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We are excited to launch childcare services during select Mass times at our St. Peter of Alcantara Church Site.
Starting January 2024 at our St. Peter’s Church site, we need volunteers for our Mass Childcare services. This service is open to children six months old through kindergarten. We will be using the childcare room in our adjoining SJ23rd Catholic School. Members from our team will spend their time playing board games, reading books, drawing, or running other fun games with the kids. Volunteers will also help with parent sign in and pickup. Parents can arrive up to 15 minutes prior to Mass and will pick up their kids within 15 minutes after the end of Mass. Childcare volunteers will need to remain on site until all children are picked up and the room is tidy for the regular school week.
Parents sign up by 8:00 PM Thursdays prior to Mass. Our team coordinators will know how many children to expect the coming weekend and will communicate that information to the volunteer(s). Space is limited and based on the number of caregivers available that weekend.
If you are interested in being part of our Weekend Mass Childcare team, please contact us at childcare@stjohn23rd.org. You can also call the parish office 262-284-4266.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there any charges for this program?
This is a free program.
What activities are planned for the children during childcare?
Our childcare services are geared to preschool age and younger. We have toys, games, light crafts and books to entertain the kids during Mass. This service is separate from our Children’s Liturgy of the Word program where the kids engage with the instructor on the Gospel reading.
Is Weekend Mass Childcare connected to Children’s Liturgy of the Word?
Not directly. They are separate services with a similar goal. We want parents of younger children to be able to participate fully during mass. Our youngest parishioners may not be ready to attend our child focused liturgy services. For those children, we are offering this general childcare during the full hour of Mass. If you want your child to attend Children’s Liturgy of Word, have them remain with you during Mass. Participants will be called forth before the first reading and gather in the library to listen to the word at their level returning to Mass with their families during the offertory. This service is offered the first and third Sundays during the 5:00 pm Mass at our St. Peter of Alcantara campus.
Can I sign up for childcare in person during the check in time?
Since this Weekend Mass Childcare service is new, we want to use pre-registration online to gauge parents’ need for these services and to manage staffing resources. We will accept walk-ins. However, we strongly encourage you to sign up through our website by 8:00 pm the preceding Thursday.
Will childcare be offered during our other Masses and at other church campuses?
Our initial plan is to offer childcare during Sunday 5:00 pm Mass January through March to get a sense of demand and availability of staff and volunteers. If this pilot program is successful and demand increases, we do have plans to extend services to the Saturday 4:30 pm Mass. We will only be able to offer childcare at our St. Peter of Alcantara campus. We have a dedicated childcare room at this location. Our St. Mary and Immaculate Conception campuses do not have these facilities and the safety and comfort of your children is a top priority.
Does Weekend Mass Childcare run all year?
Our initial plan is to offer childcare during Sunday 5:00 pm Mass January through March to get a sense of demand and availability of staff and volunteers. If this pilot program is successful and demand increases, we do have plans to extend services through May to align with the general school year. We do not have plans to date to run this service during the summer months.
Are you accepting new volunteers?
We always welcome new volunteers who love working with children. All adult childcare staff (18 years or older) must be safe environment certified through the archdiocese, including a background check. Please contact our childcare coordinator, Sandra Pessaro, our Director of Administrative Services, Bill Henkle, or our parish office to find out more and get started. If you are already trained, let us know. Teen volunteers are welcome to serve when their parents are volunteering their time for Weekend Mass Childcare. It is especially helpful if you have attended Babysitting and Childcare Courses with the American Red Cross. As our new program grows and develops, we will look for more ways to include our teen volunteers.