ALTAR SERVERS

TRAINING

ANNUNCIATION OF THE LORD PARISH

Message from our Pastors

Dear Servers
As your title indicates, your primary role is to serve. First, you serve
God from loving and prayerful hearts. Secondly, you serve the priest
through specific actions and attention to the practical details of the liturgy.
Lastly, you serve the congregation by your attentive posture and attentive
disposition to the prayer of the Mass and the sacred atmosphere of the
liturgy.
The many instructions and rules in this manual are meant to help you
perform well your duties, which are always to be done for the greater glory
of God.
As pastors, we are very concerned that the Mass here at Annunciation of
the Lord be a prayerful and meaningful experience for us all. We count on
your good service to help make this happen.
We thank you for saying yes to being an altar server and we pray that it will
be a fulfilling experience for you now and in the years to come.
Peace and Blessings,
Fr. Yves Marchildon
Fr. Dennis Hayes.

General Rules
If you notice an alb that needs attention throughout the year, please

contact me with the size and I will look after it.

In the winter you can bring shoes to change into before entering the
Sacristy, if possible. This helps to keep the gowns clean at the bottom.
Please email scheduler any dates (or pertinent information) that will assist
in coordinating a schedule that works with your familys routine. If no
specific instructions from families are received, people are scheduled on a
rotational basis to the Mass time requested. Deadline for submissions is
given each month.
Schedules are sent via email; limited hard copies are available in the
mailbox for altar servers (located just outside the parish office and
Sacristy). Schedule is also posted on the Sacristy bulletin board. Please try
to keep the sacristy copy up to date with switches so that the priests know
who is helping them. We try to keep ~One month posted. After the
schedule is posted, any switches that are necessary are made between
families of other servers. Scheduler does not coordinate your
switches or changes in the schedule once it is posted. Schedules are
also posted on the parish website under: ministries>liturgy and
worship>altar servers> documents. Direct link to altar servers:
http://www.annunciation-ottawa.org/index.cfm?load=page&page=250 >go
to documents.

General Rules: 2 PART

In case of absences, please try to contact someone else on your team for

the Mass to tell them that you will not be present, or find a replacement/switch, so
the other servers will not be waiting for you. The servers have different routines
with the candles and cross they must prepare for before the service starts if they
are short a server. On short notice, 48hrs or less, please contact others by phone.
Arrive at least 15 minutes, preferably 20 minutes before Mass.
Sick children should not serve at the Mass for obvious health and safety reasons.
(ex. Coughing and runny noses.)
Servers who are not scheduled can check out whos showing up in the Sacristy
just in case there is an opening because of an absence. We function with 1-3
servers, ideally with 3. Please respect the 5 minute rule of silence prayer before
the Mass.
Special Masses (Christmas/New Year/Ash Wednesday/Easter week) are scheduled
by volunteers only and sometimes require extra practice (1/2hr--hr) before the
service.
High school students: Altar Serving can be applied to community service hours.
Keep track of your hours.

Dress code:
NO SHARP JEWELRY/EARRINGS. The fabric snags

easily on sharp edges.

Hair must be combed/ brushed neatly.
Teeth must be brushed.
Try to wear neutral colours, avoid bright colours or
designs that show through the gown.
Khakis are a neat option.
Always wear shoes, dress shoes preferred. Proper
sandals permitted in summer, but no bright
colours, no crocks or flip-flops. Big boots should
not be worn.

Before and during Mass.

Try to arrive 15 minutes before Mass.
All servers should wash their hands before they dress.
Go where the albs are kept and find your size. You can

hang up your jacket, if you have one, on the same hanger

that was used for your alb.
Once you have put on the alb, take a cross and put it on.
Make sure to put on the hood of your alb before putting on
the cross and then pull the hood down after.
Find out in the schedule what job are you doing.
Servers should be gowned, candles lit/cross and ready for
procession at the doors to the church 5 minutes before
the Mass starts.

Before and during Mass.

(2)
Use your indoor voice before Mass starts, the

congregation should not be distracted from their quiet

preparation before Mass.
Talking at the altar should be kept to a minimum during
the service.
Please cover your mouth when you yawn during Mass.
Face forward, do not sit and turn your body to face the
congregation, especially at communion time.
Walk when in the Sanctuary, do not run.
Make sure to waist bow to the altar as you cross the
Sanctuary.
Move together as a team

Introductory Rite:
The procession starts when the singing
starts. Do not start walking until you

hear words being sung. Walk normally, not too fast or not too slow, and
maintain the same pace throughout.

Order of the procession

Thurible (on special occasions only)
Cross
Candles
Other servers
Priest and Deacon.
Upon reaching the altar, head bow and the proceed to place the cross and

candles where they belong and then to your seats. Do not sit down right
away!

If you are not carrying anything, when you reach the altar, waist bow, walk

on the tiled floor until you reach the steps on the side, then proceed to your
seat. Do not sit right away.

LITURGY OF THE WORD,

LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST AND CONCLUDING
RITE
Liturgy of the Word (readings/Gospel):
Stand and sit as the congregation does and try to participate. Try not to fidget or do

anything distracting. Remember your purpose is to help the congregation pray and
concentrate on the Mass.

Liturgy of the Eucharist:

After the Prayers of the Faithful, proceed down to the first step and take the gifts to the
credence table.
Concluding Rite:
Once the final blessing has been given, be ready to leave the sanctuary the same way you
entered. Once the music starts, the cross bearer will proceed to carry the cross and the
candles will follow.
If you are not carrying anything, walk down the steps and on the tiled floor until you reach
the center aisle. At this point, the cross will stop and turn around, to face the altar and wait
for the other servers and the priest.
When the priest waist bows the altar, the servers who are not carrying anything waist bow
as well, then turn and process out. The servers carrying the cross and the candles may head
bow when the priest bows.

Roles of an Altar Server:

Cross
We have two different
types of Crosses: a
Heavy and a Light one.
They are both located
in the wall in front of
the office

The Altar server

carrying the Cross is
always the first one in
the initial procession.

The Cross Bearer intervenes four times during the Eucharistic celebration:

First (initial procession): The Cross bearer must start walking when
the choir begins to sing. Upon reaching the altar, head bow and then
proceed to leave the Cross to the place where it belongs.

The light Cross is left in the stand

next to the chair (in the right side of
the altar.

The heavy Cross is left in the stand

underneath the big Cross (next to the
candles).

Then you can have a seat in the second chair after the light Cross stand.
Remember that the chair next to the Fathers seat is reserved for the deacon.

Second (procession for gifts): After the Prayers of the

Faithful, the deacon or another altar server will start setting
up the altar (note: it could be you if you are the only one
serving). When they finish take the Cross and go to the back
of the Church.
Wait for the ushers or the
people carrying the gifts
(bread and wine) to tell you
that they are ready. A hint:
start walking when you see the
Priest standing up and walking
to the front of the altar.

Then, leave the Cross in the same stand where

you got it from and remain standing next to your
seat.

Third (lead the Eucharistic Minister): Get the Cross

as soon as you finish receiving communion.

When you see that all the Eucharist
Ministers have a Ciborium (blue bowl)
in their hands start walking towards
the confessionary. It is located behind
the choir and scent-free area, near
the back of the Church.

When that line of communion is

finished walk towards the center isle
of the Church and wait there. The
Extraordinary Minster will tell you
when to walk again to the altar as in
the initial procession. A hint: start
walking when the Priest goes to give
communion to the choir.

Fourth (final procession): After the Priest gives the

final blessing the choir will start singing .

At this point grab the Cross and

start walking towards the back of
the Church through the center
isle. Stop at the second pew and
turn around (facing the altar). Turn
around when you see the Priest
turning around and walk out nor
too fast or too slow.

Book
The Book (Roman Missal) will be set
up before each Mass so it will be
ready to use once you get to the
altar. You will always find a ribbon
coming from one of the edges of the
Book. It indicates the page where it
should be opened
The Book Bearer intervenes two times during the Eucharistic celebration :
First: In the beginning of Mass the Priest will
say some prayers. Next, you will hear the choir
singing the Glory. The song will finish with the
words In the glory of God the Father. Amen.
At this point, get the book and open it in the
page where the ribbon is. When you hear the
Priest saying: Let us pray, take the book
to the Priest. After he reads the prayer go
back to your seat.

Second: After giving Holy Communion, the

Priest or the Deacon will clean the altar (put
things away) and then they will go to their seats.
He will remain in silence for a couple of minutes.
As soon as the Priest stands up grab the book
and open it in the page indicated by the ribbon.
Once you hear the Priest saying: Let us
pray, take the book to the Priest. After he
reads the prayer go back to your seat.

Candles
If there are only two servers, the Cross must be processed with

them, never the candles by themselves. Never process with only

one candle.
If you are a Candle bearer, you are in charge of lighting up the
candles 5 min before Mass. The Candle Bearers intervene three
times during the Eucharistic celebration:

First (initial procession): The Candle bearers are

always the second ones in the initial procession. They are
meant to follow the Cross while they are walking towards
the altar. Once they reach the altar, the candles are left at
the foot of the big Cross.

Second (Gospel): After the first, psalm and second

reading are read; the choir will start singing the Alleluia

At this moment you proceed to pick

up the candles (they are underneath
the big Cross). Then, walk and stop at
the end of the altar. Wait for the
Priest to approach the altar and bow.
After the Priest bows, he will start
walking towards the ambo. Walk before
him as if you were leading him. Then
stand next to the ambo. One on the left
and one on the right as shown in the
picture. Hold the candle at a height
that you can hold still without moving
back and forth for the duration of the
Gospel reading. This avoids distraction
for the congregation.

Third (final procession): After the Priest gives the

final blessing the choir will start singing the
recessional song.

At this point grab the Candles and

start walking towards the back of
the Church through the center isle
(following the Cross). Stop at the
beginning of the second pew and
turn around (facing the altar). Turn
around when you see the Priest
turning around and walk out not too
fast nor too slow.

 Setting up the Altar

After the Creed, the Prayers of the faithful are said. Then the priest will sit down. At
this time, the setting up of the altar takes place.

The first step is to take the chalice from the

credence table (with the corporals, pall and
purificator on it) to the Altar.
If a Deacon is present, put the chalice on the
Altar and he will set it up. If there is not a
Deacon, then an Altar server sets it up.
If you are the one setting up the altar,
take first the small corporal and put it in
the center unfolding it systematically. The
second corporal should be placed on the
right side about an inch apart from the
small one

At this moment another altar server

should be bringing the book from the
back to the sanctuary. The book should
be placed in the left side of the altar. If
you are the only server, you can bring
the book after arranging the corporals,
pale, purificator and chalice

After placing the corporals on the altar,

take the pall and the purificator and
put them in between the two corporals.
Remember to leave around an inch
from the bottom edge of the altar to
the corporals.

Once the altar set up is completed it should look like this:

Preparation of the Gifts

The server in charge of the offertory
walks down to the first step and waits
with the priest and deacon (if
present) for the gifts to be brought.
The deacon or priest will hand the
altar server the wine and the other
walks along the deacon or priest to
receive the lead of the ciborium.

The cruet with the wine and the lead

of the ciborium should be placed on
the credence table. Remove the leads
of both cruets before moving them.
One altar server carries the wine
cruet and another carries the water
cruet.

After that, you need to take them to the deacon or, if there is no
deacon present, to the Priest. Once the Deacon or priest has poured
the wine and the water into the chalice and returned them, the
servers head bow and return to the Credence table to prepare for the
washing of the hands.

The server carrying the water then

picks up the lavabo (transparent bowl)
while the server who was carrying the
wine leaves the cruet on the credence
and takes the hand towel and opens it
for the Priest
As the two servers approach the altar, the server with the water and
lavabo must be on the right side, while the server with the towel is
on the left.
When the priest has finished washing his hands, slight head bow
and return the lavabo and water to the credence table.

Bell
As soon as the choir starts singing the Holy, Holy go to the first step and face the altar.
When the song finishes kneel down.

Once the priest has elevated the

host, the server is to ring the bell
three times. After the priest elevates
the chalice, the server is to ring the
bell in the same manner. When the
priest says: The mystery of faith
stand up and go back to your seats.
Communion time
After receiving communion all altar servers, except the Cross bearer,
stand next to an Extraordinary Minister, Priest or Deacon while they
are giving communion to the people. The main goal is to make sure
that all persons in the communion line (especially the ones receiving
the Body of Christ on their hands) consume Him.
When the extraordinary minister, priest or deacon go back to the
altar; follow them and go back to your seat.

The altar servers sitting next to the

credence table should be attentive. The
priest or deacon will hand out the
ciborium for you to take them to the
credence table. Put them on the corporal
and DO NOT stack them.

If a deacon is not present you might need to help the

priest to fold the corporals on the altar. DO NOT LIFT the
open corporal from the altar. Fold it without lifting it and
bring it to the credence table.