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slewi
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Is there a guide for altar servers? We have the GIRM and such, but is there something written for servers? Where to stand, what to do, posture, etc?
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twiztedseraph
Guest
When you’re not doing something like holding the lectionary or preparing the altar, the same rules apply to you as everyone else.
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AltarMan
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The Joy of Being an Altar Server by Fr. Joseph M. Champlin is probably the best handbook out there. Beware there is some real garbage out there.
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slewi
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Then by that logic the servers should be sitting in the pews. Thank you AltarMan.
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twiztedseraph
Guest
I’ve been serving for 1/3 of my life time, so whats with the huffy reply? If the congregation kneels, you kneel, if they sit you sit. Unless you’re doing something proper to your function. You can know all the rubrics backwards, but whats more important is to unite yourself and all your works to Christ’s cross. If you get distracted, offer it up. And, while I’m no saint, I’m pondering why you chose to refute an honest attempt to help a fellow Christian, whats worse is in an abrupt manner…
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muledog
Guest
Some people would like to have Mass celebrated with a little DIGNITY and FORETHOUGHT. If you have been a server, you should know that there is a lot more to it than holding a Lectionary and pouring water over father’s fingers. You should also come to Mass PREPARED to serve at such an important service. Don’t just get there and say, “oh well, if I mess up because I came ill-prepared or slovenly dressed, I’ll just offer it up. No big deal.”
I found this website to be of tremendous help in training servers. Let me know what you think.
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twiztedseraph
Guest
Have you served? While I whole heartedly agree with your comments on dignity and forethought, try doing what I’ve done and serving for 5 years, each sunday. Try as hard as you possibly can, unless you have an extremely good attention span, after awhile, you will find yourself going through the motions. The trick is, (as with dryness in prayer) recognizing this as a gift from God, as a closeness. Offer up your distractions, and remind yourself that through this mass you receive the most grace out of any layman. The rubrics part, as I previously stated, is unless you are doing something proper to your station, you must follow the rules for the congregation. Just like how deacons kneel at the consecration too. Hope this helps, and before you answer, think “Am I doing this in a spirit of love or just to get my ego up?”
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muledog
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Dear twizted,
Yes, I have served both in the current rite and according to the 1962 Roman Missal. I have trained servers in the new rite and have MC’ed at the Latin Mass. But I still learn something new at each Mass.
My point is, there’s a lot more to it than just “doing what everybody else does in the pews.” Slewi asked if there was a guide for servers. I don’t think he was just referring to when to sit, stand and kneel. There’s much more to it than that, I’m sure you would agree, especially when there are different levels of solemnity involved.
I think Slewi is looking for a guide that not only follows the norms for the congregation, but also the traditional norms for how to serve. This includes the positions of thurifer, cross-bearer, candle-bearer, Missal-holder, cruet-holder, etc. Many of the tasks that these people perform are not covered in the GIRM or other official documents on the liturgy. Yet, traditionally, there is a specific way to perform each task, depending on the layout of the particular church, solemnity of the Mass, number of concelebrants, presence of a deacon, requirements of the local bishop, etc.
I have found, in my own experience, that the more you practice and learn, the easier it becomes to become a part of the actual service and fully participate.
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slewi
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Don’t get bent out of shape Twizted. Maybe I should have put a smiley after it?
Here:
What I was after, is whether or not something is written down as to where servers should be. In theater we call it stage directions, but with the present state of theatricality in church, I was hesitant to use that term. After the preparation of the gifts the servers retreat to the side of the high altar and remain there throughout. Just looking for some stage directions is all.
I do agree all people present at Mass should show reverence and humility toward God. This is all the more true for the altar servers. All I see are servers shifting from one foot to another, looking out into the congregation to see who is there, not paying attention, and with their tattered jeans and dirty sneakers peeking out from beneath their wrinkled alb. How great a privilege it is to be at the altar itself in the service of God. Remember, that even angels cannot participate in the sacrifice of the mass, but WE can.
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What I was after, is whether or not something is written down as to where servers should be. In theater we call it stage directions, but with the present state of theatricality in church, I was hesitant to use that term. After the preparation of the gifts the servers retreat to the side of the high altar and remain there throughout. Just looking for some stage directions is all.
I do agree all people present at Mass should show reverence and humility toward God. This is all the more true for the altar servers. All I see are servers shifting from one foot to another, looking out into the congregation to see who is there, not paying attention, and with their tattered jeans and dirty sneakers peeking out from beneath their wrinkled alb. How great a privilege it is to be at the altar itself in the service of God. Remember, that even angels cannot participate in the sacrifice of the mass, but WE can.
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twiztedseraph
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Well it appears you have a great grip on what you’re doing up there. The absolute best way to learn, is to practise and watch. When I first started out, I was talkative and my priest chastised me. I couldn’t ring the bells properly. When I held the lectionary for prayers I didn’t know when to back down. But you pay attention, you watch and you practise. Just turn up to a nice orthodox Catholic Church and take notes on how they handle the mass. If possible, ask the Priest if you can get a quick run down. Make sure its either a very old priest, or a faithful very young priest. Those are the ones that know what to do.Don’t get bent out of shape Twizted. Maybe I should have put a smiley after it?
Here:
What I was after, is whether or not something is written down as to where servers should be. In theater we call it stage directions, but with the present state of theatricality in church, I was hesitant to use that term. After the preparation of the gifts the servers retreat to the side of the high altar and remain there throughout. Just looking for some stage directions is all.
I do agree all people present at Mass should show reverence and humility toward God. This is all the more true for the altar servers. All I see are servers shifting from one foot to another, looking out into the congregation to see who is there, not paying attention, and with their tattered jeans and dirty sneakers peeking out from beneath their wrinkled alb. How great a privilege it is to be at the altar itself in the service of God. Remember, that even angels cannot participate in the sacrifice of the mass, but WE can.
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AltarMan
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And THE way to correct while serving at the altar is to precisely follow the rubrics set forth by the Church.
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AltarMan
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I fully agree. While this might offend some, I feel altar servers should train and serve with a military-level of precision.
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AltarMan
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That’s unacceptable. If you cannot muster a rather intense and sustained level of attention, then you need to bow-out as a server.
You are there to serve the celebrant and you had better do just that. You had better be able to anticipate every potential problem before it becomes an issue and this takes knowledge and concentration.
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slewi
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I’ll tell you, I was an altar boy in the late seventies, early eighties, and now, these kids are nothing like how we were. They fidget, they gaze about, they pay no attention, father has to move them into their proper positions, they don’t know when to move, when to bring the lectionary to father, when to do anything. They don’t know how to hold the paten, they turn it over so that any particles they may have collected have tumbled carelessly onto the marble floor! :banghead:
I can continue on with their dress habits, but then I’d be only more irritated.
I don’t think they have anyone in charge of the servers at my church, and I have thought I would offer my services to father, but I just returned to the church in April, I am goingthrough RCIA for my confirmation, and don’t know how my offer would be accepted. Also, I am more traditional as you may have guessed, and father is rather liberal. Don’t know how that would mix. He is a new priest, 60 years old, yet only ordained 6 years ago, he admitted he has a lot to learn yet, maybe all he needs is a gentle push…
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I can continue on with their dress habits, but then I’d be only more irritated.
I don’t think they have anyone in charge of the servers at my church, and I have thought I would offer my services to father, but I just returned to the church in April, I am goingthrough RCIA for my confirmation, and don’t know how my offer would be accepted. Also, I am more traditional as you may have guessed, and father is rather liberal. Don’t know how that would mix. He is a new priest, 60 years old, yet only ordained 6 years ago, he admitted he has a lot to learn yet, maybe all he needs is a gentle push…
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AltarMan
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Good.
Strive to be as formal and solemn as possible when serving. Your service WILL rub-off on your pastor.
Be hyper-alert to his needs – take some of the pressure off of him. Study how he celebrates the Mass. Where exactly does he want the chalice positioned on the corporal? How about the Sacramentary? Make sure to understand how to use the Ordo in order to set-up the* Sacramentary.* Use warm water in the lavabo ewer now that it’s winter. There are a 1,000 details to the Mass and taking care of each one will be appreciated over time.
I have served for many priests – some were pleasant and some were not so pleasant, but each and every time it was a privilidge to serve.
The best was a former parochial vicar we had. Serving Mass for him was amazing – we would “push” one another and almost without exception we were in total sync - more than ready to respond to one another’s “pushes” so that the Mass was celebrated/served just as the Church instructs. It truly was awesome.
In time, once you are up to speed, talk to your pastor about taking over the job of training altar servers…
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rkberlin
Guest
Hi,
our parish has the junior priest actually train the servers on a weekly basis. My kids went through 3 months of preparation, then they were initiated in a very beautiful ceremony last week, they were given a booklet on ministries in the Church, altar server edition. This booklet breaks down the Mass for them, and what to do. I think it’s awesome. They served in the US before, yet the German parish insisted they go through the training again. training isn’t completed either. They’ll still have weekly meetings to strengthen their bonds and to help them grow in their faith and their ministry. the junior priest is a wonderful person, he was only ordained 2 years ago after already working as a baker before. He’s got such deep faith, you can FEEL Jesus in the room when he prays, amazing:yup: ! He had the kids write a test on how well they know the structure of the Mass, what to respond when etc. Judging from the wrong answers, he’ll teach them. I think it’s great how this parish does it. Our pastor seems very liberal ( ecumenical ) and this young priest from Poland ( he SO reminds me of JP II, such a kind face and smile…) is more traditional, which I think is wonderful. As for the booklet, I don’t know if it’s available in English, in German it’s called "Bausteine I- Ministranten ". I do have to say that there are a lot of fidgety kids, my kids aren’t too fond of them. i told them to pray for them instead of getting mad and angry, though…
Have a blessed 3rd Sunday of Advent!
our parish has the junior priest actually train the servers on a weekly basis. My kids went through 3 months of preparation, then they were initiated in a very beautiful ceremony last week, they were given a booklet on ministries in the Church, altar server edition. This booklet breaks down the Mass for them, and what to do. I think it’s awesome. They served in the US before, yet the German parish insisted they go through the training again. training isn’t completed either. They’ll still have weekly meetings to strengthen their bonds and to help them grow in their faith and their ministry. the junior priest is a wonderful person, he was only ordained 2 years ago after already working as a baker before. He’s got such deep faith, you can FEEL Jesus in the room when he prays, amazing:yup: ! He had the kids write a test on how well they know the structure of the Mass, what to respond when etc. Judging from the wrong answers, he’ll teach them. I think it’s great how this parish does it. Our pastor seems very liberal ( ecumenical ) and this young priest from Poland ( he SO reminds me of JP II, such a kind face and smile…) is more traditional, which I think is wonderful. As for the booklet, I don’t know if it’s available in English, in German it’s called "Bausteine I- Ministranten ". I do have to say that there are a lot of fidgety kids, my kids aren’t too fond of them. i told them to pray for them instead of getting mad and angry, though…
Have a blessed 3rd Sunday of Advent!
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twiztedseraph
Guest
Again with the jumping to conclusions…whats with these forums? Or is it because you’re all american
?Anyway, I had the same Priest for the first 15 years of my life, the guy had a pretty dry throat, so I’d be taking his glass of water to him. If the lights blow out its me that signals to the junior servers to help me put out the candles in the aisles, so people don’t trip. I set up and prepeare before mass, the gifts, the altar, the cross and the over heads.
So pardon me if after awhile, what happens is I start saying the credo, then I think, did I put enough hosts in the paten, and next thing I know where at the “the resurrection of the body and life everlasting. Amen.”
I’ve memorised the mass by rote, this coupled with my responsibilities, I sometimes get distracted, thats when I offer it up. And I’m not so egotistic so as to deny it either. But if what you’re talking about is anticipating a problem, I haven’t made a mistake since my first few months of serving four and a half years ago. What I meant was just sometimes, I find myself in the middle of a prayer without realising it.
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AltarMan
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What’s an “over head” and what’s it doing at the Mass?Again with the jumping to conclusions…whats with these forums? Or is it because you’re all american
Anyway, I had the same Priest for the first 15 years of my life, the guy had a pretty dry throat, so I’d be taking his glass of water to him. If the lights blow out its me that signals to the junior servers to help me put out the candles in the aisles, so people don’t trip. I set up and prepeare before mass, the gifts, the altar, the cross and the over heads.
So pardon me if after awhile, what happens is I start saying the credo, then I think, did I put enough hosts in the paten, and next thing I know where at the “the resurrection of the body and life everlasting. Amen.”
I’ve memorised the mass by rote, this coupled with my responsibilities, I sometimes get distracted, thats when I offer it up. And I’m not so egotistic so as to deny it either. But if what you’re talking about is anticipating a problem, I haven’t made a mistake since my first few months of serving four and a half years ago. What I meant was just sometimes, I find myself in the middle of a prayer without realising it.
Good on yer, mate.
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twiztedseraph
Guest
An overhead, the projector that puts the lyrics of hymns up on a screen. Only used when necessary, though its alot, 'cause we have a nice pick of reverent hymns. Oh and its “Good on ya mate.” Did I detect a hint of Pride in your earlier posts? I’d meniton that in confession
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AltarMan
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Those things have absolutely NO place at the Mass! Sheeesh! I have no idea why “a nice pick of reverent hymns” would require their use. Follow the hymnal or make your own but those overheads and Powerpoint presentations don’t belong at the Mass – another “gift” from our Protestant breathern.An overhead, the projector that puts the lyrics of hymns up on a screen. Only used when necessary, though its alot, 'cause we have a nice pick of reverent hymns. Oh and its “Good on ya mate.” Did I detect a hint of Pride in your earlier posts? I’d meniton that in confession
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