ST. ANN R.C.CHURCH, CLAYTON, NC

HANDBOOK FOR SACRISTANS

A SACRISTAN’S PRAYER……

HEAVENLY FATHER, PLEASE POUR YOUR BLESSINGS ON MY MINISTRY TODAY. IT IS AN HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO SERVE THE LORD AT HIS TABLE. PLEASE GUIDE MY HANDS AND MY STEPS THAT I MAY FULFILL MY DUTIES WITH GRACE AND DEVOTION. I ASK THIS IN THE NAME OF JESUS WHOM I SERVE WITH JOY. AMEN. WHAT IS A SACRISTAN

DICTIONARY.COM DEFINES “SACRISTAN” AS AN OFFICIAL IN CHARGE OF THE SACRED VESSELS, VESTMENTS, ETC., OF A CHURCH OR A RELIGIOUS HOUSE.

THE DEFINITION, HOWEVER, OMITS THAT IT IS AN HONOR TO HAVE THIS ROLL IN THE PREPARATION OF THE HOLY EUCHARIST. IT IS OUR SINCERE HOPE THAT BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN CALLED TO THIS MINISTRY, THAT YOU FEEL THE SAME WAY.

THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS HANDBOOK IS MEANT TO ASSIST YOU IN THIS MINISTRY. HOWEVER, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS, WE CAN ALWAYS BE REACHED EITHER BY PHONE OR E-MAIL. BELOW IS OUR CONTACT INFORMATION.

NANCY ESPOSITO – CELL (732)-713-7164

PETE ESPOSITO – CELL (919)588-1615

E-MAIL: [email protected]

THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEVOTION TO ST. ANN’S PARISH.

WEEKEND MASSES

BEFORE MASS

Please plan to arrive 30 minutes before Mass begins

When you arrive

 Check off your name at the “sign-in” table

Sacristy

 Make sure there are at least three (3) bottles of wine in the refrigerator

Preparation of the two Trays for the two Credence tables

 Credence Table – located in the hallway behind the statute of St. Ann will hold:

o 5 Chalices

. 4:30 p.m. Saturday Mass – Everything will be already set up for the Saturday Mass when the Sacristan arrives. The Chalices must now be filled with wine. Please fill each Chalice with ¾ cup wine. It might be easier to fill the cups at that table instead of in the Sacristy and carrying full cups to the Credence table. Sacristans for 8:00 a.m. Sunday Mass must do a complete set up since the previous Mass was the 7:00 p.m. Saturday evening Hispanic Mass. 8:00 a.m. Sacristans will also do a complete set up (fill Chalices and Host bowls) after clean- up at the 8:00 a.m. Mass for the next Mass at 9:30 a.m. (Hispanic Mass). The Hispanic Sacristan will set up books. Likewise, the 9:30 a.m. Sacristans will also do a complete set up (fill Chalices and Host bowls) after clean-up at the 9:30 a.m. Mass for the next Mass at 12:30 p.m. NOTE: Because the 12:30 Mass is the Hispanic Mass, the Sacristan for that Mass may be on hand to take over these duties, in which case you may leave that responsibility to the 12:30 Sacristan.

. 5 purificators

o Directly on the Credence table next to the tray containing the Chalices and purificators, put the following:

. Water cruet – fill ¾ of the cruet with “cold” water

. Rinsing bowl

. Towel (with red cross) (put in rinsing bowl) . Priest’s Chalice – dressed as follows:

 Purificator placed across the Chalice with the crease in the middle

 Pall with cardboard placed inside

 3 Corporal s placed on top of the Pall. Make sure that the corporals are placed in such a way that when the altar server prepares the altar for the Consecration, the “red cross” is at the bottom of the altar closest to the Priest.

BEFORE MASS (CONTINUED)

 Credence Table in the hallway behind the statue of St. Joseph and the baby Jesus will hold:

o Four bowls

. Please check the Ciborium in the Tabernacle to see how many consecrated Hosts there are. The Ciborium when full will contain approximately 500 consecrated Hosts. If the Ciborium is more than half full, fill the four bowls according to the number of people generally attending your particular Mass. The unconsecrated hosts are in two plastic containers in the Sacristy. Each bag contains 60 hosts. Use your best judgment in filling the four bowls.

. Occasionally a Communion Minister will bring Holy Communion to the homebound. Before Mass, the Communion Minister will place a Pyx in the tray with the Hosts and the Celebrant will place the consecrated Host in the Pyx for the Communion Minister to pick up after Mass. Additionally, there are some parishioners that are “Gluten” intolerant. In this instance, the parishioner(s) will come back to the Sacristy and take the special “pyx” used specifically for the gluten free hosts and place the gluten free host directly in the pyx and place it in the tray with the bowls. This parishioner will inform the Sacristan that they have prepared the pyx with the gluten free host. The Sacristan will inform the Priest. The gluten free hosts are in the cabinet so marked. These are to be handled only the parishioner.

o The Roman Missal . The Friday before the weekend Masses, the Roman Missal, along with the Lectionary and the Gospel Book are set up for the particular weekend Mass. The Lectionary is placed on the Ambo, the Gospel book is placed on the table in the back of the church near the baptismal font, and the Roman Missal is placed directly on the Credence table next to the tray with the bowls.

The Gifts Table

 The “Gifts” table is located in the back of the church in back of the last pew on the right side of the church. This table will contain the following:

o The large host bowl which contains one large “priest’s” host – and is covered with a pall (without the cardboard insert)

o Crystal flagon filled with approximately 1/3 cup wine (solely used by the Priest —there is no need to put any more wine in the flagon)

o Gospel Book.

o Under the table covering will be an extra purificator and towel – should there be an unfortunate accident

BEFORE MASS (CONTINUED)

At the “Sign-in” Table

 Please make sure every Communion Minister, Reader, and Altar Servers are present and accounted for. Communion Ministers have been asked to check in at the sign-in table regardless of whether they are serving, to offer their services if they see there is a vacancy. (this is the reason it is important to arrive 30 minutes before Mass begins so after you have set up in the Sacristy, you will have time to “check-in” those serving at Mass, as well as cheerfully welcome parishioners as they come into church.

Candles, Lighting and Sound System

CANDLES  Candles are to be lit by the altar servers no sooner than 5 minutes before Mass begins.

o If candles are too low, they will need to be replaced. This most likely will be done but in the event it is not, the candles are in the “storage” closet in the Sacristy.

CHURCH LIGHTING

 The church should not be fully illuminated until Mass is about to begin. When you arrive at church in the morning, press #2 on the lighting panel which is located on the wall as soon as you open the “inside” door from the Narthex to the church proper. This will illuminate the altar and first few pews.

SOUND SYSTEM

 The sound system generally is handled by the Choir volunteers. However, if the Rosary is to be recited or some other prayer service before the Mass begins and before the Choir volunteers arrive, then please turn on the sound system. It is located in the back Sacristy on the back wall next to where the altar servers hang their vestments. Turn all switches on – from the bottom row (first) and the top row next.

AFTER MASS

Candles

 When the Mass is over and the Priest processes to the back of church, you can then begin the process of cleaning up. The altar servers are responsible for extinguishing the candles. If they haven’t done so, the Sacristan should make sure this is done.

Vessels

 The sacred vessels will be returned after Communion to their respective credence tables. NOTE: The Priest will perform the ritual purification of the vessel(s). This purification by the priest celebrant is the diocesan approved procedure for purification of the vessels. If, however, the Sacristan notices consecrated remains in either the Cups or bowls, the process below is to be followed: o Pour a small amount of water into the Chalice. o Carefully swirl the water around the inside of the Chalice and then pour that water into the next Chalice – Continue this process for all Chalices and Host bowls . o The last Chalice will contain all the remains of the consecrated remains of the Body and Blood of Christ in that water. The Sacristan will then consume the remains. This process is referred to as “Reverential consumption” and is the diocesan approved process. After that is done, all vessels may be cleansed in the usual manner – using the NORWEX cloth.

 Carefully remove the used purificators and corporal and put in the wicker basket against the wall. Any remains of the Blood of Christ and Body of Christ are on these linens and must be handled reverently

 Trays

o Bring trays back to the Sacristy to set up for the next Mass – See Preparation of the two Trays for the two Credence tables for instructions. NOTE for 4:30 p.m. Saturday Sacristans: Please allow the Sacristan for the 7:00 p.m. Mass to set up. He/She will be better able to determine the needs at that Mass. NOTE for 11:00 a.m. Sacristans: Set up for the 12:30 p.m. Sunday Hispanic Mass– 5 Cups to be filled with 3/4 cup wine, and 4 bowls. If you are unsure how many hosts to put in each bowl, you can leave that for the 12:30 Mass Sacristan since he/she knows how many attend that Mass. The books for the 3 Hispanic Masses -- 7:00 p.m. Saturday Mass and 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Sunday Masses can be left for the Sacristans for those Masses to set up. They will also make any adjustments as to number of Chalices/Host bowls.

Sound System

 The sound system can remain in the “on” position. They will be shut down after the 7:00 p.m. Saturday evening Mass and after the 12:30 p.m. Sunday Hispanic Masses.

Lighting

 Shut off all lighting but the #2 setting which illuminates the altar and front pews. The only exception to this would be during Daylight Savings Time when the church is too dark for parishioners attending the 4:30 p.m. Saturday evening Mass. The 4:30 p.m. Saturday Sacristans will use best judgment to illuminate the church enough for the safety of the parishioners. AFTER MASS (CONTINUED)

SACRISTAN PICTORAL GUIDE

SACRISTAN PICTORAL GUIDE – (CONTINUED)

SACRISTAN PICTORAL GUIDE – (CONTINUED)

MISCELLANEOUS NOTES

THE LECTIONARY BOOKS CHANGE DURING THE LITURGICAL CALENDAR YEAR. THE BANNERS AT THE ALTAR AND BACK OF CHURCH ARE CHANGED ACCORDINGLY – AND THE COLOR OF THE LECTOR’S INTERCESSIONS BINDER AND PRIEST’S BINDER WITH PRAYERS AND PULPIT ANNOUNCEMENTS REFLECT THE COLORS OF THE BANNERS.

THROUGHOUT THE YEAR THERE WILL BE SPECIAL FEAST DAYS TO BE CELEBRATED. SPECIAL REQUESTS MAY BE MADE BY THE PRIEST. THESE WILL BE COMMUNICATED TO US AND INSTRUCTIONS WILL BE SENT TO ALL SACRISTANS. AUGUST, 2016