The Tablet
January 13, 2021
SUNSET PARK — Cleanliness is next to godliness, as the old saying goes.
At churches all over the Diocese of Brooklyn, parishioners take that famous adage seriously.
They help keep churches clean by dusting pews and railings, replenishing Holy Water fonts, picking up church bulletins left behind by parishioners, and performing other tasks out of a deep love for their parish.
While many churches in Brooklyn and Queens hire professional cleaning companies to wash floors and windows and tackle major cleaning projects, the parishioner-volunteers perform an essential task by supplementing the pros’ work, according to pastors.
On a recent Sunday, following the 9:15 a.m. Mass at St. Agatha Church, Sunset Park, Louis Cruz quietly went to work, painstakingly wiping down pews and then applying disinfectant to help try and reduce the spread of COVID-19.