Altar servers dressed like slobs.

[Eric_Olsen]

How do you approach the pastor to address this problem?
This is why I hate going to the Novous Ordo mass at my parish.
Altar servers, wearing shorts, flips flops, sandals, etc.
To me its shows lack of respect for the Eucharist and the mass itself.
To serve is a PRIVILEGE and not a right.

 

[presidentjlh]

Well, didn’t Christ wear sandals?

First of all, yes, we should try to dress respectfully for God, but we should also not judge people. Maybe these altar servers don’t have the money to buy nice clothes.

And, also, I see nothing wrong with wearing nice shorts, like khaki shorts. They are wearing the altar servers robes over it anyways, I am assuming.

Maybe you can just suggest to the priest that they require altar servers to wear shoes if they have them, but I don’t know how you would approach the priest.

 

[Mrs_Sally]

How do you approach the pastor to address this problem?
This is why I hate going to the Novous Ordo mass at my parish.
Altar servers, wearing shorts, flips flops, sandals, etc.
To me its shows lack of respect for the Eucharist and the mass itself.
To serve is a PRIVILEGE and not a right.

Find a group of like-minded young men and older teen boys who will be willing to serve Masses and suggest to Father that your group become the Master Servers who are always called first.

Offer to organize and direct server training which would include proper clothing for under the albs (or whatever your servers wear).

If the servers aren’t wearing albs over their clothes, offer to organize fundraising to buy them. And then find some nice heavyweight ones that aren’t too see-through, and that might actually fit a normal sized child/teen.

 

[ChurchTorch]

How do you approach the pastor to address this problem?
This is why I hate going to the OF Mass at my parish.
Altar servers, wearing shorts, flips flops, sandals, etc.
To me its shows lack of respect for the Eucharist and the mass itself.
To serve is a PRIVILEGE and not a right.

If you HATE going to the Mass for that reason you have some personal matters to work out…

The FORM of the Mass has nothing to do with the “problems” you notice.

 

[lizaanne]

If you HATE going to the Mass for that reason you have some personal matters to work out…

The FORM of the Mass has nothing to do with the “problems” you notice.

Well - you have to admiit that you never see this issue at an EF Mass.

I do agree though, “hate” is a bit strong and might imply other issues.

~Liza

 

[curlycool89]

Our alter server was wearing a bunnyhug and jeans today (it is a daily mass, and most of the people are students taking a break from studying). Sunday mass usually means a guy (funny enough, most of our alter servers are guys) with a dress shirt, most of the time a tie, and some nicer pants (sometimes dress pants). Albs are never used (except by the priest, of course, along with the other garments I can’t remember the names of).

I’m not sure why people are getting distracted by what the alter servers are wearing though. Last time I checked, we were at mass for Jesus. That’s where my attention is, on the readings and then on the prayers during the Eucharist. Not on what the alter server is doing/wearing

 

[aicirt]

The priest needs to say something. I don’t understand women, and I mean seniors, coming to Mass in shorts and distributing communion, kids with skulls on their shirts doing the collection, men without collars presenting the gifts, and men in jeans doing the readings.

My friend, who attends the Greek Orthodox Church, must wear a skirt or dress or isn’t permitted to enter.

Fifty years ago, I heard the retort that the person might not have anything else to wear. That was when some kids came in dungerees and some women showed up in hair curlers under scarfs. Look at the cost of jeans. They aren’t cheap. If money is an issue, pick out a pair of slacks suitable for most occassions. Black slacks and a white blouse are two good things to have.

Easter Sunday a man came in wearing a trucker’s hat and had to be told to remove it.

 

[churchsecretary]

I agree, aicirt. In our parish, Father does speak up. Our altar servers (even though they wear full length albs) are required to dress appropriately. That means no t-shirts, no jeans, no sneakers. The only time any of those show up on the altar is if a scheduled server doesn’t show up & we need to pull a kid who walked in, not expecting to serve.

He also lets the EM’s know that they are to dress appropriately, as well as lectors & cantors. It just seems like common sense to me…& please, “appropriate” clothing can oftentimes be found at the local Goodwill store or outlet, so cost should not be an issue.

 

[EasterJoy]

I agree, aicirt. In our parish, Father does speak up. Our altar servers (even though they wear full length albs) are required to dress appropriately. That means no t-shirts, no jeans, no sneakers. The only time any of those show up on the altar is if a scheduled server doesn’t show up & we need to pull a kid who walked in, not expecting to serve.

He also lets the EM’s know that they are to dress appropriately, as well as lectors & cantors. It just seems like common sense to me…& please, “appropriate” clothing can oftentimes be found at the local Goodwill store or outlet, so cost should not be an issue.

At our parish, if you want to substitute, you show up dressed to serve at the altar. No jeans, no shorts, no shirts with a pattern that shows through the alb, you must have socks or hose, you must have dress shoes with no or a low heel, in excellent condition. They allow sneakers, but if and only if they are all-white or all-black and in brand new condition. If you think it is too hot, well, don’t complain to Father, because he’s wearing just as much, plus a stole and chasuble.

Otherwise, they just do without as many servers as they would like to have.

This was done rather recently, and it is a great change. The woman that trains the altar servers is a gem. Whatever Father and the deacon say, she sees that it gets done, plus.

 

[ChurchTorch]

Well - you have to admiit that you never see this issue at an EF Mass.

I do agree though, “hate” is a bit strong and might imply other issues.

~Liza

True because those who tend to congregate from the EF tend to have a fetish about such things, often at the cost of more important things. Never mind the empty pews, the sour faces and what appears to be the absolute absence of joy so long as the altar boys aren’t wearing sandals!

 

[ChurchTorch]

I agree, aicirt. In our parish, Father does speak up. Our altar servers (even though they wear full length albs) are required to dress appropriately. That means no t-shirts, no jeans, no sneakers. The only time any of those show up on the altar is if a scheduled server doesn’t show up & we need to pull a kid who walked in, not expecting to serve.

He also lets the EM’s know that they are to dress appropriately, as well as lectors & cantors. It just seems like common sense to me…& please, “appropriate” clothing can oftentimes be found at the local Goodwill store or outlet, so cost should not be an issue.

Why no t-shirts? I often take off my outer shirt in the sacristy before I put on my alb or cassock/surplice so my collar does not show. MANY priests wear nothing more than a simple white t-shirt under their albs…

 

[ChurchTorch]

Find a group of like-minded young men and older teen boys who will be willing to serve Masses and suggest to Father that your group become the Master Servers who are always called first.

Offer to organize and direct server training which would include proper clothing for under the albs (or whatever your servers wear).

If the servers aren’t wearing albs over their clothes, offer to organize fundraising to buy them. And then find some nice heavyweight ones that aren’t too see-through, and that might actually fit a normal sized child/teen.

This really is excellent advice. In effect, put-up or shut-up.

Far too often it seems like “traditionalists” are apt to pull away and become bitter when things do not go their way. Far, far more healthy to get involved and become God’s agents of change, although it’s also far, far more work and sacrifice.

 

[Mrs_Sally]

Why no t-shirts? I often take off my outer shirt in the sacristy before I put on my alb or cassock/surplice so my collar does not show. MANY priests wear nothing more than a simple white t-shirt under their albs…

I think many places have this rule because the shirt design shows under the light-weight albs that most churches use. A striped polo showing through is one thing, a t-shirt printed with a message like “I’m with stupid -->” is something else entirely.

That said, if the church in question has the altar boys wearing a cassock & surplice, than a t-shirt underneath would be fine.

 

[purplesunshine]

Maybe I tend toward the fransiscan too much but I often see priests in sandles (not flip-flops, mind you, but sandals.

What’s so wrong with sandals?

 

[ChurchTorch]

I think many places have this rule because the shirt design shows under the light-weight albs that most churches use. A striped polo showing through is one thing, a t-shirt printed with a message like “I’m with stupid -->” is something else entirely.

That said, if the church in question has the altar boys wearing a cassock & surplice, than a t-shirt underneath would be fine.

OK.

But I don’t think a striped polo shirt showing through an alb is ok, hence I would strip-down to a white shirt. I always carry a white t-shirt with my alb.

 

[ChurchTorch]

Maybe I tend toward the fransiscan too much but I often see priests in sandles (not flip-flops, mind you, but sandals.

What’s so wrong with sandals?

When I saw him in person, Fr. Pablo Straub was wearing Birkenstocks and white socks.

 

[lizaanne]

True because those who tend to congregate from the EF tend to have a fetish about such things, often at the cost of more important things. Never mind the empty pews, the sour faces and what appears to be the absolute absence of joy so long as the altar boys aren’t wearing sandals!

LOL!!! That is hilarious!!! You have obviously not been to any of the EF parishes around my area - we are all deeply in love with the Faith, love the Church, and are really a bunch of happy and awesome folks! Oh - and our parish is packed to standing room during our EF holiday Masses. We don’t ever have to worry about empty pews.

You really do need to get out more often.

~Liza

 

[ChurchTorch]

LOL!!! That is hilarious!!! You have obviously not been to any of the EF parishes around my area - we are all deeply in love with the Faith, love the Church, and are really a bunch of happy and awesome folks! Oh - and our parish is packed to standing room during our EF holiday Masses. We don’t ever have to worry about empty pews.

You really do need to get out more often.

~Liza

Nope, only to the EF Masses around here – and they are fairly grim affairs. But no sandals by golly!

 

[curlycool89]

Maybe I tend toward the fransiscan too much but I often see priests in sandles (not flip-flops, mind you, but sandals.

What’s so wrong with sandals?

Oh! Oh! A friend of mine wore socks with sandals while serving at the Vigil? How 'bout that?

Or are people just counting how many “rules of fashion” he broke?

 

[Eric_Olsen]

Well, didn’t Christ wear sandals?

First of all, yes, we should try to dress respectfully for God, but we should also not judge people. Maybe these altar servers don’t have the money to buy nice clothes.

hardly the case…Plymouth Meeting PA has very well to do people.

And, also, I see nothing wrong with wearing nice shorts, like khaki shorts. They are wearing the altar servers robes over it anyways, I am assuming.

Maybe you can just suggest to the priest that they require altar servers to wear shoes if they have them, but I don’t know how you would approach the priest.

let me ask you this,…if you went to a $100.00 a plate restaurant, would you wear khaki shorts?? Why do we treat God like this?