Christ the King Catholic Church Altar Server Instructions GENERAL RULES

68 Pages·2016·7.75 MB·English

Christ the King Catholic Church
Altar Server Instructions
GENERAL RULES

(Updated 8/15/2016)
Name: _______________________________________________________________________
Contents
Before We Begin ........................................................................................................................................... 6
Welcome ................................................................................................................................................... 6
Duration and Investiture Ceremony ......................................................................................................... 6
Scheduling ................................................................................................................................................. 6
Substitutions ......................................................................................................................................... 6
Absences ............................................................................................................................................... 7
Dress ............................................................................................................................................................. 7
Arrival ............................................................................................................................................................ 8
Punctuality ............................................................................................................................................ 8
Sign-in (Points & Rewards) .................................................................................................................... 8
Scholarships & Awards .................................................................................................................................. 9
St. George Corps ......................................................................................................................................... 10
Vesting ........................................................................................................................................................ 11
The Washing of Hands before Mass ................................................................................................... 11
Vesture ................................................................................................................................................ 11
Cincture Colors .................................................................................................................................... 11
Tying the Cincture ............................................................................................................................... 11
Put on Serra Altar Server Award ......................................................................................................... 12
Vesting Prayers ................................................................................................................................... 12
General Rules in the Sanctuary ................................................................................................................... 12
Distractions ......................................................................................................................................... 12
Anticipate ............................................................................................................................................ 13
Hands Joined ....................................................................................................................................... 13
90º Angles ........................................................................................................................................... 13
Staring ................................................................................................................................................. 13
Genuflecting ........................................................................................................................................ 13
Bowing the Head ................................................................................................................................. 14
Bowing at the Waist (Solemn or Profound Bow) ................................................................................ 14
Kneeling ............................................................................................................................................... 15
Striking the Chest ................................................................................................................................ 15
Face the Gospel ................................................................................................................................... 15
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Our Father ........................................................................................................................................... 15
Sign of Peace ....................................................................................................................................... 15
Preparations before Mass ........................................................................................................................... 16
Determine Duties ................................................................................................................................ 16
Make Sure Everything is in Its Place ................................................................................................... 16
Setting up the Chalice ......................................................................................................................... 18
Light the Candles ................................................................................................................................. 19
Prayer .................................................................................................................................................. 19
Procession ................................................................................................................................................... 20
Processional Order at Mass .................................................................................................................... 21
The Procession Begins ......................................................................................................................... 21
In Front of the Altar ............................................................................................................................ 22
Crucifer (Cross bearer) ................................................................................................................................ 23
Basic Crucifer Duties ........................................................................................................................... 23
Processional Cross ............................................................................................................................... 23
Roman Missal ...................................................................................................................................... 23
Creed ................................................................................................................................................... 23
Preparation of the Altar ...................................................................................................................... 24
Offertory ............................................................................................................................................. 26
Eucharistic Prayer................................................................................................................................ 26
Communion ......................................................................................................................................... 27
Clearing the Altar ................................................................................................................................ 29
Recession ............................................................................................................................................ 30
Book Bearer................................................................................................................................................. 31
Basic Book Bearer Duties .................................................................................................................... 31
Introductory Rites ............................................................................................................................... 31
Creed ................................................................................................................................................... 32
Preparation of the Altar ...................................................................................................................... 33
Eucharistic Prayer................................................................................................................................ 34
Communion ......................................................................................................................................... 34
Clearing the Altar ................................................................................................................................ 35
Prayer after Communion .................................................................................................................... 35
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Recession ............................................................................................................................................ 36
Candle Bearers ............................................................................................................................................ 37
Basic Candle Bearer Duties ................................................................................................................. 37
How to Hold the Candles .................................................................................................................... 37
Gospel Procession ............................................................................................................................... 37
Reception of the Gifts ......................................................................................................................... 40
Eucharistic Prayer................................................................................................................................ 42
Communion ......................................................................................................................................... 43
Purifying the Priest’s Fingers ............................................................................................................... 44
Clearing the Altar ................................................................................................................................ 44
Recession ............................................................................................................................................ 44
Thurifer ....................................................................................................................................................... 45
What is a Thurifer ............................................................................................................................... 45
Basic Thurifer Duties ........................................................................................................................... 45
Times of Incensing .............................................................................................................................. 45
How to Light the Charcoal ................................................................................................................... 46
Incense & Boat .................................................................................................................................... 46
How to Swing the Thurible .................................................................................................................. 46
Before the Procession ......................................................................................................................... 47
Incensing the Cross and the Altar ....................................................................................................... 48
Gospel Procession ............................................................................................................................... 49
Preparation of the Altar ...................................................................................................................... 51
Eucharistic Prayer................................................................................................................................ 52
Recession ............................................................................................................................................ 54
After Mass ................................................................................................................................................... 55
Hanging Cassocks, Albs & Surplices .................................................................................................... 55
Tying & Storing the Cinctures ............................................................................................................. 55
Masses with Two Servers ............................................................................................................................ 56
Entrance Procession ............................................................................................................................ 56
Gospel Procession ............................................................................................................................... 56
Preparation of the Altar ...................................................................................................................... 56
Recession ............................................................................................................................................ 56
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Appendix I: Parts of the Church .................................................................................................................. 57
Appendix II: Sacred Things .......................................................................................................................... 61
Prayers for Altar Servers ............................................................................................................................. 68
Anima Christi ....................................................................................................................................... 68
Prayer to St. Dominic Savio, Patron Saint of Altar Servers ................................................................. 68

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Before We Begin
Welcome
Thank you for saying “yes” to the invitation to serve at Masses here at Christ the King. Your “yes” echoes
the affirmation given centuries ago by the Blessed Mother to the Archangel Gabriel. Like Mary, God is
asking you to accept a special mission and to participate in the mysteries of the Sacraments in a deeper
way. Moreover, the act of serving is inseparably intertwined with the Heart of Jesus Who came “not to
be served, but to serve.”1 Service at the Mass should be an act of joy, generosity and love. It is neither a
right nor an obligation: it is a unique privilege. It is an act of stewardship and gratitude. Let us serve
every Mass as if it were our first Mass, our last Mass, and our only Mass.
Duration and Investiture Ceremony
Servers are asked to serve from the time they are initially trained through the entire summer following
their 8th grade graduation. Those who wish to continue serving while in high school apply to join the
ranks of the St. George Corps.
After the completion of their training, new servers and their families are invited to attend a special 10
a.m. Sunday Mass at CtK in early August in which they are formally invested with their alb and cincture.
Outgoing 8th grade servers are also invited to attend this same Mass wherein they are recognized for the
fulfillment of their service.
If at any point a server and his family discern the need to withdraw from serving, they are invited to
contact the pastor, Fr. Cook, who is happy to visit with them.
Scheduling
The altar server schedule will be emailed to your family prior to its taking effect so watch your email
account. If you do not receive the appropriate emailing, please call the parish office to verify your
correct email address. The schedule can also be downloaded from the Christ the King website and extra
hard copies are available in the sacristy or Rectory.
Substitutions
If you cannot serve when assigned, please call the other altar servers to find a substitute. A list of fellow
servers and their phone numbers is included in your schedule. As much as possible, teams are created to
insure a balance of girls and boys. In order to preserve these ratios and in order to adhere to
Archdiocesan regulations, only a girl can substitute for a girl and only a boy can substitute for another
boy.2 Spontaneous “walk-ons,” a role which will be explained later in this document, can be of either
sex.

1 Mark 10:45.
2 “It is required under ordinary circumstances that half of the servers at any celebration be male,” (Archdiocesan
Pastoral Policies Handbook [January 1, 2009], 3.2.3.13). This requirement exists both to foster future vocations to
the priesthood and to encourage the liturgical involvement of boys in a coed environment.
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Absences
If you’ve tried and cannot find a substitute of the same sex or you miss your assigned Mass for a just and
understandable reason, e.g., sudden illness, family emergency, etc., please email Fr. Cook at
[email protected]. He will forward your message to Mrs. Kathy O’Connor who monitors points.
If you do not serve when assigned, do not find a sub, and fail to notify Fr. Cook ahead of time or email
him an understandable excuse shortly after the missed Mass, you will lose 3 server points. Allowances
will always be made for absences that have reasonable explanations but these must be communicated
to Fr. Cook in a prompt way.
Dress
Mass is where we come to meet and receive God, so we want to be dressed as nice as possible
whenever we attend Mass and especially when serving in the sanctuary.
All altar servers should wear socks and dress shoes or their nicest shoes to serve. Hair must be well
groomed and neat in appearance.
Boys need to wear collared shirts or shirts without logos, graphics or writing, as well as long pants. Boys
may never wear earrings. Jeans are discouraged unless they are the only long pants owned by a boy.
Girls should wear blouses or shirts without logos or writing. They should also wear either dresses, long
pants, skorts or a skirt. Dresses, skorts and skirts must not be shorter than 4 inches from the knees.
Earrings are permitted but never other piercings of the body.
Servers may NEVER wear:
 Immodest clothing, e.g., midriffs, tank
tops, shorts, mini-skirts or cut-offs,
etc.
 Flip flops, sandals or open-toed shoes
 Torn clothes or clothes with gaping
holes in them
Servers who do not come properly dressed to
serve at a given Mass will not be allowed to
serve at that Mass and they will be marked
absent.
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Arrival
Punctuality
Report to the sacristy at least 20 minutes before your assigned Mass. If you are late, another server in
the congregation may volunteer or be asked spontaneously to serve. These generous people are called
“walk-ons.” If you have a good reason for being late, just explain it to the Priest celebrant.
Sign-in (Points & Rewards)
Servers earn points for serving and receive extra points for subbing and “walking-on.” These points earn
servers the privilege of attending special parties and events in their honor, as well as consideration for
school scholarships and the annual Serra Altar Server Award. Every server begins with 15 points every
July 1st. Points are added or subtracted, depending on their performance.

Always print your name in the designated sign-in book in the back sacristy. DO NOT write down the
name for another person or write down a fake name. Find the Mass and time for which you are serving
in the sign-in book. Next to your name write the letter that corresponds to your situation:
 A (Assigned) – when a server reports for the Mass that he is assigned to cover. (1 POINT)
 S (Subbing) – when a server does not trade serving assignments in a reciprocal fashion but
generously volunteers to serve for another server, no strings attached. (2 POINTS)
 T (Trade) – when a server has exchanged his serving duties for another server and vice versa. (1
POINT)
A “walk-on” is a server who attends Mass for which he is not obliged yet volunteers to serve at that
Mass anyway and is used to fill in for an unexpectedly absent server. Sign your name in the “walk-on”
section of the sign-in book next to the name of the server you are replacing. (3 POINTS)
If you are serving at a special liturgy, e.g., funerals, weddings, etc., please write your name at the
bottom of the sign-in sheet marked Special Liturgy. Please write down the occasion, date, time and your
name. Serving for these special liturgies also earns a server 3 points. (3 POINTS)
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Scholarships & Awards
Reliable servers who display leadership, zeal, and diligence in their roles are eligible for various awards
and academic scholarships. Awards and scholarships are awarded in the spring each year.
Serra Altar Server Awards: Each year the pastor submits the
names of up to six outstanding 8th grade servers from Christ
the King Parish to receive the Serra Altar Server Award. Given
at a special Mass in the spring, this award recognizes the best
servers across the Archdiocese and is a true accolade to the
recipient and his or her family. Servers receive a decorative
medal that can be worn upon their alb whenever they serve
and a commemorative certificate of merit.
Dr. Edmond Walsh Altar Server Scholarship: This scholarship is awarded to the best 6th grade altar
server enrolled in Christ the King School and bestows upon the recipient a considerable financial
scholarship applied to his CtK tuition for the following year.
St. Dominic Savio Altar Server Scholarships: These $100 scholarships are awarded by the pastor to 3
active 6th grade altar servers who serve at Christ the King and who have excelled in the virtues of
generosity, cooperation, piety, liturgical knowledge, and leadership. If the recipients of these
scholarships attend Christ the King School, the scholarship monies will assist them in their tuition for the
succeeding academic year. If the recipients of these scholarships attend public school or are
homeschooled, the scholarship monies will be rendered to the parents of each recipient in the form of a
check, to be utilized towards their education in whatever way the parents deem fit. St. Dominic Savio, a
patron Saint to altar servers, excelled in the ways of holiness at a very young age: At five years of age the
precocious little Dominic knew all of his prayers and even began serving as an altar server. As an
adolescent he studied to become a priest under the tutelage of St. John Bosco until he became ill and
died at the age of fourteen, possibly from pleurisy. "I am not capable of doing big things, but I want to
do everything, even the smallest things, for the greater glory of God," (St. Dominic Savio).
Michael Korff Altar Server Scholarship: This scholarship is awarded to the best 7th grade altar server
enrolled in Christ the King School and bestows upon the recipient a very generous financial scholarship
applied to his CtK tuition for the following year.
St. John Berchmans Altar Server Scholarships: These $100 scholarships are awarded by the pastor to 3
active 7th grade altar servers who serve at Christ the King and who have excelled in the virtues of
generosity, cooperation, piety, liturgical knowledge, and leadership. If the recipients of these
scholarships attend Christ the King School, the scholarship monies will assist them in their tuition for the
succeeding academic year. If the recipients of these scholarships attend public school or are
homeschooled, the scholarship monies will be rendered to the parents of each recipient in the form of a
check, to be utilized towards their education in whatever way the parents deem fit. St. John Berchmans,
S.J., a patron saint to altar servers, wanted to be a priest at a very early age and became a Jesuit
scholastic, dying before ordination at the young age of twenty-two. He was known for his diligence,
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piety, holiness, and emphasis on perfection in little things. "If I do not become a saint when I am young, I
shall never become one," (St. John Berchmans).
Bernard Calandra Altar Server Scholarship: This scholarship is awarded to the best 8th grade altar server
enrolled in Christ the King School who will be attending a Catholic High School. It bestows upon the
recipient a considerable financial scholarship applied to his high school tuition for the following year.
St. George Corps
The St. George Corps are a special, elite rank of servers
composed of high school-age servers who continue to serve in
liturgies and act as leaders and mentors to younger servers.
Members of the corps serve infrequently and more exclusively
for special occasions, e.g., Masses with the Archbishop, major
holy days like Holy Week, Christmas, etc., weekend weddings,
and funerals. With additional training, members may also serve
as Masters of Ceremonies for specific liturgies, helping to plan
and execute the respective liturgy in cooperation with the
clergy. The corps also serve for younger servers looking for
substitutes and are invited to volunteer and assist in the
formation of new servers during their annual summer training.
Girls who join the corps wear white albs and special, distinct
cinctures. Boys who serve in the corps wear traditional black
cassock and surplice instead of the alb.
Just like grade school serving, this unique cadre of high-school age servers is not obligatory but it is an
excellent way for young men and women to stay connected to the parish and to grow in greater
leadership and service to God. To become a member of the St. George Corps, candidates must apply in
their 8th grade year and be accepted by the pastor.
St. George, heroic Catholic soldier and defender of the Faith, you dared
to criticize a tyrannical Emperor and were subjected to horrible torture.
You could have occupied a high military position but you preferred to
die for your Lord. Obtain for us the great grace of heroic Christian
courage that should mark soldiers of Christ. Amen.

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