Manual for Setting Up for Mass by Sacristans and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion

Plus Cleanup Procedure after Mass by Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion.

This manual is designed for the use of Sacristans and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion in setting up for Mass. It is also includes instructions on the role of the Sacristan or EMHC at the sanctuary/altar to assist the celebrant when there is no deacon or duly instituted acolyte in the preparation of the altar after receiving of the gifts. There are times that this will occur, and since it does not require an ordained person to do these tasks, it is felt that the immediate proper person would be the Sacristan or a duly trained Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMHC).

I. Location of the sacred vessels, altar linens, and stuff needed for Mass

The chalice, paten, cups, ciboria are located in the safe. Cruets are on the rack on the counter.

Supplies such as hosts are in the middle drawer below the black counter. Extra hosts are in a large bin in one of the counter shelves.

Wine is in the cabinet over the sink. Also, there is extra candle oil and charcoal in this cabinet. Extra wine in also on the closet shelf.

1 At the center island, the far left drawer has lavabo towels and purificators. The next drawer to the right has the tabernacle key (in a porcelain box), the pall (the square board-like item). This drawer also contains the corporals, the cloth used to cover the top of the altar. Usually these are already on the altar but you need to look as they may have been removed if they were soiled. You need two, one large and the other smaller.

II. What to look for first.

You first need to check the tabernacle before setting up the ciboria. Go to the tabernacle, open it and see how many ciboria there are from the last Mass. Also you need to see how full this (these) is (are). A ciborium will hold well over 125 hosts if full. This will determine the number of ciboria needed and how many hosts to place in them.

III. What is set up?

Needed ... the silver tray, cups (the number is determined by which Mass ... four cups for the 5p and 8a, five for the 10a and 12n ... the number of ciboria needed to equal, three for the 5p and 8a, or four for the 10a and 12n. Note, the one in the tabernacle counts as one if there.

The chalice, paten, purificator and pall, water cruet with stopper, a purificator for each cup, water cruet (no stopper) for the lavabo, a wash bowl, and lavabo towel are to be placed on the credence table.

Note the cruets shown to the left. The large cruet to the far left is for the wine used in the gift procession and to be used for the chalice. It has a stopper (lid). The one in the middle is for water to be used for the chalice (only a drop or two will be used by the priest/deacon at the altar. The one to the right is for water to be used for the lavabo and does not have a stopper.

Cups, Chalice, and Ciboria with < four cups (left) and five cups (right) >

Next ... using the 2 information on how many Consecrated Hosts and ciboria are in the tabernacle (in this example there was one ciborium just over half full in the tabernacle, about 100), take one full bag of hosts (this is about 250) and divide among the empty ciboria. Take another bag, or partial bag in the drawer, and put them in the priest’s paten so that with a large altar host on top, it is about 3/4 full, or just below the rim. Place a pall on top. It should not be touching the host. With 250 in the ciboria, about 100+ in the tabernacle, and 100+ in the paten, you have enough for 450 people. This should do well for the heavy Masses, and very well for the lighter Masses.

(Put ½ of the amount shown in the photo)

Fill the large cruet with just enough wine for the chalice (about ¾ inch from the bottom - enough for the priest and deacon.)

(This photo will be changed. The paten will be a ciborium with altar bread)

A ciborium (not the priest’s paten) and the cruet of wine are placed on the gift table at the back of the church. Everything else is placed on the credence table in the front of the church, along with the lavabo (wash bowl) and a cruet of water, plus the small (finger) towel.

Check the altar to insure the two large corporals are on the altar – one at the center and the other to the right. If there are none, get them from the sacristy and put them on the altar.

Now take everything to the credence table and place them there. All cups will already contain wine. Also the tray has been changed to a bigger one.) 3 :

Four cup (photo needs to be changed) Five cup (photo needs to be changed)

This concludes the setting up for the upcoming Mass.

IV What’s next?

If there is a Deacon, or Minister of Acolyte, the incoming EMHCs will function as usual, needing six (5p/8a) or eight (10a/12n) for Communion. If not ... that is, there is only a priest ... the sacristan or one of the EMHCs will have to be in charge of setting up the altar after the intercessions (while the collection is being taken up, and before the bringing up of the gifts).

The extra minister will take the place of the one that will be in charge of setting up. That minister should sit as close to the altar as possible, maybe even with the servers.

The altar servers and the sacristan/EMHC will take everything from the credence table (except the lavabo) to the altar. That will be the tray with cups already containing wine and the purificators, the priest’s chalice (his purificator should be on top of the pall, on top of the chalice), the water cruet, the ciboria, plus the Sacramentary (the book used on the altar), and place these on the altar.

(Photo needs to be changed – no wine cruet on the credence table)

The cups are placed on the corporal to the right side, as well as the purificators. The ciboria will be placed on the upper end of the large corporal. The book with stand on the left side of the altar close to the center). The tray is returned to the credence table.

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If there is no deacon, the Sacristan or EMHC will wait with the priest until the gifts arrive and then receive from the priest the ciborium and cruet of wine and place them on the altar, and then leave.

You are now finished until time for Communion.

If there is a deacon, he will purify the vessels at the credence table after Communion. At the end of the Mass the assigned EMHC will cleanse the vessels in the sacristy.

V Cleanup

If there is no deacon, after Mass, all the vessels are taken to the sacristy for purification by the priest or an instituted acolyte, and then by the EMHC for cleaning. Note: Purification is different from cleaning

Cleaning of Vessels: Using hot water, rinse all the cups and dry with a fresh, clean purificator (Do not use paper towels as they scratch). NOTE: Only allow the hot water to rinse the top part of the chalice and cups. To do this, hold them by the handle and upside down under the water faucet. Otherwise, water gets into the base of the chalice and cup and will drip on the corporal or even the consecrated bread.

The purificators are placed in the small container near the sink ... nowhere else. The wet towels are hung on the rack and if the cruets will not be used for the next Mass, place them on the drying rack with the covers on the cloth as shown.

If there is another Mass, then everything must be set 5 up as above. This concludes the setting up and cleaning for the weekend Masses.

Thank you for your service to the parish and God’s people.

[NOTE: Some of the photos will need to be changed to show the chalice with the paten on the credence table, and a ciborium and cruet of wine placed on the small table for the offertory procession. This Manual will be changed soon to reflect the changes.]

Weekday Masses

Weekday Mass is simple ... using the following:

As with any Mass, first check the tabernacle. Just one ciborium that is half full is plenty for morning Mass. A quarter full or less, you will want to place a few small hosts of the paten with the medium size priest’s host.

The chalice (fill to the one-half level with wine), the paten, a pall, a medium purificator, a small lavabo dish (finger bowl) and small towel, a cruet of water, and a large host (medium size for weekdays). The tabernacle must also be checked. If there is only one ciborium, check to see that there are least 60 Consecrated Hosts. If not, place some extra hosts on the paten with the large host. Place this tray on the small table on the left side of the main altar.

The priest will purify the sacred vessels. After Mass, clean the vessels and dry them as described above.

6 The original manual with the photos and explanations was done by Deacon Rick Fisher, with the loving assistance of his wife Rachel on 26 March 2008.

This revision was done by Deacon Andy Espinosa on July 2011 after the new pastor, Rev. Fr. Gary Villanueva, made several changes, among which are the filling of the cups with wine before Mass, and the purification of the sacred vessels only by a priest, deacon or duly instituted acolyte. New photos were taken and the explanations were revised.

Other Photos

Chalice

Purificator

Paten

Pall

Ciborium (Plural Ciboria)

Corporal

Finger Towel

Wine Cruet

Water Cruet

Lavabo Cruet

Lavabo bowl

Dryer Rack

Censer (Thurible)

Incense Boat

Tray

Monstrance

Lunette

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