Altar Serving Roles at Mass
PREPARATION
🕑 15 MINS BEFORE MASS
Being early gives you time to prepare without being rushed
Get dressed (in tunic, belt and cross)
Decide who is doing what job with the other servers
Wait for the Priest to call you to prayer before leading you into the church
🎯 Reverence is the most important quality to have
JOBS
cross holder
candle holders
book holder
offertory
washing of the hands
bell ringer
ENTRANCE PROCESSION
🕑 THE START OF MASS
All will gather at the back of the church
🎯 Make sure you know what order you need to enter
Servers walk 2 at a time together down the aisle
Wait for the priest's nod before going down the aisle.
The cross holder always leads the procession.
Candle holders walk in front of the book
At the altar, the cross holder stands to the left of centre
Other servers spread out across the front, leaving room for the priest in the middle.
Bow when the priest bows
Go to your seat
Introductory Rite
🕑 AFTER OPENING PRAYER
The priest will provide an opening prayer.
🎯 Hold the book steady
The priest will pick up the book
The book holder will stand in front of the priest to hold the book
Hold the book high enough so that the priest can read it.
Liturgy of the Word
🕑 AFTER 2ND READING
The priest will pick up the book.
🎯 When walking down the aisle don't walk too fast.
The candle holders will stand to the front of the ambo while the priest reads the Gospel.
Once priest has completed the reading, he'll walk to the front of the ambo and place the book on the shelf.
Place the candles on the shelf on both sides of the book.
When the second collection is being made, the two offertory altar servers walk down the main aisle to the back and lead the parishioners with offerings to the front of the church, where the priest is standing.
Stand on either side of the priest. He'll give you the offerings and you take them to the altar.
Liturgy of the Eucharist
🕑 AFTER "BLESSED BE GOD FOREVER"
The priest will be at the altar praying the eucharist
🎯 Remember to stop the bell in between rings.
The washing of the hands servers hold the bowl of water and the towel for the priest.
When you hear the "Holy, holy, holy...", kneel (on the bottom step) in front of the altar.
When the priest lifts his hands above the wine and bread, the bell ringer rings the bell for the first time.
When priest lifts the bread, the bell ringer rings the bell for the second time.
And when the priest lifts the wine, the bell ringer rings the bell for the third/final time.
Concluding rite
🕑 AFTER THE PRIEST STANDS
The priest will stand ready to administer the Concluding Rite and will say "Let us pray".
🎯 Remember don't rush, walk at a slow steady pace
Make sure you have your Super Minister card signed by the priest, acolyte or Dana.
🍭Write down something that you learned from Mass or from serving on one of the provided notes and put it in the "Lolly Jar" and take out a lolly.
The book holder will hold the book or Mass sheet for the priest to read.
At the end of Mass, the priest will lead you to the front of the altar.
Cross holder gets the cross while the other servers spread out across the front of the altar
Facing the altar, with the priest in the middle, the acolyte to the priest's right and the Cross holder to priest's left.
Bow when the priest bows
The cross holder leads the procession out.
Then two by two (one server from each side) the servers process out behind the cross holder.
The acolyte and the priest will follow you out.
Hang your tunic, belt and cross back up in the Sacristy.