"Official" guide for Altar Serving

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Is there an official guide or anything to serving? I have seen so much different Rubrics employed by Altar Servers at various Parishes and the instructions in many books vary.
 
A lot of it is local use. The Altar Servers are there to assist the ordained ministers, and they will know what kind of help they want, and when.
 
hamburglar said:
That’s a great site, but as much as I prefer the Tridentine Mass, I was looking for the Mass of Paul VI.
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I thought as much. But here’s how I look at it:

The altar boys should be trained to do the same thing today that they have always done, in the same way that they’ve always done it. You might use the Ext. Form guide as a reference, omitting anything that no longer applies (like the prayers approaching the altar, for example).
There’s much that would be the same like the offertory and the bells, how to hold the book, and how to come in and go out (things like never get between the priest and the altar) It’s good for such information as always having the wine on the “altar side” at the offertory for another example. [people might consider that irrelevant at first, but especially if a white wine is used, it is the only way the priest knows which cruet has the wine and which the water]

The contemporary “altar server guides” that I’ve seen today are useless. They’re full of comments about how special the kids are, but have nothing in the way of details about what should be done. If there’s a good one out there, I haven’t seen it.

If you want them to learn how to serve the “right way” and understand the subtle details, a Latin Mass guide is not necessarily the way to go but it is a very good start.
 
I can’t say that I have ever seen an official guide to altar serving, we just learned by watching and doing it.

In Carmel,

Br. Allen
 
FrDavid96 said:
I thought as much. But here’s how I look at it:

The altar boys should be trained to do the same thing today that they have always done, in the same way that they’ve always done it. You might use the Ext. Form guide as a reference, omitting anything that no longer applies (like the prayers approaching the altar, for example).
There’s much that would be the same like the offertory and the bells, how to hold the book, and how to come in and go out (things like never get between the priest and the altar) It’s good for such information as always having the wine on the “altar side” at the offertory for another example. [people might consider that irrelevant at first, but especially if a white wine is used, it is the only way the priest knows which cruet has the wine and which the water]

The contemporary “altar server guides” that I’ve seen today are useless. They’re full of comments about how special the kids are, but have nothing in the way of details about what should be done. If there’s a good one out there, I haven’t seen it.

If you want them to learn how to serve the “right way” and understand the subtle details, a Latin Mass guide is not necessarily the way to go but it is a very good start.
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The best Altar Serving guides are made on home computers by Moms of Altar servers who have had no theological training whatsoever, (which leads me to think that theological training for lay people nowadays is worse than useless, but that’s a whole other rant) because they’re simple, practical, and they have pictures of the parish where the kids are actually doing the serving. 🙂
 
According to the Code of Canon Law, canon 846 “The liturgical books, approved by the competent authority, are to be faithfully followed in the celebration of the sacraments.”

So the “official guide” for altar servers is the same as for everyone else (like deacons, priests, bishops, cantors, …). It is the liturgical books.

Some of these books are:

Missale Romanum, Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2002, ISBN: 8820972719 .

2002 General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) approved for the USA, which can be accessed from romanrite.com/girm.html . (There are different editions of this approved for other countries, like Australia.)

Ceremonial of Bishops, Liturgical Press, 1989, ISBN 0-8146-1818-9, page 297.

Book of Blessings, Liturgical Press, Minnesota, 1989, ISBN 0-8146-1875-8, page 691.

Introduction to the Lectionary (which is available as a PDF document at catholic-ew.org.uk/liturgy/Resources/Rites/RiteMissal.html ).

Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults

General Instruction of the Liturgy of the Hours (available from liturgyoffice.org.uk/Resources/Rites/RiteOffice.html ).

From liturgical books like these, people produce unofficial interpretations of them. So they will be “unofficial guides”, not official ones.
 
For my learning to serve as Altar Geezer in the weekday masses, I watched the deacon and made note of the things that he could do that I could not. I also watched the kids on Sunday mornings and made note of the things that are different on Sundays from what they are on weekdays. It’s worked out pretty well; I haven’t had any major uff-da’s.

DaveBj
 
There is no official guide as others have pointed out. That doesn’t mean all unofficial ones are necessarily bad. I own them all and probably the best one I have come across is The Ministry of Servers by Michael Kwatera. Nothing great but it’s a decent starting point. Certainly superior to any home-brew work I have come across or trying to translate that sanctemissa.org site for use with the OF Mass.
 
As coordinator for the altar server ministry of our parish I ended up taking the best of several guides and writing my own which we print up and distribute to all new servers as they are trained prior to being commissioned. We currently have about 40 servers (yes, boys and girls). We start them in the 4th grade and most continue until they graduate high school.

Because I am also involved with the liturgy as a master of ceremonies I utilized many sources. But I will suggest that one of the best for completeness combined with ease of use is “Ceremonies of the Modern Roman Rite” by Peter J. Elliott. Be sure to get the 2005 revision. It is available on amazon.com if I’m not mistaken.

Through my own experience and observation - no one guide will work for every parish. Most of the variation is dictated by the design of the church and layout of the sanctuary. Also your pastor will have much say as to how the Mass is conducted logistically as well as liturgically. Does he intend to do solemn masses? How many servers would he prefer? We have as few as one for weekday and up to six for solemn liturgies. We have an elderly retired priest who presides at one Mass each weekend which requires a very different approach from the servers, we teach them that. But at the same time my pastor, the deacon and I have worked hard to make sure that all our rubrics are grounded in proper liturgical practice. I could go on but for the sake of space will stop here.

All of these contingencies require a guide for your parish that should be faithful to church authority and respectful of tradition. But at the same time flexible enough to allow for a seamless flow in your sanctuary.

Working with our servers is one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done as a Catholic. I wish you well with your ministry.

David
 
As an Altar Geezette (👋 to DaveBj the Altar Geezer) I just learned by following what the kids were doing. (Now I serve alone and trade off with them.) Then I continued my study by poking around online. There really are a lot of resources that larger parishes put out with their particular needs in mind.

My favorite turned out to be on the website of a large parish nearby. They had an instructional video. In their “print” instructions they said to wear black shoes. In the video the servers (young folks) had on white running shoes. 🤷

Now that we have some more young 'uns coming up at our church (small mission–that’s why I trade off with some young ones) I am thinking of making a booklet specific to our church. It might be a help.
 
John_Lilburne said:
According to the Code of Canon Law, canon 846 “The liturgical books, approved by the competent authority, are to be faithfully followed in the celebration of the sacraments.”

So the “official guide” for altar servers is the same as for everyone else (like deacons, priests, bishops, cantors, …). It is the liturgical books.

Some of these books are:

Missale Romanum, Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2002, ISBN: 8820972719 .

2002 General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) approved for the USA, which can be accessed from romanrite.com/girm.html . (There are different editions of this approved for other countries, like Australia.)

Ceremonial of Bishops, Liturgical Press, 1989, ISBN 0-8146-1818-9, page 297.

Book of Blessings, Liturgical Press, Minnesota, 1989, ISBN 0-8146-1875-8, page 691.

Introduction to the Lectionary (which is available as a PDF document at catholic-ew.org.uk/liturgy/Resources/Rites/RiteMissal.html ).

Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults

General Instruction of the Liturgy of the Hours (available from liturgyoffice.org.uk/Resources/Rites/RiteOffice.html ).

From liturgical books like these, people produce unofficial interpretations of them. So they will be “unofficial guides”, not official ones.
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That’s what I suspected were the only official “guides,” but it’s pretty hard trying to read the GIRM and figuring out what the server is supposed to do.

Customs seem to vary greatly from Parish to Parish. For example, I was trained to genuflect towards the Tabernacle when the Priest kisses the Altar in the beginning. I have not seen anyone else do this.

The instructions for a server for and EF Mass is so straightforward. You follow the instructions; that’s it. It seems that servers play a somewhat different role in the OF, but I would still like to see a more definitive set of rubrics set down.
 
I’m an Alter Server in the UK and my parish was enrolled into the Archconfraternity of St. Stephan (Sometimes called the guild of St. Stephan)
They publish a guide to Alter Serving which explains the mass in a simple form and what it means,
It also instructs them in how to serve in mass and explains to them that they have a duty to the community, it has a glossary of terms and has especially helped some of our younger servers.
There is another guide which was bought from me from Pauline Books and Multimedia,
maybe you could find what your looking for from one of those sources,
I personally dont feel that there is enough direction from the Vatican on what servers should or shouldn’t do it is generally the same to all masses ive been to but there are slight variations based upon the preference of the Priest.
 
LOL, you don’t need an official guide. The priest trains you when you become one.

Besides, there really isn’t much for altar servers to do in the New Mass, unlike in the Tridentine Mass where they had all sorts of stuff to do and memorize.
 
JPUSC said:
LOL, you don’t need an official guide. The priest trains you when you become one.

Besides, there really isn’t much for altar servers to do in the New Mass, unlike in the Tridentine Mass where they had all sorts of stuff to do and memorize.
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:confused:

I suppose that might, or might not, be true in a smaller parish but certainly not in a larger one like ours. We used to have five priests and several deacons we are down to two priests - one retired - and two deacons. With everything else they need to do, training altar servers should not be one of them.

The other half of the statement may or may not be true depending on how the servers are utilized. I grew up as a server with the Tridentine Mass so I understand the point (we had to memorize the Mass in Latin with Sister Margaret O’Connor). But well trained servers, utilized properly and correctly can add immeasurably to the Mass and how smoothly it flows. The priest may not be able to spend the many hours it takes to properly prepare a server to fulfill that role.

As Pope John Paul II said in his address of August 1, 2001 “The altar server occupies a privileged place in the liturgical celebration…you are much more than simple ‘helpers of the parish priest.’ Above all, you are servers of Jesus Christ.”

Proper training allows them to grow in that role… spritually and effectively.

Yours,
David
 
JPUSC said:
LOL, you don’t need an official guide. The priest trains you when you become one.

Besides, there really isn’t much for altar servers to do in the New Mass, unlike in the Tridentine Mass where they had all sorts of stuff to do and memorize.
Click to expand...
LOL!! :rolleyes: That’s not true. Here is what I do when I serve the Pauline Mass.

Prior to Mass:
  • Position sanctus bells
  • Position Sacramentary in sanctuary
  • Position Book of Blessings (if required) in sanctuary
  • Prepare thurible/incense and position in sanctuary
  • Prepare aspergillum and aspersorium and place in sanctuary
  • Prepare/light altar candles
  • Prepare processional torces
Then during the Mass:
  • Carry processional crucifix, thurible or torch in procession.
  • Assist celebrant with rite of sprinkling
  • Assist celebrant with incensing of altar/sanctuary
  • Hold Sacramentary for opening and closing prayer
  • Flank one end of ambo with torch during Gospel reading
  • Dress/prepare altar
  • Assist celebrant with receiving gifts
  • Assist celebrant with preparing the gifts for the altar
  • Assist celebrant with incensing the gifts
  • Incense celebrant and faithful if no deacon is present.
  • Assist priest with lavabo
  • Ring sanctus bells
  • Place additional purificators on altar for use at communion
  • Place ablution cup and towel on side of altar
  • Hold communion paten for celebrant
  • Assist celebrant with purification of sacred vessels
  • Help clear the altar
  • Hold Book of Blessings for special prayers
I am sure there are other things I do as a server – these are at the top of my head. It’s not a trivial thing to execute the ministry of a server in a complete and militarily precise manner which is my goal. It’s even more difficult to quickly adapt when something unplanned does happen. I often take on MC duties which requires me to make the above happen through others servers which is even more challenging.
 
You mentioned holding the paten and incensing the altar which suggests you belong to a traditional parish which still does these things.

When I was an altar server at a “middle-of-the-road parish”, the duties were fairly simple:

The “crossbearer” carried the Processional Crucifix, and that’s pretty much the only thing he/she did for the entire Mass.

The “candlebearers” carried the candles during the entrance procession, the Gospel and the recessional. They also assist at the offertory.

During communion, the servers stand by the priests/EMHC and observe should the Host fall down.

The Eucharistic Ministers were the ones who cleaned up the altar and sacred vessels after communion.

And that pretty much sums it all up. I’ve seen pretty much the same elsewhere except they ring the bells at other parishes.

The only times I saw the use of incense was during funerals or special occasions.

As for all the preparational duties, the sacristan took care of all that.

In my college chapel, the servers didn’t even have cassocks, just their regular clothes, often with flip-flops, even at a Confirmation Mass with the bishop.
 
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