3 minute read
Meet St. Paul’s New Sacristan Leader, Marlene Groetsch
Most of us are familiar with the Biblical story of the two sisters, Mary and Martha. Martha is busy making preparations for Jesus and her other guests, while Mary sits at the feet of Jesus, listening to Him teach. Many scholars and homilists have unpacked these verses over the years, lending various interpretations on the importance of both active service and peaceful meditation in prayer. For longtime St. Paul’s parishioner Marlene Groetsch, serving as a sacristan is the perfect combination of both roles.
“I always think of Martha and Mary, one was sitting talking to the Lord and the other was getting things ready,” says Marlene.
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Initially, the role of sacristan appears to be very “Martha” — setting up for Mass and ensuring that everything is properly prepared, from the sacred books and the sacramental vessels to the liturgical colors.
“Your goal is to make sure everything set up and ready for the priest,” Marlene says. “It’s not hard, it’s just being there, being dependable.”
Recently retired, Marlene had only been serving as a sacristan for a short time before she saw in the bulletin that the ministry was looking for a new leader. Although her initial reaction was hesitation, after spending time in prayer, Marlene decided to say “yes” when Fr. Greg asked her to take the role.
“Of course, you can’t say ‘no’ to Fr. Greg when he asks you,” she says, smiling. “I thought, ‘I’m sure there’s someone more qualified than me that can do it,’ but then I had a tug on my heart. I think Somebody was telling me, from up above, ‘Marlene, you can do this,’ so I said ‘yes.’”
Marlene hopes to use her previous professional experience as the Head of Nursing at a local nursing home to help sacristans adjust to all of the changes and new protocols, due to the COVID-19 restrictions.
“It’s been a learning experience,” she says. “With the virus, everything has been a bit different. We’ve had changes in how we do things, so I’m doing as I was when I was a nurse — writing policies and procedures, so people feel really comfortable. I talk to the priests, so I know what they want, and then I can communicate that with the other sacristans, so they don’t come in and feel surprised about anything.”
At first glance, this role seems to consist primarily of preparation, as with Martha. However, there is also a significant element of prayer, as with Mary, since sacristans get an “up close and personal” view of the liturgy. For Marlene, serving as a sacristan has been an opportunity for her to grow in her relationship with the Lord and participation in Mass.
“I feel so much more involved with the Mass, and now, as a sacristan, I’m even closer to the altar, I’m right there, seeing what’s going on,” she says. “I feel so blessed that I’m touching these holy vessels. I thought I knew a lot about the Mass, but there is so much learning. I feel so blessed that I’m doing this.”
Not only has her faith and appreciation of the liturgy deepened since being a sacristan, but Marlene has also had the opportunity to get to know more of her fellow parishioners — from those who serve as sacristans and in other liturgical ministries, to families who come to celebrate the sacraments with their children, the priests, and more.
“If you really want to be part of the community, this is another way of becoming involved,” she says. “It’s such a good thing.”
Marlene encourages her fellow parishioners to consider becoming involved as sacristans, noting that it’s a fairly flexible role, with some people choosing to serve at daily Mass, and others choosing only to serve once a month. There is also a great need for sacristans who are willing to help wash and care for the altar linens that are used at Mass.
“If you feel that tug, come talk to me, come and observe,” Marlene says. “And if it feels right to you, we can take that next step.
“It’s just taking the talents you have and bringing them forward,” she adds. “If you have that urge to be more involved in the Mass, this is the perfect opportunity.”
For Marlene, serving as a sacristan has been a wonderful reminder of the blessings we receive when we say “yes” to growing closer to God through service.
“I had no idea how much fulfillment being a sacristan would bring into my life,” she says. “I feel so lucky they decided to ask me to do this.”
