Altar servers wearing masks?

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Our pastor just asked my boys (experienced alter-servers) to begin serving at mass again. We have three members of our family who are immunocompromised. We are mask wearers inside buildings around other people. We do this to protect others who may be vulnerable and to communicate to others that we are serious about precautions. My elderly relatives have told me they find it comforting to see people wearing masks because they know that those people are trying to be cautious and careful about exposure. It’s comforting to them. Our parish is comprised primarily of elderly parishioners.

When I asked our pastor about my boys wearing masks while serving, he said our bishop hasn’t issued any guidelines about that. The bishop has simply said that priests should not wear masks while celebrating mass. How are your parishes handling this? I would feel better if my boys were allowed to wear masks while serving, especially handling the patten during Communion. I’d feel terrible if we somehow infected other people. I do not believe that my family can get sick by eating Communion. I just don’t think the virus could hurt us from communion. But I do think others could spread it. I know, everyone has their own opinion.

TIA!
 
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No masks for the altar boys at my church. And very few among the parishioners.
 
Did he say your boys couldn’t wear them? If there’s no guidelines, they should be able to wear them. Furthermore, if they’re minors and you have family members who are immunocompromised, then it’s quite reasonable for you to tell the priest your sons have to wear masks or they can’t serve.

We haven’t reopened for Mass yet, but have already been told all parishioners need to wear masks at all times and at some places the EMHCs will be wearing them also.
 
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gator(name removed by moderator) said:
Our pastor just asked my boys (experienced alter-servers) to begin serving at mass again. We have three members of our family who are immunocompromised
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Then say no.
gator(name removed by moderator) said:
How are your parishes handling this?
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In our parish, we are not having any servers. But if we did, I can think of a number of them whose parents would be saying “no”.

Masks are encouraged but not required.
gator(name removed by moderator) said:
I would feel better if my boys were allowed to wear masks while serving, especially handling the patten during Communion.
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First, there is nothing that says they can’t wear a mask.

Second, I’d probably say no to father, mask or no mask. I certainly wouldn’t allow them within 6 feet of other people. So, no paten holding. No missal holding either. No sitting next to other servers. So basically: NO.
 
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Simple answer: repeat what you said in the original post - 3 members compromised - and say “My boys will serve while wearing masks. If that is not acceptable, they will not serve.”

You are the parent; the guideline you can set for your boys is by no means out of line, excessive, or heaven help us “silly”. If the pastor is not comfortable (or anything else to the contrary) , then they don’t serve - problem solved.
 
gator(name removed by moderator) said:
I would feel better if my boys were allowed to wear masks while serving, especially handling the patten during Communion. I’d feel terrible if we somehow infected other people.
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If the priest says no, and you are still concerned, than do not have your boys serve until you feel it is safe.
 
1ke said:
In our parish, we are not having any servers. But if we did, I can think of a number of them whose parents would be saying “no”.

Masks are encouraged but not required.
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That will also be the case when we reopen. For Fr.that won’t be a serious change. He never has a server at daily Mass and lots of times he doesn’t at Sunday Mass either.
 
OP here. I guess I should clarify that my boys want to serve at mass. And I would love for them to serve at mass. We live in a town with very few cases of COVID19 and no deaths. Our area is actively testing. But we want to keep ourselves and others safe since this is a highly contagious virus. Our pastor is researching whether or not the servers wearing masks is canonical. I just wanted to hear what others were doing. Thanks.
 
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In my parish we have the same altar servers for weekday and Sunday Masses. None of them wear masks. There are several families that aren’t allowing their boys to serve at Mass right now. Those families also are not coming to Mass yet. Very few of our parishioners wear masks.

Mask wearing varies widely from parish to parish. Some parishes require everyone to wear masks and some don’t.

There should not be a problem with altar servers wearing masks and it has nothing to do with canon law.
 
In our diocese, minors are not to be serving at Mass. In addition, those who are in a high risk group are being asked to discern not putting themselves at risk by being present at a public Mass.
 
Opinions are like heads — everybody has one.

But my opinion is that if someone has immune-compromised family members, they shouldn’t be going to Mass at all, mask or no mask, serving at the altar or just being in the congregation. Ditto for school. Too close together, too long, enclosed space, possibly not the best ventilation, 95% filtering still lets 5% through.

Due to popular demand, and some very real economic necessity, though, things have started opening back up, and people are going to do what they see fit. Hope everybody stays well. We will see.
 
gator(name removed by moderator) said:
Our pastor is researching whether or not the servers wearing masks is canonical.
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In France, mask wearing in public spaces is mandatory. I watch the Sunday evening Mass at Paris’ St Germain l’Auxerrois church, presided by an archbishop. Everybody processes in wearing masks. Priests then take them off in the sanctuary, altar servers keep theirs unless they’re doing something that requires them to speak (like one of the readings). Masks come back on when celebrants process out.

A reputable Belgian liturgical vestments maker is even producing tailored masks for liturgy : Masque buccal confortable et réutilisable
 
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For my parish, everyone is masked. Those that do not want to wear a mask are asked to leave.
 
As for our parishioners, some are wearing masks and some not. It’s a mixed bag. I have been serving at the altar since our public Masses resumed, and here is the protocol per our bishop:

Servers receive Holy Communion, go to credence table, sanitize hands, mask on. Same with ministers of Holy Communion.

Our pastor has reminded those receiving communion to remove their masks in advance, because it can be troublesome when someone with a host in her hand attempts to dislodge her mask at the same time.

The altar servers hold the Communion-plates as per tradition.
Holy Communion can be received either in the hand or on the tongue. The ministers are furnished with credence tables so that they can put down the ciborium and sanitize their hands as often as necessary.

After the distribution of communion, altar servers place communion-plates on the altar, remove masks, and sanitize hands. Same with ministers. Masks are not worn during Mass except for this time.
 
Our parish began public Masses this weekend. We now have five Masses instead of two each weekend. Only 25 persons allowed including Priest and any Lectors, Servers, etc. You had to make a reservation for the Mass you want to attend. From now on - that is our Mass to attend. If you cannot attend your assigned Mass for any reason, you need to cancel so they can allow a person from the waiting list your position.

They verified your name on the reservation list upon arrival at the Church. Every person entering was required to receive hand sanitizer on their hands and if you did not bring a mask they provided one to wear. Masks required to be worn except at Communion - where you unhook one side of the mask as you approach or pulled it down, receive on the hand, consume, replace the mask. Only the Body of Christ was offered and Father did one side of the Church then the other side. Social distancing was maintained in approaching the Eucharist.

Like the parishioners, Father wore his mask throughout the Mass except during the short time he received the Eucharist. We had no servers one Lector, no cantor. All the missals - papers were removed from pews- there was no singing or music during Mass, except the low instrumental music Father had playing softly as people arrived before Mass began. No papers, no one handing out bulletins at the end of Mass. You entered the main door of the Church only - Exit not allowed via main entrance - only via side doors at the end of Mass. Bulletins and Diocesan Paper were available on a table for individual pick up if desired. Church pews and high touch areas [doors, etc] are cleaned between every Mass.

Today was the first public Mass at my parish since early March.
 
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It is extremely poor PPE handling to touch one’s mask. The premise is that they are filled with highly concentrated contaminants.

As a general rule of thumb, anyone not trained to use PPE will do more harm than good. I wear a mask not as protection, but as a sign of courtesy.
 
Lots of controversy over Masks and efficacy and cross contamination …but you can put one on without totally touching it all over and remove the strap from your around your ear and replace it without touching the mask all over it’s surface.

In this setting, you are not really touching others, only family groups were together, individual parishioners were 6 feet plus apart except being within an arm’s length when receiving hand sanitizer at the entry and at Communion approaching the priest.

The governor issued compliance orders and the Bishop issued implementation instructions so take it up with him. And our small rural parish does not have a full time priest …our current priest was brought out of retirement and travels here each week to say Masses.

Others doesn’t touch our masks and I already am in contact with my own germs. Most experts say masks basically keep the virus from dispersing longer distances airborne from a contagious person … In that respect, since pews and touch surfaces are disinfected between Masses, everyone’s hands are sanitized upon entry and the Masks keep sneezes and coughs somewhat constrained …meaning I can attend Mass in person and receive our Lord …I am not going to complain about imperfections in the human implementation. I am not overly concerned about Covid-19. I doing all I can to be careful but nothing is 100% perfect - if it was Staph infections would never appear in hospitals - but it can and does.
 
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gator(name removed by moderator) said:
Our pastor is researching whether or not the servers wearing masks is canonical. I just wanted to hear what others were doing. Thanks.
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Good luck with that! Funnily enough, there’s next to nothing in the liturgical norms on what to do in a time of pandemic. For what it’s worth, my altar server didn’t wear a mask today (he did have a cast but that’s another story…) and neither did I. Our bishops’ conference has issued some guidance on the liturgy but iirc they’re silent on maks-wearing. The purpose of a mask, as I understand it, is to protect others from droplets resulting from coughing. So if a person isn’t coughing (at least no more than normal) then there’s really no need for a mask. That said, if I had an altar server or parishioner who wanted to wear a mask, it wouldn’t bother me in the slightest.
 
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