Detailed Altar Server Steps

Pre-Mass Duties

• Altar servers are to arrive no later than 11 minutes before mass starts. This is so that the mass coordinator is not scrambling at the last minute to find an altar server. If 10 minutes before the start of mass 1 of the servers has not arrived the Captain or the oldest server is to proceed to the east vestibule and scan the congregation for another server who might be able to help serve. The Captain is then to circle the name of the server who did not attend so that when I receive the sign in sheet I can monitor who is attending. If you are not scheduled to serve but are sitting in the congregation and notice a server scanning the congregation it is highly probable that he/she is looking for another server. If the server hasn’t spotted you or another server yet you are to stand up and quietly and reverently make your way to the east vestibule and inquire if any help is required.
• If a server comes late, lets say 8 minutes before mass is scheduled to start, there name should still be circled and the captain should legibly write “Late” underneath their name so I know who is showing up late. If there is time for the late server to get dressed and serve then they should serve despite their lateness. If the scheduled server arrives so late that another server has already been found and is dressed and there is insufficient time for the late server to get dressed before mass is scheduled to start than the server who is already dressed should serve in place of the late server.
• Servers who fail to attend when scheduled (without a reasonable excuse) are doing a disservice to the priests because now the mass coordinator and the captain must scramble to find another altar server to fill the gap left by the no-show server. Servers who fail to attend when scheduled (without a reasonable excuse) will be removed from the ministry. The same goes for servers who are always showing up late.
• Altar servers are to attend when scheduled! If you cannot attend the mass scheduled you are under obligation to find a replacement! A phoning list of all the altar servers accompanies your schedule. On the rare occasion nobody from your mass can substitute with you, you are still expected to keep calling all of servers from different masses until you can find a substitute. These calls should be made ahead of time not the day of the mass or at 11pm the night before. For example, if you know that you have a birthday party on Sat and won’t be able to wake up in time to attend the mass you are scheduled to serve at and will have to go to a later mass, then in the proceeding week you are expected to call around and ensure that you have a replacement for your scheduled mass. Although unlikely, in the improbable event that you contact all the servers well ahead of time and no-one is able to switch please call me to explain the situation.
• When finding a replacement you are generally encouraged to switch the mass you were scheduled to serve at, when possible, with the mass of the other server who is substituting for you. In this way you do not miss out on an opportunity to serve. For more experienced servers who are often Captains do your very best to ensure that you only switch with other older servers. Older servers are generally scheduled with younger or less experienced servers and if a seasoned veteran who would have been Captain switches with an inexperienced server than it could lead to a mass with 3 completely inexperienced servers none of whom are yet ready to act as the Captain. Older servers are always expected to contact older servers (regardless of which mass they serve at) first when trying to find a substitute.
•  On the rare occasions where something sudden comes up preventing you from serving at the scheduled mass (for example, your car won’t start, or you start feeling too sick to attend mass) and you don’t have an opportunity to call other servers a week in advance then you have a reasonable excuse and hopefully another server will be attending that mass and will replace you. Please, however, contact myself explaining these reasonable circumstances so that I am not under the misunderstanding that you simply didn’t show.
• If you know ahead of time there are specific dates when you will be unable to serve please contact Christopher Dubois (at 728-4781) no later than 1 week prior to the last Sunday on the schedule, and preferably earlier. This allows me ample time to find out about any scheduling conflicts before I make up the new schedule. For example, if you know you will be out of town because of a family reunion on Sun the 17^th call me and speak to me before I make the schedule so that I won’t schedule you on the 17^th and you won’t be obliged to call around and find a replacement.
• A new schedule will always be available in the coatroom on the weekend the old schedule expires. This way all servers know at least 1 week ahead of time if they have been scheduled for the first week of the new schedule. Servers are always expected to pick up their schedules and if you are out of town the weekend the new schedule is made available you are still expected to pick it up sometime before the following Sunday because you never know you might just be scheduled on that first weekend. Furthermore all servers are required to pick up their schedules because it not only tells them when they are required to attend but it also provides you with a complete phoning list and important informational inserts. Not picking up your schedule also sends me the signal that you are not interested in continuing to serve so make sure you pick up your schedule as soon as it comes out! If you are unable to make it in to pick it up right away please call me and I can give you the dates when you are scheduled to serve or even e-mail your copy to you.
• When a server arrives at the back of the church anytime before 10 minutes prior to the start of the mass they are to place a check by their name on the ministerial sign in sheet. This informs the coordinator that you are here and that you ready to serve. If you are serving as a substitute for someone else then you are asked to cross off their name and fill yours in legibly and darkly beneath it. This shows me that you took the extra effort to help serve in the place of the scheduled server and that the scheduled server took the time to find a replacement. If a server shows up late but is still able to get dressed in time for mass the Captain is to circle there name and write “Late” underneath it.
• In the event someone does not show up the Captain is responsible for circling their name. This informs me that this server did not attend when scheduled. Barring a phone call from the server or their parent I will then look into this matter to see if there was a reasonable excuse as to why they didn’t show. It is critical all servers use this sign in list. Not only does it help the coordinators but it allows me to see who is showing up and who has obviously quit the ministry without informing me and should no longer be scheduled. This will help improve attendance and hopefully prevent servers from getting stuck in the position where they are scrambling to find servers at the last minute because someone has failed to show up. It is the Captain’s job to ensure at the start or at the end of the mass that the sign in sheet for their mass has accurately been recorded. Furthermore, the sign in sheet should not be used to write messages to me. If you have questions or comments you would like me to hear that is excellent, however, servers should phone as the sign in sheet is not to be used as a message board.
• In the closet are the altar server albs, cinctures and crosses. This is also where servers are able to hang their jackets. Please note that there are numbers on the back collar of all the albs and that there are corresponding numbers in the closet. Albs are always to be put back under the correct numbering. This ensures that the next server who is looking for a specific size is able to quickly go to the correct number and find the alb of that size. When placing their jackets in the closet servers are to ensure that if their jacket is quite large and it forces the albs away from their corresponding numbers that at the end of mass the server slides the albs back into their correct order.
• Servers are to select an alb that is long enough to cover their legs and goes down to about their ankles or the highest part of their shoes. Ideally you do not want an alb that is too short, however, a greater danger is that you select an alb that is too long because along with having sleeves that are too long you risk tripping on an alb that is too long. You are better off with an alb that is too short and looks a bit funny than one that is dangerously long. Do not let anyone pressure you into wearing an alb that you do not feel safe wearing because you feel it is too long. Remember, however, that you can use your cincture to “hike up” an alb that is just a little too long.
• A few minutes before the mass is set to start the Captain should do a quick check of the two credence tables (the “dirty” credence table and the “clean” credence table). Make sure that there are two communion cups with purificators, a cruet of water, 1 finger bowl and finger towel on the “clean” table and 1 finger bowl and 1 finger towel on the “dirty” table, the chalice (which has on it a corporal, pall, paten, a purificator and sometimes a pyx) and an extra ciborium if there is choir or an organist and soloist who will be receiving communion upstairs in the balcony. Even though these jobs are generally done by the mass coordinators the captain should do a double check just in case anything is missed. If you feel one of these items is missing check with the priest or the coordinator.
• The Captain should also check and make sure that there is a CBWIII hymnbook and a glory and praise hymnbook for the altar servers, the bells are in place under Server 1’s chair, the sacramentary is on its stand with the mass card, the primary taper is hanging by the “clean” credence table (with the wick out) and you have tested to make sure the wick is able to slide in and out with ease, the smaller backup taper is also present, and there are extra matches in one of the processional candles just in case.
• Before mass begins servers should decide amongst themselves who is Server 1 and who is Server 2 and who is the Captain. Generally the most experienced server is the Captain, the 2^nd most experienced server is Server 2 and the least experienced server is Server 1. Any questions regarding jobs (ie who does what) should be clarified before mass begins Servers should also remain close to the sacristy in case the Priest has any special jobs for today’s mass (for example incense, or holy water) or if he has any small jobs for you to do before mass (for example “go get me a CBWIII” or “go take this ciborium to the credence table at the back off the church”).  
• If you have to go to the bathroom do it now. From at least age 9 and up humans have excellent bladder control and, barring very exceptional gastro-intestinal circumstances, servers should not leave the altar because they have to go to the bathroom. It is only reasonable that in those extreme cases where you “just have to go!!” (for example diarrhea) servers should leave the altar and go to the washroom, however, the majority of the time servers should go to the washroom before mass and be prepared to “hold it.” Servers going out the backdoor and leaving the altar to go to the bathroom is almost always an unnecessary and preventable distraction and should be avoided unless absolutely necessary. If you have no choice and have to go to the bathroom the worst time to leave the altar would be during the consecration! If it is one of those rare times when you just have to go to the washroom make sure you quietly leave before or after the consecration.
• If, however, a server is feeling ill while on the altar (ie nausea, or feeling faint) they should not hesitate to leave the altar or sit down if they feel necessary. For example if a server feels like they might vomit they would be advised to leave the altar immediately and go the bathroom. If a server were feeling very hot or faint, it would of course be reasonable to discretely and reverently leave and go put some water on their face and then quietly return if they feel up to it. Servers should not, however, be going back and forth constantly because they are feeling faint or sick to their stomach. In those instances you are too sick to serve and should not feel obligated to try and keep serving. Despite your intentions you would only end up being a distraction by constantly leaving and coming back. Generally you should not come back more than once.
• Servers should ensure that there attire is appropriate for serving. You should not be wearing clothes that are too heavy because under your alb you will feel extremely warm and it might cause you to faint. Your clothes should not be showing outside of your alb and your shoes should not be distracting (ie too heavy or squeaky or dirty).
• Servers, just like everybody else, are to take part in the Eucharistic fast and avoid eating food at least 1 hour before receiving Holy Communion. This fast does not included medicine but it does include gum. Servers refrain from chewing gum at least 1 hour before they will be receiving communion and they should never be chewing gum in church. Furthermore, servers in a state of mortal sin should also not receive communion and instead when it is time to receive communion they should fold their arms in an X across their chest and receive a blessing.  
• A few minutes before mass is to start the processional candles are to be lit. Any server can do this, however, Servers should not be fighting over who gets to do this. Do not waste two matches by one server lighting one candle and another server using a separate match to light the 2^nd processional candle. Once the hot match is extinguished do not put it in the same candle as the box of matches because it may heat up the remaining unused matches.
• Candles are to be carried with 2 hands and servers are not to be adjusting the length of wicks on the processional candles before mass, unless given permission by the priest. Both flames should be the about the same height and the height of the wick should ensure the flame is not too small or too large.
•  Once the candles are lit the servers are to pick up their candles and the processional cross and form a circle with the priest, lector and mass coordinator so that the priest may say a blessing.
• While proceeding towards the east vestibule servers are to be careful with their candles and processional cross. Accidents can happen before mass too and you do not want to light someone’s hair on fire or damage the processional cross by hitting it on the roof.