Guardians of the Sacred: The Ushers

Often it is difficult to arrive at Mass on time, especially with children. Let's be thankful that the Catholic Church has exercised compassion toward those who arrive after the Mass starts. The early Church (around 200 AD) was not as flexible when it came time for Mss. Actually, Christians were facing persecution, so they had to be vigilant of who they let in. However, the deeper reason was that the sacred demands reverence.

In order to ensure that the church was a sacred place, the deacons were doorkeepers (Duro Europos church in modern day Syria). Once the deacons locked the doors, they joined the priest as ministers. Eventually, the Catholic Church instituted minor orders as a man would progress closer to the altar and to the ordination to the priesthood. The minor orders were:  Porter, Lector, Exorcist, and Acolyte. And the major orders were Subdeacon, Deacon, and Priest. Each order had specific duties and responsibilities.

Let's focus on the Porter. He had the responsibility of unlocking doors and making sure that no one disturbed the priest while he offered the Mass. The symbol of the order of Porter was keys. Eventually, the duties of the clergy expressed through the minor orders were relegated to the laity as ministries after the Second Vatican Council. THose minor orders (Porter, Lector, Exorcist, and Acolyte) became known as ministries. Here at St. Edward, the ministry fo Ushers are similar to the minor order of Porters.

We are not advocating a return to the "good ole' days" when the church locked its doors for the Mass. Rather, be aware of the sacredness of the house of God, this place of prayer. All four Gospels proclaim that Christ made a whip out of cords and drove out all the money changers from the temple area. Basically, those who did not treat the temple as the place for prayer needed to change their ways.

Those who come in late are not to be driven away. In a slightly different approach, the Pastor asks that those who come after Mass begins, stay in the Narthex until after the gospel has been read. After the Gospel is read, latecomers can enter and find a seat. That way, everyone can prayerfully focus o the word of God. 

The Ushers have the difficult job of informing latecomers to wait in the Narthex when Mass has started. Also, if you need help or have questions, the Ushers will exercise their duties with compassion to assist you. They're the men and women wearing suit jackets with the tags labeled Usher.