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Altar Server Guide Altar Server Guide Holy Ghost Catholic Church Hammond, Louisiana 1 | P a g e Holy Ghost Catholic Church 601 North Oak Street Hammond, Louisiana 70401 (985) 345-3360 Dear Altar Server, Thank you for your willingness to serve as an altar server! You are serving in an important way at the Mass. As an altar server, you are involved in some of the holiest and most sacred events in our tradition of Catholic worship. It is important to realize that you are serving not only the priest, but your family, the whole Church community at Holy Ghost, and you are serving God in helping with prayers and with the Eucharist. I also offer prayers of thanksgiving for your parents who support your desire to serve. May you be blessed as you serve God with joy, serve God with all your heart, and serve God and others with your gifts and talents, as God commands us to. May God continue to bless you abundantly during this new school year and may God send forth the Holy Spirit to guide you in all you do, to protect you, and to fill you with God’s Divine love and mercy! Yours in Christ, Fr. Roberto Merced, O.P. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many…Mk 10:45 Serve the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful song....Ps 100:2 2 | P a g e Reminders & Responsibilities: Altar Servers must fully participate in Mass. Review the prayers and liturgical terms on the following pages to better assist you. Arrive 15-20 minutes before mass begins. Dress in proper attire, no jeans, shorts, tennis shoes or flip-flops. Sign-in on the sheet taped to the robe closet. Dress in the right-size robe making sure that the bottom reaches your ankles, with rope tied around your waist, and wooden cross around your neck and under the hood. Quietly pray the Altar Server’s prayer. Light the candles on the altar. Extinguish the candles on the altar after Mass. Properly hang up the robes on a hanger zipped up (use the step stool to reach the bar if necessary). A master schedule for the year will be sent via email and posted on our church website: http://www.hgchurch.org/ministry-schedule/altar-servers/ Schedules will also be emailed monthly and posted on the church website. Please make every effort to serve as scheduled. IF you are unable to serve at your scheduled time, please get another server to serve for you. If you should ever have any questions or concerns or need assistance, Thank you for yourplease service contact: and dedication! Mrs. Trisha Labbé (985) 345-3360, ext. 28 [email protected] 3 | P a g e Prayers Recited at Mass Every Altar Server must be able to recite the prayers of the Mass. The Greeting: Priest: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Servers: Amen. The Penitential Rite: I confess to Almighty God, and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done, and in what I have failed to do, through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault; therefore, I ask Blessed Mary, ever virgin, all the angles and saints, and you my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God. The Glory to God: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will. We praise you, we bless you, we adore you, we glorify you, we give you thanks for your great glory, Lord God, heavenly King, O God, almighty Father. Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son, Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us; you take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer; you are seated at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen. The Profession of Faith: I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. I believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through Him all things were made. For us men and our salvation He came down from heaven, Server(s) bow here as you say and by the Power of the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake He was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and His kingdom will have no end. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. I believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church. I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen. 4 | P a g e Prayers Recited at Mass (continued…) The Holy, Holy, Holy: Server: Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of hosts. Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. The Lord's Prayer: Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. The Lamb of God: Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world: have mercy on us. Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world: have mercy on us. Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world: grant us peace. Th e Communion Prayer: Priest: Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those who are called to the supper of the Lamb. Server: Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed. 5 | P a g e Liturgical Terms and Definitions Absolution - In the sacrament of penance, the act by which a priest, having the necessary jurisdiction, remits the guilt and penalty due to sin. Advent - A period of prayer in preparation for Christmas, including four Sundays, the first nearest the feast of St. Andrew, November 30. It is the beginning of the Church's liturgical year. Alb - A full length white vestment worn over the clothes by priests, deacons and altar servers. Altar - In Catholic churches the table on which the Sacrifice of the Mass is offered. Ambo - Elevated pulpit or lectern from which the 1st and 2nd Readings and the Gospel are read. Referred to as the Liturgy of the Word. Archbishop - A bishop who presides over one or more dioceses. Aspersory and Aspergillum - The Aspersory is a container for holding Holy Water. The Aspergillum is a stick-shaped implement with holes in it to dip into the Aspersory and catch the Holy Water for sprinkling the people and things. Baptismal Font - A stone, metal, or wooden receptacle for holding baptismal water used in the solemn administration of the sacrament of Baptism. Boat - the container which holds incense. Book of the Gospels - The book from which the Priest or Deacon reads the Gospel. Bowl/Pitcher - used for washing the priest’s hands during the Preparation of the Gifts (The Offertory) Chalice - The cup-shaped vessel or goblet used at Mass to contain the Precious Blood of Christ. For centuries it was made of precious material; if it was not of gold, the interior of the cup was gold-plated. Chasuble - the outer garment the priest wears whose color corresponds to the liturgical season. Corporal - A square white linen cloth on which the Host and Chalice are placed during Mass. It is also used under the monstrance at Benediction or under the Blessed Sacrament at any time. 6 | P a g e Liturgical Terms and Definitions (continued…) Ciborium (Ciboria) - A covered container used to hold the consecrated small Hosts. Communion Cups - small gold chalice-looking cups containing the Precious Blood of Jesus used at communion. Credence Table - Small table located near the altar that holds sacred vessels and books. Cruet - small pitcher-like container used to hold water or unconsecrated wine at Mass. Deacon - A man specially ordained to the service of the Church's ministry. The role of deacons is to assist priests in preaching, the conferral of baptism, performance of marriage, the administration of parishes, and similar duties.
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