 Sacristan

A sacristan is a liturgical minister who ensures the worship space is fully prepared for services.  Their duties involve preparing sacred vessels, vestments, and liturgical books, while ensuring the church and altars are meticulously cleaned and decorated for each mass. [1, 2]

Specific duties fall into three main phases:

Before Mass: Arrive early to open the church, control lighting and temperature, and light altar candles.  Set out the cruets, chalices, ciboria, and linens on the credence table.  Ensure liturgical books (like the Lectionary) are marked and verify that hosts and sacramental wine are stocked. [1, 2, 3]
During Mass: Ring altar bells at designated times and assist the clergy with the procession or by securing volunteers to bring up the offertory gifts. [1]
After Mass: Clean and purify the sacred vessels, launder linens correctly, and secure the church building. [1, 2, 3]