The St. Bernard Friendly Visitor Program is a statewide program initiated by the Diocese of Providence, working with the Rhode Island Department of Elderly Affairs, some twenty years ago. The goal of the Friendly Visitor Program is to provide companionship to folks who are, for whatever reason, alone and unable to leave their homes. Friendly Visitors do not provide any other services (they do not fix meals, do errands etc) - they just visit. If a resident appears to need a higher level of service, this is reported to the coordinator and forwarded to a diocesan representative - this person is a social worker and will try to arrange services.

As of this writing we have 10 visitors, including two teenagers. Some of them have been assigned to long term care facilities in the area. Each visitor is expected to see the client once a week for at least 30 minutes, more if appropriate. Folks in the community have been very receptive, and we continue to look for additional volunteers. We have more people wanting visitors than we have visitors, so the recruiting process is very important! It is a lovely and rewarding activity for all involved, and is highly recommended.

Roberts Outreach Ministry
On the second Friday of the month, a liturgy is celebrated at the Roberts Healthcare Facility on Ten Rod Road in North Kingstown. Ministers go to the facility half an hour before the liturgy, and select a reader, review the readings with the selected person, and practice hymns to be sung at the liturgy. Residents need some help turning pages in their music books to find the correct song. This whole event, once a month, takes about an hour and a half. Training is provided by the coordinator. In addition someone from the parish provides piano music at the evening meal approximately once every two weeks.

If you wish to participate, please call Madeleine O'Leary, 398-7356, or the parish office, and be among the core group who visit folks once a week. Training is provided.