THE BULK MAILING MINISTRY: A Valuable Way of Helping Our Church

At times in our spiritual lives, we may feel that we must do big things in order to make any kind of difference in building up the Church. We might become discouraged that what we do is not enough. Many of the saints lived ordinary lives, however, and God calls us to do what we can with what He has given us. Even seemingly small efforts are significant. As St. Teresa of Calcutta once said, “Be faithful in small things, because it is in them that your strength lies.”

Margaret and Mary Ellen Barnes have faithfully assisted St. Mary’s with our bulk mailing lists, stuffing and labeling envelopes, folding bulletins, and placing inserts in them for over 20 years. The two sisters have been parishioners at St. Mary’s for their entire lives.

“We’ve always wanted to help in the Church but we didn’t know what we could do,” Margaret says.

Both Margaret and Mary Ellen are legally blind, so they have limits as to what they can do to serve the parish. But that hasn’t stopped them from helping out.

“We told the parish we would like to help with anything we can that allows us to do it nonvisually,” Margaret says. “That’s what they came up with.”

The sisters help with envelope labels whenever the parish has a large number of mailings, such as at Christmas and Easter. In the past, they have also stuffed the envelopes. They help with the bulletins whenever there are inserts, typically once every few months. Assisting with the parish mailings and bulletins is something that suits Margaret and Mary Ellen because they can feel their way around the papers and envelopes. It’s a task with which they show great care and attention to detail.

“With the mailings, we also have to sometimes fold papers and we’re talking sometimes 600 papers,” Mary Ellen says. “It takes quite a bit to fold them the right way for certain sizes of envelopes and we have to sometimes close them, it could be with a glue stick or wet sponge or tape. We actually have to feel our way across the flap to fit the tape to the envelope, it’s interesting. You find your way.”

Margaret and Mary Ellen’s parents taught the girls as children the importance of helping others and the Church. Helping with the mailings and bulletins has provided the sisters with an opportunity to do exactly that, in a simple and meaningful way.

“God wants you to go out and help others and show others that you can do things with limited abilities,” Mary Ellen says. “Everybody is useful in some way, and I guess we found our way.”

“It makes me feel good because that’s the way we were taught to do it,” Margaret adds. “God always gives back and He has for Mary Ellen and me, a hundred times over.”

If you would like more information about this ministry or to get involved, please contact the parish office at office@stmaryslf.org.

Mary Ellen and Margaret Barnes have been helping with the parish bulletins and envelope mailings for more than 20 years.