The ’s Guide

Saint Michael the Archangel Catholic Hudson, Florida

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Table of Contents

1……………...…Role of the Sacristan

2…………………General Instructions

3…………………....Weekday Masses

4……………....Saturday Vigil Masses

5………………………Sunday Masses

6……………….Sanctuary Conversion 7………….Funeral/Memorial Masses 8……………………………..Baptisms 9…………….Exposition/ 10…………………………...Weddings 11…………Setting the 12……………………Phone Directory

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The Role of the Sacristan are not always very obvious but they are not invisible either. Such is the liturgical role of the Sacristan within the parish. The General Instruction of the Roman Missal describes the Sacristan’s role in III: Duties and Ministries in the , in a single line 105. A liturgical function is also exercised by: a) The Sacristan, who diligently arranges the liturgical books, the , and other things that are necessary for the celebration of Mass. The Sacristan’s role is, however, further spelled out in a book entitled or the Ceremonial of , first published in 1886. The holy preparations in which Sacristans are entrusted are the basic framework for the beautiful and sacred objects that are used and carried out before, during, and after the Mass. It’s a serious job that one undertake with care and wisdom. In reality, your role as a Sacristan is so much more. You are also accepting responsibility for so many aspects in the preparation for the Liturgy, such as , Servers, greeters/ushers, etc. In a parish of this size, it is important that the Sacristan follows the instructions found in the following pages. Do not develop your “own way” of doing things. The Celebrant should never know which Sacristan is on duty simply by observing how the Altar and sanctuary have been prepared for Mass, or how protocols are observed or not observed. When one Sacristan deviates from the accepted practices and/or norms, they create confusion in the parishioners and other liturgical ministers as to what is acceptable. Thank you for volunteering to serve in the role of Sacristan for our parish. You are an important part of the liturgical team and hope you feel appreciated.

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II. General Instructions

 Sacristans are only to serve at the Mass for which they have been scheduled.

 Dress Code is as follows: o Men: Dress slacks, shirt, tie, and jacket. No athletic shoes, sandals, shorts, untucked shirts, or jeans. o Women: Dress, skirt/blouse, or dress pant suit. No sandals, shorts, capris, jeans, bare shoulders, or sleeveless tops. *Women should also refrain from wearing high heels as the sanctuary steps create a safety hazard.

 Sacristans should be fully knowledgeable of the roles and responsibilities of all other liturgical ministers (i.e. Lectors, Altar Servers, ushers, etc.) and be prepared to fill in should someone be absent.

 Sacristans on duty for weekday Mass should arrive at 6:30AM.

 Sacristans on duty for weekend Masses should arrive one hour prior to the start of Mass with the following exceptions: - The Sacristan on duty at 4:00PM Mass should arrive at 2:00PM. - The Sacristan on duty at 7:00AM Mass should arrive at 5:30AM.

 Upon arriving, immediately silence your cell phone. Cell phones and other personal belongings which you do not want to carry around with you may be placed in the third drawer in the small . o All personal belongings that you bring, such as phones, devotional materials, clothing, food products, personal hygiene items, etc. should arrive with you and leave with you. Do not store personal items in the sacristy or anywhere else in the church while you are not here without explicit permission from the Head Sacristan. Any items left in the sacristy or church may be subject to disposal.

 Only walk around the church/chapel during Mass when absolutely necessary. Once Mass has begun, please take a seat within the church to participate in the Mass. Unless an emergency arises, there is no need for the Sacristans to be moving around the church between the (Opening Prayer) and the . Likewise, there is no reason to move around the church following the Offertory and before the Lord’s Prayer. This applies to both weekday and weekend Masses. o Note: It is not inappropriate to walk down to the discretely during the Lord’s Prayer. However, it is inappropriate to walk around and cause distraction during the Eucharistic Prayer (from the “Holy, Holy, Holy” to the “Great Amen”).

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III. Weekday Mass

 Arrive no earlier than 6:30AM and unlock chapel doors and gates upon arriving.  Turn on the chapel valence lights and the light directly in front of the Tabernacle.  In the main church, unlock the East Entrance door and left gate.  In the usher’s room, turn on the sound system, Tabernacle light, and valence lights.  Unlock ’s sacristy door in the chapel.  Check priest’s microphone battery and replace if less than two (2) bars.  Set up the Roman Missal with the correct pages marked. Be sure a missalette is open to the correct page for the Mass of the day. See section “Setting the Roman Missal” for instructions.  Put new EM sign-in sheet on counter in sacristy for Extraordinary Ministers of Holy .  Put the key in the Tabernacle and check the (candle).  On the credence table next to the Tabernacle, place two cup purificators, a small glass bowl filled with water, and a purificator for Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion.  Place the Roman Missal on the Altar to the left side leaving the Celebrant room to reverence the Altar after processing in. Make sure that the book ribbons are appropriately set for the Mass.  Place the , open to the appropriate page for the day’s readings, on the Ambo. Be sure all readings match what is published in the missalette. Place a missalette open to the entrance antiphon for that day on top of the Lectionary. Place the red binder with the Prayers of the Faithful on the shelf of the Ambo. Be sure the Mass Intention is highlighted for the .  While at the Ambo, verify the microphone is on and working properly. If not, make sure it is plugged into the floor next to the Ambo.  Be sure that a and are placed appropriately on the Altar. The corporal should be placed with the small embroidered closest to the priest, and the crucifix should be laid at the top center of the Altar.  Check the schedule to see which priest is celebrating Mass and be sure to use his . Set up the credence table with the Celebrant’s chalice, , and Host, purificator, two communion (if necessary), of water and wine, finger bowl, small pitcher (with water), and a finger towel for the priest.  Take out the small circular gold tray for and place it on the counter next to the sign- in book. On Wednesdays, use the large clear oval tray. As Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion to the sick check-in, they will fill and place their on the tray. On Wednesdays, the Sacristan will need to fill the nursing home pyxes from the container in the top center cabinet. The amount of Hosts that should go in each pyx will be indicated on the chart found on the inside of the cabinet door.  At 7:00AM (30 minutes before Mass), turn on all the remaining lights and spotlights in the chapel. Light the Altar candles. If necessary, check oil levels in the candles before lighting them. If they need to be changed, replacements can be found under the sink in the sacristy. If the candles require small tealight candles, replacements for these will be found on the counter in the sacristy.

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 5 minutes prior to Mass, check the EM sign-in sheet to be sure enough people have signed in. If so, then you may take the tray of pyxes, along with any prayer intention slips from the basket outside the room, up to the Altar. The tray of pyxes goes towards to upper right corner of the Altar touching the corporal, and the prayer intention slips should be placed in the basket underneath the Altar.  With the exception of the pyxes and prayer intention slips, all other prep work done outside of the sacristy before Mass should be done before 7:00AM and no later, as it can cause a distraction for those arriving early to pray.  As soon as Mass begins, please do a head count and notate the total on the card in the sacristy.  At the Sign of Peace, approach the credence table and take the cups from the Celebrant if necessary. If the Celebrant does not remove the necessary number of ciboria from the Tabernacle, do so now and place them on the credence table. At Communion, the Celebrant will bring the tray of pyxes and place them on the credence table prior to giving Communion to the Sacristan and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion. After receiving the , the Sacristan is to distribute the appropriate elements to the Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion. Start with the cups if applicable, and then the ciboria. At this point, everyone proceeds to their station.  Following Communion, collect all ciboria and if the Celebrant does not return them to the Tabernacle, do so. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion should return all elements (cups/ciboria) to the Sacristan at the credence table. Take the pyxes (and cups if applicable) back to the sacristy after Communion. Ask one of the Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion for assistance if you need help.

AFTER MASS  Extinguish the Altar candles.  Return Tabernacle key to sacristy.  Remove the Roman Missal, Lectionary, missalette, and red binder to the sacristy.  Remove all items from credence table and return them to the sacristy.  Be sure and check calendar for any funerals that day.  Turn off sound system in the usher’s room.  Lock priest’s sacristy door.  Please set all the books for the following day.  Just prior to leaving, turn off all lights except the one closest to the Tabernacle.  Be sure to lock the sacristy before leaving.

WEDNESDAYS  Take blue novena cards from the basket on the shelf in the right sacristy closet and put some in the bulletin racks at the chapel doors as well as one on the Ambo.

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IV. Saturday Evening Vigil Mass

 Arrive no earlier than 2:00PM.  Unlock each doorway/gate in the main church. Discard any unauthorized materials found.  Unlock parking lot gates.  Close all chapel gates and turn off all lights in the chapel. While the chapel doors and gates will be closed, they may remain unlocked as emergency exits.  Set up books in priest’s sacristy to include a copy of the Prayers of the Faithful and a bulletin.  Check priest’s microphone battery. Replace if less than two (2) bars.  Unlock priest’s sacristy door.

LARGE SACRISTY/NARTHEX  Unlock large sacristy door and turn on A/C.  If not already on the counter, date and put out , Usher/Greeter, and Extraordinary Minister Sign-In sheets as well as collection bags and sign-in logs.  Bulletins should be on the cart in the confessional and already in the racks at all the church doors.  Check fountain in the narthex and fill if needed.  Make sure the Book of the Gospels and a copy of the Prayers of the Faithful are in the large sacristy. Also, take a large print missalette and place on the counter for Lectors to preview readings.

CHAPEL/SANCTUARY PREP  Remove credence table and Ambo from chapel. Both go in chapel storage room.  Take bulletins from cart in confessional and fill racks at chapel doors.  Place Altar Server kneeling pads and bells on the steps to the sanctuary.  Move candles, corporal, , and credence table from the chapel to the main sanctuary and place in appropriate places.  Set stand for the Book of the Gospels on the Altar.  Set Lectionary on the Ambo with Prayers of the Faithful.  Set announcements and Prayers of the Faithful next to priest’s chair.  Place the key in the Tabernacle. Be sure and verify that all ciboria in the Tabernacle are full. Condense if necessary and take empty ciboria to the sacristy.  Check that the Roman Missal is set correctly and place it on the second shelf of the credence table closest to the priest’s chair. See section “Setting the Roman Missal” for instructions.  Check the clergy schedule to determine Celebrant. Prepare the correct chalice, with purificator, paten, and a large Host (5-3/4”) for Celebrant. Place the chalice with the water on the credence table closest to the Ambo.  Fill all empty ciboria with standard Hosts (1-3/8”) and place on the credence table with the priest’s chalice along with the finger bowl, water, and towel.  Once all the necessary items from the sacristy have been taken up to the sanctuary, close the hallway doors between the main church and the chapel. Be sure the lights are off.

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 Fill the main with standard Hosts (1-3/8”) and place on the offertory table at the main entrance to the church along with the basket of prayer intention slips and the cruet of wine.  Put out six (6) clean purificators for Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion with a small glass bowl of water on the table at the base of the sanctuary adjacent to the Tabernacle.  If the Precious Blood is being distributed, place six (6) cup purificators on the large credence table with at least twenty (20) additional ones on the shelf below.  If the Precious Blood is being distributed, put out Communion Chalices with carrying tray on the counter in the small sacristy. (Be sure to check how many Ministers of the Cup there will be 15 minutes prior to the start of Mass. Fill the necessary number of chalices and take them up to the credence table before Mass begins).  Put out tray for pyxes in the small sacristy. The sign-in book should be placed to the far- right on the counter in the large sacristy.  At 2:30PM turn on chapel lights. (Spotlights not included on weekends).  Also at 2:30PM, turn on all doorway lights in the church as well as hallway lights in the narthex, including the niche near the restrooms.  In the usher’s room, turn on valence, stations, niche, and Altar lights.  At 3:00PM turn on all lights in the main church to include LED lights above the Altar.  Turn on the sound system.  At 3:30PM, light the Altar candles. Be sure to check the fluid levels and replace if necessary.  Prior to the start of Mass, one Sacristan will be responsible for making sure there are enough ushers to take up the collection. The other Sacristan will ensure there are enough Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion signed-in. If there is only one Sacristan on duty, they will be responsible for both.  15 minutes prior to Mass, verify if Lectors and Servers are present. If not, locate parishioners in attendance who could fill in.  Make sure you have found someone to present the gifts at the Offertory.  At five (5) minutes prior to Mass, take the Book of the Gospels from the large sacristy to the narthex for the Lector and assemble Altar Servers for the at the start of Mass.  As soon as Mass begins, take a head count of those in attendance. Write the number at your earliest convenience on the card on the cabinet door in the small sacristy.  When the Prayers of the Faithful are complete, take your place in the back of the church to take up/securing collection. If there are two collections, use the labelled containers and be sure to keep them separate.  Never enter the sacristy with the collection unless accompanied by another Sacristan and one or two witnesses. Lock both Sacristy doors before you begin. Be sure to sign collection bags and log prior to stuffing the bags (this should not be done before Mass). Have the witness sign them as well. Seal the bags, roll them up and use two rubber bands (one on each end) before dropping them into the safe. All who enter the sacristy must stay in the sacristy until all collection bags have been deposited in the safe.  Please remain in the back of the church or in the large sacristy for the Eucharistic Prayer. Do not walk back to the small sacristy if the Eucharistic Prayer has already begun or is about to begin. This is a distraction.

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 During the Lord’s Prayer or immediately following, take your place at the base of the sanctuary steps next to the credence table. The Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion will form a single line along the wall. If the Precious Blood is being distributed, the Ministers of the Cup should be in the front of the line.  At the Sign of Peace, go up the steps and wait for the Celebrant to bring you the pyxes, (cups is applicable), and all ciboria and place them on the credence table. If the Celebrant does not remove the necessary ciboria from the Tabernacle, do so, being sure to genuflect when opening the Tabernacle. If there is only one Sacristan, spread all ciboria out on the credence table so that Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion can easily take their own after receiving Communion.  After the Celebrant consumes the Body of Christ: If there is only one Sacristan - Have the first Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion in line step forward and administer Communion, then hand them the ciborium to distribute Holy Communion to you. That Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion will then proceed to their station. Take another ciborium and start going up the line distributing Communion to each Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion. They may take their own ciborium (or cup if necessary) off the table and proceed to their stations. If there are two Sacristans - One Sacristan will take a ciborium and administer Communion to the other Sacristan. Then he/she will hand the ciborium to the other Sacristan who will administer Communion to them. That Sacristan then takes the ciborium and begins going up the line distributing Communion to each Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion. The remaining Sacristan stays at the credence table, handing the ciboria (or cup if necessary) to each Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion as they approach. The Sacristan who distributed Communion to the Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion then proceeds to the main aisle to assist the Celebrant.  As Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion return, collect ciboria, condense Hosts, and stack for Celebrant to return to the Tabernacle. If the Celebrant does not return them to the Tabernacle, do so, being sure to genuflect before closing the Tabernacle.  Once the Tabernacle is closed, take pyxes, empty ciboria (cups if necessary), and used purificators to the sacristy.  After Mass concludes, reset for the morning Mass.

FOLLOWING THE 4:00PM MASS  Extinguish all candles.  Fill and put cruets in the refrigerator.  Clean/purify all vessels with hot, soapy water in the sacrarium (except priest’s chalice) and prep them for the next Mass.  Turn off the sound system.  Secure the Tabernacle key.  Restock bulletins in racks at all the doors.  Turn off A/C in large sacristy and lock the doors.  Lock priest’s sacristy door.

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 Check all the bathrooms and the cry room.  Lock all gates and all doors prior to departing. Discard any unauthorized materials found at the entrances.  Turn off all lights in church and chapel.  Remember to lock parking lot gates.

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V. Sunday Masses

7:00AM MASS ONLY  Arrive no earlier than 5:30AM.  Empty defrost freezer tray from refrigerator.  Turn on the Tabernacle light, all doorway lights, valence lights in both church and chapel, and the narthex lights.  Unlock priest’s sacristy door.  Unlock each doorway/gate of the chapel and church. The gates at the chapel doors should remain closed. While they will be closed, they may remain unlocked as emergency exits.  Unlock parking lot gates.  Unlock the large sacristy and turn on the A/C.  At 6:00AM, turn on all remaining lights in the main church. Lights in the chapel should not be turned on.  At 6:30AM, turn on the sound system.

ALL SUNDAY MASSES  Arrive no earlier than one hour prior to the start of Mass (9:00AM and 11:00AM Masses only).  Check books in the priest’s sacristy.  Check priest’s microphone battery. Replace if less than two (2) bars.  Place the Tabernacle key in the Tabernacle. Be sure and verify that all ciboria in the Tabernacle are full. Take the empty ciboria to the sacristy.  Check that the Roman Missal is set correctly, and place it on the second shelf of the credence table closest to the priest’s chair.  Check the clergy schedule to determine the Celebrant. Set up the correct chalice, purificator, and paten with large Host (5-3/4”) for Celebrant.  Fill all empty ciboria with standard Hosts (1-3/8”) and place them on the credence table closest to the Ambo along with the cruet of water, finger bowl, water, and towel.  Once all the necessary items from the sacristy have been taken up to the sanctuary, close the hallway doors between the main church and the chapel. Be sure the lights are off.  Fill the main ciborium with standard Hosts (1-3/8”) and place on the offertory table at the main entrance to the church along with the basket of prayer intentions and the cruet of wine.  Check the number of purificators on the large credence table.  Prior to the start of Mass, one Sacristan will be responsible for making sure there are enough ushers to take up the collection. The other Sacristan will ensure there are enough Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion signed-in. If there is only one Sacristan on duty, they will be responsible for both.  Fifteen (15) minutes prior to Mass, verify that Lectors and Altar Servers are present. If not, begin looking to see who is in attendance that could fill in.  Make sure you have found someone to present the gifts at the Offertory.  If the Precious Blood is being distributed, check with the Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion captain of that Mass fifteen (15) minutes prior to Mass to see how many cups

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will be needed. Fill the necessary number of cups and place them on the credence table closest to the priest’s chair.  Ten (10) minutes prior to Mass, take the tray of pyxes and place them on the credence table closest to the Ambo with the priest’s chalice, ciboria, finger bowl, water, and towel. At five (5) minutes prior to Mass, take the Book of the Gospels from the large sacristy to the narthex for the Lector and assemble Altar Servers for the procession at the start of Mass.  As soon as Mass begins, take a head count of those in attendance. Write the number at your earliest convenience on the card on the cabinet door in the small sacristy.  When the Prayers of the Faithful are complete, take your place in the back of the church to take up/securing collection. If there are two collections, use the labelled containers and be sure to keep them separate.  Never enter the sacristy with the collection unless accompanied by another Sacristan and one or two witnesses. Lock both Sacristy doors before you begin. Be sure to sign collection bags and log prior to stuffing the bags (this should not be done before Mass). Have the witness sign them as well. Seal the bags, roll them up and use two rubber bands (one on each end) before dropping them into the safe. All who enter the sacristy must stay in the sacristy until all collection bags have been deposited in the safe.  Please remain in the back of the church or in the large sacristy for the Eucharistic Prayer. Do not walk back to the small sacristy if the Eucharistic Prayer has already begun or is about to begin. This is a distraction.  During the Lord’s Prayer or immediately following, take your place at the base of the sanctuary steps next to the credence table. The Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion will form a single line along the wall. If the Precious Blood is being distributed, the Ministers of the Cup should be in the front of the line.  At the Sign of Peace, go up the steps and wait for the Celebrant to bring you the pyxes, (cups is applicable), and all ciboria and place them on the credence table. If the Celebrant does not remove the necessary ciboria from the Tabernacle, do so, being sure to genuflect when opening the Tabernacle. If there is only one Sacristan, spread all ciboria out on the credence table so that Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion can easily take their own after receiving Communion.  After the Celebrant consumes the Body of Christ: If there is only one Sacristan - Have the first Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion in line step forward and administer Communion, then hand them the ciborium to distribute Holy Communion to you. That Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion will then proceed to their station. Take another ciborium and start going up the line distributing Communion to each Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion. They may take their own ciborium (or cup if necessary) off the table and proceed to their stations. If there are two Sacristans - One Sacristan will take a ciborium and administer Communion to the other Sacristan. Then he/she will hand the ciborium to the other Sacristan who will administer Communion to them. That Sacristan then takes the ciborium and begins going up the line distributing Communion to each Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion. The remaining Sacristan stays at the credence table, handing the ciboria (or cup if necessary) to each Extraordinary Minister

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of Holy Communion as they approach. The Sacristan who distributed Communion to the Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion then proceeds to the main aisle to assist the Celebrant.  As Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion return, collect ciboria, condense Hosts, and stack for Celebrant to return to the Tabernacle. If the Celebrant does not return them to the Tabernacle, do so, being sure to genuflect before closing the Tabernacle.  Once the Tabernacle is closed, take pyxes, empty ciboria (cups if necessary), and used purificators to the sacristy.  After Mass concludes, reset for the morning Mass.

FOLLOWING THE 11:00AM MASS  Extinguish all candles.  Collect all bulletins from the racks in the church and place them in the maintenance room.  Fill and put cruets in refrigerator.  Clean/purify all vessels with hot, soapy water in the sacrarium (except priest’s chalice) and put them away. The chalice for the priest celebrating Mass the next morning may be left out.  Turn off the sound system.  Take the Altar Servers’ kneeling pads and place them next to the Server chairs in the main church.  Secure the Tabernacle key.  Turn off the A/C in the large sacristy and lock the doors.  Convert sanctuary from weekend set-up to weekday set up. See section “Main Sanctuary to Chapel Conversion” for instructions.  Lock the priest’s sacristy door.  Check all bathrooms and the cry room.  Turn off all lights.  Lock all gates and doors prior to departing. Discard any unauthorized materials found at the entrances.  Remember to lock the parking lot gates.

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VI. Main Sanctuary to Chapel Conversion

 Open the sanctuary doors between the church and the chapel.  Move the Altar candles to the chapel Altar if necessary.  Move flowers to the chapel Altar.  Move the credence table to right side of chapel Altar (between Altar and Ambo).  Bring the Ambo from the storage room and place it next to the credence table. Plug in the microphone. The mic plug cover may be placed on the bottom shelf of the credence table.  Bring the rectangular credence table from the storage room and place it up on the step to the left of the Tabernacle.  Close the sanctuary doors between main church and chapel.  Empty the prayer intention basket in the maintenance room and place it under the chapel Altar. Check baskets in the narthex and outside the choir room, as any intentions left in them that were not taken up at the last Mass may be placed in the basket for weekday Mass.

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VII. Funeral/Memorial Masses

 Arrive one hour prior to the start of the Mass.  Turn on the A/C in the sacristy and chapel.  Pull out funeral slip from the fourth drawer in the sacristy. If the funeral slip is not there, contact the office.  Turn on the sound system in the usher’s room.  Turn on all chapel lights including spotlights.  Check priest’s microphone battery. Replace if less than two (2) bars.  Unlock priest’s sacristy door.  Check oil levels of candles (if necessary) and replace if needed. If the Altar candles require tealights, replacements of these can be found on the counter in the sacristy.  Put the key in the Tabernacle and check the Sanctuary lamp (candle).  Put out and light the : If outside the Easter season - Outside the Easter season, the Paschal Candle is placed on the first step, in the center, directly in front of the Altar. If during the Easter season - During the Easter season, the Paschal Candle will already be in place near the Ambo. It is not moved for funeral/memorial Masses during the Easter season. Memorial Masses with no remains - If there are to be no remains present for the Memorial Mass, the Paschal Candle is not put out.  If a casket is to be present, place the pall (fourth drawer in sacristy) over the back of the last pew closest to the northwest chapel door (by the confessionals/choir room). Place a small stand, from the storage room, near the confessionals with the Holy Water on it.  Take the white lectern from choir room and place it near the entryway next to the water fountain. This is for the guestbook which the funeral home or family will bring if one is to be used.  If cremains are to be present, place the rectangular credence table by the Tabernacle in front of the Altar (the table goes in front of the Paschal Candle).  If cremains are not present, still put out this table in case a photo or flowers are brought for the Mass. Before the Mass, if the family has not brought anything, this table may be removed and put back by the Tabernacle.  Place the reserved signs on each end of the first two pews in front of the priest’s chair. Place boxes of tissues on both pews.  Set the Roman Missal and place it on the Altar to the left side, leaving the Celebrant room to reverence the Altar after processing in. See section “Setting the Roman Missal” for instructions.  If a casket is to be present, place the incense stand centered behind the Altar against the sanctuary doors. Be sure the boat is filled with incense. Ten (10) minutes prior to the start of Mass, light two charcoals in the and hang it on the stand. All incense supplies can be found under the sink in the sacristy bathroom. Incense is not used at Memorial Masses.

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 Set up the credence table for a standard weekday Mass to include chalice with purificator, paten with Host (2-3/4”), water and wine, finger bowl, water, and finger towel. Be sure to check who the Celebrant is on the funeral slip to make sure you have the correct chalice prepared.  Check funeral slip for family Offertory procession. If yes, take the small square table from the sacristy with tablecloth (fourth drawer) and set it out at the back of the chapel. Fill one ciborium with standard Hosts (1-3/8”) and place on the table with the cruet of wine.  Check funeral slip for requested readings. Take the readings out of the white binder (located in fourth drawer in the sacristy) and ask the Celebrant which reading he has picked when he arrives. Place them on the Ambo. If family members are to do the readings, verify with them kindly beforehand and write their names on a post-it note for the Celebrant. Family members may go up and look at the readings prior to the Mass.  If personnel from the funeral home or florist arrive with flowers, please direct them as to where they should go. Flowers in vases can go on the small table in front of the Altar at Memorials or on the floor in front of the Altar. Flower arrangements on stands should go on the floor to the right of the sanctuary near the baptismal font in the chapel. These arrangements are never to go in the sanctuary itself, nor in front of the Altar.  Get the check and Clergy Record (if applicable) from the funeral director.  Take one copy of the funeral slip and write the Celebrant and Organist’s names on top. Fold the slip and check in half, paperclip it, and place in the bank bag in the fourth drawer of the sacristy.  For a funeral Mass, five (5) minutes prior to the start, take up your position at the northwest entrance to the chapel. Hold the Holy Water to assist the Celebrant with the blessing of the casket at the start of the Mass.  At the Sign of Peace, open the Tabernacle and remove one ciborium to assist the Celebrant with Communion if requested. Remember to genuflect when opening the Tabernacle.  At the conclusion of Communion, the Celebrant will hand you his ciborium. Place the ciboria in the Tabernacle, remove key, and proceed to the sacristy to await the conclusion of the Mass. Remember to genuflect before closing the Tabernacle.  If a casket is present, the Celebrant will bless the casket again at the northwest entrance to the chapel after the pall is removed. Be sure to be in position with the Holy Water at the doorway when the final procession reaches the doors.

FOLLOWING THE MASS  Put away the Paschal Candle, incense, pall, Holy Water, Roman Missal, reserved signs, tissues, readings, and the table for the offertory gifts (if applicable).  Remove all items from the credence table and put them away.  Return the rectangular credence table to the step to the left of the Tabernacle if applicable.  Extinguish candles.  Turn off the sound system in usher’s room.  Turn off all lights in the chapel except the one closest to the Tabernacle.  Lock priest’s sacristy door.  Be sure to lock the sacristy before leaving.

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VIII. Baptisms

IN THE CHAPEL  Place the baptismal font at the foot of the sanctuary, centered in front of the Altar. Fill up the glass pitcher halfway with water to be blessed and used for the baptism.  Place a small table to the right of the baptismal font with the following items: a. Oils for the Anointing (Oil of Catechumens [OS], Sacred [SC]) b. Glass pitcher of water c. Small candle with bobeche (1 per baptism) d. Terrycloth Towel (1 per baptism) e. White Bibs for each infant ( for older children) f. Paschal Candle (between the table and the font) - If during the Easter season, leave the Paschal Candle where it is. g. Cotton balls h. Shell (a shell will only be used if requested by the Celebrant)  Seat parents, godparents, and babies according to the order on the list supplied by the office. Families not seated in the front row need to have babies seated on the aisle followed by parents and godparents. Family members sit behind them.  Provide the Celebrant with the liturgical binder (white). Liturgical binders can be found in the top cabinet in the priest’s sacristy. The typed text can be found in the black box on the top shelf in the left sacristy closet. The certificates will be provided by the office in advance and should be left on the table next to the font with the other items.  Afterwards, extinguish the Paschal Candle and put away all items used in their places.

IN THE CHURCH (AT A WEEKEND MASS)  Place the baptismal font at the front of the sanctuary on the side of the priest’s chair. The rectangular credence table from the chapel storage room should be brought out and placed closest to the front sanctuary steps. The baptismal font should be placed to the left of the table (looking out towards the congregation). The Paschal Candle should go between the font and table on the front side, closest to the congregation. - If during the Easter season, leave the Paschal Candle where it is.  Place all the necessary items (listed above, items a-g) on the table for the Celebrant.  Reserve the two front pews off the main aisle (Tabernacle side) for each family.  Place the liturgical binder (of the appropriate color for that Sunday’s Mass) with the typed text of the Rite of Baptism next to the priest’s chair.  Be sure to check at least five (5) minutes prior to Mass if the family has arrived and are seated in the appropriate area.  After Mass, extinguish the Paschal Candle and put away all items needed for the baptism in their proper locations.

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IX. Exposition of the

In addition to the standard set-up for weekday Mass, complete the following:  As soon as you arrive for the day, go into the Tabernacle and open the Luna (receptacle that holds the Host for Adoration) and take out the old Host which is already inside. Break the Host up into fours and place them in one of the ciboria in the Tabernacle to be consumed. Take the Luna to the sacristy and place a new Host (2-3/4”) in the Luna. This should go on the tray with the pyxes to be consecrated on the Altar at the Mass.  Place the monstrance and throne (located in the left priest’s sacristy closet) and place them on the short wooden ledge behind the Ambo in the chapel.  Place a kneeler on the floor, directly in front of the Altar. Be sure to place an Exposition/Benediction card on the kneeler for the Celebrant. Place the incense stand and boat to the right of the kneeler. Keep the thurible in the sacristy for later.  Place the Benediction/Exposition cards (found in the right sacristy closet) in the bulletin racks at each of the chapel doors.  At Communion time, place the Luna with the consecrated Host in the Tabernacle so that it is there for when the Celebrant returns after Mass to start Exposition.  Be sure to have the thurible with one (1) charcoal ready in the sacristy. As soon as you return to the sacristy after Communion, light the charcoal in the thurible. Materials such as charcoal, incense, and a blowtorch can be found under the sink in the sacristy bathroom.  Immediately after the Celebrant has processed back to the sacristy after Mass, immediately take the thurible and hang it from the stand.  Go up to the Altar and clear it of the Roman Missal and crucifix. Place the throne in the center of the Altar with the angel facing outwards. Place the monstrance to the right of the throne with the receptacle open, facing the center of the Altar.  Verify that the key is still in the Tabernacle.  Clear the sanctuary of all items needed for Mass and take them back to the sacristy. If you need assistance, you can ask one of the Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion before Mass. This process should be done quickly and efficiently.  At this point the Altar is prepared for the Celebrant to begin Exposition.  Before leaving, make sure you remove the Tabernacle key, thurible, boat, and stand and put them back in the sacristy for safety.

Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament  First Friday Benediction begins at 4:00PM. The Sacristan should arrive no later than 3:00PM. Be advised that the Chaplet of Divine Mercy begins at 3:30PM.  Hang the cope and stole in the priest’s sacristy.  Drape the humeral over the wooden railing in front of the right front pew.  Be sure the Exposition/Benediction card is on the kneeler for the Celebrant.  Be sure to put the key in the Tabernacle.  Ten (10) minutes prior, light one (1) charcoal in the thurible and place the thurible, boat, and stand to the right of the kneeler for the Celebrant.  After concludes, put all items away including the cards at the doors.

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X. Weddings The couple will be contacted by the Head Sacristan at least three (3) weeks prior to the wedding day to receive their selections for the Mass/Ceremony Preparation Form, and to schedule the rehearsal date and time.

AT THE REHEARSAL  Prior to the start, set out kneelers, chairs, and any other items requested for the wedding (i.e. Unity Candle).  Have a copy of the wedding worksheet available (found in the second drawer in the sacristy).  Place the selected readings from the wedding binder (second drawer in the sacristy) on the Ambo.  When the couple arrives, ask them for the license. Check it to be sure it is valid for the wedding day. Also, find out how many pews they would like reserved for immediate family. Find out who will be lighting the outside unity candles if applicable (i.e. If just mothers, who will be escorting them?).  After everyone arrives, welcome them and ask everyone processing in to accompany you to the narthex. Ask the groom, best man, and groomsmen to wait in the chapel. Show the bridal party the large sacristy where they are to gather immediately upon arriving at the church. Explain the procession and have everyone, including parents and grandparents, line up accordingly. Write down their names on the wedding worksheet in the order that they will enter. Explain to everyone the exact procedure and walk them through it starting with the parents/grandparents.  Groom’s parents process down the aisle, bow to the Altar, and proceed to the Unity Candle and pick up a stick to light the left candle. Accompany them to the candle to explain to them the procedure and show them to their seats afterwards. - Repeat the process with the bride’s parents regarding the Unity Candle.  Have the groom, best man, and groomsmen process in from the chapel. Explain they will process in with the Celebrant at the wedding. Show them where to line up in the sanctuary.  Bridal party processes in, makes a bow in front of the Altar, splits left and right, walks to their designated spot, and faces the center aisle.  Correct : Bridesmaids/Groomsmen Maid/Matron of Honor Flower girl/Ring bearer Bride with father/escort  Father/escort walks bride down the aisle, stops, bows to the Altar, and then hands her off to the groom.  Bride and groom stand at the kneelers facing the Celebrant. At this point, the bridal party faces the Celebrant as well.  With everyone in their place, explain and practice the entire Mass/Ceremony.  If applicable, explain when and where the bridal party will be seated. Have the best man and one groomsman move the chairs for the bride and groom to be seated for the readings.

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 At the Liturgy of the Word, have the readers approach the Ambo and practice their readings.  Explain that after the Gospel and , the Celebrant will ask the bridal party to join the bride and groom in the center.  Following the guide on the wedding worksheet, take them through the wedding ceremony to include the vows, rings, and any other aspects.  When the time for the rings comes, the Celebrant will extend the tray for the best man to place the rings on. The Celebrant will bless the rings with Holy Water and then extend the tray to the groom. He picks up the ring, places it on her finger and then repeats the vows after the Celebrant. The bride then follows the same procedure.  After the rings, the Unity Candle will be lit by the couple. At this point, the groom will escort the bride to the candle. At the candle, they walk behind and face the congregation from the back of the candle. Bride and groom each pick up a stick and light from the two outside candles simultaneously. Then they bring them together to light the center candle at the same time. They extinguish their lighted sticks and place them back in the holder and return to their places for the Prayers of the Faithful.  If not a full Mass, explain that after the Prayers of the Faithful, the Celebrant will continue with the Nuptial Blessing, Final Blessing, and then the kiss and .  If a full Mass, explain that after the Prayers of the Faithful, the Mass will continue in the normal way with the Offertory. If they have designated individuals to bring up the gifts, explain this procedure to them now.  If applicable, practice the blessing and giving of the Lazo (veil). The Lazo is given after the Eucharistic Prayer but before the Lord’s Prayer.  Explain that during the recitation of the Lord’s Prayer, the Celebrant will come down the steps and pray the Nuptial Blessing over the couple before returning to the Altar for the Sign of Peace and then Holy Communion. Inquire whether the bride and groom wish to receive Holy Communion under both species and be sure to tell the Celebrant on the wedding day.  Following Holy Communion, the Celebrant will continue with the Prayer After Communion, Final Blessing, and the kiss and dismissal.  Practice with the bridal party processing out to the narthex and into the sacristy.  Remind all participants that everyone should arrive no later than 45 minutes prior to the start of the wedding.

ON THE WEDDING DAY  Arrive no later than an hour and a half prior to the start of the wedding.  Be sure all doors and gates of the church, as well as the parking lot gates are open.  Place the “Wedding in Main Church” signs out at the bottom of the chapel entrance sidewalks. These can be found in the chapel storage room.  Get out your wedding worksheet. Based on the couples’ requests, set up accordingly. Remember to place the readings on the Ambo.  If it is a full Mass, be sure to have everything that the Celebrant will need for Mass prepared and set out as well. You can use the regular weekend Mass checklist for this, excluding the items that do not apply. The Roman Missal should be placed on the Altar and open to the prayers for the Wedding Mass. See section “Setting the Roman Missal” for instructions.

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 Prior to the start of the wedding, be sure that the best man has the rings.  When the photographer/videographer arrives, make sure they are aware they are not allowed to go up into the sanctuary for any reason. Flash photography is allowed. Tell them where the Celebrant/groom will be entering and where the bridal party will be preparing.  When the entire bridal party and parents/grandparents are on site, notify the Celebrant and Organist.  Ten (10) minutes prior to the start of the wedding, ask any guests in the narthex to take their seats.  Five (5) minutes prior, line up everyone in the proper order (bridal party and groomsmen).  When ready, signal the Organist to begin and as music starts, cue parents and grandparents to begin procession.  Follow same procedures that were practiced at the rehearsal.  Following the Prayers of the Faithful, be in the back of the church to direct the individuals who will be bringing up the gifts.  Check with the Celebrant ahead of time to see if he would like assistance with distributing Holy Communion. If so, be prepared at Communion time to assist.  At the conclusion, as the Celebrant presents the newly married couple, open the narthex doors and direct the bridal party into the sacristy. Immediately have the best man and maid/matron of honor sign the marriage license as witnesses. If there is a receiving line, only the best man and maid/matron of honor go into the sacristy.  As soon as the license has been signed, take it immediately to the small sacristy and place it in the wedding binder (second drawer in sacristy).  As guests make their way out of the church, the bridal party is escorted back into the church for pictures.  If the wedding is a 2:00PM Saturday wedding, be sure the photographer knows in advance that we have a weekend Mass at 4:00PM and that time for photos may be limited. They must be finished and leaving the church by 3:30PM.

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XI. Setting the Roman Missal Become familiar with the Ordo (small book next to the priest’s microphone in the priest’s sacristy). This book will tell you which pages and prayers to set in the Roman Missal for each individual day.

There are six (6) sections of the Roman Missal with which you should be familiar: The Proper of Time The Order of the Mass The Prefaces The Proper of Saints The Commons The Masses for the Dead

The Proper of Time gives you the prayers for the regular weekdays and Sundays of the . Prayers for Sunday Masses, and any day there is not a Memorial of a Saint will be found here. During Time, prayers are not given for each individual day of the week. Instead, the same prayers are used during the week as the Sunday prior. The Order of the Mass gives you all the prayers, responses, and sung parts which remain the same at each Mass. This section goes through the Mass in order, excluding any part which is particular to any given day (i.e. the Collect). In this section, you will find the text for the Gloria, the Creed, and the prayers said by the priest during the Offertory, all of which you will need to be familiar with. The Prefaces gives you all of the prefaces needed for the liturgical year. The Ordo will tell you which to set for a particular day’s Mass. The preface is said immediately following the Prayer Over the Offerings and before the (“Holy, Holy, Holy”). It is called a preface because it prefaces the Eucharistic Prayer. Each preface begins with the invitations: “The Lord be with you; Lift up your hearts; etc.” The Proper of Saints gives the required prayers for each Solemnity, Feast, Memorial, and Optional Memorial throughout the calendar year. It begins with January 2 and concludes with December 31. Whenever there is a day of the year on which is observed a Saint, the Blessed Virgin Mary, or a mystery of our faith, the prayers which the priest is required to use are found in this section. The Commons gives standard prayers which can be used at any Mass celebrating a saint of a particular category (i.e. apostles, martyrs, , Doctors of the Church, virgins, holy men and women). For Optional Memorials, the Proper of Saints usually gives only a Collect which the priest says following the Penitential Rite. However, it does not provide any required prayers for the rest of the Mass. That is because the rest of these prayers are taken from the Commons. The Ordo will tell you which Common to use for the Mass: the appropriate Common is also usually listed just below the saint’s name in the Proper of Saints along with the page number. The following is an example for reference:

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For the Optional Memorial of Saint Callistus I, and Martyr on October 14: Collect pg. 827 (Proper of Saints) Remaining Prayers Common of Martyrs: For One Martyr, pg. 912 (Commons) Preface Preface I of Holy Martyrs, pg. 454 (Prefaces) - For some optional memorials, more than one Common may be suggested as the saint may fit multiple categories (i.e. virgin martyrs). Some general rules you could follow are: o Doctors of the Church override Pastors o Martyrs override every other designation (virgins, pastors, etc.) o Any designation such as virgins, pastors, etc. overrides holy men and women. The Masses for the Dead gives you all of the prayers allowed for the celebration of Masses for the Dead: funerals, memorials, on a death anniversary, and Masses for all the Dead. You will only be concerned with this section at funerals. Pay close attention to the designation for each of the Masses (which are listed by letter). Some are designated for “Outside Easter Time” and some are designated for “During Easter Time.” For most of the year, option 1A should be used for outside Easter time (pg. 1217). During the Easter season, option 1C should be used for during Easter time (pg. 1220). All of these prayers are interchangeable for the priest and he has the right to combine the prayers given in each option as he sees fit.

The next aspect of the Roman Missal you should be aware of is the significance of each day’s designation on the liturgical calendar. There are four (4) main designations: Solemnity Feast Memorial Optional Memorial

Solemnities are the highest days of the liturgical calendar. Major celebrations of our Lord, the Blessed Virgin Mary, mysteries of our faith, and major Saints in the Church are given this designation. Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation are also observed as solemnities. At Mass on a solemnity, the Gloria and Creed are usually said. Be sure the Celebrant knows in advance and that you have the Gloria marked for him: - A ribbon should always be placed on page 374 when the Gloria is being said.

Feasts are the next designation on the liturgical calendar. Some celebrations of Our Lord, the Blessed Virgin Mary, a mystery of our faith, or Saints of particular significance are

23 designated as feasts. For most feast days, the Gloria is recited although the Creed is not. Be sure the Celebrant knows in advance and that you have the Gloria marked for him: - A ribbon should always be placed on page 374 when the Gloria is being said.

Memorials are the next designation on the liturgical calendar. A Memorial of our Lord, the Blessed Virgin Mary, a mystery of our faith, or a Saint is not optional and must be celebrated by the priest. The Gloria and the Creed are not said on Memorials. The Proper of Saints will give you all the necessary prayers for a Memorial.

An Optional Memorial is the last designation on the liturgical calendar. An Optional Memorial does not have to be observed by the Celebrant: this is his choice. While they are celebrated very straightforward, Optional Memorials can be the most difficult to set the Roman Missal for as the prayers for the Mass are very flexible. Please read carefully: During the season of During Lent, Optional Memorials may be celebrated however, to a lesser degree. The Celebrant simply takes the given Collect from the Proper of Saints, but all other prayers come from the Proper of Time (regular weekday). The Preface will also be taken from one of the Prefaces of Lent, and not for the Saint. The Celebrant will also remain wearing purple vestments even for the celebration of a Saint. During all other seasons of the Liturgical Year For Optional Memorials during all other periods of the liturgical year, the Collect is taken from the Proper of Saints, while the other prayers are taken from the Commons. The respective preface for the Saint/celebration is also used. This can get tricky; please refer to the example on the previous page for guidance. When there is more than one Saint who can be celebrated on a particular day, usually the first one listed is used however, please ask the Celebrant before Mass begins which Saint he would like to celebrate and set the Roman Missal accordingly.

A General Rule When setting the Roman Missal for an Optional Memorial, make sure one ribbon remains in the ‘Proper of Time’ with the prayers for the appropriate weekday marked. The regular weekday prayers can always be used as a fallback if the priest decides.

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Setting the Roman Missal for the Various Masses SUNDAYS Be sure to set a ribbon for the appropriate Sunday in the Proper of Time. Check the Ordo or a calendar to be sure you have the correct Sunday. Place another ribbon on the appropriate preface for the season. The priest also has the option to give the Solemn Blessing at the end of Mass especially during seasons like or Easter. This is optional but helpful to remember. Here is a reference for Sunday Masses: For the Seventeenth Sunday in Prayers for the Mass pg. 331 Preface Preface I of Ordinary Time, pg. 424 Solemn Blessing (optional) pg. 531

HOLY DAYS OF OBLIGATION The same rules as above are followed for Holy Days of Obligation with the exception that the prayers and proper preface for most Holy Days are found in the Proper of Saints. The priest may also give the Solemn Blessing, however this is optional. Here is a reference: For the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary on August 15 Prayers for the Mass pg. 783 Preface Proper Preface on pg. 785 Solemn Blessing (optional) pg. 534

WEEKDAYS For weekday Masses you will need to follow the guidelines for which kind of day is being celebrated: a regular weekday, Feast, Optional Memorial? Consult the Ordo and determine this. Also if you are confused on which Mass to set, ask the Celebrant beforehand to figure it out. Below is a reference for a regular weekday in Ordinary Time: For Tuesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time Prayers for the Mass pg. 325 Preface Common Preface II, pg. 464* *Please be aware that during weekdays in Ordinary Time, the Common Prefaces are used. There are six (6) Common Prefaces, and six (6) days where weekday Mass is celebrated. Therefore, please use the appropriate Common Preface for the day of the Week: Mondays, Preface I; Tuesdays, Preface II; Wednesdays, Preface III, etc. FUNERAL MASSES For Funeral/Memorial Masses, the Roman Missal should be set to the Mass of the Dead: Outside Easter Time pg. 1217, During Easter Time pg. 1220. Also please be sure to mark the correct preface: Preface I for the Dead pg. 474. This is all the Celebrant will need from the Roman Missal.

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WEDDING MASSES For Wedding Masses, the Roman Missal should be set to pg. 1023: 5A. For the Celebration of Marriage. All the prayers, including a Proper Preface and the Solemn Blessing are included here. Please be advised that should a Wedding Mass be celebrated on a Solemnity (i.e. The Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul on June 29) the prayers, preface, readings, and all other elements of the Mass are taken from the Mass for that day and not from the prayers for the Wedding Mass. Therefore, you should be aware of the liturgical calendar and set the Roman Missal accordingly. This is also dependent on the Celebrant, so be sure to check with him beforehand to ensure you have prepared to Roman Missal correctly.

Setting the Roman Missal is one of the more challenging aspects of being a Sacristan, but it should not cause you to worry. Practice makes perfect and hopefully this resource can help you get started.

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