Sacristan Ministry: Performing Essential Roles in Preparation for Mass

On Saturday afternoons, before the hustle and bustle of parishioners coming in to celebrate the Saturday vigil Mass, you can find Suzie Rightmire peacefully going about her work in the quiet stillness of the church. There are many moving pieces of the Mass and as a sacristan, it is Suzie’s job to make sure that everything is prepared and in place so that Mass runs smoothly and the priest has everything he needs. For Suzie, this quiet time that she spends here is special.

“I always arrive at the church early,” she says. “This is my quiet time with God. I say my prayers as I am going about my duties, giving God my hands and my feet. It is so special to be setting up for the celebration of this sacrament.”

The Sacristan Ministry is a very important ministry within the church. While the specific duties of a sacristan can vary based on what is needed for each liturgy and the preferences of each priest and deacon, the basic job of a sacristan is to prepare the items needed for that Mass. This typically would include filling the ciborium with the unconsecrated hosts, filling the cruets and pitcher with the lavabo, and seeing that the purificator, corporal and lavabo towels are all ready to be used during the Liturgy of the Eucharist. It can also include turning the lectionary and book of the Gospels to the correct pages or even preparing the vestments for the priest or deacon. Sacristans also assist with the cleanup after Mass.

Suzie compares the job to preparing your home for a dinner party. You want to make sure that things are in order, your home is clean and everything is in place to have that party run smoothly so your guests can enjoy their time in your home. Similarly, when everything is prepared for the liturgy, there are no distractions or stresses. The parishioners can enter into the church and prepare their hearts to celebrate the beauty of the Liturgy.

Suzie became a sacristan when a priest at the parish she attended previously asked her to do it.

“I was very intimidated,” she says. “I told him that I didn’t think I was qualified. But he responded, ‘Well you can learn, can’t you?’ and I couldn’t argue with that. So little by little, I learned the role of a sacristan and I have been doing it ever since.”

This past year, Fr. Denzil gave a homily that truly touched Suzie’s heart and reminded her of the joy that serving the church gives us.

“Fr. Denzil said that our purpose is to know God, to love God and to serve God,” she says. “When we are involved in the parish, we get to know God better. The more we know Him, we can’t help but love Him more. And that love becomes deeper and more intimate. With that deeper love, you want to serve Him more. With this I realize I am fulfilling my purpose! And that truly gives me a joy that I can’t put into words. It is a joy that can only come from God!”

The church currently has three sacristans and one more in training. Training entails sitting down with Fr. Denzil and Suzie to learn about the ministry and the sacristans’ specific tasks. The rest of the training is learning as you go. Trainees assist the other sacristans until they have learned the different tasks. A checklist of the basic tasks that are done before every Mass is also provided.

Those interested in learning more about this vital ministry may contact Suzie Rightmire at 936-831-3506.

(From left) Lisa Bennett, Suzie Rightmire and Maribel Olivares