reflections from a former altar girl

[Annabelle_Marie]

I didn’t think of Ministry Coordinator, which sounds more of what you’re doing.

I meant Master of Ceremonies, whose role is inside the liturgy. Those lousy acronyms.

So what are some things the Master of Ceremonies does?

I do have a role inside the liturgy as well so it would be interesting to compare. Funny thing is that I don’t like being up in front of people but in this I am so focused on doing a good job that I don’t notice being up there.

 

[Cat]

So what are some things the Master of Ceremonies does?

I do have a role inside the liturgy as well so it would be interesting to compare. Funny thing is that I don’t like being up in front of people but in this I am so focused on doing a good job that I don’t notice being up there.

We recently had a bishop ordained in our diocese, and the Mass included a Master of Ceremonies. The Mass was televised in our area, and the narrator (one of the priests in our diocese!) who did the television commentary with the reporters described the role and duties of the Master of Ceremonies.

To me, it sounded just like the work that my daughter does. She’s a professional stage manager.

 

[irishpatrick]

Question:

If the presence of female altar servers causes the Catholic Church in the USA to lose just one vocation to the Priesthood, isn’t that too high a price to pay?

Before answering, please think it through–there are roughly 200 Dioceses in the country, with approximately 6,500 Catholic schools, with almost 2,000,000 students in those schools. The does not include the millions in Religious Education programs. Consider this excerpt from a 1994 clarifying letter (regarding the issue of female altar servers) from the Vatican’s Congregation for Divine Worship: ‘It will always be very appropriate to follow the noble tradition of having boys serve at the altar. As is well known, this has led to a reassuring development of priestly vocations. Thus the obligation to support such groups of altar boys will always continue." Note: the Vatican letter states that it “is well known,” not a guess.

Further, in a suvery conducted by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA), several troubling facts surfaced. There were 365 ordination candidates surveyed—of those, eighty-percent stated they were altar servers during their younger years in school. Further, in 2010, Rome held the International Pilgrimage for Altar Servers. During that event, more female severs attended, than males. Some estimates place the attendance at 60% females to 40% males! That cannot be a positive development for future vocations to the Priesthood, and we see this same trend happening in our own parishes, where female altar server numbers often reach beyond fifty-percent. There is anecdotal evidence suggesting that when female altar server ranks increase, male server ranks decrease, while conversely similar anecdotal evidence points to an increase in servers in parishes that move to all-male server team. A major issue, of course, is that of those female servers, none of them will ever be ordained to the Priesthood.

In 1965, there were approximately 45-million Catholics in the USA, with 58,000 Priests to serve them, against a total USA population of 194-million. Today, there are approximately 66-million Catholics in the USA, with 40,000 Priests to serve them, against a total USA population of 318-million. That equates to 32% fewer Priests to serve a 65% increase in Catholics (of course, numbers in Europe are often far worse). Therefore, it seems we must act now to encourage men to consider vocations. “Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

Moving toward an all-male server staff is a difficult choice in a world that is pushing toward equality of result in all things, even in areas where demands for equality ignore created differences between male and female. However, just as it is not a sign of discrimination to support a male-only Priesthood, male Altar Servers likewise do not constitute an act of discrimination against females; rather, it is a recognition that God calls men alone to vocations as Priests. Ordained Priests bring us the Mass, they bring us the Lord’s forgiveness through Confession—they bring us the amazing gift of Christ in the Eucharist.

Asking my earlier question another way: If the Church in the USA switched to male only altar serving, and if only one vocation to the Priesthood resulted because of that shift—is that not more than enough to justify the change?

Priests bring us Jesus in the Sacraments–they make an eternal impact on souls, which means that even the loss of one Priest, has an impact on souls.

 

[irishpatrick]

Question:

If the presence of female altar servers causes the Catholic Church in the USA to lose just one vocation to the Priesthood, isn’t that too high a price to pay?

Before answering, please think it through–there are roughly 200 Dioceses in the country, with approximately 6,500 Catholic schools, with almost 2,000,000 students in those schools. The does not include the millions in Religious Education programs. Consider this excerpt from a 1994 clarifying letter (regarding the issue of female altar servers) from the Vatican’s Congregation for Divine Worship: ‘It will always be very appropriate to follow the noble tradition of having boys serve at the altar. As is well known, this has led to a reassuring development of priestly vocations. Thus the obligation to support such groups of altar boys will always continue." Note: the Vatican letter states that it “is well known,” not a guess.

Further, in a suvery conducted by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA), several troubling facts surfaced. There were 365 ordination candidates surveyed—of those, eighty-percent stated they were altar servers during their younger years in school. Further, in 2010, Rome held the International Pilgrimage for Altar Servers. During that event, more female severs attended, than males. Some estimates place the attendance at 60% females to 40% males! That cannot be a positive development for future vocations to the Priesthood, and we see this same trend happening in our own parishes, where female altar server numbers often reach beyond fifty-percent. There is anecdotal evidence suggesting that when female altar server ranks increase, male server ranks decrease, while conversely similar anecdotal evidence points to an increase in servers in parishes that move to all-male server team. A major issue, of course, is that of those female servers, none of them will ever be ordained to the Priesthood.

In 1965, there were approximately 45-million Catholics in the USA, with 58,000 Priests to serve them, against a total USA population of 194-million. Today, there are approximately 66-million Catholics in the USA, with 40,000 Priests to serve them, against a total USA population of 318-million. That equates to 32% fewer Priests to serve a 65% increase in Catholics (of course, numbers in Europe are often far worse). Therefore, it seems we must act now to encourage men to consider vocations. *“Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” *

Moving toward an all-male server staff is a difficult choice in a world that is pushing toward equality of result in all things, even in areas where demands for equality ignore created differences between male and female. However, just as it is not a sign of discrimination to support a male-only Priesthood, male Altar Servers likewise do not constitute an act of discrimination against females; rather, it is a recognition that God calls men alone to vocations as Priests. Ordained Priests bring us the Mass, they bring us the Lord’s forgiveness through Confession—they bring us the amazing gift of Christ in the Eucharist.

Asking my earlier question another way: If the Church in the USA switched to male only altar serving, and if only one vocation to the Priesthood resulted because of that shift—is that not more than enough to justify the change?

We need more Priests–we need more Christ–we need a deeper and more loving belief in the Real Presence…it seems to me that we should be doing everything possible to encourage vocations.

 

[ProVobis]

So what are some things the Master of Ceremonies does?

To tell you the truth, I forgot. Don’t forget this was back in the late 50’s and I haven’t seen any Solemn High Requiem Masses in the old form since. The ones on Nov 2 are close but each parish has different things that they do.

Funny thing is that I don’t like being up in front of people

That was the easy part. It was having to get up on weekdays at 5am and have to walk to and from church on those cold snowy winter days that finally got to me.

Not really, though. I do have some good memories. Or at least my parents did. If it hadn’t been for them, I might have never taken up serving in the first place.

 

[Annabelle_Marie]

To tell you the truth, I forgot. Don’t forget this was back in the late 50’s and I haven’t seen any Solemn High Requiem Masses in the old form since. The ones on Nov 2 are close but each parish has different things that they do.

That was the easy part. It was having to get up on weekdays at 5am and have to walk to and from church on those cold snowy winter days that finally got to me.

Not really, though. I do have some good memories. Or at least my parents did. If it hadn’t been for them, I might have never taken up serving in the first place.

Yea…I’m not crazy about having to be down there by 7am (NOT a morning person)…but due to people “retiring” there are only 2 of us doing the early Mass and during the summer the other one only wants to be on once a month so…someone has to do it.

 

[ProVobis]

…someone has to do it.

As I’ve said, it varies from parish to parish. At one local parish, they’ve discontinued using altar servers altogether. But then it’s not surprising given that the role of altar serving has changed dramatically since the early 60’s. Where once it was in a standardardized form, by 1964, the Prayers at the Foot of the Altar were eliminated, high altars and communion rails were being demolished, and the congregation was asked to participate in the responses. I saw what my younger brother was going through as a server. I was no longer able to teach him. No longer were the servers isolated from the congregation; some say it was a good thing. Maybe, but it certainly didn’t make the role more respected or important. And thus IMO the decline of their use.

 

[Annabelle_Marie]

As I’ve said, it varies from parish to parish. At one local parish, they’ve discontinued using altar servers altogether. But then it’s not surprising given that the role of altar serving has changed dramatically since the early 60’s. Where once it was in a standardardized form, by 1964, the Prayers at the Foot of the Altar were eliminated, high altars and communion rails were being demolished, and the congregation was asked to participate in the responses. I saw what my younger brother was going through as a server. I was no longer able to teach him. No longer were the servers isolated from the congregation; some say it was a good thing. Maybe, but it certainly didn’t make the role more respected or important. And thus IMO the decline of their use.

I was actually talking about the MC-which is an adult responsibility. But we do have a problem with the altar servers at the early Mass–kids don’t want to get up that early. There is plenty for them to do but I don’t think they get all the training they should. I don’t ever remember my brothers being able to get away with that when I was a kid.

Most of the adults don’t want to MC–at the early Mass–mostly because that is more traditional and has a lot of older folks. And for the young folks we’ve asked but they are afraid to be out and center or worried about messing up the Mass.

 

[otjm]

So what are some things the Master of Ceremonies does?

I do have a role inside the liturgy as well so it would be interesting to compare. Funny thing is that I don’t like being up in front of people but in this I am so focused on doing a good job that I don’t notice being up there.

I am guessing you are either east side or down valley. If you can make it to the cathedral, sy, for the chrism Mass just before Easter, you will see an MC. Father Kelly Vandehey used to be the MC, but he has a parish now (I think) and I am not sure exactly who is MC; I saw one at the Chrism Mass, and another at the Mass for adult confirmation.

An MC in those Masses, makes sure that whoever takes the archbishop’s miter and crosier knows when to take it, and when to return it; directs others when they need to do something (such as the thurifer, or in some circumstances, the lectors), and generally has to know the ceremonies as well or better than anyone else there - including the archbishop. They may need to direct one of the deacons (as it seems the deacons are rotated through the ceremonies) or a concelebrating priest. The MC makes sure that people know where they need to be and what they need to be doing. At one point in the confirmation Mass, he discreetly waved off three who had started to move forward from the back of the sanctuary; they were (seriously) ahead of their cue.

If you are east side, then Baker will or should have the same.

 

[Annabelle_Marie]

I am guessing you are either east side or down valley. If you can make it to the cathedral, sy, for the chrism Mass just before Easter, you will see an MC. Father Kelly Vandehey used to be the MC, but he has a parish now (I think) and I am not sure exactly who is MC; I saw one at the Chrism Mass, and another at the Mass for adult confirmation.

An MC in those Masses, makes sure that whoever takes the archbishop’s miter and crosier knows when to take it, and when to return it; directs others when they need to do something (such as the thurifer, or in some circumstances, the lectors), and generally has to know the ceremonies as well or better than anyone else there - including the archbishop. They may need to direct one of the deacons (as it seems the deacons are rotated through the ceremonies) or a concelebrating priest. The MC makes sure that people know where they need to be and what they need to be doing. At one point in the confirmation Mass, he discreetly waved off three who had started to move forward from the back of the sanctuary; they were (seriously) ahead of their cue.

If you are east side, then Baker will or should have the same.

Thanks! I’ve been to the chrism Mass the last 3 years. I don’t have a bishop or priest to keep in line (well except for the one)…I do a lot of that with the readers, altar servers, and EMHC’s. I also ring the bells at the consecration as well as put the corporal on the altar (and set it up if the altar servers aren’t doing it and won’t pay attention to cues) during Mass before the gifts. I stand with the altar servers while Father is preparing the bread and wine. Also after communion I assist Father at the altar as well as the servers. Girl altar servers weren’t allowed when I was a kid. Now I am much more involved then my brothers who were servers…one of who left the church… So I appreciate the beauty and how special it is…,

 

[Phemie]

We recently had a bishop ordained in our diocese, and the Mass included a Master of Ceremonies. The Mass was televised in our area, and the narrator (one of the priests in our diocese!) who did the television commentary with the reporters described the role and duties of the Master of Ceremonies.

To me, it sounded just like the work that my daughter does. She’s a professional stage manager.

I think that’s a very apt comparison.

 

[Brendan]

Around here it’s somewhere between 3rd to 5th grade. My two granddaughters are servers and the youngest was in 3rd grade when she started. They both love it, and in both my parish and theirs, the ratio is about half and half boys and girls. It is a wonderful opportunity for a child to learn to serve God in their parish.

In my parish, our pastor puts the mimumum requirements at being potty trained and able to sit (relatively) still during Mass.

He will invite the boy to join the altar boy corps, the boy must be invited first, and then accept the call.

Once admitted, the boy will serve every Mass he attends. There is no schedule, if a boy has accepted the invitation to become an altar boy, he serves.

In other words, our pastor emulates the call to the priesthood in the altar boy program.

Most of the boys will continue to do serve well into college.

So at any given Sunday am Mass, we have about 50-70 boys serving.

For the Saturday vigil Mass, it might be only 20-30 servers, Sunday 8:30pm Mass, that number drops to only a dozen or so.

This is a parish of about 900 registered families, so it does mean that just about every boy of that age is an altar server.

 

[Phemie]

In my parish, our pastor puts the mimumum requirements at being potty trained and able to sit (relatively) still during Mass.

He will invite the boy to join the altar boy corps, the boy must be invited first, and then accept the call.

Once admitted, the boy will serve every Mass he attends. There is no schedule, if a boy has accepted the invitation to become an altar boy, he serves.

In other words, our pastor emulates the call to the priesthood in the altar boy program.

Most of the boys will continue to do serve well into college.

So at any given Sunday am Mass, we have about 50-70 boys serving.

For the Saturday vigil Mass, it might be only 20-30 servers, Sunday 8:30pm Mass, that number drops to only a dozen or so.

This is a parish of about 900 registered families, so it does mean that just about every boy of that age is an altar server.

Of course for the majority of those boys ‘serving’ simply means being vested and present in the sanctuary. Of those 50, how many actually have a role in the Mass beyond being in the procession? Maybe 10? might actually do something they wouldn’t be doing in the pew with their parents.

 

[Brendan]

Of course for the majority of those boys ‘serving’ simply means being vested and present in the sanctuary. Of those 50, how many actually have a role in the Mass beyond being in the procession? Maybe 10? might actually do something they wouldn’t be doing in the pew with their parents.

There are roles for about 20 if present.

But then again, if a priest is present and does not have a concelebretory role, they sit in choir, not in the pews with their family.

So, as I said, our pastor emulates the priesthood. The altarboys who do not have an assigned role do what a priest does when he does not have an assigned role.

 

[Annabelle_Marie]

In my parish, our pastor puts the mimumum requirements at being potty trained and able to sit (relatively) still during Mass.

He will invite the boy to join the altar boy corps, the boy must be invited first, and then accept the call.

Once admitted, the boy will serve every Mass he attends. There is no schedule, if a boy has accepted the invitation to become an altar boy, he serves.

In other words, our pastor emulates the call to the priesthood in the altar boy program.

Most of the boys will continue to do serve well into college.

So at any given Sunday am Mass, we have about 50-70 boys serving.

For the Saturday vigil Mass, it might be only 20-30 servers, Sunday 8:30pm Mass, that number drops to only a dozen or so.

This is a parish of about 900 registered families, so it does mean that just about every boy of that age is an altar server.

You must have a large physical church to have that many up there at one time. How many priest do you have?

 

[27lw]

I used to be an altar girl and** I** just wanted to offer some of my thoughts

I know many people have problems with altar girls, and** I** understand the reasoning.** I** am not here to start a debate, just to offer an alternative perspective

I understand the concerns about the linkage of altar serving to the priesthood but I can assure you, I never thought that being an altar server meant** I could be a priest and neither did any other girl I knew. also, they boys did not disappear when there were girls around; I don’t know why people claim that this happens, I** just can’t understand this. while growing up, boys and girls, for the most part, were able to be friends and do things together without any problems. there is nothing wrong with doing the same activities, an aversion of the sexes is just weird to*** me***.

I used to get bored during mass, until I became a server, then **I **was able to understand things better and pay more attention. isn’t an increase of faith important as well for anyone? **I **also felt like I was able to do something as a service.

I understand the concern with lack to the vocations but I also have another thought. I** feel like boys are just not encouraged in to the priesthood as much as they used to be. there are quite a few boys going in that direction where** I **live but many others, their parents complain about lack of priests but when asked if their son might be interested, they give a response like “oh no, I didn’t mean my son, he’s normal”. the priesthood is now seen as something very different by a lot of people and with so many secular options, kids are just not pulled in that direction.

being an altar server and a peist are not even close to being the same thing, and the most important thing is to know the difference. a priest is the sacrament of holy orders who acts in the person of Christ, an altar server is just a helper who provides some assistance on the side by bringing things up for God.

anyways, I’m not trying to start a fight or change anyone’s mind. just wanted to write this down somewhere.

 

[Cat]

27lw:
Refer to post by 27lw, please, which cannot be quoted (at least I can’t figure out a way to do it).

27lw, what is the point of your post bold-facing the “i’s” in the OP’s post?

I believe in God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. I believe… etc. Do you not say this?

Have you never heard of “giving personal testimony?” The OP was not attempting to present an apologetic in favor of altar girls, but was giving her “reflections.”

When you witness to your friends, do you never use first person to describe your personal relationship with Jesus and your joy in being part of His Church?

 

[phil19034]

Thanks! I’ve been to the chrism Mass the last 3 years. I don’t have a bishop or priest to keep in line (well except for the one)…I do a lot of that with the readers, altar servers, and EMHC’s. I also ring the bells at the consecration as well as put the corporal on the altar (and set it up if the altar servers aren’t doing it and won’t pay attention to cues) during Mass before the gifts. I stand with the altar servers while Father is preparing the bread and wine. Also after communion I assist Father at the altar as well as the servers. Girl altar servers weren’t allowed when I was a kid. Now I am much more involved then my brothers who were servers…one of who left the church… So I appreciate the beauty and how special it is…,

Interesting. In my Archdiocese, the Laity have no parts in the Chrism Mass except for the Archdiocesan Choir.

Everything is done by the Archbishop, Priests, Deacons, and Seminarians. All of the Altar Servers are either Priests or Seminarians and the MC is the priest who is the Head of Divine Worship.

 

[salvemater]

In the Extraordinary Form of the Mass, the altar server has a much larger role to play. In fact, several parts of the Mass consist of responsive prayers said by the altar server alone. It was much more clear, prior to the introduction Novus Ordo Mass, that being an acolyte was a way for men to prepare their souls to discern vocations to the priesthood.

Nowadays, however, the altar server does very little, comparatively speaking. The altar server no longer vocalizes any prayers that the rest of the congregation doesn’t say as well. Additionally, many of the actions that altar servers once had to do, even in the Novus Ordo Mass, such as “passing the peace” from the priest to the rest of the congregation or standing by the priest to prevent the Blessed Sacrament from hitting the ground during the distribution of Holy Communion, are no longer practiced in most places.

I’m not arguing that the Novus Ordo Mass is invalid. I’m simply pointing out that the Novus Ordo Mass shifted people’s understanding about what the role of an acolyte is.

So yes, most altar servers, whether they are boys or girls, will not have the impression that their role is meant to prepare them to discern the priesthood. And this fact can be used to argue both ways. Some would argue that since the impression is gone, girls might as well serve the altar because their is no harm. Others will argue that girls should stop serving so the impression can return.

It’s an ongoing debate, and nobody is required to take a specific side.

 

[salvemater]

And while girls don’t become priests, they do become nuns/sisters (depending on whether they are cloistered or in the community; to me, they are all ‘sisters’).

Not necessarily. Nuns/sisters don’t perform sacrifices at the altar. Priests do.
The preparatory nature of altar serving isn’t just about making people more pious. It’s specifically geared towards preparing souls for making sacrifices at the altar.

It’s not at all coincidental that when female altar servers were introduced, radical feminists increased their cries dramatically for the ordination of women priests.
Not that female altar servers desired this; it just sent a message that if women could be altar servers when the role was traditionally held by men and had a clear connection with the priesthood, women could eventually become priests as well.