Parish Ministry: "In other words, I'm into everything"

Sr. Dianna Lieffers has worked for 33 years at St. Gabriel's, an inner city parish in downtown Montreal. This area was first settled by the Irish near where the ships docked and where 6000 died of ship fever and typhoid. Every year there is a special Mass at the parish, after which the people march to the big black stone monument to the early settlers who died there.

"My work consists mostly at looking after the needs of the less fortunate. We have many! I run a food bank, furniture depot, clothing and household items and much more and all the donations are from the community at large. I visit the families of the sick and the elderly and bring them Communion. I prepare Sunday Liturgy, train lectors and ministers of Communion, have evening prayer groups and Communion Services. In other words, I'm into everything. Of the two priests, one has a full time job elsewhere and the other is retired. We have a whole army of generous volunteers who are worth their weight in gold and always ready to help."