The age of the Ordinary Form of the Mass altar server

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Depends on the parish. Most parishes have altar servers start from 4th grade, but in some parishes I’ve seen persistent kids as young as 5, who are mature for their age. Length of service also depends on the kids. In my experience, kids altar serve until they are in high school. Once they’re college age, they usually either stop serving, become head altar servers that train the little ones, or become sacristans [and train the little ones].
 
janeway529 said:
Depends on the parish. Most parishes have altar servers start from 4th grade, but in some parishes I’ve seen persistent kids as young as 5, who are mature for their age. Length of service also depends on the kids. In my experience, kids altar serve until they are in high school. Once they’re college age, they usually either stop serving, become head altar servers that train the little ones, or become sacristans [and train the little ones].
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As I mentioned earlier in this thread, in our parish, it is generally around 5 years old that our pastor will invite a boy to serve.

And they will generally serve until well into high school, with a few serving into college.

Here you can see the various ages of the boys

1drv.ms/1DxH5QR

My eldest son is in the procession, while my youngest son is waiting with me ( he likes joining the boys for their blessing at the end of Mass)
 
Brendan said:
As I mentioned earlier in this thread, in our parish, it is generally around 5 years old that our pastor will invite a boy to serve.

And they will generally serve until well into high school, with a few serving into college.

Here you can see the various ages of the boys

1drv.ms/1DxH5QR

My eldest son is in the procession, while my youngest son is waiting with me ( he likes joining the boys for their blessing at the end of Mass)
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Very nice, Brendan. That’s half the congregation, no? 🙂

BTW, I love that Thaxted melody.
 
I started when I was in 3rd grade I think. I guess I was unusually serious as another poster put it. 😃

I know in the Byzantine churches they have very young children serving. I have seen kids maybe around 6 (or 5?) serving at Divine Liturgy.

I don’t think there is any specific rule, it’s just custom.
 
Angel_Bradford said:
An altar server should have made his or her First Communion.
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Yes. I know of servers in the past who were judged to be properly disposed to receive Holy Communion and to begin altar serving, and did so before their peers, receiving at the first Mass at which they served (such as a Christmas Mass), which was when they were first graders. (Their peers received their First Holy Communion after Easter in their first grade year.)

I don’t remember ever seeing any altar servers who were serving at the altar before they had been deemed ready to receive their First Holy Communion.
 
scapularkid8 said:
I know in the Byzantine churches they have very young children serving. I have seen kids maybe around 6 (or 5?) serving at Divine Liturgy.

.
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I’ve known some as young as 4, but a more normal age to start is 5 or 6. There is no lower limit, just the ability to stand throughout the liturgy and follow directions reasonably well.
 
Brendan said:
Pretty much, or at least half the congregation that’s between 5 and 18. Just about every boy is an altar server.
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Is 18 the upper limit?
One of my favs as well ( O God, Beyond All Praising)
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I believe that particular hymn was written after or around the time Princess Diana made the tune popular on her wedding day. (I Vow To Thee, My Country). They’re probably others sung to the same tune.
 
ProVobis said:
Is 18 the upper limit?
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Nope, there is no upper limit. My statement was in regards to the majority of age groups. But while most, if not all, 5-17 year olds serve, most 18 and 19 year olds do not, and few 20+ serve.

We did have one gentleman who was a regular server who was in his 80’s. He passed away last year, and several of the altar boys were his pall bearers.
I believe that particular hymn was written after or around the time Princess Diana made the tune popular on her wedding day. (I Vow To Thee, My Country). They’re probably others sung to the same tune.
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I know that particular one was Cardinal Maida’s favorite, I was used regularly in the Cathedral for important Masses. I was glad when I music director added it at our parish 🙂

And you are correct, there seems to be quite a number written for that anthem

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thaxted_(tune
 
Brendan said:
Nope, there is no upper limit. My statement was in regards to the majority of age groups. But while most, if not all, 5-17 year olds serve, most 18 and 19 year olds do not, and few 20+ serve.

We did have one gentleman who was a regular server who was in his 80’s. He passed away last year, and several of the altar boys were his pall bearers.
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For a while, that’s all you had for the EF Mass, although they have been training the younger boys, whose biggest hurdle is perhaps the Prayers at the Foot at the Altar.
 
ProVobis said:
Is 18 the upper limit?
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There isn’t an upper limit. I imagine the college parishes I’ve been to would be hard pressed to find servers under 18, given the lack of families with children of the right age. The servers there were generally young adults, students at the local university.
 
DarkLight said:
There isn’t an upper limit. I imagine the college parishes I’ve been to would be hard pressed to find servers under 18, given the lack of families with children of the right age. The servers there were generally young adults, students at the local university.
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I think PV was referring to my post about my parish…
 
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