Ushers

Usher Tasks

  1. As a member of the usher ministry you are a key person in the welcoming of everyone who may be attending Mass. Your smile, your greeting, your welcoming demeanor may be a significant factor in helping people decide that Holy Name is the parish they want to be attending regularly.
  2. Since one of your key tasks is to welcome parishioners, please arrive 15 minutes prior to the start of Mass, put on your name tag and greet parishioners as they arrive. Greet them as they walk through the main doors of the Church. See if anyone is requiring assistance to get to the church and would appreciate your help.
  3. Please dress appropriately. You are the face of Holy Name in this ministry.
  4. At the crowded Masses people may actually require assistance to find a seat. If you see that someone is a stranger or looks a bit lost, ask them if they would like help.
  5. The presentation of the gifts is done either by a family or by the youngsters involved in one of the sacramental programs. The sacramental programs at Holy Name are Confirmation in November and First Communion in May/June. Cindy Senft, our Parish Catechist, will let you know if there are children on hand to present the gifts. If there are no children involved in the presentation of the gifts you will need to select a couple/family, before Mass begins, and ask them to carry the gifts to the front altar to the Presider. You may need to assist the family with the offertory gifts. Make an effort to select a different family each week.
  6. Take up the collection(s) from the parishioners, including those in the gathering area beginning immediately after the prayers of the faithful when Fr Mario sits down, and then respectfully take the collection basket to center of the altar. Stop before the altar, raise the basket above your head as an offering, and place the basket on the top step of the altar, bow to the altar and return to your seat. There may be special collections throughout the year that you will need to assist with. Our practice with these special collections is to place a basket in the foyer where parishioners will be invited to place their offerings after Mass. An usher is required to monitor the basket and then remove the donations to the deposit bags in the Sacristy/Vestry room. (see point #8)
  7. During Communion station two Ushers, one on each of the far sides of the Altar, to ensure that everyone who receives Communion consumes the host immediately. Eucharistic Ministers generally watch to ensure that each person who receives Communion actually consumes the host. No one should be going past your station with an unconsumed host. If you notice someone with an unconsumed host and are comfortable giving that person a gentle but specific reminder to consume it, please do so. However, if you are not comfortable speaking to the person, inform Fr. Mario immediately. Have an additional two Ushers in the center aisle to ensure an orderly procession to receive Communion.
  8. New Diocesan directive: Just prior to the end of Mass two ushers will assemble together with the lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, altar servers and Fr Mario for the final procession. One of the two ushers will carry the collection basket to the vestry room and close the door. Behind the door is a cabinet and in the cabinet is the safe. Beneath the safe is a drawer containing the sealable night deposit bags. Place the collection into the bag, remove the backing from the red seal and seal the bag shut. Use the felt marker to indicate on the front of the bag the date, and the Mass time. Finally, each usher signs the bag and drops the bag into the safe.
  9. Ensure there are enough ushers to hand out bulletins as people leave the Church.

 

Note: If you cannot carry out your duties at the scheduled Masses, please try to arrange for a replacement from another team. If you are unable to find a replacement, please call the team coordinator so he can find a replacement for you.

 

Thank you for your continued support in this very important ministry.