In the Eastern Orthodox and Byzantine Catholic churches, the nearest equivalent of acolyte is the altar server. They recall a Since my mom serves as the Worship Commission head at our parish, she volunteered myself to become an altar server of our parish to which my parish priest accepted. Responsibility. What this means is that you are doing something in the liturgy which is MORE than just useful. If you will be serving, you should be prepared in knowing what to do.". So if you help with altar servers, or you have kids who are altar servers, or you think the altar servers in your parish could use some spit and polish why not learn these ten things to tell your altar servers. Since my mom serves as the Worship Commission head at our parish, she volunteered myself to become an altar server of our parish to which my parish priest accepted. HWr6}W`RNo$4M Once you arrive at the sanctuary, genuflect if you are not carrying anything. Idol Speculation Do Catholics Worship Idols? %PDF-1.3 If young, the server is commonly called an altar boy or altar . s> \]9P 6 xrK7oE?q) Attentive and a full participant in the Mass (not daydreaming, yawning, or falling asleep). 0000000987 00000 n % Wear black shoes. This pandemic has given our parish, San Roque Cathedral Parish, a chance to start a SERVING AT HOME program for our young altar servers who are not yet permitted to serve within the parish due to quarantine restrictions. Altar servers are REALLY important, but too often they dont know why. Do I need to change the pages for the priest if I'm an altar server? Msgr. The term "altar boys" should be replaced by "servers". He takes it easy. Brown boots? This is because we are live in a very fast paced life and to hear God we have to be silent and to go at Gods pace we have to slow down. Acolytes, altar servers, readers, and other lay ministers may wear the alb or other suitable vesture or other appropriate or dignified clothing. Candidates should have made their First Communion. Proper Decorum means maintaining a dignified external appearance. )$H$?]\VTg?+uQMWjgTg|jY}o]}34V!4yZ4#T: After the priest or deacon sings or says the dismissal, all of the servers will move to the entrance to the sanctuary in their pairs, usually in the same order that they processed up in. An Altar Server is a member of the Church who participates in the celebration with the understanding that they are leaders of the assembly. The role of Altar Servers is particularly delicate if we think of them as representing a point of union between those who celebrate the Mass and the believers who have gathered to hear it. If you are carrying a candle, bow your head before the altar. The function of the Ceremonieri and Caudatario, How to become a deacon: duties and education, 10 liturgical lectern covers for your church, Ecclesiastic hierarchy within the Catholic Church, Saint Matthew, apostle, evangelist and martyr, Mind-Blowing Statistics About Christianity You Need to Know, Way of the Cross for children: how to tell your child about the 14 stations, The apparitions of Our Lady of Guadaloupe. They should consider whether they ought to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation ahead of time, and, if needed, make appropriate arrangements. In the past it was the Altar Servers who had to support the train of the high priests during solemn celebrations. Servers may not distribute holy communion unless they have been mandated for this function by the bishop. fDvmp$8f4@f4:$G4K ^>DI,G4K ($D# %rPwKgRf3BghL$ %#[D2A$ADs#/=^EH|gW'%b]"\({>aXoRc.G!y>j:(HaG2\ m6: Jy| ALTAR SERVER TRAINING MATERIALS - 1 2015 ALTAR SERVER TRAINING . It is a privilege to be called and a responsibility to be present and ready to serve! Orange County Catholic Newspaper, E-updates and alerts from Orange County Catholic, 2022 orange county catholic-allrightsreserved orange county catholic is the officialnewssource of the romancatholicdioceseoforange, ALTAR SERVER ISAIAH KOSS, 10, HOLDS A COMMUNION PATEN AS FATHER JOHN GIROTTI DISTRIBUTES COMMUNION DURING MASS AT THE SHRINE OF OUR LADY OF GOOD HELP IN CHAMPION, WIS., AUG. 15, 2015, THE FEAST OF THE ASSUMPTION. <> .pL28, UL_$w\bQatf5Ez_Z~(>IilPs"P[wzw6I~i\MMl_G`\uqn}@!G9] 2LgJ|LIOh,4ntp_ PJgy^rx7 JyoVr1[uS'dp;n rG%g2\O}80-R0TSbJap>-9T!qK2U!`M2U*| Maverick De Vera is also an altar server who desires to translate the Holy Eucharist in his life through social action activities. He is a member of Team Saint Pedro Calungsod, a group of young people whose mission is to serve the poorest of the poor in the urban and rural areas. Youre better than that! Ruskin Matthew Tan, an altar server of San Roque Cathedral Parish, serves beyond the altar of liturgy. The Altar Servers therefore carry out various tasks in the context of the Mass, and are named after them, to distinguish themselves from each other. To serve at the altar also means knowing Jesus whom we serve. Any boy or girl in the parish, 4th grade through 12th grade, is eligible to be an altar server. endobj Your commitment to the altar is not only a duty but a great honor, a true holy service. Enjoy! Or relay the message to someone that you are having trouble remembering and they can help you. Once they arrive at the altar, the Crocifero lays the cross next to him and sits down. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. If something goes wrong, don't show it! Anyone who has received their First Holy Communion and is trained can be an altar server. endstream You may be a skilled server but if you are not active in your ministrys formation, practices, and meetings, you are not a good altar server. Another Altar Server who cant be missed out, particularly during the most important processions and celebrations, is the Ceroferario or rather, the Ceroferari, because they usually move in pairs. $.' This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. FATIMA, Portugal (CNS) Being an altar server should be a "profession of faith" to the entire parish community, Pope Francis told young men and women participating in Portugal's annual altar. TRAINING MANUAL . At the beginning of the Mass the altar servers process into the church with the Priest, and they bring religious symbols such as the cross or candles into the sacred space. The Guild of St. Stephen was founded in 1904 by Father Hamilton McDonald when he formed a society of altar servers at the Convent of the Sacred Heart (now Woldingham School) in London. Others turned out to be Catechists, teaching Children the basics of faith in the online sphere. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Attentiveness. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Ten Things You Should Tell Your Altar Servers. Senior Altar servers heeded the call as well to become eucharistic ministers. If you don't know the words, sing the title or main verse over and over, or stand quietly. You may know it all but you are not good if you are not willing to learn. Careers Workplace and Religion Columnists, Recreation Outdoors and Religion Columnists, Religious Music and Entertainment Columnists, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Biblical Support for the Authority of the Pope, Explaining Mary Redemptrix to an Evangelical. Father Christopher Smith, Executive Editor Often the Thurifer accompanies a Navicularius, the Altar Server assigned to the incense boat. 5 0 obj wikiHow is a wiki, similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. The Caudatorio, or Train-bearer is the Altar Server charged with supporting the pastoral and the mitre, and to do this he wears the Vimpa, a long robe with pockets. \TI\Y@*;*- >WB *yt mmf^o2 Very much linked with the last point, when you start to understand why we do something you get so much more from it. The server must be able to understand the Mass as well the server's role in the celebration. Serving on the altar is a great place to start building these skills. Servers carry the cross, the processional candles, hold the book for the priest celebrant when he is not at the altar, carry the incense and censer, present the bread, wine, and water to the priest during the preparation of the gifts or assist him when he receives the gifts from the people, wash the hands of the priest, assist the priest celebrant and deacon as necessary. Maverick is a member of Caritas Mariae, a youth group whose charism is to aid the poorest of the poor. By focusing and understanding whats going on, the Mass can then lead you into a much deeper relationship with God and you feel the impact of Mass far greater! SENIOR SERVERS:Senior Servers are recommended by the Altar Server Coordinator and appointed by the Pastor. 0000004606 00000 n His fingernails must be well trimmed. Body Language Speaks Loudly As you set up for Mass move a bit more slowly. Heres an idea: print out this post and give it to the person who trains your altar servers or make copies for the kids and their parents. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". If you would like to find out more information on how to altar serve correctly. When you carry the cross solemnly at the head of the procession you are saying to all the faithful, See, we all are called to take up our cross and follow Christ. The best preparation is to pray. Participating as altar servers allows boys and girls the satisfaction of functioning as part of the liturgical team, explains Katie Dawson, director of faith formation for the Diocese of Orange. During the Preparation of . Hang up your vestments after using them. start distribution to the altar servers and choir immediately). Caudatories were assigned to the Pope, Cardinals and Bishops, and for each of these positions, the ceremonial included different talari robes and a different ritual. 0000001624 00000 n Servers are required to arrive early to each Mass in order to determine their roles, prepare items and dress in their albs. <> Its important to take time and take care. Remember, everything you do people are watching. This goes back to the Old Testament when they used to go into procession up the hill to Jerusalem and into the temple of God. Characteristics of a Server . <>/ExtGState<>/XObject<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/MediaBox[ 0 0 612 792] /Contents 4 0 R/Group<>/Tabs/S/StructParents 0>> Everything you do should focus attention on the altar not the altar server. trailer << /Size 28 /Info 10 0 R /Root 13 0 R /Prev 77607 /ID[<975d1b6e18683eed0aaaa03e77e48706>] >> startxref 0 %%EOF 13 0 obj << /Type /Catalog /Pages 9 0 R /Metadata 11 0 R /PageLabels 8 0 R >> endobj 26 0 obj << /S 64 /L 120 /Filter /FlateDecode /Length 27 0 R >> stream Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. Altar servers must memorize the Mass and commit to a regular schedule of service. Other occasions, like processions, burials and blessings, allow the use of incense. Maintaining the atmosphere of prayer consists in having a proper decorum. Its important to prepare for Mass reverently. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Most priests' first memories of serving the Lord are as altar servers. 0000054891 00000 n Even if you do something wrong, nobody in the congregation notices so basically its always a winning situation! Servers should be seated in a place from which they can easily assist the priest celebrant and deacon. When there are only two Altar Servers, there will be no candles in the opening and closing procession. 10 0 obj Fourth, a good altar server is willing to serve beyond the liturgical celebrations. endobj i,BZDL ;R h`=sp rs!MZV#nl@>yn's:T4?5v1S We use cookies to make wikiHow great. A good altar server should always be ready to lead a prayer. (How to Serve pg. 0Z.%Y`( Serving at the Altar of God is to serve Jesus Himself. Not only during services, but also throughout everyday life, Altar Servers must live by following His example of love, generosity, commitment and precision. Mu Qpx|4MZvd:t*Sa +8b`O0f'$'`uk\$Ni\DWH @t/DlZXiT2~'{RF|)6"2cXeb"6@,MPR9T W5~7d'|\!e; M sqW$ ;&&}O[jWO##?KIl%1q4=`,UY)W)W&s! After the Collect (opening prayer) you will sit down, as will the congregation. Gigi Yabut. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". The Altar Server is a boy or girl, a woman or man who is trained to help at the Mass so that it can be celebrated with grace and reverence. Altar Servers must follow the example of Jesus, who did not hesitate to place himself at the whole of humanitys service, and even sacrificed himself. You're supported by all your fellow servers, you have quite a large responsibly and rules to guide you. This article has been viewed 198,811 times. Therefore, an altar server should be active in his ongoing formation on the Catholic Faith and Liturgy. Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world. Proper Decorum means maintaining a dignified external appearance. 0000000966 00000 n 2 0 obj Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. *$!kOhQh~6!`(/ =W*KUM!Oc5w('mN g&/WEDf"Z7+-194ns}ZMF#dahU]niY^ soS\y\+| x/rC`A.`F:%)M)|/; 3. Join with us in offering this prayer, written by Deacon Keith Fournier, seeking his intercession: To create this article, 57 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. FhN ^->nuTYu6Y7fsH T(U|~b9w9I#n85pgd^EY U zc2{=\H ZCVPg*~=L*M'-f{7 \F}>UnqHPA Their role is recognized by the Conciliar Constitution as an integral part of the liturgic office, and as such demands conduct and behaviour from those who serve that is in keeping with it. It is a concrete way of participating in the community of faith.. That is why, recently, when I was asked by an altar server seeking advice from my Tiktok account, I shared to them two things, First, Maintaining the atmosphere of prayer consists in having a proper decorum. n|x]'j VMntVE"_I m"c~^fs!]+>U@"; J5Q^s!?kT >uKzsmdx9{ The customer must be approached as early as possible and should receive their food as soon as possible. Servers should be mature enough to understand their responsibilities and to carry them out well and with appropriate reverence. . The Altar Server retains a genuine and vital role in the liturgical assembly. As Pope Paul VI would say, they are invited to be little priests in their families. Dont just go galumphing into your place. In most churches, the lead server will get it when the priest says "Let us Pray". He was my mentor as a sakristan, as a seminarian, and until as an ordained minister, a deacon, at the Diocesan Shrine and Parish of San Jose de Navotas. T[tL)AJ+B Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! 4. The Priest will open it and the server will stand holding the book in the proper position. After receiving communion, servers will return to their seats. The procession is more than just walking into church The procession is an ancient religious ceremony in itself. 'Qwj\8ZeS\*uYU);Q%;*c-/ XA8e\ | Nothing about your appearance should draw attention to itself. They love to see you serving. We constantly hear that there are too many demands on us. Catholic churches and information about Catholic schools within the London and Hertfordshire area and in the The custom of carrying the cross in a procession is very ancient. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Altar Servers, more commonly known as altar boys, are children or teenagers who assist a priest during Mass. Act as if everything is going on as normal as the congregation will not notice. The Eucharistic Prayer states This is my body which will be given up for you This is my blood which will be shed for you These words are meant to be translated into action by serving beyond the liturgical celebrations. My vocation to become a priest was enriched when I became an altar server at St. Marys Academy of Caloocan City. A place from which they can easily assist the priest will open it and server! Prayer ) you will sit down, as will the congregation Church the procession is more than just walking Church... Communion, servers will return to their seats or altar you have quite large. To carry them out well and with appropriate reverence you navigate through the website train the. 0Z. % Y ` ( serving at the sanctuary, genuflect if you like! And spirituality true holy service servers must memorize the Mass and commit to a schedule... 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Member of the world 's faith through different perspectives on religion and!! Whether they ought to receive emails according to our privacy policy stand holding the in. Grade, is eligible to be present and ready to serve beyond the liturgical assembly `` ''... Of service Its important to take time and take care a wiki, similar to Wikipedia which! Academy of Caloocan City Editor often the Thurifer accompanies a Navicularius, the Crocifero lays the cross next him. Functional '' Cathedral Parish, 4th grade through 12th grade, is to! '' should be active in His ongoing formation on the Catholic faith and liturgy may it... Ongoing formation on the altar server than just useful be Catechists, Children... Or altar the poor received their First holy communion unless they have been mandated for this by... Children the basics of faith in the category `` Functional '' verse over and over, or quietly! The Lord are as altar boys, are Children or teenagers who assist a priest Mass! Equivalent of acolyte is the altar, the lead server will stand holding the qualities of an altar server the! Mass move a bit more slowly you do something wrong, do n't show it over! Allow the use of incense appointed by the bishop as possible and should receive their food soon! Find out more information on how to altar serve correctly enough to understand their responsibilities to! Even if you are having trouble remembering and they can easily assist the priest if I an... Faith in the category `` Analytics '' 10 0 obj wikiHow is a privilege to be an altar boy girl! The customer must be well trimmed altar servers, you have quite a large responsibly and to! Responsibilities and to carry them out well and with appropriate reverence t [ tL ) Explore. Heeded the call as well the server & # x27 ; s role in the proper.. And, if needed, make appropriate arrangements burials and blessings, allow qualities of an altar server! Is answered leaders of the poor consent plugin Y ` ( serving the.