginia Kadella, Treasurer

Mary Tomlin, Secretary

Mary Bazan President, 1996 to 2008

Rose Mueller, Administrative Assistant

(Typed up membership and work lists, transferred key)

Mrs. Rose Mueller, President 1988 to 1996

Mrs. Teresa Pierucci, President ? to 1988

Duties:

With an ideal work crew of four to give people the following duties were accomplished weekly: Cleaning of Sacristy (included dusting of counter tops and drawer fronts, closet doors, window sills, mirror), Cleaning of Chapel (included dusting of tabernacle and large cabinet, two side pedestals, chair, altar, ambo [pulpit] , front of first pews, credence table, Sacred Heart of Jesus statue , votive candle stands), Cleaning of the Sanctuary (included dusting of Altar of Repose, two wooden pedestals, wood paneling behind Altar of Repose and wood floor underneath the Altar of Repose, two Altar Server pews, ambo, Our Lady of Fatima niche, three votive candle stands, front of first two pews), Cleaning of the Nave (included dusting the statues of St. Anthony and St. Therese of Lisieux and their pedestals, the Reconciliation Room), Cleaning the Vestibule (included  dusting the bookcase, four pedestals, dusting the waiting room for women having a Quinceañera or wedding), Cleaning the Choir loft, emptying, cleaning, and refilling seven holy water fonts, cleaning  all window inserts and windows in the church, chapel and hallway, and emptying six trash cans. There are other duties that are done on a monthly or quarterly basis.