Gloves for Servers Touching the Chalice

[PJM]

=nicolep;7879024]Will the servers wear the gloves before and/or after consecration? I’m not well versed in how different things are now versus before since I’m a fairly recent convert.

In your position, I would likely point to the history behind it, but leave out any reference to why it changed…just that you all wanted to go back to the way it was done.

As a Latin Mass Server [even for our Bishop] we never wore gloves. On the other hand we also did not touch the chalice or Ciborioum. Only the Pattens held under the face of the One Blessed to receive Christ.

NO EM’s, and Priest did all of the Purification of the sacred vessels.

God Bless,
Pat

 

[Califman831]

I spend July of last year on a mission trip to western Tanzania. Our parish sponsors a ‘sister parish’ and we were over there helping with several projects.

The local bishop ( +Minde) came to celebrate Mass with us. Not only did the altarboys not touch the chalice, but the two that were attending the bishop worn a humerial veil type thing that covered their hands when they held the tokens of the bishops office ( the miter and the crozier)

Here is a pic of the garment. The yellow scarf type thing had pockets on the end for the hands to fit into. The altar boy would place his hands in those prior to recieving the bishop’s miter, or to hold the crozier

I pray that these fine men will come to the united states to teach proper mass etiquette Blessings to the bishop there.

 

[Mrs_Sally]

I pray that these fine men will come to the united states to teach proper mass etiquette Blessings to the bishop there.

Altar severs always wear a vimpa when handling a bishop’s mitre and croizer–even in the US. This is not a special, extra devout thing onlygoing on in Africa.

To the OP, your plan of having the altar servers wear gloves is unnecessary and seems a bit pretentious. It is also not very practical. Gloves will be hard to fit properly. The boys may easily drop or spill other things if they are wearing them all through Mass. The sign value is diminished if the daily Mass servers aren’t wearing them and are still handling the chalice and paten.

 

[Califman831]

Altar severs always wear a vimpa when handling a bishop’s mitre and croizer–even in the US. This is not a special, extra devout thing onlygoing on in Africa.

Thank you for the information. At our last confirmation ceremony the Altar “girl” was holding the croizer without a vimpa. The Bishop made no mention of the error to either the DRE or any of the instructors present. Our parish is in need of much repair

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

I spend July of last year on a mission trip to western Tanzania. Our parish sponsors a ‘sister parish’ and we were over there helping with several projects.

The local bishop ( +Minde) came to celebrate Mass with us. Not only did the altarboys not touch the chalice, but the two that were attending the bishop worn a humerial veil type thing that covered their hands when they held the tokens of the bishops office ( the miter and the crozier)

Here is a pic of the garment. The yellow scarf type thing had pockets on the end for the hands to fit into. The altar boy would place his hands in those prior to recieving the bishop’s miter, or to hold the crozier

I think that’s called a vimpa.

That is a traditional practice. The introduction of gloves is an innovation. We should not be adding to the Mass, even if it is what we thing is a reverence.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

I think this is an important question. It would seem strange if the servers wore gloves while handling an empty chalice, only to have EMHC’s *not *wear gloves while administering the Precious Blood. And as someone who regularly administers the Precious Blood, I can tell you I would fear to do so while wearing gloves due to fear of slippage.

Not only the use of EMHC’s in this case but the laity. The Chalice is handed to the laity to receive from the Chalice. So even the Chalice was given by someone ordained, the laity would handle the Chalice without the gloves.

Again, needless innovation.

Any innovation to the Mass could be considered an abuse.

 

[Brendan]

Altar severs always wear a vimpa when handling a bishop’s mitre and croizer–even in the US. This is not a special, extra devout thing onlygoing on in Africa.
.

Not true. I never did when I was an altarboy. And I’ve been to a few Masses in the Cathedral with the bishop presiding. And I never saw one there either.

 

[Mrs_Sally]

Nevertheless, it is common practice worldwide. I have never been to a Mass celebrated by a bishop where altar servers didn’t use them.

 

[Kevin812]

Thank you for the information. At our last confirmation ceremony the Altar “girl” was holding the croizer without a vimpa. The Bishop made no mention of the error to either the DRE or any of the instructors present. Our parish is in need of much repair

I would encourage the great use of Caution here. I know and have seen Bishops who do NOT have their servers use the Vimpa. Sometimes this is for personal reasons, location, level of the event, stand-in servers, or poverty. (Yes – poverty).

As to “girl,” I would say you are on even thiner ice here. It is in the Bishops confidences (powers) to allow female servers in the Ordinary usage.

Even if the Bishop had issues with any of the above, he would not very likely have made a public statement right at the moment.

The greatest repair we can make is our prayers!

Peace

 

[Oneofthewomen]

I think this is an important question. It would seem strange if the servers wore gloves while handling an empty chalice, only to have EMHC’s *not *wear gloves while administering the Precious Blood. And as someone who regularly administers the Precious Blood, I can tell you I would fear to do so while wearing gloves due to fear of slippage.

Not only the use of EMHC’s in this case but the laity. The Chalice is handed to the laity to receive from the Chalice. So even the Chalice was given by someone ordained, the laity would handle the Chalice without the gloves.

Again, needless innovation.

Any innovation to the Mass could be considered an abuse.

And what about the Body of Christ? Does your parish use EM’sHC or is communion distributed by a priest and/or deacon only? If you do you EM’sHC, will they be wearing gloves? If not, why not? Isn’t what they are touching much more precious than an empty chalice?

 

[Digitonomy]

"Kevin812:

The gloves sounds to me, like adding to the rubrics, making things to complicated, and attempting to make the Ordinary Usage into the Extraordinary Usage.

That is a traditional practice. The introduction of gloves is an innovation. We should not be adding to the Mass, even if it is what we thing is a reverence…
Again, needless innovation.
Any innovation to the Mass could be considered an abuse.

Nonsense. This is a dress code issue.

A pastor could certainly mandate that instead of the simple alb previously used, altar boys must wear albs or robes with belts of a particular color. And while they’re at it, they must wear parish-supplied shoes or slippers so that the congregation isn’t distracted by flashy basketball shoes.

Mandating particular clothing, supplied by the parish, for adult altar servers is an unfamiliar practice and may seem peculiar, but the principle is the same.

 

[Joannm]

Nevertheless, it is common practice worldwide. I have never been to a Mass celebrated by a bishop where altar servers didn’t use them.

Neither have I and I go to quite a number of masses celebrated by our bishop and auxiliaries. The bishop usually brings them since the parish doesn’t have vimpas.

 

[Oneofthewomen]

Nonsense. This is a dress code issue.

A pastor could certainly mandate that instead of the simple alb previously used, altar boys must wear albs or robes with belts of a particular color. And while they’re at it, they must wear parish-supplied shoes or slippers so that the congregation isn’t distracted by flashy basketball shoes.

Mandating particular clothing, supplied by the parish, for adult altar servers is an unfamiliar practice and may seem peculiar, but the principle is the same.

The way I read the OP, this is not a dress code issue, it is someone’s attempt to make the Mass more the way they like it.(my emphasis added)

Recently at my parish, we are having servers who touch the chalice wear gloves.*** Not for aesthetic reasons ***(although it looks cool), but out of reverence (before the council, no one but the priest could touch the chalice).Thanks!!

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

Nonsense. This is a dress code issue.

A pastor could certainly mandate that instead of the simple alb previously used, altar boys must wear albs or robes with belts of a particular color. And while they’re at it, they must wear parish-supplied shoes or slippers so that the congregation isn’t distracted by flashy basketball shoes.

Mandating particular clothing, supplied by the parish, for adult altar servers is an unfamiliar practice and may seem peculiar, but the principle is the same.

This is more than a dress code issue. It is an attempt to force a view of reverence to sacred objects. One that the Church does not hold, I might add. If it was just, we want the servers to wear gloves all the time, that would be a dress code issue, but to say that they must wear gloves when ever they handle the Chalice (I do not understand why the paten and ciborum are not included in this) because in the EF only the ordained handle it during the Mass, is more than dress code only.

 

[Tarpeian_Rock]

Nonsense. This is a dress code issue.

A pastor could certainly mandate that instead of the simple alb previously used, altar boys must wear albs or robes with belts of a particular color. And while they’re at it, they must wear parish-supplied shoes or slippers so that the congregation isn’t distracted by flashy basketball shoes.

Mandating particular clothing, supplied by the parish, for adult altar servers is an unfamiliar practice and may seem peculiar, but the principle is the same.

I’m with you on the flashing sneakers, but I also don’t believe this is a simple dress code issue, as the question of gloves goes beyond the question of appropriate clothing for service on the altar; gloves would be - as previously pointed out - an innovation, not provided for in the rubrics, and an inconsistency (servers have gloves, EMHC’s not, to say nothing of those receiving in the hand). Would the deacon then have gloves also, as his hands are not anointed, despite his status as an Ordinary Minister of Holy Communion?

 

[quiet52]

OP asked us not to discuss the gloves themselves, but I don’t want to provide help explaining a practice which is impractical and imprudent in a number of ways.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

I’m with you on the flashing sneakers, but I also don’t believe this is a simple dress code issue, as the question of gloves goes beyond the question of appropriate clothing for service on the altar; gloves would be - as previously pointed out - an innovation, not provided for in the rubrics, and an inconsistency (servers have gloves, EMHC’s not, to say nothing of those receiving in the hand). Would the deacon then have gloves also, as his hands are not anointed, despite his status as an Ordinary Minister of Holy Communion?

This, once again, shows a misunderstanding of the anointing of the hands during the ordination of a priest. It has nothing, absolutely nothing, to do with the handling of the Eucharist. The anointing has to do with the confection of the Eucharist.

As you rightly state, the deacon, as well as the priest and bishop, are Ordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, only the priest and bishop are Ordinary Ministers of the Eucharist.

The deacon is the proper minister of the Chalice and I do believe (if I am not mistaken) that the Chalice is given to him during his ordination along with the Gospel.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

For me, this idea seems to be an attempt to mix the two forms. To take something one likes from the EF, that only the ordained touches the Chalice during the Mass, and incorporate it (though imperfectly (I will explain this below)) into the OF.

I say imperfectly as the OP does not seem to understand that the unordained did and do touch the Chalice outside of the Mass but he wants to enforce the gloves even to this but only for servers (not sacristan). Also does not take into account the other sacred objects like the paten and ciborum.

I believe that Pope Benedict is against this sort of thing, that of mixing the two forms.

Here is something I found on EWTN from Zenit about Mixing the Forms. I think this fits very well.

 

[JamestheOlder]

This, once again, shows a misunderstanding of the anointing of the hands during the ordination of a priest. It has nothing, absolutely nothing, to do with the handling of the Eucharist. The anointing has to do with the confection of the Eucharist.

The deacon is the proper minister of the Chalice and I do believe (if I am not mistaken) that the Chalice is given to him during his ordination along with the Gospel.

You are correct, Brother, and his hands are bare. This is an unusual innovation which will only cause questions from those who observe others (deacons) not wearing gloves.

 

[TimothyH]

As an adult alter server and Arimithean minister, I’d really worry about gloves from a purely pragmatic point of view. I have enough trouble handing the cruets and receiving them back from some preists without feeling like I am going to drop one. Gloves would make me very nervous about something slipping out of my hands.

Case in point, I will be serving this upcoming Saturday by myself and depending on how many people are present at Mass, things will move fast after I receive communion. I’ll have to retrieve the sacramentary and pillow from the altar while the priest distributes communion and place them on the table next to the presider’s chair. Then I have to get the cruet of water, bowl and towel from the credence table for the priest (and EMHC if there is one) to purify his hands. The bowl then goes back to the credence table and I head back to the altar to retrieve the cruet of water. If the priest is fast, the chalice and paten will be purified by then and I will have to carry the cruet of water in one hand and the chalice (with paten and pall balanced on top!) in the other hand back to the credence table, both at the same time. By then I’m struggling to get the sacramentary open to the correct page and in front of Father’s face before I hear the words “Let us pray…”

Forget it if there is a luna or pyx, if the EMHC hesitates for some reason, or if the Holy Spirit moves Father to do something out of order from the way he usually does it.

I also like to open the sacramentary to the Gloria if there is one and place my fingers under the pages to indicate to the priest the correct page for the opening prayer so he doesn’t have to look for the ribbon and flip the pages himself. Manipulating the pages of the sacramentary like that would be very difficult with gloves.

Gloves would make me very nervous.

-Tim-