Becoming a Sacristan

If you’re interested in joining our team, please get in touch with Fr. Andrew Cox.

We will schedule a meeting in the Sacristy to provide training. You will become familiar with the names and locations of items used during Mass and learn how to properly organize and put away everything after Mass. Training usually takes around 2 hours.

Commitment Required

As a Sacristan, you will need to choose a specific Mass to assist with, either a weekday Mass or a weekend Mass. You will be expected to arrive at the church about 30 minutes prior to the chosen Mass to set up all items reverently and with dignity. After Mass, you will ensure that everything used in the Sanctuary is properly stored.

Coordination and Communication

We don’t have formal group meetings. Instead, we communicate through notices posted in the Sacristy and via phone calls to stay in touch as a team.

Tasks of a Sacristan:

Washing and Laundry

• This includes washing Lavabo cloths, Corporals, Purificators, and Father’s Albs.

Weekly Tasks

• Counting Hosts.
• Ensuring an adequate supply of candles – Altar candles, Votive candles, Advent Wreath candles, Christmas and Easter candles.
• Changing the Holy water.
• Washing Altar linens, Altar Boy table cloths, Credence table cloths, Offertory table cloths, and small Chapel table cloths.
• Checking Incense availability.
• Repairing and cleaning Altar Boys’ Robes.
• Annual dry cleaning of Father’s Chasubles and Stoles.
• Weekly washing of Chalices.
• Changing the Altar cloth.
• Setting up new candles on the Altar and ensuring plastic is clean.
• Preparing for significant events like First Holy Communion, Confirmation, Christmas, Pentecost, Lent, and Easter.
• Repairing Hymn Books.
• Setting up for Mass.

Preparing for Mass

• Removing dust covers from the Altar, Altar Boy’s table, Credence table, Lectern, and Offertory table.
• Lighting candles on the Altar.
• Setting up a glass bowl with water, covered by a Lavabo cloth, on the Altar Boy’s table.
• Preparing for Communion Under One Kind.

For Communion Under One Kind

• Retrieving Chalice and Paten from the Sacristy safe.
• Placing Purificator over Chalice and a large Host on Paten.
• Covering with a Pall and Chalice Veil matching the season’s color.
• Placing a Corporal in the Bursa, also matching the Veil’s color, on top of the Chalice Veil on the Altar Boy’s table.
• Filling a glass jug with water, placing it on a silver tray on the Altar Boy’s table.

Preparing Offertory Gifts

• Filling another small jug with wine.
• Taking a deep gold Paten from the Safe and filling it with Hosts marked for the specific Mass.
• Placing wine and Hosts on the Offertory table, covering them with a net cover.

For Communion Under Both Kinds (in addition to the above)

• Taking a 2nd and 3rd Chalice from the Safe.
• Covering each Chalice with a Purificator and Pall.
• Placing 2 large Hosts on the Paten of the 1st Chalice.
• Adding an extra Paten to the Altar Boy’s table.
• Pouring wine into a Decanter on the Altar Boy’s table.
• Placing the Tabernacle Key in front of the Tabernacle’s shelf.
• Placing the Bells near the Sanctuary’s kneeling rail.
• Adding 2 or 4 Crucifixes for Communion Helpers on the altar.

Arranging Books and Materials

• Placing the Missal on the Altar.
• Placing the Lectionary on the Lectern, both open to the relevant pages.
• Placing Hymn Books and notices on the Altar and Altar Boy’s seats.

Laying Out Father’s Robes

• Laying out Fr.’s robes in the Sacristy, in the following order: Chasuble, Stole, Cincture, Alb, and Amice.

By fulfilling these tasks, Sacristans contribute significantly to the smooth and reverent flow of Mass.