Letter From Steve Mater: Altar Guild

This month our highlighted ministry is the Altar Guild. Guild members are also known as sacristans, and here is a letter from sacristan Steve Mater.

When I was a child, my mother was a member of the Altar Society for the small Catholic Church in my hometown.  I would often go with her to help her do the duties that were part of the work assigned to her.  I loved it when it was her turn to do the tasks, and I took great delight in helping her.  How could I have known then that I would be able to continue those similar tasks some 70 years later at St. Paul’s Cathedral as a member of the Altar Guild.  And the delight continues to be there for me.

When I was first approached about serving on the Altar Guild I wasn’t sure if I would know what to do, and so it was a bit intimidating for me.  But it took very little time at all for me to be shown that there was a tremendous amount of patience and kind instruction available to me in learning the ins and outs of this important task.   I tend to be a rather shy person and prefer to work “behind the scenes” and it was soon apparent to me that this was a very good fit for me. 

This volunteer activity allows me to make a meaningful contribution to the life of the cathedral through a quiet and focused experience.  Much of what we do on the altar guild is to provide important support to the liturgical experience that is shared with the larger community.  Much of this contribution is done both before and after an actual liturgy and goes unseen by the community, and it is performed with a smaller group of individuals.  A perfect setting for me and my tendency to want to be a lower key person, while at the same time doing something that enhances the experience of others.   This occurs on a regular monthly basis and in addition there is a lot of “work” (labors of love) that take place throughout the year.

Being a member of the Altar Guild team for me was a wonderful way to meet and share with a group of individuals who have a similar interest.  The people on both the weekly team that I serve with, as well as the greater Altar Guild volunteer group are a delightful mix of people.  I have made many friends and it was a perfect way for me to share with a smaller segment of the larger St. Paul’s Community. It has been a wonderful benefit for me to get to know people on a more personal level, while at the same time helping the larger faith community. 

On a highly personal level there is another aspect of being involved with the Altar Guild work and it is difficult to explain it to anyone….you just have to experience it.  For me there is a spiritual gratification that comes from this work.  I feel connected to God on a certain level that touches me in a very moving manner.  Working with the preparation of the Eucharist seems to feed my soul on some level that I can’t explain.  It is very gratifying working with the facets of liturgy and worship that I feel in a very special way.  There is a closeness to the vestments, the linen, the preparation of the Eucharistic elements (bread, wine and water) that is very fulfilling for me.  I’m glad I have this opportunity to feel this connection through this simple volunteer role and somehow I feel a closer connection to my own spirituality while performing this simple role.  I am forever grateful to all of the people I have had the chance to work with over the years.

Steve