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Mass Coordinators

 

Procedures for Sacristan & Mass Coordinators

Arrival at Mass:

  • Arrive 20 minutes before Mass begins.

  • When you get to the sacristy, sign-in. 

  • Turn on the lights, if they are not on already.

  • The presider will pray with all those serving Mass in the sacristy approx. 5 minutes before Mass begins. 

Communicate with Priest(s), Deacon, and Music Director: 

  • Check with the priest(s), deacon, and music director to see if they need anything or if there is anything special about the Mass, i.e., second collection, baptism, Children’s Liturgy of the Word, hospitality, family Mass, etc.

  • If there is a visiting priest, introduce yourself and let them know your role and that you are there to help them.

Prepare the Hosts:

  • Go to the tabernacle and genuflect, open the tabernacle door and the ciboria to see how many consecrated hosts and low gluten hosts are inside. This will help you determine how many hosts to put out for Mass. Close the ciborium, close the door to the tabernacle, and genuflect before leaving the tabernacle.

  • Based on how many hosts are in the ciborium in the tabernacle, determine how many unconsecrated hosts should be set out for your mass. Open a packet of small hosts (100 per sleeve) and place enough for the Mass in the flat ciborium. Put one large host ( Large hosts are kept in the wine chiller) on top of the small ones. Add the small clip-on vessel for low gluten hosts. The hosts can be found in a cabinet in the sacristy marked ‘Hosts.’ 

Prepare the Vessels:

  • Gather the vessels needed for Mass.

  • The vessels may be left out on the countertop in the sacristy from a previous Mass or may be in the old tabernacle (with the key lock) in the sacristy behind the tall door on the right. Also note that below this tabernacle are drawers marked ‘purificators’ and ‘towels.’  

    • Fill one cruet with wine and one cruet with water. (Cruets are kept in the wine chiller)

    • Place a purificator on the chalice, and put a cover over the chalice. Also add a second purificator for distribution of the Blood of Christ.

    • Some priests have their has his own chalice. If you are not sure which chalice he uses, please ask him.

    • If there is a visiting priest, please ask him which chalice he would prefer to use.

    • When choosing a chalice for a visiting priest, choose one with a long stem for distribution of the Blood of Christ.

    • Be sure to have a ciborium for each person that will be administering communion.  For example, if a priest, deacon, and eucharistic minister will be administering communion, then three ciboria will be required.

Prepare the Offertory Table:

  • Place the covered flat ciborium with the hosts and the two cruets on the offertory table behind the pew off to the side of the center aisle.

Prepare the Credence Table on the Altar:

  • Place the chalice set-up on the credence table.  

  • Please a small gold bowl and towel on the credence table for washing of the hands.

Prepare for the Bringing up of the Gifts and Offertory Collection:

  • Make sure the wicker basket and plastic envelope for the collection are in the back of the church for the Greeters/Ushers.

  • Find a family or group to bring up the gifts during the offertory.  If there is a baptism, ask the godparents or other members of the family.

Prepare the Lector(s) and Eucharistic Minister(s):

  • As the lector(s) arrive, let them know if there is anything unusual about this Mass.  Make sure they work out who will read the first and second readings, prayers of the faithful, and the announcements and process the Book of the Gospels.  If the Deacon is there, he will read the petitions and process the Book of the Gospels.

  • As the eucharistic minister(s) arrive, let them know if there is anything unusual about the mass. Work out who will be the cup minister and who will do bread and at which station.

  • Note: 5 minutes before Mass, if there is no lector or eucharistic minister, look out over the community and try to identify a substitute and ask them to fill-in.

Candle Lighting:

  • 10 minutes before Mass begins, light the candles.  

  • When we have altar servers, have them light the candles.

  • Easter candle. The Easter candle should be lit during Easter season (Easter Sunday through Pentecost) and for a baptism during mass.

During Mass: be available in-case something is needed.

After Mass: make sure everything is cleaned and put away properly.

  • Remind the altar servers to extinguish the candles (or do it yourself if needed).

  • Put away the vessels.