Altar server clothing

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In a parish church that I attend sometimes, altar servers (both boys and girls) wear their own clothing, without any liturgical vests. I think that it is a good idea. They are children, not clergies.
What do you think about?
 
Altar servers have worn the vesture appropriate to their particular church as far back as human memory serves.

They wear them because they are fulfilling the ministry of the minor clerical orders.
 
I agree in my time we wore a cassock and surplus and how my mom hated ironiing both but it made us feel as part of the ministry.
 
CFI said:
In a parish church that I attend sometimes, altar servers (both boys and girls) wear their own clothing, without any liturgical vests. I think that it is a good idea. They are children, not clergies.
What do you think about?
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I disagree. They are serving the Lord in a special capacity. The vestments set them apart and are a badge of thier achievement.
I was an alter server for many years and, like bob we wore the cassock and surplus, except in our case they were kept at Church. Mom never had to wash and iron them. But I can tell you that if my mom Had had to wash and iron our vestments, she would have done so willingly and without complaint.

Peace
James
 
The altar servers are not “just children”. They are servers of the altar as their title suggests. I wash and iron the surplices and cassocks for my parish along with my sacristan duties, and I try to make them as sharp looking as possible because it brings a certain dignity to the altar. When I see Mass on TV from the Vatican or EWTN I look at the altar servers there, and try to bring the same dignity to the altar at my own little parish. Of course my Pastor sets the example.
 
I also agree that the altar servers should wear the vestaments appropriate to their role. At my parish we only have altar boys (God bless our pastor!) and they wear cassocks and surplices.

Thankfully also, all those who serve as EMHCs, cantors, lectors, and ushers, while they don’t wear vestaments, always look appropriate (clean, dignified, reverent) when serving.
 
IMHO, they should be used unless the parish truly cannot afford them.

I think albs have the purpose of impressing on the servers and parishioners both that these are not “just children”. They are fulfilling an important liturgical role that absolutely requires solemn and mature behavior. One would hope it is enjoyable, but serving at Mass is not play and it is not a childish pursuit.

Adults don’t need such garments when serving–indeed, should not wear them, lest they be confused with clergy–but if a parish is going to use children as servers, garments that set them apart based on their special role are absolutely appropriate.
 
JRKH said:
I disagree. They are serving the Lord in a special capacity. The vestments set them apart and are a badge of their achievement.
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As an altar boy, I also wore red cassock and surplice and when I was in India I appreciated that there altar servers go always barefoot as a sign of respect.
 
CFI said:
In a parish church that I attend sometimes, altar servers (both boys and girls) wear their own clothing, without any liturgical vests. I think that it is a good idea. They are children, not clergies.
What do you think about?
Click to expand...
certainly not a good thing if their daily clothing resembles what most kids wear around here.

no they are not clerics, yes they are lay persons in a special service to the liturgy, one that places them in the sanctuary, so they should be suitably vested at least in the alb and cincture. I was noting at the Mass with Bishop following our pro-life rosary yesterday at the Basilica, where there are both male and female servers, HS age and up, how the alb nearly erases that distinction and the fact they are vested removes what could be a huge distraction. This way they blend into the woodwork and you see their service, not so much the individuals themselves.
 
I think it could be a real problem for some of them to wear street clothes. Some of what I’ve seen altar servers wear needs to be covered up. I’ve seen some of them show up in cut-off shorts, very short shorts, and even halter tops. This shouldn’t be visible on the platform during Mass.
 
My son (age 15) wears a cassock and surplice when he serves Mass… and he loves it!

AND… he wears dress pants, dress shirt and dress shoes.

This last Sunday, two of the altar servers were girls, about 8 and 9 years old (different parish than where my son serves) and the albs were too short… you could see the torn jeans and the Hannah Montana light-up sneakers (and when I say torn jeans, I mean the INTENTIONALLY torn jeans that sell for upwards of $30… not torn jeans that were the best they could afford from St. Vincent de Paul!) Maybe they figured, who’s going to see the clothes under the albs? but those sneakers flashing Morse code everytime that server moved was a bit distracting!

One parish I attended briefly when I lived out of state was just starting up and they didn’t have vestments for the altar servers… both boys and girls (mostly young teens) were asked to wear a white button-down shirt or blouse (NO t-shirts!) and black or navy blue slacks (for the boys) or skirts (for the girls)–no shorts, no jeans, no skirts above the knee. It was very nice, very respectful and far less distracting than everyday fashions… it was far easier for the younger people to focus on the Mass rather than what their friends were wearing to church that day!
 
bluerose said:
My son (age 15) wears a cassock and surplice when he serves Mass… and he loves it!

AND… he wears dress pants, dress shirt and dress shoes.

This last Sunday, two of the altar servers were girls, about 8 and 9 years old (different parish than where my son serves) and the albs were too short… you could see the torn jeans and the Hannah Montana light-up sneakers (and when I say torn jeans, I mean the INTENTIONALLY torn jeans that sell for upwards of $30… not torn jeans that were the best they could afford from St. Vincent de Paul!) Maybe they figured, who’s going to see the clothes under the albs? but those sneakers flashing Morse code everytime that server moved was a bit distracting!

One parish I attended briefly when I lived out of state was just starting up and they didn’t have vestments for the altar servers… both boys and girls (mostly young teens) were asked to wear a white button-down shirt or blouse (NO t-shirts!) and black or navy blue slacks (for the boys) or skirts (for the girls)–no shorts, no jeans, no skirts above the knee. It was very nice, very respectful and far less distracting than everyday fashions… it was far easier for the younger people to focus on the Mass rather than what their friends were wearing to church that day!
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The kids get over the impression that it doesn’t matter what you wear under an alb when they’re told that they will not be allowed to serve if they don’t show up dressed properly*. I have seen it happen in two different parishes.

Dressed properly means clean and without tears or stains, the top white or light-colored with no dark stripes or designs, and on the bottom no shorts, but rather dress slacks (or for girls, a skirt and hose would be OK, too) with simple dress shoes. (No cute red pumps or flats with sparkles, girls.) These parishes do allow sneakers, but if and only if the shoes are simple all-black or all-white, without ornamentation, and in brand-new condition.
 
EasterJoy said:
The kids get over the impression that it doesn’t matter what you wear under an alb when they’re told that they will not be allowed to serve if they don’t show up dressed properly*. I have seen it happen in two different parishes.
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My priest is like that and yes the kids do get over it fast. He doesn’t let anyone serve who isn’t properly dressed. Rather than being upset, the kids like it. Our parish isn’t exactly large but we have enough volunteers that there are usually four servers at each Mass, and they only serve once every month or two.
 
  1. I can’t stand political correctness “altar servers” sends chills up my spine
  2. Only young men should serve—Hence “Altar Boys” (I have debated this point at length on other threads
  3. They should properly be wearing a cassock and a surplice
  4. No exceptions
 
\Adults don’t need such garments when serving–indeed, should not wear them, lest they be confused with clergy–but if a parish is going to use children as servers, garments that set them apart based on their special role are absolutely appropriate.\

**Yes, adult servers should wear the usual vesture–cassock and surplice or alb.

Regardless of the age of the server, it’s a liturgical ministry, and ideally performed by those in minor orders.**

\ 1) I can’t stand political correctness “altar servers” sends chills up my spine\

**When all the servers at a church I frequented were male, they were still desginated as thurifer, boat boy, crucifer, torch bearers, first server and second server.

It wasn’t intended to be politically correct. It was just the terminology.

And most were adults, so “altar boy” was inappropriate, and they were not ordained acolytes.**

\3) They should properly be wearing a cassock and a surplice
4) No exceptions\

**The alb (from which the surplice is derived) is considered appropriate garb for servers in the Roman rite. It actually is more historically correct than the surplice.

Deal with it.**
 
michaeldaniels said:
  1. I can’t stand political correctness “altar servers” sends chills up my spine
  2. Only young men should serve—Hence “Altar Boys” (I have debated this point at length on other threads
  3. They should properly be wearing a cassock and a surplice
  4. No exceptions
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I agree with you in spirit, friend. But may I mention that I prefer “altar server” ONLY because I am 28, and I serve with other men who are in the 30s, 40s, 50s? We don’t really like to call ourselves “altar boys” :-).

Of course only males should serve at the altar. The only exception to cassock and surplice that I can see would be religious who are serving … they would follow their own custom depending on their habit.
 
newyorkcatholic said:
I agree with you in spirit, friend. But may I mention that I prefer “altar server” ONLY because I am 28, and I serve with other men who are in the 30s, 40s, 50s? We don’t really like to call ourselves “altar boys” 🙂
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I agree. In our day, the practice of calling young men “boys” actually makes it harder to retain older servers. It gives the impression that the office is childish. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

Having said that, while Holy Orders is reserved for males, all of the liturgical work of the laity is open to both men and women. (An exception would be males preparing for Holy Orders being preferred for service at the altar over other lay people.)
 
The guardian of all things pertaining to the liturgy and all that surrounds it is in the hands of the Holy Father or the hierarchy given the designated authority to oversee the sacred reverence due the Holy Liturgy. It is not something left up to the “feelings” of pastors, priests, or the laity to detemine what is right and proper.
According to the Cerimonial of Bishops, no. 65-- the vestments for altar servers is an alb with a cincture or a cassock covered with a surplice.
Everything that surrounds the Divnine Holy Sacrifice deserves the best, even in the smallest matters. The casual or mundane or the everyday attire should not be done or encouraged.
 
Something else: albs are cheaper, require less tailoring than cassocks, and because this, will fit more random people than a cassock, which pretty much as to be custom made for the wearer.

If there are several teams of altar servers, it’s probably more affordable for the average or small parish to buy a limited number of albs than a greater number of cassocks and surplices/cottas.
 
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