Lots of servers- Please Help

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dvberte

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Please help-

I’m the catechism teacher in a small parish. We normally have one or two, and on very rare occasions three servers at mass. This year at the Christmas vigil mass we will be having the SIX children in the catechism class serve.

I need some help figuring out the norms for the roles of the added servers.
For example what will the processional order be for the, crucifix, lector, thurible, 2 candle bearers and 2 additional servers?

The candle bearer thing is confusing me. Do they go to their places in the sanctuary and blow out their candles, only to re-light them to go to the lectern prior to the gospel . . or what? I’m totally lost here.

Fr. Is totally relaxed about the whole thing and says we’ll figure it out right before Mass, but that’s got me going CRAZY. Please help!
 
dvberte said:
Please help-

I’m the catechism teacher in a small parish. We normally have one or two, and on very rare occasions three servers at mass. This year at the Christmas vigil mass we will be having the SIX children in the catechism class serve.

I need some help figuring out the norms for the roles of the added servers.
For example what will the processional order be for the, crucifix, lector, thurible, 2 candle bearers and 2 additional servers?

The candle bearer thing is confusing me. Do they go to their places in the sanctuary and blow out their candles, only to re-light them to go to the lectern prior to the gospel . . or what? I’m totally lost here.

Fr. Is totally relaxed about the whole thing and says we’ll figure it out right before Mass, but that’s got me going CRAZY. Please help!
Click to expand...
Thurible
Crucifier
Servers
Candle bearers
Deacon carring the Book of the Gospels (Lectionary is never processed in)

There is nothing wrong with 4 candles. They should not be blown out but placed on the altar or near the ambo. You could set two small tables near for them to set the candles on and have them go and pick them up for the readings. When the Gospel is finished have them place them on the altar with the other two.
 
take Frs advice relax, this will be good practice for when the Bishop comes for confirmation, now that will be the time to get nervous. good thing is he usually brings the master of ceremonies, a priest or deacon who worries about all this stuff.
 
I apologize. I was really responding to the emphasis you placed on having 6 altar servers and was trying to show it can be done without to many problems.
 
dvberte said:
Please help-

I’m the catechism teacher in a small parish. We normally have one or two, and on very rare occasions three servers at mass. This year at the Christmas vigil mass we will be having the SIX children in the catechism class serve.

I need some help figuring out the norms for the roles of the added servers.
For example what will the processional order be for the, crucifix, lector, thurible, 2 candle bearers and 2 additional servers?

The candle bearer thing is confusing me. Do they go to their places in the sanctuary and blow out their candles, only to re-light them to go to the lectern prior to the gospel . . or what? I’m totally lost here.

Fr. Is totally relaxed about the whole thing and says we’ll figure it out right before Mass, but that’s got me going CRAZY. Please help!
Click to expand...
We need Brendan in here to explain how it is done in our parish but he was just blessed with a new baby last night!
 
Br.Rich_SFO said:
Thurible
Crucifier
Servers
Candle bearers
Deacon carring the Book of the Gospels (Lectionary is never processed in)

There is nothing wrong with 4 candles. They should not be blown out but placed on the altar or near the ambo. You could set two small tables near for them to set the candles on and have them go and pick them up for the readings. When the Gospel is finished have them place them on the altar with the other two.
Click to expand...
Thank you Br. Rich for your, always helpful, advice.

We have no Deacon, so we have the reader (Lector) process with the Book of the Gospels. In that case, they would go before any servers, is that right?

Also, we have had the Crucifer bow and immediatly poceed into the sanctuary to secure the cucifix in place and be out of Fr’s way. How would that work with the Thurible?

OH, heck. Just please lend me your brain so I can glean out what I need! 🙂

Thank you!
 
netmil(name removed by moderator) said:
We need Brendan in here to explain how it is done in our parish but he was just blessed with a new baby last night!
Click to expand...
But still have time for Litugical questions :cool:

In our parish, we generally have 10-12 altarboys for a weekday Mass, and about 40-50 on a Sunday Mass.

I would second what Br. Rich said

Thurible
Crucifier (each single file)
Servers (who will be in Sanctuary) column of two’s
Candle bearers (in columns of two)
Lector
Priest

There are four main candle bearers ( two that are placed by the altar, and two that are placed by the Tabernacle)

The remaining candle bearers carry swing torches (red swinging candles on staffs - see St-ingatius’s links.

Those are set holders in front of the first pews.

All candles remain lit during Mass.
 
dvberte said:
Thank you Br. Rich for your, always helpful, advice.

We have no Deacon, so we have the reader (Lector) process with the Book of the Gospels. In that case, they would go before any servers, is that right?

Also, we have had the Crucifer bow and immediatly poceed into the sanctuary to secure the cucifix in place and be out of Fr’s way. How would that work with the Thurible?

OH, heck. Just please lend me your brain so I can glean out what I need! 🙂

Thank you!
Click to expand...
To be honest I would think the book of the Gospels would stay right where it was in the procession, I don’t think who carried it changes it’s position???

You have the first two servers split after they bow. If the Crucifier normally goes right then the Thurifier goes to the left of the altar allowing the Crucifier to go to the right of the altar, or visa versa. You should have the stand for the thurable already in place positioned on the side of the altar usually the left. (facing the front of the altar) Just like you have the stand for the processional Cross already in place. I assume that you place the Processional Cross in the sanctuary because you have no other Crucifix in the sanctuary? If there is already a Crucifix in the sanctuary then the Processional Cross is carried out of sancturay, out of view.
 
Well… to do it “traditionally” let me have a suggestion-

Thurifer in front with incense boat bearer.
The crucifix has an “acolyte” on each side with a candle. Those two who carry the candles are the ones who “serve” the Mass.

And of course you need a “Master of Ceremonies” which is the altar boy who directs everything in the Sanctuary- even the priests and deacons to make sure they are to do what they are supposed to do at the correct time.

That is six servers.

Order of procesion is-

Thurifer with boat bearer at his side or behind him.

Crucifer with crucifix and acolytes with lit candles side by side - the three of them walk together side by side. (unless it is a small space then the crucifix goes first. Also the cross never kneels so the crucifer and acolytes bow- everyone else genuflects.)

(Novus Ordo - insert lector and others here)

MC

Sub Deacon (omit if Novus Ordo)

Deacon

Priest
 
Wow, lots of great help; and congratulations Brendan on the new baby!

Regarding the candles, we discussed having them brought forward to the lectern/ambo and placed on stands during the alleluia- for the reading of the Gospel. Is that correct? If so, should they remain lit during the liturgy of the Eucharist then?

Oh, and should they be placed on a table in the back of the sanctuary until the alleluia?
 
Br.Rich_SFO said:
Thurible
Crucifier
Servers
Candle bearers
Deacon carring the Book of the Gospels (Lectionary is never processed in)

There is nothing wrong with 4 candles. They should not be blown out but placed on the altar or near the ambo. You could set two small tables near for them to set the candles on and have them go and pick them up for the readings. When the Gospel is finished have them place them on the altar with the other two.
Click to expand...
Br. Rich, don’t the candle bearers come alongside and behind (if more than 2 candles) the crucifer?
 
dvberte said:
Wow, lots of great help; and congratulations Brendan on the new baby!

Regarding the candles, we discussed having them brought forward to the lectern/ambo and placed on stands during the alleluia- for the reading of the Gospel. Is that correct? If so, should they remain lit during the liturgy of the Eucharist then?

Oh, and should they be placed on a table in the back of the sanctuary until the alleluia?
Click to expand...
They can be carried up and placed on the stands by the ambo right away and left there if you don’t want the servers to hold them during the readings. After the Liturgy of the Word, durng the preparation of the altar they can be placed with the others on the altar, two on each side.
 
Brendan said:
The remaining candle bearers carry swing torches (red swinging candles on staffs - see St-ingatius’s links.
Click to expand...
Normally we have 4 servers per weekend mass…however some of our Mass we have “torch” bearers. On those weekends we have a total of 10 servers.

4 that we normally have plus 6 for the torches.
 
Andreas_Hofer said:
Wouldn’t the subdeacon and deacon be on the priest’s left and right instead of in that single file?
Click to expand...
In procession they walk in single file unless the priest is wearing a cope, if he is wearing a cope they hold the sides of the cope open.

Ken
 
I am certain that very good advice has been given here, but what concerns me is that an important person in the parish was given a duty which belongs to someone else, namely, master of ceremonies. That does not sound very much like a litrugical role, but it is in fact exactly what someone who manages a more complicated ceremony is called. In the parish where I grew up, which had to deal with more than one cardinilatial visit including the dedication of a new church, the MC was a young curate who was absolutely brilliant at it. But to tell an obviously dedicated CCD teacher that there are X number of servers expected and she should make sure they all know what they are doing and she has to go to a message board for advice, no, this is not acceptable. Such a person should not even be expected to know what a thurifer is. [All this on top of the fact that children should not be fulfilling all these functions, but let’s not go there now.]

Best wishes, and good luck.
 
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