What is the minimum age for altar servers?

[AndrewJAcosta]

My wife and I are trying to get our 8-year-old son, who just received his First Holy Communion, into the altar server program at our parish. Our sixth-grader is already serving there. The “rule” they have in place, which they call a “church rule,” is that the children must be in fifth grade. Recently at Mass we saw a family of brothers serving. The youngest was definitely younger than fifth grade, possibly second or third grade. I believe there is a canon in canon law that states an altar server must have at least made his First Holy Communion, but we were told that canon law is just a guidline.

Could you please advise us how to proceed? For the most part, this is an orthodox parish. The content of the homilies from all the priests is solid and the Mass is presented with reverence. There is a widely-attended Latin Mass every Sunday. The new Director of Religious Education (DRE), the one our battle is with, is rather liberal and has the backing of the pastor.

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

I recommend contacting your diocese and asking what the minimum age is for altar servers in your diocese. If the diocese provides for a younger age than your parish, ask for that information in writing and then take it to your pastor.

I should note though that your “battle” to get your son in the altar server program against the wishes of the DRE, who has the backing of your pastor, is a troubling one. Instead of insisting that your son be in the program at this time – as distinguished from letting him wait a couple of years – you should be teaching him that no one has a right to ministries in the Church, that such ministries are a gift, and that humble acceptance of the just authority of representatives of the Church is a virtue.

Now, you may be right that the DRE is exceeding authority here and that the pastor’s backing is misplaced. Contacting the diocese for clarification is certainly a prudent measure. But the overriding concern for you should be to uphold in your son’s eyes the Church and its servants in the local community – even when you must discreetly seek clarification – rather than tearing them down through unnecessary “battles” over privileges.