So much occurs behind the scenes to make worship happen at Saint Thomas Church. On Sunday mornings (and at other times), you may notice a team of parishioners who work diligently to prepare the altar for Mass.
I began attending St Thomas regularly more than four years ago, although I first stepped foot in the Church about 46 years ago when I worked on Madison and 52nd Street and would often stop in to just sit and pray. I was a member of St. Ignatius when I met Fr. Gordon-Hurst Barrow, who was an honorary priest at Saint Thomas and also at St. Ignatius. I served with him on Saturday mornings at St. Ignatius and he became my first spiritual director. We would usually meet at Saint Thomas on Tuesday mornings for the 8 a.m. Mass which he celebrated. Several times I went back to the Sacristy with him after Mass and he introduced me to a member of the Altar Guild who gave me a tour of the Sacristy and some insight into how the Altar Guild works. I never imagined then that I would become a member of the Altar Guild myself, and it took all those years of serving at St. Ignatius and later St. Mary the Virgin to finally arrive here and find that it felt like coming home. I began serving on the Altar Guild in November of 2021 and have found it a deeply rewarding spiritual experience even in the most menial tasks involved in the Godly housekeeping of the Sacristy.
For most Sunday and weekday Festal Eucharists, as many as three Altar Guild members prepare the numerous vessels and other items for the service that are kept in the Sacristy, each of which has its assigned place in the chancel, either on the High Altar or Credence table. The weekday Eucharists require many fewer items since the service is simpler.
After Mass, Altar Guild members, with help from the Acolyte Guild, return all articles to the Sacristy where they are cleaned, dried, and stored. The small linens are inspected and treated for stains, as necessary, and then soaked and hung to dry. The large fair linens (the long white linens that cover the altar) are also inspected for stains and changed when necessary. Fortunately, Saint Thomas has a wonderful professional laundress that handles the cleaning and ironing of all of our linens.
Additionally, several times a year, the Altar Guild meets to polish silver and other items used in the liturgy We also keep the thuribles used for burning incense cleaned of resin and polished at least every couple of weeks. On the highest feast days such as Christmas and Easter and the Patronal Feast, we festoon the altar with a magnificent silver array, preparing and polishing those special items as necessary. We usually have a time of fellowship and a meal before the work begins, although no adult beverages until the work has been done!
If you sense a calling to this holy work, please click here to learn more and express interest in this important ministry. The Altar Guild is made up of both women and men. No prior experience is necessary and you will be carefully trained for this service. Please note that prospective Altar Guild members must be pledging members of Saint Thomas Church.
