I do wonder though how it is decided who does what. Around here I imagine the more assertive servers would get to do most things. .
The Senior altar boys assign the tasks to the younger ones.
They try to pair up a younger boy who hasn’t done a particular task with a slightly older boy who has done it several times.
For example, last Sunday, my 9 year old son was paired up with a 7 year old to recieve the Offetory. So my son, by example, showed the younger boy when to get up, when to turn to genuflect, etc… The older boys train the younger ones, and, in turn, get trained by boys slightly older than them.
One other thing that is simply incredible is how the postitive peer pressure teaches the young boys how to behave in Mass. Boys really do like to fit in, especially with older boys. And when a squirrely 7 year (like my son used to be) sits each Mass with 12,15,19 year olds who all sit quitely, and even all stand and gueflect in unison. The younger boys follow along, trying to be ‘part of the group’. And after a year or so of service, my son would not even thing of doing anything but sitting quietly, or doing anything with his hand but keep them plams together, flat in a prayerful position.
And he learned that entirely by sitting with, and following the example of, all the other boys.
And yes, the results have been excellent. Out of a parish of 900 families, we have 6 men in the seminary right now, ( and 4 others ordained to the priesthood within the last 10 years). We have 3 men in the Diaconate program and 4 women in novice\postulant programs to religious life.
