Incarnation Catholic Church

Before the Mass, the Sacristan is entrusted with the tasks of preparing the gifts of bread and wine to be consecrated, setting up the communion vessels, and making sure the lectionary books and Roman Missal are available.  During the Mass, a Sacristan assists as needed, sometimes filling in with a ministry or helping with the minor emergency that may happen in church.  The Sacristan Ministry offers a unique opportunity to serve side-by-side with priests and deacons and the chance to be an example to our faith community by demonstrating our devotion to our Lord through our service.  Sacristans are usually hand-picked from the experienced ranks of the Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EM).

During the pandemic, not all liturgical ministries are active. 
CURRENT STATUS: Active

Ministry Notes:

The First Thing You Do When You Arrive in the Sacristy:  Put on your alb. After you put on your alb, you may begin setting up for Mass.  You see, the message that you are sending, to yourself, and to all who are in the church as early as you are, is that you, as a person who comes in and out of the sanctuary, are preparing for the upcoming sacred eucharistic liturgy; that the sanctuary is a sacred space and so you are attired accordingly.  Your alb is not a uniform just for Mass.  It is a sign of a specific liturgical ministry.  Once you begin functioning in ministry you should be clothed in your alb already.

Sacristan Update from June 29, 2021:  
A) Since we are utilizing sacristans as altar servers for now, a sacristan will process in and out with the priest at weekday and weekend Masses, until further notice.  
B) There is NO weekday offertory procession--just at Sunday Masses (includes the Vigil on Saturday).
C)  For now, until further notice, the credence table will remain next to the altar at weekday and weekend Masses.
D) Altar Bells: 1) at the epiclesis (calling down of the Holy Spirit, priest's palms over the ciborium) after the Holy, Holy (one short ring); 2) when the priest raises the Body of Christ (three rings), and 3) when the priest raises the chalice (three rings).  We are now dropping the ringing of the fourth bell.

Masks:  For now, masks and social distancing are required for employees and volunteers if they are working in the church during Mass (from updated liturgical guidelines of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, dated June 15, 2021; see also below):

• Masks are not required for fully vaccinated individuals outdoors or indoors for religious services. Masks are required for unvaccinated individuals outdoors when social distancing is not possible, and at all times indoors. Parishes must provide information and/or post a sign at entrances indicating that parishioners must wear a facemask if they are unvaccinated. Parishes are not to verify who is and who is not vaccinated.

Sacristy or Vestibule?  The sacristy is where the priest gets ready for Mass.  The vestibule is the entrance at Brand Boulevard.

Sacristans as EMs, too ?  Typically, sacristans do not serve as EMs.  The only reason a sacristan would also act as an EM would be because there is a need for another EM.

Choosing Persons to Bring Up the Gifts:  This responsibility rests with the designated usher, not the sacristan.  The designated usher is to invite a diverse variety of persons, particularly persons new to the church, families with children, senior citizens, etc., and not from the pool of liturgical ministers serving at Mass. The usher must take care to assist the persons when it is time for them to offer the Gifts at the offertory.

What happens when a Host falls on the floor during Communion?  1) EM sets the Host aside or consumes the Host him/herself or the person for whom the Host was intended may consume the Host and 2) wave an usher down so that he/she can make sure no one tramples on the spot where the Host fell (there could be small particles of the Host on the floor!).and 3) EM sends someone (another usher, perhaps) to alert the sacristan who will know what to do.  Standing aside from where the Host fell, EM continues distributing Communion.

SACRISTANS DURING THIS COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Mary Andrade
Ramon Araquel 
Tim Chan
Joe Chavez
Lee Henry
Rose Lim
Elvira Maron
Hieu Nguyen
Jorge Nocum
Patty Pontrelli
Sophie Quach
Les Rangel-Santos
Andrew Schneider
Cris Tongson
Marysol Velasco
Julian Vences