Detailed Outline for Altar Servers Before Mass ● Servers are expected to arrive no later than 15 minutes before Mass begins. ● The first thing a server is to do before performing any functions is to get vested. ● One acolyte lights the candles on the altar in this order: right side, inside to outside (front to back); left side, inside to outside. This same order is repeated for the candles on either side of the the tabernacle. Acolyte must always remember to genuflect any time he crosses the sanctuary while lighting the candles. ● The other acolyte checks and verifies that sacred vessels are on the credence table (this also is to be completed by the MC). ● Thurifer (when there is one) will have charcoals lit 10 minutes before Mass. ● All servers are to be vested and at the back of the church 5 minutes before Mass is to begin. Procession Thurible (when there is one) always leads. Crucifer is flanked by the two torch bearers o Line up on the angels o As they walk, keep two-line spacing (length of a full diamond) Behind the torch bearers are the two acolytes, lined up on the angels MC is between priest/deacon and lectors At front of altar Thurifer goes off to the right and waits to genuflect Crucifer and torch bearers go straight their place without reverencing altar Acolytes and MC go off to the right Once Priest comes. Genuflect Everyone goes to their chairs and stands except the thurifer Thurifer goes to top step and waits for priest to kiss altar, then approaches priest with thurible. o Priest will charge thurible then incense the altar. o Thurifer stands at bottom step waiting for priest to complete incensation. o Once priest is done with incensation, thurifer receives thurible from priest, bows to him, and puts away thurible. 1 Incense will be used only at the following Mass times: Saturday 4:30 p.m. and Sunday 12:00 noon and 6:00 p.m. And only for the Entrance Procession and the Gospel. Gospel Procession After Responsorial Psalm the thurifer goes to the thurible, makes sure it is burning well, and waits for the end of the Second Reading. At the conclusion of the Second Reading, the thurifer approaches the priest with the thurible. o If there is a deacon: the deacon will take the boat from the thurifer and give it to the priest. o After the Second Reading: the torch bearers pick up their torches (at the same time; make eye contact with each other) and stand in front of the altar, two steps back from the bottom step, lined up on the angels. o Once the thurible is charged, the thurifer crosses the sanctuary (bowing in the middle) and stands behind the ambo. ● Deacon (or priest) will get the Book of Gospels from the altar and start processing toward the ambo. The torch bearers will walk side by side in front of the deacon (or priest). ○ The torch bearer on the outside (closer to the nave) will line up with St. John on the near side of the ambo. ○ The torch bearer on the inside (closer to the sanctuary) will go around behind the ambo and line up on St. Matthew ● Deacon (or priest) introduces the Gospel and then turns to the thurifer to receive the thurible to incense the Book of Gospels. ● During the Gospel the thurifer swings the thurible back and forth in front of him. ● At the end of the Gospel the thurifer turns and exits the sanctuary through the left sacristy. ● At the end of the Gospel the deacon (or priest) places the Book of Gospels on its stand. The torch bearers go back and line up on the angels as before, and the priest (and deacon) will come between them and bow at the middle with them. The torch bearers then will return to their seats for the homily. Offertory ● ANY TIME A SERVER APPROACHES THE ALTAR, THE SERVER WILL REVERENCE EITHER THE ALTAR (TOWARD THE ALTAR CRUCIFIX) OR THE SACRED MINISTER BEFORE LEAVING THE ALTAR ● Torch bearer on left side takes up the missal stand to the altar and places it on the left side of the altar. ● Acolytes and MC take sacred vessels to the altar to the deacon (or priest). ○ It is not the job of the altar servers to prepare the altar, but rather simply to place the sacred vessels on the altar. ○ MC is to guide and assist the servers but also make sure the priest has everything he needs. ● Sacred vessels go to the altar in the following order: ○ Chalice: this includes the purificator, paten, pall, chalice veil, burse, etc. ○ Patens or ciboria ○ Bread and wine (generally will be brought up by the faithful) ● For the Presentation of the Gifts, the two servers and MC go to the front of the nave with the priest (and/or deacon) ○ Server who receives the paten goes to the right side and then immediately ascends the steps. ○ Server who receives the wine goes to the credence table and waits for server who took up the paten to return so that he can take up the water with the server carrying the wine. ■ Servers carry cruets in right hand and place left hand over their hearts. Canon of the Mass1 ● When the priest places his hands over the offerings to bless them right before the Consecration, the bell ringer (whichever acolyte is kneeling next to the bells) will ring the bells one time. Communion ● Servers will stay kneeling at their places for reception of Communion. ● During Communion, the torch bearer who placed the Missal on the altar will get up and remove the Missal from the altar and place it back on the credence table. ● After Communion the two acolytes will assist the priest and deacon with ablutions (cleaning of sacred vessels). ○ An acolyte will approach the altar with the water in his right hand and left hand over his heart. ○ Once the priest or deacon has returned the water to the acolyte, he will return the water cruet to the credence table. ○ Acolytes will approach the altar for as many times as necessary to receive various things from the priest (chalices, ciboria, patens, tabernacle key, etc.) ○ NOTE: If the ablutions occur at the credence table, the priest or deacon will do so without assistance of the servers. Recession ● After the priest or deacon has announced the end of the Mass, the servers will line up at their places and wait for the priest and deacon to recess out of the church. ● The crucifer and torch bearers will line up on the silver line at the third pew. ● The two acolytes will line up on the silver line at the second pew. 1 Incense will be used only at the following Mass times: Saturday 4:30 p.m. and Sunday 12:00 noon and 6:00 p.m. And only for the Entrance Procession and the Gospel. ● The thurifer recesses out without the thurible and stands next to the MC on the line at the front of the first pew. ● When the priest and deacon bow or genuflect, all servers not carrying something (acolytes, thurifer, MC) will genuflect at the same time as the priest and deacon bow or genuflect. ● Once arriving in the narthex, the servers will stand off to the left near the Immaculate Heart statue. After Mass ● After the final song ends, servers will walk back to the sanctuary either through the church or through the prayer garden. ○ IF IT IS RAINING, DO NOT WALK THROUGH PRAYER GARDEN. ● The person who lit the candles before Mass is also responsible for putting them out after Mass (ask the priest if there is not much time before the next Mass). ○ Candles on the altar are put out in opposite order from how they were lit, so they are put out in this order: left side outside to inside, then right side, outside to inside. The new procedures will begin on Saturday, October 20 and Sunday, October 21. If you have any questions, please ask Fr. Ruben or Fr. Jolly. We want all the altar servers to have a great experience assisting Jesus at the Masses. Even if you make a mistake, don’t worry about it. This is a learning process! .