Ministers of hospitality comprise the duties of greeter and usher. Ministers of Hospitality make people feel welcome and help them to locate what they need.
Jesus enjoyed meeting and eating with strangers, sinners, and friends who became his followers. He accepted those who were often rejected by others. He did not look down upon others, but invited them to come and see, to follow Him.
Men, women, families and children may assist with the duties of Ministers of
Hospitality. Adult Ministers of Hospitality should be registered members of the
parish. At times, the team of greeters could be temporarily augmented with
special groups such as the youth, special needs members, RCIA candidates,
Knights of Columbus, to name only a few.
Individuals need to be friendly, caring, and giving by nature. They need to be
persons of good Christian witness and active in the sacramental life of the Church.
Greeters welcome, offer helpful information as needed, and pass out materials, as
needed. Ushers assist with seating, collection, communion lines, emergencies,
the elderly, the handicapped, and first aid needs, and distribute literature, as
needed.
It is the responsibility of the designated pastoral leader to train suitable
candidates to become Hospitality Ministers and to provide those ministers with a
timely ministry schedule.
Ministers of Hospitality must be willing to enter initial and ongoing formation and
be responsible for their scheduled duties. They may need to provide a substitute
in their absence, but they may not ask someone who is already scheduled for
another liturgical ministry the same day.
1. Ferrell, Karie and Paul Turner. Guide for Ushers and Greeters: The Liturgical
Ministry Series. Liturgy Training Publications, 2008.
2. Training for Hospitality: The Ministry of Ushers and Greeters. The Liturgical
Press. [Visual Media]
3. Comiskey, James A. The Ministry of Hospitality. The Liturgical Press, 1989,
2004.