The Altar Rails Came Back

[Al_Masetti]

I don’t see altar rails as a very practical fixture in the current day.

Back during the 60s , they were needed. But today , I see them as counterproductive.

I think they would be a hinderance to foot traffic around the altar, with the EHMC’s, altar servers, lectors and readers entering and leaving. Further, in as much as 90% + of the faithful receive communion standing, there really isn’t any mandated reason to have them.

Small changes to the Mass’s rubrics have already begun to happen. Now, the priest must purify the sacred vessels, for example.

So, “some day”, perhaps, it will be allowed for communicants to receive Holy Communion while kneeling.

And so, all those secreted and hidden away altar rails that some pastors hid in basements might be unearthed and restored and put back at the sanctuary.

Could happen!!

 

[Bobbi_Baltzer]

About ten years ago in Omaha, an elderly priest named Fr. Kleffmann, was murdered in his rectory at St. Agnes Church. No one ever stood trial for this horrible crime. But that is not really what this comment is about. I taught at St. Agnes that last year and noticed that in one of the old classrooms in the old part of the school … under the Church, was the old Alter Rails. They were there with old desks and old textbooks and some other discarded or retired items. I was always fascinted to see them!
It occurred to me today that the good Fr. Kleffmann (God Rest him ) must have saved them away there, to prevent them being hauled to the dump! They matched the decoration on the lower part of the Alter itself!
The old part of the school is now being used as an adult education center to learn English. I wonder what happend to the Alter rails there. I do remember several old parishoner men there that were very protective of the rails piled there and hope that they were there to save them when the building was redone into the educational center. The Church is very active there now and is apart of the St.Agnes / Our Lady of Guadalupe Spainish speaking parishes.

 

[netmilsmom]

Small changes to the Mass’s rubrics have already begun to happen. Now, the priest must purify the sacred vessels, for example.

So, “some day”, perhaps, it will be allowed for communicants to receive Holy Communion while kneeling.

And so, all those secreted and hidden away altar rails that some pastors hid in basements might be unearthed and restored and put back at the sanctuary.

Could happen!!

We weren’t allowed to install altar rails but do use kneelers.

 

[CatholicNick]

We weren’t allowed to install altar rails

How come?

 

[netmilsmom]

How come?

This is the story that I heard. I wasn’t there nor in the parish at the time. And understand, we are an NO parish who kneel and receive by intinction.

We were established in 1929 near the downtown area. In 1989, we moved to the Northern Suburbs. Being the 80’s, you can imagine that our actual main is pretty modern, however there is a high altar, a free altar and in front of it, steps where an altar rail could easily be installed (with cushions for knees on the lower step)
A few years ago, the Pastor retired and went home to Slovakia, but not before hand picking our wonderful Pastor (God Bless him and give him long life) to take his place.
At that time, the new Pastor asked the Archdiocese if we could install altar rails. A representative came to us, looked at the church and said no.
The parishioners were up in arms. They threatened to pull all money going to the Archdiocese by writing checks specifically to our new Pastor.

Our wonderful Pastor told the parishioners to continue to give to the Archdiocese because they are nice enough to allow us to be there. He elected to use kneelers and the rest is history!

Now the question beckons. IF the TLM is allowed by Universal Indult, this Pastor has been on the rotation for the Indult TLM downtown. Could we be allowed to install our altar rails? We are expanding our parish! Only God knows for sure. But we would be really blessed if they would allow them!

 

[Kielbasi]

Now the question beckons. IF the TLM is allowed by Universal Indult, this Pastor has been on the rotation for the Indult TLM downtown. Could we be allowed to install our altar rails?

That would depend on a few factors, first whether or not the archbishop would allow it.

And the second factor is what the costs would be for this furniture and the other adjustments that might have to be made to your worship space to make new altar rails work in the new context. Could the money be spent better elsewhere, for example for the school or new carpeting in the vestibule, than for altar rails?

This is something that you or the parish priest would be better informed of to make an intelligent decision on.

 

[catholic2]

That would depend on a few factors, first whether or not the archbishop would allow it.

And the second factor is what the costs would be for this furniture and the other adjustments that might have to be made to your worship space to make new altar rails work in the new context. Could the money be spent better elsewhere, for example for the school or new carpeting in the vestibule, than for altar rails?

This is something that you or the parish priest would be better informed of to make an intelligent decision on.

Hmmm…perhaps putting up with the old carpets for a while would be a better alternative.

 

[netmilsmom]

That would depend on a few factors, first whether or not the archbishop would allow it.

And the second factor is what the costs would be for this furniture and the other adjustments that might have to be made to your worship space to make new altar rails work in the new context. Could the money be spent better elsewhere, for example for the school or new carpeting in the vestibule, than for altar rails?

This is something that you or the parish priest would be better informed of to make an intelligent decision on.

Well, understanding that right now we use portable kneelers, the space adjustment would not be needed.
I really don’t think that the cost of Altar rails is anywhere near the cost of a school but I would give them up to have a school at our parish. Once our wonderful pastor (God Bless him and give him long life) starts educating the kiddies who are overflowing from the Happy Catholic parishes, look out.
It will be orthodoxy abound!

 

[Rabbititus]

Are altar rails particularly expensive? It seems to me that one could get away with making one out of a bannister - with parts you could buy at a home improvement store. Or is this not possible?

Personally, I like altar rails from an aesthetic standpoint. I don’t see them as unfriendly, but rather an indication that the sanctuary is set apart and that something amazing and special goes on there. That it also gives a parish more liturgical options is an even greater bonus.

 

[Kielbasi]

Are altar rails particularly expensive? It seems to me that one could get away with making one out of a bannister - with parts you could buy at a home improvement store. Or is this not possible?

.

I haven’t priced it, but yes, I’d say that altar rails are pretty expensive. Furniture is pretty expensive and altar rails have to be built to size as every church is a different size.

Sure, it is possible to build them yourself, but you’d need highly skilled people to do the work and premium lumber and materials. I don’t think this is anything that you’d want to just throw together as some kind of do-it-yourself product.

 

[ncjohn]

I’d have to go back and re-check my sources, but I believe that there is also a prohibition against adding altar rails to newer churches to which they were not original equipment.

I’m sure that could also be (and probably would be) easily lifted though, especially if a universal indult were granted.

 

[netmilsmom]

I’d have to go back and re-check my sources, but I believe that there is also a prohibition against adding altar rails to newer churches to which they were not original equipment.

I’m sure that could also be (and probably would be) easily lifted though, especially if a universal indult were granted.

(Merry Christmas John!)
I would say that you are absolutely correct, which is why we were denied before.

And I’m with you, I think that the ruling would be lifted at the same time that the Universal Indult was allowed.

In this case, God will bring us an Altar rail if He wants us to have one. Somewhere is a website that sells discarded church parts. Maybe someone here has it.

(on ebay one altar rail is 11,000 )

 

[djrakowski]

In this case, God will bring us an Altar rail if He wants us to have one. Somewhere is a website that sells discarded church parts. Maybe someone here has it.

(on ebay one altar rail is 11,000 )

At those prices, we should probably stick to kneelers!

 

[netmilsmom]

At those prices, we should probably stick to kneelers!

Unless someone with bucks decides to buy it for us!
Of course that’s not you or me.

 

[ncjohn]

Unless someone with bucks decides to buy it for us!
Of course that’s not you or me.

I dug around in the chair cushions and found 8 cents I’ll throw into the pot.

 

[AJV]

In this case, God will bring us an Altar rail if He wants us to have one. Somewhere is a website that sells discarded church parts. Maybe someone here has it.

(on ebay one altar rail is 11,000 )

At those prices, we should probably stick to kneelers!

Unless someone with bucks decides to buy it for us!
Of course that’s not you or me.

Ay yi, netmil(name removed by moderator), I’m disappointed http://forum.ship-of-fools.com/UBB-non-cgi/graemlins/disappointed.gif you’ve forgotten. You’re a Romish Papist. Go and sell some indulgences.

 

[netmilsmom]

I dug around in the chair cushions and found 8 cents I’ll throw into the pot.

Aw, ya made me spew coffee on my monitor!
I’m sure we can arrange an honorary Post-it note for your donation!

(I love you!!!)

 

[netmilsmom]

Ay yi, netmil(name removed by moderator), have you forgotten? You’re a Romish Papist. Go and sell some indulgences.

And I am proud to be Papist, I’ll tell you that!
You should see the amount of Christmas Novena Cards we sell!

I should have stock in the card company that provides them!

 

[djrakowski]

I dug around in the chair cushions and found 8 cents I’ll throw into the pot.

how very Catholic of you, ncjohn!

 

[djrakowski]

Ay yi, netmil(name removed by moderator), I’m disappointed http://forum.ship-of-fools.com/UBB-non-cgi/graemlins/disappointed.gif you’ve forgotten. You’re a Romish Papist. Go and sell some indulgences.

Hey, knock it off… some of my old churchmates from my Baptist days may be reading this and think you’re serious