Forming an Altar Server Program

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MarySon:
A few words of a former altar server:
  1. I believe the priest picked out kids (only males) to be altar servers based on how frequently / regularly a family went to church.Before I become an altar server, myself and a few other candidates went through some training. The training mosly consisted of what you do during a mass and how you supposed to behave during the sacrifice.
  2. We were sort of ‘ordained’ to be altar servers. I remember that we stood at the foot of the altar in our reqular clothes. During the mass the priest annouced that there he was going to initiate us into that ministry. After some prayers each of us put on her own surplice and we finished the mass as altar servers. That realy stood out in my mind.
  3. We also regularly met during the year with the priest who talked about where our shortcomings were and to explain why being an altar server was so important during the mass.
  4. There were also some classes and courses that I was sent to deepen the faith, learn more about the faith to help me to understand my faith and the sacrifice of the mass better.
  5. Since my church was on the way to school, I very often stop there before going to classes. The priest had a log where he marked who served that day. During meetings (see 3) the priest also ‘rewarded’ those who served the most with some prizes - books, Bibles, rosaries, etc.
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excellant (name removed by moderator)ut… I will most certainly forward these ideas on. Many thanks.
 
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slewi:
I believe the Guild of St. Stephen is linked to the SSPX. And if so, that’s not gonna fly with father. He already called FSSP “radicals”, so he would probably be far less charitable to SSPX affiliation…

The reason I ask is because I search for an American branch of GOSS, and found an SSPX site talking about them and that they are being used in SSPX chapels…

Stephen
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I don’t think the Guild is associated with the SSPX. From the link Mr. S posted:
The main Archconfraternity is based on Westminster Cathedral, in London. It has many Guilds in parishes in Great Britain and elsewhere affiliated to it.
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Unless the SSPX has taken over Westminster Cathedral? 😃
 
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MrS:
not guilty… never said it… I was not there… I didn’t do it
http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/7/7_4_14.gifDr B
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Oops! Sorry, Mr. S. It was Altar Man that posted that link.

Anyway, that makes me even more certain that the Guild is not associated with the SSPX, knowing the disdain that Altar Man has for Lefebvrists and their fellow travellers.

In the future, I’ll be more careful before taking your name in vain, Mr. S. 😃
 
Dr. Bombay:
In the future, I’ll be more careful before taking your name in vain, Mr. S. 😃
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Please be careful about taking anything in veins.
 
Dr. Bombay:
I don’t think the Guild is associated with the SSPX.
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I don’t think so either, it’s just that at this site:sspxasia.com/Newsletters/1999/May/Archconfraternity-of-St-Stephen.htm
they said:
Several years ago, in Sydney, Australia (this country belongs to the Commonwealth of Great Britain)
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, Rev. Father Todd Angele, SSPX, came across the guild still being used by the servers in the Society Chapel. He then established his own Chapter in Melbourne and found a company to supply him with materials, i.e., medals, cords, thus, began the resuscitation of the Archconfraternity of Saint Stephen within the Society of Saint Pius X. Rev. Father Peter Scott, US District Superior, later brought it to America and immediately initiated it into the three Parishes. Now, there are more than three Parishes initiated to the Archconfraternity including the one in Hawaii. In December of 1997, in Mexico, they became the very first Chapel in the history to begin a Chapter, truly making the Guild international.

They just appear to have started some chapters is all.

Stephen
 
I was an altar boy in the early to mid sixties. While certain things, movements, responses have either changed or been eliminated we had a few basic requirements and were taught some basic things that I think still probably would apply.

We had to volunteer and be at least 10 maybe 11 years old. Fifth grade, I remember that. Any younger there might have been problems in understanding what was going on. Our parents had to give permission that we would be altar boys. We had to be baptized and have taken first Holy Communion. Were were given a tour of the church, told what everything was, why it was there and how it related to the Mass. We were taught that assisting at Mass was as close to heaven as we would get before actually going there. We were taught to respect the Altar, the Sanctuary and the Tabernacle and never think what we were doing was routine or ordinary. We were taught to always remember that a consecrated host is the actual body and blood of Jesus Christ and to show Him the respect He deserved. We received little cards that had all the movements diagrammed on them with real clear instructions on what to do and how and when to do it. We practiced for several weeks before we were allowed to assist at Mass. Father kept a log book of some type showing how often we served, which Masses, whether we were the lead altar boy or not and how we did each time. We met once a week informally and about once a month we would have a full meeting and Father or the other priests would talk to us, explain some things, critique us, and maybe give us a pop quiz on things. Afterwards we’d all go to a movie or play foootball or do something together. We had to go to confession weekly. We had a dress code, but all I can remember is no tennis shoes. We had to have taken a bath before assisting.

I hope this helps out. It was really a lot of fun.
 
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slewi:
Hey!

Is paten pronounced pay-ten or pat-ton?

S
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I pronounce it pat-ton. Or, “That gold plate with a handle.” Either one works.
 
Does anyone have any references to the use of the casssock and surplice or cotta? I don’t believe the GIRM mentions it, but it does say:
  1. In the dioceses of the United States of America, acolytes, altar servers, lectors, and other lay ministers may wear the alb or other suitable vesture or other appropriate and dignified clothing.
What is other suitable vesture? Why not the the cassock and surplice? Even for girls?

The argument is that traditionally the cassock was a priestly vestment, but you hardly see it anymore, and the true priestly vestment is the stole.

Granted, boys alone should be servers, but I am just playing devils advocate here. If girls can now serve with diocesan approval, why can’t they wear the cassock and surplice?

Why has it fallen into disuse in NO parishes?

S
 
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slewi:
Does anyone have any references to the use of the casssock and surplice or cotta? I don’t believe the GIRM mentions it, but it does say:
  1. In the dioceses of the United States of America, acolytes, altar servers, lectors, and other lay ministers may wear the alb or other suitable vesture or other appropriate and dignified clothing.
What is other suitable vesture? Why not the the cassock and surplice? Even for girls?

The argument is that traditionally the cassock was a priestly vestment, but you hardly see it anymore, and the true priestly vestment is the stole.

Granted, boys alone should be servers, but I am just playing devils advocate here. If girls can now serve with diocesan approval, why can’t they wear the cassock and surplice?

Why has it fallen into disuse in NO parishes?

S
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Stepehen, if you put a girl in a cassock, I’m going to hunt you down and beat some sense into you with a paten. 😃

I would assume most parishes don’t use them because they look too pre-Vatican II. And they are probably more expensive, which is always a consideration.
 
Dr. Bombay:
I would assume most parishes don’t use them because they look too pre-Vatican II.
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You mean because they look too catholic? :whistle:

S
 
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slewi:
You mean because they look too catholic? :whistle:

S
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Well…I suppose if you wanted to be uncharitable you could say that.

But I’m all about the charity. :cool:
 
I was an altar boy in the 70’s and this great old Jesuit Brother had this great and easy trick for training. He just took a missalette and went through the parts of the Mass with me marking what I should be doing in the margins. When the priest says this, start getting over to the water, bowl and towel. When he says this prayer, get ready to bring him the water, wine and chalice and so forth. I could take it home and study it and use it during Mass. It was great.
 
Ugggghhh. I hate it when I post before I’m ready! Anyway, as an addendum to my previous post, I had to pass along a great idea a parish in North Providence, RI had for boys and girls vestments for serving Mass. Yes, they both wore a cassock and surplice but the boys surplice had sleeves and the girls didn’t. This parish was very reluctant to include girls but this, I have to say even made me feel better about it. Now for the kicker: Boys and girls never served mass together. It was actually very cool. The kids were always impeccably groomed and dressed as well. Very reverent too.
 
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Chardin:
Ugggghhh. I hate it when I post before I’m ready! Anyway, as an addendum to my previous post, I had to pass along a great idea a parish in North Providence, RI had for boys and girls vestments for serving Mass. Yes, they both wore a cassock and surplice but the boys surplice had sleeves and the girls didn’t. This parish was very reluctant to include girls but this, I have to say even made me feel better about it. Now for the kicker: Boys and girls never served mass together. It was actually very cool. The kids were always impeccably groomed and dressed as well. Very reverent too.
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I have heard it said that it should never be that case that only girls serve at the Altar for any Holy Mass. Can anyone verify this?
 
“Pope Gelasius in his ninth letter (chap. 26) to the bishops of Lucania condemned the evil practice which had been introduced of women serving the priest at the celebration of Mass. Since this abuse had spread to the Greeks, Innocent IV strictly forbade it in his letter to the bishop of Tusculum: ‘Women should not dare to serve at the altar; they should be altogether refused this ministry.’ We too have FORBIDDEN this practice in the same words…”
–Pope Benedict XIV, Encyclical Allatae Sunt, July 26, 1755
 
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slewi:
Right now there are about 4 females in their early teens and two guys, early and late teens, serving mass, respectively. And I mean serving mass in the loosest sense of the word.

Father has already told me he wants girls involved as well. :rolleyes:

He is however, pretty infuriated with the current crop, so I will be putting an ad in the bulletin “…looking for 4 - 6 devout men and ladies to serve our Lord in the Sacrifice of the Mass.” or something like that with my contact number. Any ideas on how I can word it tactfully? Hopefully more men will apply. But I somehow doubt it. But I am optimistic none the less! I am going to try to set something up with father for this week. I’ll let y’all know how it goes!

And please keep the comments coming!

Stephen
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I don’t think I would do a “cattle call” via the bulletin. I would search out men and boys who are going to do a good job. Remember, this is a momumentally important step.
 
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