Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (CCD) classes are conducted on Sunday mornings, from 9 until 9:45, from September through May. (A more exact schedule is published annually.) All young people, from age 4 through 12th grade are expected to attend. There is not an individual class to correspond to each grade in school but every effort is made to place a child in a class appropriate to his or her level of religious education.

On the last Sunday of each month during the school year, the children of the parish assume a larger role in the 10:00 A.M. liturgy, functioning as lectors, commentator, and ushers, as well as presenting the gifts. on occasion, they will perform an illustrative skit or tableau.

There are generally group functions for the children and trips during the year, planned within the CCD program. The most regular of these has been an annual multi-diocese gathering at the six Flags theme park, near Atlanta.

The CCD classes depend on volunteer teachers from the parish, and all adults are asked to consider the possibility of volunteering to teach. It is rewarding in both the service it renders to our young people and in keeping the teacher up-to-date in religious studies.

Current teachers and their classes are: Mrs. Charles Jones, Jr. - Age 4-K; Doug Brooker - Grades 6,7,8; Sr. Josephine First Communion class; Mrs. Charles Partridge Grades 3,4; Mr. Johnny Brooker - Grade 5; Mr. Gus Weiss III - Post-confirmation class.

Adult classes on various subjects (bible, history, theology) are held at different times. These classes are announced in the bulletin, and all are invited.

RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) are held in the parish hall on Wednesday evenings, beginning in September and culminating at the Easter vigil mass.

Adult instruction or informational classes are scheduled by private arrangement with the pastor.

St. Leo's choir is convened twice each year, to prepare for Advent/Christmas and for Lent/Easter. Weekly practice begins some weeks prior to each season. All parishioners are invited and urged to be a part of the choir.

A Pastoral council advises the pastor in matters that affect the pastoral life of St. Leo's.

The council consists of eight parishioners, selected from members suggested by the parish-at-large. members serve for four years from the time of their selection, with two members per year leaving the council and two new ones being selected. In April of each year, parishioners make their recommendations, and the new members begin their term of office at the May meeting. officers of the council - President, vice President, and Secretary, are elected by the council annually at its June meeting. The council meets monthly, except for one month during the summer.

Present members (year term expires) are as follows: Bridget McNamara -secretary ( 199), Oscar McLamb (199), Kay Courtney - president (100), Steve Davis - ('00) , Joyce Weiss ('01) , and Johnny Brooker -v. president ('01), Leroy seals ('02) and Em Partridge ('02).

A Finance council advises the pastor on matters that concern the material elements of the parish: finances, buildings, and grounds.

The council consists of four parishioners, selected from members suggested by the parish-at -large. A new member is selected for the Council every two years, following the same process used for the Pastoral council. meetings are held periodically, whenever the pastor or one of the council members thinks a meeting would be appropriate.

Present members are: Clarence Brooker, Bobby Coker (president), Frank Janes, and Mack Fitz-Gerald.

The Finance Council publishes an annual report of parish finances every August, reflecting the income and expenditures of the previous fiscal year (July through June).

One of the elements overseen by the Finance Council and reflected in the annual report is the Jacob Fund, monies left to St. Leo Is parish "to be used in and about repairing, beautifying and making more convenient and comfortable (St.Leo's) church building, and especially the interior thereof and the furniture and equipment therein."

In December 1997, after a decision was reached by the Pastoral and Finance councils to build a new parish education building/social hall, a building committee was established to oversee the planning, design, and funding of the project. The committee members are Clarence Brooker, Bobby Coker, Frank McNamara, and Louise Reynolds. The committee was established for the duration of the building project.

St. Leo's traditionally takes up one collection at each weekend Liturgy of the Eucharist, although special occasions may warrant a second passing of the basket, including a present building fund drive for which the second collection is taken on the first weekend of the month. We ask that all parishioners use the offering envelopes which are distributed toward the end of each calendar year; using the envelopes simplifies parish record keeping. For income tax purposes, parishioners receive a yearly verification of their total annual contributions. (special envelopes are made available for children to educate them in an early understanding of stewardship, generosity, and the need to support their church.)

Although we have no formal tithing program, we recognize the biblical base of giving one-tenth of one's income to charity (sometimes calculated as five-percent to one's church and five-percent to other charities). Because of our charity Fund (see below), it can be said that we are a "tithing parish," ten-percent of what you give goes to the poor and charitable cause outside our parish.

We ask parishioners to be as generous as possible, knowing that true stewardship is not primarily based on the need of the recipient but on the need of the giver to give, recognizing that all we are or have is a gift of God, and we are but returning a portion of God Is use.

Whereas we believe that every Catholic is gifted by God and called by Baptism to exercise ministry in the everyday-ness of life, St. Leo's offers opportunities for parishioners to serve in special parish ministerial capacities.

• In Christian education, by taking a role in our CCD or adult educational programs;
• In church, by ministering as altar server, sacristan, commentator or lector, Eucharistic minister, usher, choir member;
• In pastoral or financial advisory capacity, by serving on either of the parish councils;
  
• In administration, by serving as secretary, on the newsletter staff, or in other ad hoc administrative roles.

An active Ladies' Auxiliary meets monthly, usually at 6:00 P.M., on the first Wednesday of the month. It purpose is defined as 11 ... to help the pastor in Christ Is ministry to the people of the parish. 11 More specifically, it arranges for altar care, organizes social functions, and raises money for both parish and extra-parochial causes. Its meetings themselves are monthly social gatherings. All women of the parish are considered members of the Auxiliary and are invited annually to pay modest dues and urged to participate in the meetings and functions. Current officers are: Mary Elliott, president; Anne Johnson, vice-president; and Kay Courtney, Secretary-Treasurer.

In the past, St. Leo's had a Men's Club but it is presently inactive.

Besides the involvement of individual parishioners, St. Leo's is committed to reach out into the community in prayerful and practical ways. Through its Charity Fund, it assists agencies set up to help the needy. Through its membership in the Demopolis ministerial Association, it fosters cooperative Christian action in charitable and religious activities.

A Prayer chain has been long established at St. Leo"s. After being made aware of the need for special prayer -- for an illness or any emergency -- the chairperson phones the two people at the top of the two branched chain. Each person in turn calls the next until all involved are made aware of the current need. All members and especially all new members are invited to join the chain, and all are invited, whether a link in the chain or not, to phone the parish office to ask for special prayers from the parishioners of St. Leo's.

Besides the Prayer Chain, the pastor and parishioners are invited to join in the Demopolis monthly community Day of prayer. on the first Thursday of each month the community is invited to pray for our common needs, at one of the participating churches, on a rotating basis. The prayer begins at five minutes after noon and lasts no more than twenty-five minutes. 12:05 P.M.) at one of the participating community churches.

St. Leo's parish, through its Pastoral and Finance Councils, has decided to set aside 10% of its offertory collections to be used for charity. The fund is administered by the pastor, with oversight from the presidents of the two Councils.

The Fund contributes on a regular basis to certain local charities (Food Pantry, Community-Wide outreach Center /Salvation Army, Sav-a-Life, Harriett's House and Consolata Sisters) and is available to help needy people, regardless of their religious affiliation, on an ad hoc basis. It also contributes occasionally to national or international emergency causes.

Parishioners are encouraged to make known to the pastor or to any council member situations they think warrant help from the fund.

Direct contributions can be made and are often in memory of a deceased loved one.

Various social functions are arranged throughout the year, frequently at the initiation of the Ladies Auxiliary. In the past these have included Mardi Gras and St. Patrick Day parties, picnics (with or w/out Eucharistic Liturgy) at Foscue Park, and celebratory gatherings commemorating parish anniversaries, all of which are announced in the weekly bulletin and monthly newsletter. Monthly, generally on the third Wednesday, at 12 noon, there is an informal, dutch treat, bingo luncheon in which the attendees play for prizes they themselves supply. The Ladies Auxiliary, the men, s Club, and the Pastoral council are always open f or suggestions for social functions.

The parish has a number of books and VHS tapes for lending to any interested parishioner. Contact the parish secretary or pastor, or browse through the available resources any time the parish hall is open.

St. Leo Is Parish Hall (formerly St. Leo school) is available for all parish educational and social functions. When it is not scheduled for parish purposes, it is available on a first-come-first-served basis for use for parishioners, family gathering, receptions, etc. No fee is expected from parishioners but there is the expectation that it will be left in a clean and orderly condition when the function is over. on a more limited basis, it is available for other community organizations. It will not be available to individuals or organizations for commercial ventures.

St. Leo's Parish is among the recipients of THE WEST ALABAMA CATHOLIC, a monthly newsletter for the four Catholic churches in West Alabama. Among other things, a calendar for the month and a list of birthdays and wedding anniversaries of parishioners is included. other regular features are comments from the pastor, building fund progress report, congratulations to parishioners on various special occasions, and other items of mutual interest. Please make sure-the parish office has a list of the birthdays in your family as well as significant anniversaries. we welcome other news of parishioners, activities and things of general parish interest.

Members of St. Leo Is parish who have participated in Cursillo, Kairos, and marriage Encounter weekends, are more than happy to explain these programs to interested parties. Please contact the parish office for references. Retreat opportunities are offered in various centers throughout the state; information is available in the parish office and announcements are often in the bulletin.