St. Francis of Assisi Church Altar Server Handbook 1
Welcome to the ministry of Altar Serving! Welcome to each of you who serve at God s Altar. Thank you for serving! Please keep in mind that Altar Serving is an honor and a privilege. It is a noble and humbling experience, for which you will receive many graces from God. But do you know what it takes to be a good altar server? Faithfulness, love of God, and a desire to serve are some of the most important characteristics of becoming a good Altar Server. Schedules and Absences Please make sure you have a schedule and take responsibility in reminding your parents when you are on the schedule. This ministry is very important and so your attendance should be perfect. What do I do if I am unable to serve a Mass? If you are unable to minister on a day you are scheduled, please contact another server immediately; even when you are sick, try to find a replacement. Use the phone list given to you to find a server. REMEMBER: one day you may be the one who needs a substitute so please help out and fill in when asked. Dress Code Our parish community relies on you to serve Mass. If you are absent more than twice, and a replacement was not found, you may be taken off future schedules. Being an Altar Server is one of the highest honors, a privilege that should never be taken for granted. REMEMBER: You are serving God, nothing is greater (not sports, nor other social activities). When you come to Mass, you are in the house of God. Coming to church is equal to going to a banquet. Altar servers are expected to dress in reverence to God. How to dress: Boys Clean shirt with a collar Long pants Shoes Girls Clean shirt with a collar or blouse Long pants, a skirt or a dress Shoes Alb length: to top of shoe General Rule: if you attend St. Francis of Assisi School, wear to church what you would wear to school (your uniform, or the same kind of clothing). If you don t attend St. Francis of Assisi School, wear what would be comparable to a uniform or similar clothing. NO SNEAKERS OR FLIP FLOPS, NO SHORTS OR JEANS, NO T SHIRTS OR TANK TOPS. 2
Responsibility Altar servers are always expected to participate fully in the Mass, especially when on the altar. People in the pews view you as leaders; you are an example to our parish. Stand tall, sit straight, smile! Hands should be folded at all times. Always make the proper responses and sign of the cross. Sing the hymns. Avoid needless talking. There are three (3) basic ways to position your hands during Mass: (a) Hands held open and together (b) Hands folded together (c) Hands clasped together Arrival and pre-mass duties Please arrive fifteen (15) minutes before Mass is to begin. Put your alb and cincture on; let the priest know you are present, and sign in. Check with the sacristan on what needs to be done: o Do the Ciboria and Chalice need to be taken out? o Are the cruets in the proper places? o Is the finger towel and bowl on the credence table? o Five minutes before Mass begins light the candles on the altar. Remember there are special candles which need to be lit at certain times of the year. During Advent Season you will have the Advent Wreath candles to light and within the Easter Season you will have the Paschal candle. o When the electronic bells chime at 5 minutes before Mass, light the processional candles, take up the cross, and pray the Before Mass prayer on the wall with the priest and/or Deacon. If the priest and/or Deacon are not available, pray together with the other altar servers then go to the vestibule (the back of the church). The gold plated processional cross should be used on Sundays, Weddings and Funerals. The wooden cross should be used during the weekdays. However, if the golden cross is too heavy, you may use the wooden one instead. Please remember to be quiet while in the sacristy, since the priest might be praying before Mass. 3
Procession Line up in the following manner: A A A A A A L P P P Three servers, a lector, and priest Two servers and priest Once server and a priest *If the Deacon is present, he will stand between the Altar servers and the priest similar to the lector. The procession starts when the people begin to sing. Walk at a slow pace. This is not a race! Carrying the Cross: Hold the cross straight, with the corpus (body of Christ) directly forward. Candle bearers (normally two servers) o Walk on opposite sides of the cross bearer, carrying the candles straight. o The outside hand should be at the knob (near the top) of the candle holder, with the other hand under the base. o The right hand is the height of the chest. o Be sure to hold the candles straight, so that wax does not pour out. When you reach the Sanctuary, go up the first step and bow (from the waist if you are not holding anything, from the shoulders if you are), then proceed around the left side of the altar. Place the candles and the cross on the stand in back of the altar (not too close to the curtain). Introductory Rites Be sure to pray the responses. For example, I confess to Almighty God or Lord, have mercy. Glory to God in the highest Amen. at the end of the opening prayer. When sitting, think about the answers to these questions: What do you notice about the hands of the Pope and the bishops? With what kind of posture are they sitting? 4
Liturgy of the Word All servers listen attentively to the Gospel and Homily. Liturgy of the Eucharist Offertory: During the Prayer of the Faithful two servers put the following on the altar: o the Roman Missal and stand o Chalice with pall and corporal o If there is no deacon, unfold the corporal on the altar in the center by the edge where the priest will stand. The cross on the corporal should be close to the priest and the creases of the corporal should touch the altar cloth. When the prayer of the faithful is completed, the two acolytes go in front of the altar, bow, and process to the center of the church to the gift table; then lead the people to the altar with the gifts. Always keep hands are to be folded. When you return to the altar leading the gift bearers, stand on each side of the priest so that you can receive the gifts from him. Following the priest, you will turn together, go up the altar, bow at the same time as the priest, then take the gifts to the left side of the altar. When the priest goes to the altar, the wine and water cruets are brought to the blessed mother side of the altar. Important: the handles of the cruets are held outward so that the priest or deacon can use them easily. The other hand should be placed on the chest like during the Pledge of Allegiance. After the priest or deacon returns the cruets of wine and water to you, bow and return wine cruet to the Credence Table. Immediately take the water cruet, bowl and finger towel back to the altar for the priest to wash his hands. Be sure that the towel is open for the priest. When the priest is finished, bow and return to your seats. A bow is a simple bend at the waist During the Holy, Holy, Holy, all servers go to the side of the altar steps with the kneeling pads. When the congregation kneels, all servers kneel. The bell will be rung four (4) times: o (1) when the priest extends his hands over the chalice. o (2) when the priest raises the host, and o (3) when the priest raises the chalice. o (4) After the Lamb of God. 5
Communion Rite Once the priest puts his lips on the chalice to drink from it, stand up and go behind the altar to receive communion. Each altar server will take a communion paten from the burse. Walk in front of the priest and two of the Extraordinary Ministers, so that two servers are in the center, and one server on the side near the confessionals. o Remember: Hold the Paten properly so that it is horizontal to the ground and do not flip it. There may be particles of the Blessed Sacrament which have fallen on the paten and must be returned to the priest in reverence. After the last person has received Holy Communion, follow either the priest or the Extraordinary Minister to the back of the altar. Line up along wall (near thurible), until Extraordinary ministers have returned all ciboria. Give your communion paten to the priest, and he will wipe it down and give it back to you so you can put it back into the burse. Remember to thank God for the gift of holy Communion After all patens have been given to the priest, then one of the Candle Bearers brings the water cruet to the altar, holding it for the priest or deacon. The priest may ask you to pour some water over his fingers into the chalice. When the tabernacle is closed, all servers shall genuflect; simply watch the priest. When he genuflects, you follow him. When the priest and deacon have left the altar, take the book, stand, chalice and anything else off the altar. Concluding Rite After the final Blessing, all Altar Servers retrieve their cross and/or candles and proceed to the base of the sanctuary step and wait for the priest to genuflect before processing out slowly. Servers return to the sacristy.once in the sacristy you will recite the After Mass prayer (with the priest/deacon if he is available.) Put the candles and cross away, extinguish candles, bring everything that is on the Credence Table back into the sacristy. Check with sacristan to be sure nothing else is needed. If you borrowed an alb, be sure it is returned to its proper place neatly. Thank you for serving Mass. Please offer a prayer to God after Mass, thanking him for your faith and for the Eucharist. 6
Weddings As with Mass on Sundays, arrive 15 minutes early. Preparations: Check with sacristan to see what you can help him/her set up. o A wine cruet and a ciborium go on the offertory table. o Holy water bucket should be on wooden table near your seat and ring tray needs to be on the credence table. As usual, pray the Before Mass prayer in the sacristy with the priest, if he is available, or with one another, if he is not. Both servers, side by side, will have his/her hands folded during procession. Procession: The priest rings bell. Servers then process straight up the aisle, genuflect at the altar, and go left. Mass proceeds as usual. At time when prayer of the faithful is normally read: Servers get the holy water and ring tray and stand one of you to the left of the priest and one to the right of the priest. The Best Man places the rings on the tray. The priest blesses the rings. Then servers go back to their seats. However, if it is a ceremony (and not a Mass), servers stay where they are. Prayer of the Faithful: At conclusion of prayer of the faithful, both servers immediately head down aisle do not wait for Father, to accompany offertory procession. Mass proceeds as usual. As usual, servers should be making all responses audibly, especially during a wedding. Clean up Assist the sacristan with clean up. Please do not disrobe before you have completed clean up. The kneelers or chairs may need to be put away. 7
Funerals As with Mass on Sundays, arrive 15 minutes early. Preparations Ten minutes before service, you should light the altar candles and the charcoal for incense. Please keep the charcoal whole do not break in half. The Paschal candle near casket will be lit by the sacristan. At the break in the pews (near the offertory table), the pall should be draped over a pew. o If there are cremated remains of a body (rather than a casket), then there will be no pall. o Sometimes, a viewing is scheduled before the funeral. The casket would be at that break between pews. One server will carry the large processional cross. The other server will carry the bucket and water sprinkler. As usual, pray the Before Mass prayer aloud, with the priest, if he is available, or with one another, if he is not. Procession At funerals, processions should walk slower than at regular Masses. The priest rings bell. Cross bearer processes to end of casket closest to altar, facing casket. Server with the water bucket and sprinkler stands to the right of priest on side of casket. [As usual, place free hand over heart unless the bucket is too heavy for you to hold with only one hand.] Lift up bucket. Then priest sprinkles the casket and says a few words. Pall is placed on casket by funeral director or a family member. At the direction of the priest, the servers then process (with cross bearer leading) straight up the aisle toward altar. Cross bearer will bow at altar and go left. Then the other server will bow toward altar and go left [not bowing together]. Place cross in stand and water bucket and sprinkler on table near server chair. Please sit in the chairs closest to the credence table, maintaining silence. Mass proceeds as usual. Incensing at Preparation of Altar Immediately after the water is added to the wine in the chalice [right after you return the water and wine to the credence table]. The server who had held the holy water now takes the incense (hereafter, that person is called the thurifer). Hold the chain in right hand and the incense boat in other hand. o Please do not wrap the chain around your hand hold it around the middle ring, if possible. 8
o Hand the boat to the priest. Then, carefully, only touching the black part/tip of thurible lift the lid as high as possible, so Father may impose incense onto the charcoal. Shut lid of thurible and hand to priest, taking boat back from priest. Bow. Then server turns and goes all the way down steps and waits at base. Once he has gone all the way around the casket, thurifer goes up and takes chain from priest and returns thurible and boat to stand. The other server brings water, dish, and towel up to priest for him to wash his hands. Reminders as usual, servers should be making all responses audibly. After communion, servers go left of altar, return communion plate and return to seats. When communion is finished, the thurifer should take the incense into the sacristy and add one charcoal. This must be done quickly. Since there will already be lit charcoal in the thurible, it is not necessary to light the additional charcoal with the lighter. Simply swing the thurible as you come back to the sanctuary. Incensing casket After communion, when priest says Let us pray, servers get the cross and the incense. [There will be no blessing.] First, the cross bearer proceeds to the end of casket away from altar and turns to face altar. Incense bearer should go to altar rail and stand to right of priest. o Hand boat to priest. Lift lid from black tip as high as possible, so priest may impose incense. o Hand thurible to priest, taking back boat and bow. The priest incenses the casket. o Then the incense bearer goes to head of procession (farthest away from the altar) and turns to face the altar leave about a pew s distance between servers. [The thurifer is always supposed to lead processions.] When the priest takes his place in front of the cross bearer, facing the casket and the altar. Pallbearers take their positions around casket. Funeral director moves. Make sure that there is room for the pallbearers to genuflect, as you bow. Final Procession Always have thurible in right hand and swing it slowly. While walking, keep it swinging, as this adds oxygen and increases its smoke. o The thurible should be around shin level (be sure not to have it so low that it hits or even touches the ground, as it might spill). If possible, hold the top of the chain, near ring, otherwise at whatever point keeps it from touching ground. Turn just before rear vestibule doors, both facing center aisle along wall/door. The priest takes pall. o When priest genuflects, process (while swinging incense) to the back of the sacristy (door at middle of church). Then, as usual, say aloud together the Prayer After Mass, on sacristy wall (with items still in hand). Clean up Incense bearer should use tongs (kept above sacrarium) to put the used, hot charcoal in the terra cotta (red earthen) container, which is outside, to the left of the church door. Snuff candles, including Paschal candle, using tall extinguisher kept in closet to right of sacrarium. Do not move the paschal candle. Sacristan will do so. As always, communicate with the sacristan about clean up. Please do not disrobe before you have completed clean up. 9
Liturgical Vessels: Ablution Cup the cup of water to wash the fingers in when they have touched the hosts. The towel is used for drying the fingers. Altar the table where the priest presides over the Sacrifice of the Mass. Altar Cross the cross that hangs over the altar and the tabernacle. Altar Server Alb and Cincture the alb is the white garment that the altar servers wear and it is tied p with the cincture. Altar Server Prayers these are before and after prayers recited by both the altar servers and the priest. Bells the bells are used to remind the people of the important parts of the Mass. 10
The Book of the Gospels used during high Mass, the Book of the Gospels are carried in procession and used by the priest to read the Gospel passage for the day. Ciborium the Ciborium is the vessel the holds the hosts to be reserved in the Tabernacle and used for Mass. The difference between this and the chalice is that the ciborium has a cover. Chalice the vessel that hold the wine to be consecrated during Mass. It is covered by the corporal and the paten. Chalice Veil Veil placed over the chalice and paten. Its color depends on the liturgical season and is used only for Sunday Mass. Communion Paten this Paten is used by the altar servers during the distribution of Holy Communion so that no pieces of the Eucharist fall to the ground. 11
Funeral Pall Large white cloth placed on top of casket during the funeral Mass. The Cope the outer cape worn by the priest during exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. Corporal White cloth placed on the altar for the chalice and paten. Cruets these are the water and wine containers used during the Mass. Finger Towel White cloth, without cross on top, used to clean the priest s fingers. 12
Gift Table located in the center of the Church, the gift table is used to hold the gifts of water and wine and presented to the priest during the Offertory. Holy Water Bucket and Sprinkler the aspergillum is the rod like instrument used to sprinkle holy water while the aspersory is the pail used to hold the holy water, but you may call them by their common names. Humeral Veil worn over the Cope and used by the priest to hold up the monstrance during Benediction. Luna and Luna Pyx The Luna is used to place the Blessed Sacrament that is to be inserted into the monstrance during benediction. The Luna Holder is where the Luna is placed into when the Blessed Sacrament is still within the Luna and is in reserve in the tabernacle. 13
Monstrance this is what is used to hold the host for adoration and exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. This photo shows the monstrance without the Luna, which would contain the host. Pall the square of stiff linen cloth used to cover the top of the chalice. Paschal Candle The tall candle that is lit at the Easter Vigil: is used throughout Easter and on special occasions. Paten with Host a round saucer used to hold the host before and after consecration. Pitcher and Bowl these instruments are used during the washing of the feet on Holy Thursday to symbolize Christ washing the feet of his apostles. Priest's Chair the special chair reserved for the main Celebrant of the Mass. 14
Priest Vestment the vestments incorporate the alb, the stole, and the chasuble. They are colored by liturgical season and can come in green, red, white, purple, and rose. Processional Candles carried by the altar servers in procession before and after the Mass. Processional Cross surrounded by the processional candles, the cross is carried by one altar server before and after the Mass. Processional Torches carried by the altar servers on special occasions and during special processions. Pulpit this is the stand in front of the altar where the Readings and the Gospel are read aloud to the congregation. 15
Purificator White cloth, with a cross on top, used to clean out the chalice. Pyx and Case the small pyx contains Communion to be distributed to those people, by the priest or a Eucharistic Minister, who cannot attend Mass. Reliquary a place where a relic is stored of a particular saint and used for veneration. Roman Missal used by the priest and it contains all the prayers to be said during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Sacrarium the special sink found in the sacristry used to wash the sacred vessels. The contents flow into the ground. This sink is NEVER used for washing of hands. 16
Sanctuary Lamp this lamp is kept burning at all times that the Blessed Sacrament is in the Tabernacle. Tabernacle the place where the Blessed Sacrament is stored at all times. Thurible with Boat the Thurible is used to burn incense during special solemn occasions. The Boat is the container that holds the incense. Always take both together. Votive Candles found in the front of the church by the altar, these candles are lit by the people as reminders of loved ones and the prayers said. 17