Students Work Together to Transform Campus Places into Spiritual Spaces
By Ryan Nicol ‘25
Many service jobs around Chaminade High School are not completed by the administration and staff, but rather by student clubs that use strength in numbers to complete tasks quickly and skillfully. One of these clubs, which often goes underappreciated, is Sacristans.
Mr. Michael McCarthy, moderator of the club, explained, “We are responsible for setting up, running, and cleaning up all of the school Masses. That can range from student body Masses, to graduation Masses, to alumni Masses.”
The day before a Mass, Sacristans report to either the Activity-Athletic Center (AAC) or Darby Auditorium in order to set up everything required to run that specific Mass. “We are behind the scenes,” McCarthy continued, “making sure that all the necessary materials are properly cared for.”
A basketball game may have been played hours earlier on the AAC floor, but the Sacristans go in and transform the space into something else entirely. McCarthy confirmed, “We turn a gym into a chapel, essentially.”
The first, obvious step is to set up all of the chairs. Students complete the task quickly by taking folding chairs off the carts and organizing them into neat rows, where the student body will later sit. They then set up the Altar and any decorations that go with it, such as a statue of Mary. The club may also set up other things around the AAC, such as hanging up banners to celebrate a particular feast.
Their job does not end with the Mass set-up, however. They also make sure everything required for the Eucharist is ready for the celebrant. “During Mass,” McCarthy stated, “we prepare the vessels, we count out the hosts, we make sure all the stations have enough of the Eucharist for all people, and we purify everything.”
Sacristans are part of the club because they enjoy being involved in the campus’ spiritual life. James Griffin ’24 affirmed, “I like Sacristians because it’s a good way to participate in the Mass instead of simply attending…I enjoy seeing the results of the behind-the-scenes work.” Students feel proud knowing they helped the school community.
“It enforces teamwork,” Griffin continued, “because we all have to work together to get the job done efficiently and on time.” Sacristans are a tightly-knit team who get the task accomplished.
After Mass is over, the student body is instructed to move efficiently back to homerooms. Most people, however, do not notice the Sacristans who are reminded to stay back and clean up. This means undoing most of what they did the day before: putting the chairs back onto their carts and taking down anything else necessary. The job requires time and physical labor—but students are happy to sacrifice both in order to help the school community.
chstarmac.com 