Particularities of altar server rubrics, or out-of-date?

[Ora_et_Labora_1]

I recently found a spanish book for altar servers, called Angeles del Altar. I noticed that it recommends that a small bow should be made at each audible reference to the names of Jesus, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and Saint Joseph. I’ve been serving for about 2 years now and this is the first I’ve ever heard about a small bow at the names of the latter two.
What I’d like to know is if this was/is a particularity of the celebration of the EF in Spain, or if it is an out-dated rubric for the alter server (the book being from 1957).

Thanks in advance!

 

[malphono]

I’ve never seen or heard of it either, but of course Spain is not my frame of reference. If you’ve not heard of it before, I would have to assume it isn’t/wasn’t the practice in Portugal, so it could well be something peculiar to Spain.

 

[Ora_et_Labora_1]

I’ve never seen or heard of it either, but of course Spain is not my frame of reference. If you’ve not heard of it before, I would have to assume it isn’t/wasn’t the practice in Portugal, so it could well be something peculiar to Spain.

Actually, I’ve yet to find a portuguese altar server manual for the EF. We’re currently working on one, but it is mainly just a translation of english works I’ve found.
I am, however, quite interested in finding out what particularities we had.

 

[Laudate_Dominum]

Just different cultural practises. I always bow moderately, just forward with the head and shoulders, when Jesus’s name is said audibly. But only when standing or sitting. Not when I’m kneeling.

There are also other differences. I know that, at low Mass, some servers kneel for the Credo, and some (like us) stand. Some kiss the cruets and some don’t. Some transfer the chalice veil at the Offertory (mirroring the Solemn High Mass) and some don’t.

The rules are a little less strict for we servers !

 

[Cristiano]

I recently found a spanish book for altar servers, called Angeles del Altar. I noticed that it recommends that a small bow should be made at each audible reference to the names of Jesus, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and Saint Joseph. I’ve been serving for about 2 years now and this is the first I’ve ever heard about a small bow at the names of the latter two.
What I’d like to know is if this was/is a particularity of the celebration of the EF in Spain, or if it is an out-dated rubric for the alter server (the book being from 1957).

Thanks in advance!

It comes from the Biblical reference that every knee should bend at the name of Jesus. That specific reference is nothing new and it is also used in the OF. In My OF parish my pastor does that and also a few of the faithfuls do that too. I like it and I stick to it.

From the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (2002)

1. A bow signifies reverence and honor shown to the persons themselves or to the signs that represent them. There are two kinds of bows: a bow of the head and a bow of the body.

A bow of the head is made when the three Divine Persons are named together and at the names of Jesus, of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and of the Saint in whose honor Mass is being celebrated.

For the case of the EF you should be able to find the instruction in the missal.

 

[YoungTradCath]

Many of the EF rubrics for bows at certain words are exactly the same as in the OF, although very few people actually do them in the OF. Check out the GIRM.

 

[pat_mc_1]

I recently found a spanish book for altar servers, called Angeles del Altar. I noticed that it recommends that a small bow should be made at each audible reference to the names of Jesus, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and Saint Joseph. I’ve been serving for about 2 years now and this is the first I’ve ever heard about a small bow at the names of the latter two.
What I’d like to know is if this was/is a particularity of the celebration of the EF in Spain, or if it is an out-dated rubric for the alter server (the book being from 1957).

Thanks in advance!

We still do this. Servers and people arent told to do this but if you watch the priest closely at Mass you will see his head nod at the name of Jesus each time.
“that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth”

 

[Ora_et_Labora_1]

We still do this. Servers and people arent told to do this but if you watch the priest closely at Mass you will see his head nod at the name of Jesus each time.
“that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth”

I do that each time at the name of Jesus. If you notice though, my inquiry wasn’t about the name of Jesus, but rather of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph.

 

[TimothyH]

I was taught as a server to bow the head (simple bow) at the name of Jesus. I do this when I serve at the Ordinary Form and am told that it is in the GIRM. I just do what I’m told by the person who trains the altar servers.

There are different kinds of bows…

A Profound Bow is done at the waist to the point where the hands can just about touch the knees.

A Moderate Bow is a marked inclination of the head and shoulders but much less than a profound bow.

A Simple Bow is done only at the neck and is subdivided into proufound, medium and slight.

The Book “How to Serve” by Dom Matthew Britt, O.S.B. says of the “Profound simple” bow relative to altar servers at the Mass at the time the book was written in 1934;

"It is very common. It is the proper saulutation to make to the cross in the sacristy, to the chior or clergy, to the celebrant, and before and after incensing anyone."

Not that by Choir it is not meant the singers in the “chior loft” but the clergy who occupy stalls near the sanctuary as in old churches and monasteries. The same book says of the profound bow done at the waist;

"There is no instance, not even during the Confiteor, when an altar boy makes it."

I have seen Franciscan Priests celebrating the OF do a very profound bow toward the tabernacle to the point of having the upper part of the torso horizontal as they move out from the presiders chair to read the Gospel.

Again, I am told to bow the head at the name of Jesus in the OF and that it is in the GIRM. I just do what I am told. I’ve not heard about doing it at the name of Joseph or Mary but confess that sometimes my eyes close and I do a slight bow of the head at the name of Mary. Call me a softie… I can’t help it.

-Tim-

 

[DihydrogenOxide]

Nuns taught me that. Every time you hear or say the Name of Jesus, one should bow out of reverence.

It is an act of humility to bow at the names of saints. It is denying yourself and humbling yourself as being lower than them. They are the “princes” of heaven, so to speak.

 

[asia53]

I was taught as a server to bow the head (simple bow) at the name of Jesus. I do this when I serve at the Ordinary Form and am told that it is in the GIRM. I just do what I’m told by the person who trains the altar servers.

Our altar servers and priest do this, and did it when I joined the parish.

Before the Mass translations went into effect, Father M did a series of lectures on the entire Mass with emphasis on the new translations. He quoted GIRM 275, and asked us to make a bow of the head whenever Jesus Christ’s name is mentioned.

1. A bow signifies reverence and honor shown to the persons themselves or to the signs that represent them. There are two kinds of bow: a bow of the head and a bow of the body.

a) A bow of the head is made when the three Divine Persons are named together and at the names of Jesus, of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and of the Saint in whose honor Mass is being celebrated.

b) A bow of the body, that is to say, a profound bow, is made to the altar; during the prayers Munda cor meum (Cleanse my heart) and In spiritu humilitatis (With humble spirit); in the Creed at the words et incarnatus est (and by the Holy Spirit . . . and became man); in the Roman Canon at the Supplices te rogamus (In humble prayer we ask you, almighty God). The same kind of bow is made by the Deacon when he asks for a blessing before the proclamation of the Gospel. In addition, the Priest bows slightly as he pronounces the words of the Lord at the Consecration.

 

[malphono]

As I read the OP, and as the OP clarified in a subsequent post, the question was very clearly not about a small bow (or bowing the head) at the Holy Name of Jesus,** but about bowing at the names of the BVM and S Joseph**.

I do that each time at the name of Jesus. If you notice though, my inquiry wasn’t about the name of Jesus, but rather of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph.

I recently found a spanish book for altar servers, called Angeles del Altar. I noticed that it recommends that a small bow should be made at each audible reference to the names of Jesus, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and Saint Joseph. I’ve been serving for about 2 years now and this is the first I’ve ever heard about a small bow at the names of the latter two.
What I’d like to know is if this was/is a particularity of the celebration of the EF in Spain, or if it is an out-dated rubric for the alter server (the book being from 1957).

At the risk of redundancy to my own earlier post, I’ve never heard of that custom and I’m actually curious about it myself.

 

[Cristiano]

Well the bowing at the name of the BVM has been done for a long time as in the case of the holy name of Jesus. However the question about St. Joseph makes more sense. At the time of the rubric (1957) his name hasn’t been added to the canon yet and so the only time that it was mentioned would have been during his feast day on March 19th or during the reading of the Gospel.

 

[Ora_et_Labora_1]

Well the bowing at the name of the BVM has been done for a long time as in the case of the holy name of Jesus. However the question about St. Joseph makes more sense. At the time of the rubric (1957) his name hasn’t been added to the canon yet and so the only time that it was mentioned would have been during his feast day on March 19th or during the reading of the Gospel.

I apoligize. I went back to the book and it says that an inclination is made by the server also at the mention of the BVM, the saint in honor of whom the Mass is being celebrated, and of the Pope (always when these mentions are audible). So, the mention of St. Joseph is my mistake. Still, I had never heard of any of these cases.

 

[malphono]

Well the bowing at the name of the BVM has been done for a long time as in the case of the holy name of Jesus. However the question about St. Joseph makes more sense. At the time of the rubric (1957) his name hasn’t been added to the canon yet and so the only time that it was mentioned would have been during his feast day on March 19th or during the reading of the Gospel.

I apoligize. I went back to the book and it says that an inclination is made by the server also at the mention of the BVM, the saint in honor of whom the Mass is being celebrated, and of the Pope (always when these mentions are audible). So, the mention of St. Joseph is my mistake. Still, I had never heard of any of these cases.

The question remains, though, was this a universal custom or one that was particularly Spanish? FWIW, I’ve never heard tell of it, so my assumption is the latter.

 

[Cristiano]

The question remains, though, was this a universal custom or one that was particularly Spanish? FWIW, I’ve never heard tell of it, so my assumption is the latter.

In regard to the Holy Name of Jesus and the BVM should be an universal rule because it was and it is in the GIRM. However, we must remember that it is for the priest and sometime even when done might not be evident to the faithfuls. I think that the reference for altar servers could well be a local custom, the GIRM for the OF doe not mention the laity and I do not know if the 1962 missal mentions anything about the servers, we should look into that.

 

[Chatter163]

The question remains, though, was this a universal custom or one that was particularly Spanish? FWIW, I’ve never heard tell of it, so my assumption is the latter.

Not following you. We already know from this thread that the rubrics for the Mass, both in the EF and in the OF, mention bowing slightly at the name of Our Lady. It was posted earlier in this thread.

 

[Cristiano]

Not following you. We already know from this thread that the rubrics for the Mass, both in the EF and in the OF, mention bowing slightly at the name of Our Lady. It was posted earlier in this thread.

The OP was about altar servers and not about the priest. The answer we gave is for the priest; however I am not sure that we have a final answer for the servers in the EF.

 

[BrotherC]

If you look at GIRM 274 & 275, it explains all the points about genuflection and bowing. It is clear that it must apply to the priest, deacon, and other ministers (altar servers, extraordinary ministers, and lectors). I imagine that it is intended for everybody. But much like striking your breast during the confiteor the faithful were not educated in the rubrics.

 

[Rich_C]

I do that each time at the name of Jesus. If you notice though, my inquiry wasn’t about the name of Jesus, but rather of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph.

I didn’t know about this until I found the traditional Mass. Then it made sense why older Catholic writers usually say “Our Lord.”