Message from our founder

  Welcome to the St. Michael’s Service Ministry.

I founded this ministry with a simple but deeply personal purpose: to help every person who enters our parish feel welcomed, supported, and able to worship in peace—regardless of the personal, medical, emotional, or physical challenges they may be facing.

Our ministry was not created merely to provide security. It was created to serve people. Safety and hospitality go hand in hand, and our Guardians understand that every person we encounter deserves to be treated with dignity, patience, compassion, and respect. Sometimes service means offering a warm welcome or helping someone find a seat. At other times, it means assisting an elderly parishioner, responding to a medical emergency, helping a family in distress, or quietly addressing a concern before it disrupts the sacredness of the Mass.

My approach to this ministry has been shaped by a lifetime of service and leadership. I am an Army veteran and a retired law enforcement professional with experience in SWAT operations, hostage negotiations, investigations, and community policing. My professional background also includes operational governance with a Fortune 500 company. I earned both a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Business Administration and have also held senior leadership and financial-management positions in the private sector.

While those experiences provide a strong foundation for planning, leadership, and risk management, the heart of this ministry comes from my Catholic faith and my love for our parish community. SMSM was built around the belief that people should not have to worry about their safety—or feel alone in their personal struggles—when they come to encounter Christ.

Our team is composed of active and retired law enforcement professionals, medical personnel, and dedicated members of the community who bring a wide range of experience, knowledge, and abilities to the ministry. Each Guardian contributes something valuable, but all are united by a common calling to serve. Through careful selection, training, teamwork, and prayer, our members combine professional experience with compassion and sound judgment. We are not defined solely by our backgrounds or qualifications, but by our willingness to be present for others when they need us most.

Our Guardians work closely with our pastor, clergy, parish office, school administration, ushers, ministry leaders, and staff. Together, we help identify concerns and develop thoughtful, practical ways to address them. 

Our work includes:

• Maintaining a welcoming and attentive safety presence during Masses and parish events
• Conducting campus and facility safety assessments
• Assisting with planning for the Corpus Christi Eucharistic Procession and other large parish celebrations
• Supporting school and parish staff when safety concerns arise
• Coordinating medical response and assistance until professional emergency personnel arrive
• Helping manage entrances, pedestrian movement, parking areas, and accessibility needs
• Preparing for emergencies through training, communication, and coordinated response planning
• Protecting the prayerful environment of the church through calm, respectful, and discreet intervention
• Supporting parishioners who may be elderly, disabled, vulnerable, distressed, or otherwise in need of assistance

SMSM has grown into one of our parish’s most active and recognized ministries, but its success belongs to the dedicated Guardians who faithfully give their time and talents in service to others. They understand that our role is not to stand apart from the parish community, but to be present within it—as servants, protectors, and compassionate neighbors.

Whether you are a parishioner, visitor, family member, or someone searching for a place to call home, please know that you are welcome here. Our hope is that when you enter our parish, you experience not only a sense of safety, but also the peace, care, and love of Christ.

May St. Michael the Archangel guide and protect our parish community and all those who enter its doors.

In Christ and in service,

Arnelle de Guzman
Founder and Executive Director
St. Michael’s Service Ministry