Altar servers clearing the altar before the end of the Mass?

[namax91]

At the suddenly very traditional parish that I attend, the priests are striving as hard as they can to be reverent, which is of course a good thing, but the priests will not tell the altar servers how to do one particular thing properly, even when this has been brought up to the priests. This occurs after the priest has processed out at the end of Mass but while the final song is still going. The altar servers start to clear the altar while everybody is still singing. Not only is this distracting, but it seems irreverent. Should they be waiting until the song is over before they start dismantling the altar? It just seems like the altar servers can’t wait to get home.

 

[Tarpeian_Rock]

My first reaction was that if the priest isn’t waiting until the end of the hymn, why should the servers, who by that point would have processed-out with the priest, and circled back to the sanctuary.

 

[Brandon_Cal]

At the suddenly very traditional parish that I attend, the priests are striving as hard as they can to be reverent, which is of course a good thing, but the priests will not tell the altar servers how to do one particular thing properly, even when this has been brought up to the priests. This occurs after the priest has processed out at the end of Mass but while the final song is still going. The altar servers start to clear the altar while everybody is still singing. Not only is this distracting, but it seems irreverent. Should they be waiting until the song is over before they start dismantling the altar? It just seems like the altar servers can’t wait to get home.

Are there any time constraints on your parish (i.e. another Mass in 30 minutes)?

 

[TimothyH]

Specific to the Ordinary Form only, my understanding is that the altar is supposed to be returned to the state it was prior to the preparation of the gifts before everyone processes out.

A server is supposed to remove the missal and stand from the altar during communion. The vessels are supposed to be removed from the altar by the servers after the priest returns to his chair. The order of events is supposed to be:

1. 
   *]Priest distributes communion
   *]Priest (or deacon) places unused hosts in the tabernacle. Servers should not be moving about but should stop while the priest reposes Jesus and all make an act of reverence, typically a bow of the head as the priest genuflects at the tabernacle.
   *]Priest (or deacon) purifies the vessels if done at the altar. Purification may be done after mass at the credence table but not in the sacristy.
   *]Priest returns to his chair.
   *]Servers clear the altar
   *]The concluding rites and procession then takes place.
   
   As a practical matter, the priest must sometimes assists the children with clearing the altar prior to returning to his chair, especially if the servers are very young or if there is no deacon, acolyte or emcee. The bottom line is that the missal, stand and vessels should not be on the altar during the concluding rites or procession out. The altar should be cleared by the time the closing hymn is sung.
   
   My information is from “Ceremonies of the modern Roman Rite” by Peter J. Elliot. I am open to correction and have no idea what happens at the Extraordinary Form.
   
   -Tim-

 

[CyrilSebastian]

I have attended Mass that while the priest is distributing Communion, the altar server removes the Sacramentary and the vessels from the altar and places them onto the Credence Table.
Shortly the altar server then takes the Sacramentary and vessels into the sacristy.
Are they being taken to the sacristy too soon?

 

[pianistclare]

Specific to the Ordinary Form only, my understanding is that the altar is supposed to be returned to the state it was prior to the preparation of the gifts before everyone processes out.

A server is supposed to remove the missal and stand from the altar during communion. The vessels are supposed to be removed from the altar by the servers after the priest returns to his chair. The order of events is supposed to be:

1. 
   *]Priest distributes communion
   *]Priest (or deacon) places unused hosts in the tabernacle. Servers should not be moving about but should stop while the priest reposes Jesus and all make an act of reverence, typically a bow of the head as the priest genuflects at the tabernacle.
   *]Priest (or deacon) purifies the vessels if done at the altar. Purification may be done after mass at the credence table but not in the sacristy.
   *]Priest returns to his chair.
   *]Servers clear the altar
   *]The concluding rites and procession then takes place.
   
   As a practical matter, the priest must sometimes assists the children with clearing the altar prior to returning to his chair, especially if the servers are very young or if there is no deacon, acolyte or emcee. The bottom line is that the missal, stand and vessels should not be on the altar during the concluding rites or procession out. The altar should be cleared by the time the closing hymn is sung.
   
   My information is from “Ceremonies of the modern Roman Rite” by Peter J. Elliot. I am open to correction and have no idea what happens at the Extraordinary Form.
   
   -Tim-

1. 
   **This^. **
   I also get what the OP is saying. At the Spanish Mass, the women who read run up and close the Book of Gospels, turn off mics, the servers start dousing candles, and the Sacristan carries the tray of vessels back to the Working Sacristy. All before Father hits the back door. I have seen the servers literally run up the side aisle back to the Sacristy.
   And the choir is still singing. They don’t sing 9 verses either. Maybe 3, tops.
   I’ve asked the servers and other to WAIT, please wait! To no avail.
   Recently I played a Spanish wedding, and before the celebrant and newly married couple were even at the back door, the wedding helpers were dragging away the kneelers, chairs, and flowers. Before they even exited the church! As soon as they pass a person with a task on the aisle, that person jumps out and starts dismantling everything.