Ministry Description: Ushers/Greeters welcome the community to liturgies, take care of the congregations comfort, take up collections, and distribute the weekly communication through the Parish Bulletin.

Usher/Greeter Chair: Phil Varni 408- 268-6355

Table of Contents

Hand Book (Usher specifics are highlighted in bold in the text)

Preparation Before Mass
Introductory Rites
Liturgy of the Word
Liturgy of the Eucharist
Dismissal Rites
Duties after Mass
Handbook

Preparation before the Eucharist

Head Usher at 5:00 pm, 8:00 am, 6:00pm—open gate by school area parking.
Arrive 15 minutes early to review the Order of Worship on bulletin board in sacristy for special instructions including second collections, mass count, etc.
Open the church, turn on the lights, if warm weather turn on the fans over the altar, open the windows and doors. If cool weather, don’t open the doors but make sure they are unlocked.
Help set up the tables, as needed, in front of church.
Get the large collection baskets out and place 2 at the main doors and 1 at each side door. Do the same with small baskets if there is a second collection.
Greet incoming people and assist late comers with locating seats and moving them away from doors.
Determine if there are people who will need communion brought to them.
Select a family to carry up the gifts, if there are no special instructions or requests for this Mass or select children from LOW.
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Introductory Rites

Assembly of the procession

Call to Worship by the Presider

Entrance Song/Procession

Greeting by Presider

Penitential Rite or Rite of Blessing and Sprinkling Holy Water

Kyrie – typically used with Penitential Rite Form A (Confiteor).

Gloria – omitted during Advent and Lent, sometimes this may be sung

Opening Prayer

CLOW dismissal

Ushers walk the children over to the Parish Hall
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Liturgy of the Word

First Reading

Responsorial Psalm

Second Reading

Gospel Acclamation

Gospel Reading

Homily

Dismissal of Catechumens and Candidates – (5:00pm Mass only during RCIA season)

Special Rites within the weekend liturgies

Profession of Faith

The usher proceeds over to the hall to escort the LOW children back to the liturgy.
General Intercessions

The usher will stay with the children as they wait outside until General Intercessions are complete.
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Liturgy of the Eucharist

Preparation of the Altar and the Gifts

Community led by Cantor/Music Group begins the offertory procession song.
Presider is seated.
Presider asks ushers to place collection baskets on the main floor level of the altar area (not on the raised steps of the altar) for the offertory procession. Presider invites the Community forward to present themselves and their gifts. Ushers invite them to come forward as well.
During the collection, Lector 2 and 3 take the candles from the ambo holders and move them to the Altar holders.
When the procession collection is complete, 2 side aisle ushers collect the baskets and stack them on the step in front of the altar.
The ushers call the people taking the gifts forward to the gift table.
Altar Servers go to the credence table to get things to set the Altar.
The Chalice Bearer sets the table
The Book Bearer places the Sacramentary in the center of the corporal, near the bottom edge of the corporal.
Altar Servers then go back to their seats until the Presider goes forward to receive the gifts.
As soon as the Presider gets up to receive the gifts, the Chalice Bearer and Book Bearer follow the Presider to the foot of the altar to receive the gifts from the people.
The Cross Bearer proceeds to the back of the altar to the credence table for the cruet. Immediately proceeds with the cruet to the altar and wait for the Presider to return to the altar.
The Usher Captain then begins the procession of the gifts. The ushers send the people taking the gifts forward to the altar.
Presider accepts gifts, hands them to the Altar Servers who take them to the table. See figure 3 for placement of gifts on the altar.
Prayer over the Gifts

Preface

Holy, Holy, Holy

Eucharistic Prayer

Memorial Acclamation

Amen

Lord’s Prayer

Sign of Peace

Breaking of the Bread

Communion

Ushers can help with the flow of people for Communion distribution.
Ushers inform EMOEs to distribute Communion to disabled community members.
Prayer After Communion

Ushers place Bulletins in the holders on the doors and on the table by the front door.

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Concluding Rite

Announcements

Ushers may take up a second collection during this time.
After 2nd collection, put money into appropriate envelope, seal, sign and date and put into the sacristy safe.
Vocation Chalice - Presider

4 Minute Catechesis - Presider

Greeting- Presider

Blessing – Presider

Dismissal- Presider

Recessional

Ushers select children to stand by the doors and hand out bulletins or hand out themselves.
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Duties After Mass

Place first and second collections (if taken up) in the appropriate sealed envelopes with date and 2 signatures. At the 8:00 am, 9:30 and 11:30 Masses two ushers take envelope(s) to Parish Office safe. At 5:00 pm and 6:00 pm lock envelope(s) in sacristy safe. After the 11:30 mass the head usher makes sure the safe in Parish Office is locked.
Straighten pews, pick up waste from floors and pews and replace missalettes in the racks.
After 5:00 pm, 8:00 am, 9:30 and 11:30 am remove bulletins from doors and place them back to sacristy.
After the 6:00 Mass, leave some bulletins on the gift table for morning Mass community.
After 5:00, 11:30 and 6:00 pm stack large collection baskets on top of safe in sacristy.
After 5:00 pm, 11:30 am and 6:00 pm close and lock windows and doors, turn off lights and fans, make sure the candles are out, turn off lights in restrooms.
After 5:00 pm and 11:30 am, close and lock school gate.