Punctuality. Not only during services, but also throughout everyday life, Altar Servers must live by following His example of love, generosity, commitment and precision. This is commonly known as a sign of friendliness and respect. Wearing smart clothes is not imperative as the congregation cannot see what you are wearing. This means they are called to serve as prayer leaders within their families. They recall a endobj Every vocation (whether marriage, consecrated singlehood, religious life or priesthood) is awesome and leads us to a greater and deeper understanding and relationship with God. In the past it was the Altar Servers who had to support the train of the high priests during solemn celebrations. stream During processions, the Navicularius walks alongside the Thurifer, so much so that sometimes both roles can be merged into a single Altar Server. Altar service is an important step in a young persons contribution to the work of the liturgy, Dawson says. [1] In 1905, Pope Pius X, gave his approbation to the canonical establishment of the Guild at Westminster Cathedral. T[tL)AJ+B Even if you are not discerning priesthood, by altar serving you learn so much more about the priest you work with. Sometimes they dont seem to take pride in their job because maybe no one has told them why theyre so important. Altar servers learn the deeper meaning behind each step of the liturgy. The reason why he serves must be his relationship with God, his prayer life. And many more forms of serving beyond the altar. 1 0 obj Servers may not distribute holy communion unless they have been mandated for this function by the bishop. During the Preparation of . To be an altar server, you must be 10 years of age and entering into the 5th - 12th grade, have received your First Holy Communion, know how to genuflect properly and how to make the sign of the cross. By taking up a responsibility at Mass you start to recognise more and more people in the church in general. After the Collect (opening prayer) you will sit down, as will the congregation. <> Pope Francis acknowledged the important role of altar servers during a special evening meeting and prayer that drew 9,000 youth from throughout Europe to St. Peters Square in early August 2015, according to the National Catholic Reporter. endobj $.' So have good posture and move easily and slowly. \TI\Y@*;*- >WB *yt mmf^o2 Characteristics of an Altar Servera Server should be: Reverent while serving, so to be a prayerful example (and not a distraction) for the congregation. When there are only two Altar Servers, there will be no candles in the opening and closing procession. 714.282.3000, Editorial Council Chair A good altar server should always be ready to lead a prayer. In the Eastern Orthodox and Byzantine Catholic churches, the nearest equivalent of acolyte is the altar server. Wild tattoos and piercings? This is our banner for battle. As your friendship develops, youll end up having many friends who all share your faith and this can lead to some brilliant conversations and great memories. An altar server who does not attend these is not good at all. They wait for signs and even words from the prayers or songs to do this and that. Attentiveness. Serving at the altar, the pope told the young people, is a privileged way to draw closer to Jesus, which in turn enables you to open yourselves to others, to journey together, to set demanding goals and to find the strength to achieve them.. I was a fourth grade student when I became an altar server. Some turned out to be frontliners of the Church in distributing ayuda to the poor and helping out in the Social Action Initiatives of their respective parishes. FhN ^->nuTYu6Y7fsH T(U|~b9w9I#n85pgd^EY U zc2{=\H ZCVPg*~=L*M'-f{7 \F}>UnqHPA A good altar server may not come by age. Welcome Altar Servers, We thank you for responding to the call of the Holy Spirit to serve the St. Michael parish community as an altar server. Its helpful for young teens and tweens to become part of the altar-serving ministry because its the most significant way to make a meaningful contribution to the liturgy, Dawson says. An altar server attends to supporting tasks at the altar such as fetching and carrying, ringing the altar bell, helps bring up the gifts, brings up the book, among other things. JEq:j,]U0$"bG[|s6>"d~]; (YqR$W\\RY%?~R{Z`8XA>X6@N}PD{z|akfu^hV~\dNn.Q& }P1Cs> .. The term liturgy actually means the work of worship, so we are teaching them the work they do in the liturgy.. Fourth, a good altar server is willing to serve beyond the liturgical celebrations. 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 endobj Phillippe Angelo Garcia My vocation to become a priest was enriched when I became an altar server at St. Mary's Academy of Caloocan City. This is proper etiquette that is required. He takes it easy. Don't start heading up the aisle until the priest tells you to or gives you a signal. Third, a good altar server spends time with Jesus. %PDF-1.3 % It does not store any personal data. Its use is nonetheless optional, and occurs at different times of the Mass, usually at the beginning, on the entrance of the priest and his assistants, when the Gospel is being preached or before the consecration. Altar service contributes to a servers maturity as they learn lessons and put their knowledge into practice. Attentiveness. % The procession is the royal triumph of the king going into his city. Brown boots? These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. 0000001140 00000 n Any customer will appreciate eye contact. The altar servers help the Priest throughout the liturgy. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. A good solution would be to check with what the senior servers are doing and follow suit. 13 0 obj %PDF-1.5 % 1 0 obj <> endobj 3 0 obj <> endobj 4 0 obj [/Indexed/DeviceRGB 255 5 0 R] endobj 6 0 obj <> stream ALTAR SERVER TRAINING MATERIALS - 1 2015 ALTAR SERVER TRAINING . Serving on the altar is a great place to start building these skills. Altar servers are REALLY important, but too often they dont know why. Acolytes, altar servers, readers, and other lay ministers may wear the alb or other suitable vesture or other appropriate or dignified clothing. 2. This is their expression of their love to Mama Mary. Borough of Spelthorne. JFIF H H C Contact 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. The candles are used at the Gospel reading. A good altar server must be sensitive to the necessities of their parish, wherever there is a need. The altar servers are lay assistant to a member of the clergy during a Christian liturgy. Our website provides Catholic The custom of carrying the cross in a procession is very ancient. It would be distracting and disrespectful to be chewing or eating something before or during the Mass. `7.C-seF+;.ysuZ4-KSyF9L@z/uBm+5`#Cb(AcIlc 'GAg\3 If any of the albs are ripped or torn, let the priest or deacon know. The procession is you leading the people of God through the wilderness into the promised land. Although once prohibited in the Catholic Church, female altar servers are now allowed to serve provided that the diocesan bishop and the parish priest allow the practice. On these occasions in particular, the role of the Thurifers becomes extremely important. S mile. [1] Latin Church [ edit] The Altar Server retains a genuine and vital role in the liturgical assembly. i,BZDL ;R h`=sp rs!MZV#nl@>yn's:T4?5v1S Read these other ninethings to find out what they are. Altar Servers should come to Mass prepared to meet the Lord at His Holy Communion. You Are Un-necessary Whoa! 0000002125 00000 n An altar server is a prayer leader, to the extent that his/her actions during the Mass assist the people in knowing what to do. Youre supported by all your fellow servers, you have quite a large responsibly and rules to guide you. Hang up your vestments after using them. It is a great gift to God as we celebrate the 500th anniversary of Christianity in the Philippines. Once they arrive at the altar, the Crocifero lays the cross next to him and sits down. 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. He is open. Candidates should know how to genuflect correctly. >Kl gd}fC]~]#yP!h'hHA7rf4 We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Poise. Crazy nail polish or an extreme hair do? Serving at the . The ministers serving the altar also have to prepare the water and purificator with which the celebrant washes his hands. He desires to serve more as he recognizes that an ongoing formation is needed on the teachings of the Church and the liturgy. (You can unsubscribe anytime). 0000004606 00000 n To serve at the altar also means knowing Jesus whom we serve. At one time there was a rank of minor clergy called the taper-bearer () responsible for bearing lights during processions and liturgical entrances.However, this rank has long ago been subsumed by that of the reader and the service for the tonsure of a reader begins . What this means is that you are doing something in the liturgy which is MORE than just useful. This article has been viewed 198,811 times. 8 0 obj endobj If young, the server is commonly called an altar boy or altar . "k!Ub\pn "{utT) 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. In addition to contributing their support to the liturgical celebration, altar servers develop certain qualities through their service, Dawson notes. By becoming an altar server youll be meeting up with many of the same people every time you serve at Mass. % of people told us that this article helped them. As we mentioned when we were talking about the Ceroferari, the Crosifero or cruciferi is/are the minister charged with carrying a processional cross, or a cross mounted on top of a long pole, which usually leads religious processions. In certain cases the roles are interchangeable, but, as a rule, each of the participants keeps up his / her role, carries out his / her duties and actively participates in the celebration. 'R\n'gfs(/9w" \ `z.;+N6rF8Ie^>z*r4vr When should I get the book for the priest to read? Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. <> This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. <> Anyone who has received their First Holy Communion and is trained can be an altar server. Candidates can be of any gender as long as their church agrees with the practice of including altar servers of another gender. A Critique of Unfettered Do you care about the feelings of others? Usually the priest will open the book and change the pages. He is the patron saint of Altar Servers, bricklayers, casket makers and deacons and his feast day is celebrated on December 26. 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. One needs not to be extravagant in attaining this. Contact your parish priest. Some of the servers are in charge of dealing with the liturgical books the priest needs during the ceremony. .1Sdoeq!}r%4N6\X#_0q itB}q?nB}7kkZ6EjEO4i(j2\P By becoming an altar server you begin to learn these things and it makes all the symbols of the Mass so much more understandable and interesting. A Candidate should fulfill the following requirements: Level up your tech skills and stay ahead of the curve. An altar server assists the priest preparing for Mass and at the altar. <> His face should at least be presentable not appearing bagong gising or beautified by facial cosmetics (Simbang Gabi weakness of Altar Servers). When lighting candles or handling fire, keep the flame away from your vestments and hair. His fingernails must be well trimmed. Since the role of server is integral to the normal celebration of the Mass, at least one server should assist the priest. Regarding this service, I would like to suggest some points for your reflection. You are not a mere display. 2023 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, Although institution into the ministry of acolyte is reserved to lay men, the diocesan bishop may permit the liturgical functions of the instituted acolyte to be carried out by altar servers, men and women, boys and girls. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Qualities of Senior Servers include: A demonstrated knowledge of all the gestures and actions proper to their function as Altar Servers. They carry the candlesticks with the candles in their hands, and, having reached the end of the procession, place them on the sides of the altar. %PDF-1.7 He must recognize that he moves within the atmosphere of prayer. endobj In fact, besides cooperating with the Divine Server by helping him arrange what is required for the Eucharist, placing the liturgical objects on the altar and bringing the Missal, the Altar Servers also have to pray together with the believers, accompany them with hymns and, in general, operate as the priests servants and guides for the congregation. 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. Editors note: The United State Conference of Catholic Bishops website includes an 11-point list of requirements potential altar servers must fulfill before service. 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. The altar server role is a development of the order of acolyte which was a minor order for priest held only by males. That is why in the ministry of altar servers there are meetings, practices, and formations. These are the candle holders who bear the candles. He takes it up again at the end of the ceremony, to accompany the priest to kiss the altar, to put the Blessed Sacrament into the tabernacle, and during the final procession. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". YD=D: Altar Servers Servants of Jesus Dear young people, I greet you affectionately, dear young people. Reply to Steve Hays' Caricatures of the Papacy. OUR LADY OF MERCY CHURCH . 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. Do you have all or some of these marks? We constantly hear that there are too many demands on us. In the history of the Church there have been many characters who could represent the ideal model for Altar Servers, like Saint Tarcisius, who lived in the era of the first Christian communities in Rome and was killed by his pagan peers because he had made himself available to carry the Blessed Sacrament to Christians prisoners, or Saint Dominic Savio, who had Saint John Bosco as a teacher and guide, and devoted his (unfortunately short) life to his brothers and the community. <>/Metadata 14221 0 R/ViewerPreferences 14222 0 R>> I wouldnt say that a good altar server is someone who knows how to use all the sacred vessels. It's okay if you don't know the words, few servers sing at church, and Jesus and the people you serve with are the only ones who will hear it. On Sundays and other more important occasions, two or more servers should be employed to carry out the various functions normally entrusted to these ministers. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 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