I might be able to help out if you have some specific questions.Does anyone know if there exists a forum for altar servers of the EF? I ask because I regularly serve at the only approved diocesan EF Mass available in my country and as you can imagine there aren’t that many people who can help me out. I have a couple of booklets I’ve found on the internet on good sites, but they contradict eachother at times. So, is there any place one can get in touch with other altar servers and talk shop?
Thanks, but I already have the booklet they offer (as well as from a few other sites). My questions are more along the lines of how to adapt the altar server’s “rubrics” to the specific situation. I’ve seen seminarians (from other countries) who stuck to the letter of the rubrics so much that they ended up doing things that made no sense at all given the circumstances (i.e, in a very small chapel, where there was no room for them to move about, they’d do the gestures as though they were moving about when in fact they weren’t leaving the same spot).www.sanctamissa.org They have an excellent tutorial for the Masses. Start with the low Mass.
God Bless
There aren’t any rubrics for the servers. If there were rubric it would require that they were followed to the letter. There are responses and general functions that are performed by the servers, but not hard and fast rubrics. I was always told that you are there to serve the Priest, and are allowed to deviate from the normal “rules” when necessary. If you travel much, as I do, you will see slight variations in the actions of the servers. For example, most of the time the server will kneel during the Creed at a low mass, but sometimes they will stand and genuflect with the Priest. You will also notice that the bells are sometimes rung at the per ipsum, and at the beginning of the offeratory, and sometimes they are not. “Local custom” is the norm for altar servers.Thanks, but I already have the booklet they offer (as well as from a few other sites). My questions are more along the lines of how to adapt the altar server’s “rubrics” to the specific situation. I’ve seen seminarians (from other countries) who stuck to the letter of the rubrics so much that they ended up doing things that made no sense at all given the circumstances (i.e, in a very small chapel, where there was no room for them to move about, they’d do the gestures as though they were moving about when in fact they weren’t leaving the same spot).
catholicapologetics.info/library/prayers/howtoserve.htmDoes anyone know if there exists a forum for altar servers of the EF? I ask because I regularly serve at the only approved diocesan EF Mass available in my country and as you can imagine there aren’t that many people who can help me out. I have a couple of booklets I’ve found on the internet on good sites, but they contradict eachother at times. So, is there any place one can get in touch with other altar servers and talk shop?
No the server doesn’t say the Gloria or Creed. You are right about the Pater Noster. The Priest says all up to the point of the “sed libera nos a malo”, which you then say out loud. The congregation really isn’t supposed to say the Pater Noster with the Priest.Does the server say the Gloria, Credo, and Pater Noster? In the first two instances, I don’t think there’s a problem with that; in the latter however my missal has as a response “Sed libera nos a malo”, which leads me to believe that the Pater is only to be said by the priest, with the server giving his consent at the end with the response (at our chapel, a few of the people say the Pater along with the priest).
Interesting. Then the congregation saying the Gloria, Credo, and the Pater is a spill over, perhaps from the OF? Still, if I’m not mistaken, in my missal it says that the people **can **say at least the first twoNo the server doesn’t say the Gloria or Creed. You are right about the Pater Noster. The Priest says all up to the point of the “sed libera nos a malo”, which you then say out loud. The congregation really isn’t supposed to say the Pater Noster with the Priest.
Those things you noted for the Gloria, I do. With the Credo, I do a low bow during the “et incarnatus est”; isn’t the Credo supposed to be kneeling for the server?A few pointers on some fine details: During the Gloria you are supposed to bow your head slightly when the Priest does (there are three times), and then do the sign of the cross with him at the end. Similarly, at the Creed you are supposed to bow your head slighty when the Priest does (two times) and then do the sign of the cross with him at the end. If you stand during the Creed, you should also genuflect at the et incarnatus est.
At a Sung High Mass people sometimes sing the Gloria and Creed along with the chior, but at a low mass they never do.Interesting. Then the congregation saying the Gloria, Credo, and the Pater is a spill over, perhaps from the OF? Still, if I’m not mistaken, in my missal it says that the people **can **say at least the first two
It is more common for the server to kneel during the Creed at a low Mass (always stand at a High Mass), but sometimes the server will stand during the Creed at a low Mass as well.Those things you noted for the Gloria, I do. With the Credo, I do a low bow during the “et incarnatus est”; isn’t the Credo supposed to be kneeling for the server?
If it is a low Mass and you are keeling during the Creed, remain kneeling until the Priest removes that chalice veil. The removal of the chalice veil is your que to rise. At some Churches they also ring the bell at that time, but it is not common.Also, do I get up right after the Credo and go to the credence table, or do I wait for the priest to finish the prayer before the unveiling of the chalice?
Perhaps the faithful saying the Gloria and Credo is a European thing. My missal clearly states that it was allowed sometime around the 20’s. Once I get it back, I’ll look up the info and let you know.At a Sung High Mass people sometimes sing the Gloria and Creed along with the chior, but at a low mass they never do.
I was thinking about what you wrote and it dawned on me why the faithful never say the Gloria or Creed during the low Mass. The reason is because the Priest usually says it to himself in a low tone (as he does the other parts of the Mass). The manner of speaking (quietly, and a normal speaking speed, etc.) is such that it would not cause the faithful to join in.Perhaps the faithful saying the Gloria and Credo is a European thing. My missal clearly states that it was allowed sometime around the 20’s. Once I get it back, I’ll look up the info and let you know.
I should have mentioned that the Mass is generally a dialogued Mass. I generally tend to equate Low Mass with Dialogued Mass, but they are not necessarily the same.I have been to a few dialogue Masses (where the faithful say all the prayers along with the server). At these Masses, the atmosphere is a little different and it is common for more prayers to be said by the faithful (such as the domine non sum dignus before communion), but I can’t remember if they also said the Gloria and Creed out loud. They may have.