Health Ministry

(2 votes)

Christine Gerety, or (310) 566-1531.

Health Ministry at St. Monica promotes the spiritual health of the whole person. Health Ministry offers health and wellness information to our parish community through a mind, body, and spirit approach. This approach expands and builds upon our parish’s traditional visitation outreach to the sick, support groups, and referrals to community agencies.

2026 Parish Health Survey

St. Monica Health Ministry, using a mind-body-spirit approach, promotes the spiritual health of the whole person.

We've hosted the Healthy Living Speaker Series; offered presentations on a wide variety of physical & mental health topics; held prayer services for healthcare providers; conducted retreats; and had numerous successful Red Cross Blood Drives!

As we look forward, we ask you, the parish community,

to let us know what you would like this ministry to offer.

Take the Health Survey today!

2026 Parish Health Survey

Christine Gerety, or (310) 566-1531.

2026 Parish Health Survey

As we look forward, we ask you, the parish community,

to let us know what you would like this ministry to offer.

Take the Health Survey today!

2026 Parish Health Survey

Quarterly Blood Drive

We heed the call for blood donations, as our nation continues to experience a critical shortage. The need for blood is a constant need. The St. Monica Health Ministry team works with the American Red Cross for Blood Drives every quarter.

Sign Up Now for the August Blood Drive!

august 2026 blood drive

Celebrate More Life this summer by sharing the gift of life! We are so grateful to all of our donors from our May Drive (we saved 174 lives!) and we look forward to doing more good this summer. The Red Cross has shared that blood donations are very much needed, not just for our local area but for disaster relief areas throughout the world.

REGISTER HERE FOR OUR AUGUST 16 DRIVE

Sunday, August 16

8 a.m. - 2 p.m.

St. Monica Grand Pavilion

Why Give Blood?

Blood Drive Story Highlight

2022 05 26 10 24 04

by Helen Brooks, Red Cross Volunteer

Sometimes through tears, Yesenia Miranda Meza, a Red Cross employee in the Red Cross Serving San Gabriel Pomona Valley Chapter, tells the story of her father contracting COVID-19 and then receiving convalescent plasma leading to his full recovery.

[T]hrough the grace of God, Yesenia said, who she believed was working alongside hospital staff, Jesus started his road to recovery just two days later. Divine intervention and convalescent plasma had carried him through.

Click Here to Read More About Yesenia and Jesus' Story.

Stories of Giving from St. Monica

There are many reasons why someone would want to give blood. Here are a few stories collected from some of our Health Ministry volunteers [Anne-Marie, Dianna, Elena Jay, Josephine, Kristine, Lynn, Matt, Patricia, and Steve) during last year's Blood Drives.

In sitting and chatting with people during their "recovery period" after giving blood, and while enjoying some snacks, they struck up conversations with people and they learned why some people chose to donate blood. For one parishioner, it's an expression of gratitude, for another it's a reminder and opportunity, and for yet another, it's an opportunity to honor her family legacy:

One donor stated that she simply donates because she is able to. She's grateful for her health, and hopes that her donation can be of help to others.
Another donor admitted that she had not donated for five years. But when he heard the announcement in Mass, he realized how easy it would be to give at our blood drive, and he quickly scheduled his appointment.
A third donor was giving blood for the third time in honor of her deceased brother. She explained that they year before, her brother had passed away suddenly. In the process of cleaning out his apartment, she found numerous certificates of recongition for all the blood he had donated. A fact that she had never known about him. On the day of his memorial service, she saw that the church was having an upcoming blood drive. So, for the first time, she donated in remembrance of him.

These inspiring moments are jsut some of the stories that motivate our community to give and give again!

The last few years, we have either met or exceeded our goals. This year we hope you can be a part of the life-saving, yet simple way to give back to our community.

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