Instructors of new altar servers

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Who are the instructors of new altar servers at your church? Laymen? The priest?
 
I am one of three at my parish who instruct all altar servers, both experienced and new. .

I report directly to the Parochial Vicar in charge of liturgy at the parish. I take (name removed by moderator)ut directly from the pastor and from all priests at the parish, keeping in mind that each has their own needs and desires within the framework of the Mass.

If this is about priests vs laymen instructing altar servers, I assure you that the busy priests at my parish have chosen adult altar servers who are experienced and knowledgeable. I can also assure you that the priests are not shy about speaking up if they don’t like the way the servers are serving.

-Tim-
 
What he said.
At our parish it’s a Deacon. Most of our servers are adults.
 
My husband was an “Altar Boy” almost 50 years ago and was trained by a Layman. He said it was some of the most stringent training he ever received. (Bells and lights to flash on cue, etc.) This particular gentleman trained at his church for decades and took great pride in his service.

Our parish now has training by Laymen for “Altar Servers” as well. I agree our Priests are so busy, I’m sure this is a great help. I will be curious to see other’s answers.
 
A layman trains the altar boys at my church. I just saw him this evening training some new servers for the Latin Mass. My parish doesn’t have a deacon and, while there are 6 priest at my parish, there are also nine Sunday Masses in three different languages, including Latin, so I doubt they have time to train all of those servers.
 
A priest I know trains his own altar servers. One or two parishioners assist him. Some churches have a lay person or committee to do it.
 
Our Deacon instructs the Altar Servers. The EMHC are instructed by the Priest.
 
A team of lay men and women have this responsibility in my parish.
 
Our deacon, sometimes with the help of the layman who did it before the deacon (our first) arrived several years ago. Because of child protection rules, parents must now remain present during the training, which has made scheduling training a challenge - no more “come by after school.”
 
There were two laymen in charge, one for the Ordinary Form and the other for the Extraordinary Form. One of them has since became a seminarian so the pastor has taken over his responsibilities for now.
 
Our altar servers, there are only about 6 and they are often absent from one of the two Sunday Masses, are trained by a woman who has been head of the liturgy committee for about a decade. I don’t think a priest has been involved in the training in the 17 years I’ve been at this parish and we don’t have a deacon or instituted acolyte to do that.
 
One or two of the priest teach the altar boys. I wonder if learning all those Latin responses is difficult. :confused:
 
In our parish, it is the older boys who instruct the younger ones.

We are a bit different, in that just about every boy, aged 5 -18, is an altar boy.

And they all serve at every Mass they attend ( a typical Sunday am Mass will have 70-80 altar boys)

A 5 year old is invited by our pastor, they older boys will assist him in learning where to line up for procession ( column of two, by height) and how to sit respectfully at Mass (still, no slouching, hands flat on laps or together in prayer)

Most of this is by example, the younger boys REALLY want to be like the older boys.

Holding patens at communion will be one of the first tasks they learn.

Later, they will learn the various tasks they do, from assisting at offertory, handleling the cruets and lavabo dish etc…

Eventually, by the time they get into high school, the boys will even be able to change the pages of the Missal for the priest, so he does not have to touch the book at all during the consecration.

1drv.ms/1DxH5QR
 
Our assistant pastor does it.

When we only had one priest, he did it.
 
ServusHumilis said:
There were two laymen in charge, one for the Ordinary Form and the other for the Extraordinary Form. One of them has since became a seminarian so the pastor has taken over his responsibilities for now.
Click to expand...
Purely out of curiosity: which one entered seminary, the one for the OF or the one for the EF?
 
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