Church Wardens

The church wardens play important roles in the church. They play several roles in the church. Their jobs can be that of the customer service officers, ushers and even security officers. They help the church in several ways. They show those people who entered the church to available seats (especially when these people are late and finding seats are difficult). They entertained church goers who might not be familiar with the church compounds, showing them directions in the church. They assist the church by maintaining orders, controlling the crowds during big occasion. Not only do they need to handle people, they also need to handle cars (as in showing people to proper parking places in the carpark).

The church must really thanked these church wardens for sacrificing their time to help out in the church. Their great service is invaluable. A few church wardens that I had seen are very committed to their job. They are such conscientious workers. Once, I saw a church warden holding the hand of a small boy, walking in the church looking for the parents.

A good church wardens must be helpful and able to carry out his duties well. When I was young, I went to St Joseph’s church at Bukit Timah with my parents. The wardens there were very helpful and committed in their job. As the church is very big, many church wardens were stationed at various points of the church compounds so that church goers would know their whereabouts in the church. Everywhere we went, the wardens did not fail to show us around. Most church wardens were males during the 80s. However, nowadays, there are both males and females wardens.

In the past, in my church at St Francis of Assisi and St Mary of the Angels, I did not see so many wardens in the church. But nowadays, I can see many church wardens at St Anthony church. Why do I write about the wardens? I think their roles in the church is really important and it had affected people like me and my family…

I am not in the Wardens Society and I do not know what exactly they do. At the Church of St Anthony, I got to see the Mission and Objectives of the Wardens Society. It was written: As Wardens we have voluntarily committed ourselves to serve the Lord and his people with love. We are privileged to be the first official contact with fellow parishioners coming for the celebration and a friendly smile, a pleasant greeting and a warm handshake would set the warm conviviality of a community coming together to worship the Lord. Each arrival must experience the sense of belonging and strangers must be put at ease and made to feel welcomed.

Several months, before the H1N1 pandemic, wardens would shake hands with us during the exchange of peace. In fact, this is not a necessity (which happens now — no handshake due to H1N1 risk). However, a warm handshake of welcome and smile when strangers coming to the church would mean a lot to them.

The objectives of the wardens:
1. To assist in the spiritual growth of their Members through an active participation and in all liturgical celebrations of the Church.
2. To welcome and assist the congregation in the celebration of the liturgy through the service of greeting them as they enter the Church, handing them the various books or leaflets required for the celebration, distributing handouts, assisting in the offertory collection, offertory procession, orderly reception of Holy Communion, orderly parking of cars within and adjacent to the church compound.
3. To assist the priests in maintaining order during liturgical celebrations.
4. To provide other assistance at the requests of the priests of the parish or the archdiocese with the approval of the Spiritual Director.
5. To help in the spiritual growth of the wardens by organizing talks, retreats etc.

Church wardens assisting in offertory procession

Regular Activities and events which wardens attend include: General Membership Meeting, monthly rosary meeting, yearly retreat, October fellowship, renewal of commitment and Christmas activities. Other than church duties, the wardens have sacrificed much time in these activities as well.

During those times when our family was late for church, they had showed us to available seats. They had tried to maintain orderliness. I also want to thank the church wardens for giving out the bulletins and Catholic News or other handouts to us every Sunday. Without them, the church would be in a mess.

Church wardens assisting in Parish Feast Triduum : St Anthony Feast Day (2008)

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