As one who serves ...

Several times over the past few years I have celebrated the Institution of the Ministry of Acolyte for the permanent deacons. During the discussions before and after the ceremony there was usually some reminiscing and talk about the days when the candidates were altar servers, not men on track to be ordained as deacons.

At times I have picked up on the topic, exploring the role of altar servers today. Usually the candidates begin to talk about possibility of encouraging interest in the ministry of altar servers at their parishes. It may be timely for each of us to reflect on this service and to look at whether or not there is an opportunity here for developing some stronger roots for our parishioners in parish Eucharistic ministry.

In the history of the Church the acolyte performed the roles of preparation of, celebration of and service to the community around the Eucharist, especially bringing the Eucharist to those who could not come to the celebration. We all know the story of St. Tarcisius accepting martyrdom in protection of the Eucharist as he carried it to the sick. For centuries this ministry at the altar was reserved for the candidates preparing for priesthood. The approach to priesthood, and therefore the altar and the celebration of the Eucharist was a gradual one. The ministry was conferred on the candidate as he approached priesthood as a minor order just below the subdiaconate. Outside the bishops’ towns and in recent centuries, outside the seminary, gradually others had to assume the service of acolyte at the altar, so the custom of school age boys serving at the altar became the norm.

Catholic worshipers for many centuries were accustomed to seeing the altar server as an essential element of daily Mass as well as of solemn ceremonies. The server felt the same essentiality and duty. A long line of priests and lay leaders can trace their dedication and duty toward service in the Church to the call to early rising and late evening services that required their presence at the altar. Of course families, older brothers, and “chums” shared in this sense of duty through accompaniment and chauffeuring. The fulfillment of this duty gave many a young man the beginnings of a sense of worth and well being. In more recent years, young women have been added to the ranks of the servers and share in the development of duty and self-fulfillment.

Richard Rodriguez in his book, “Hunger of Memory,” speaks about the gift that being an altar server was for him, helping him to experience maturing emotions early in life. Beyond baseball, biking, skating and all the other boyhood activities, Rodriguez remembers learning that people mourn at funerals, rejoice at weddings and experience a bond with the Lord at liturgical celebrations. Pope John Paul II, in an Aug. 1, 2001 audience spoke to 22,000 servers: “…in the liturgy you are far more than a mere ‘helper of the parish priest.’ Above all, you are servants of Jesus Christ, the eternal High Priest … foster this friendship with him.” In retreats for priests, Archbishop Fulton Sheen used to tell priests to try to view themselves as the altar boy saw them. The server had a unique view and focus on the strengths, weaknesses and idiosyncrasies of the priest.

In recent years there has been a gradual ebbing away from the value and importance of the altar server. It is not uncommon to participate in the liturgy week upon week without servers being present.

I congratulate and thank the staff and parishioners who have taken on the task of recruiting, training and sustaining altar servers. You are inviting Catholics at a young age into the world of Eucharistic service as well as service to the community through the Church. The archdiocesan Office for Divine Worship can help in this task with a fine publication, “Serve God with Gladness” (Liturgy Training Publications), or by offering consultation to parish ministers.

I believe we can enhance this ministry by looking beyond the age restrictions of our immediate past history. If you frequent various parishes in the Archdiocese, in the same churches where there are no servers at the altar, there are substantial numbers of adults who are former servers in the pews at the same liturgy. There are also mature women who never had the opportunity to serve.

The question is: why do we continue to sacrifice the order and solemnity of liturgy because of former age categories? Why not welcome these “veterans” to become active as altar servers? I suspect most would be honored to be summoned back into service. Other areas of the country, such as Florida and California, have already begun developing this form of the ministry. This recruitment would be especially fortuitous in situations where, because of class schedules or the lack of the presence of a nearby school, young servers are not available. At a few priests’ funerals it was inspiring to see a number of seniors attending their funerals in a group. They had been organized into the ministry of altar server, thereby enhancing the liturgy and providing a meaningful use of their talents.

Another source of servers is our teens. At several hearings on adolescent pastoral needs and other gatherings of our youth, they talk about the desire to be involved in parish ministry. They speak to the fact that after years of serving at the altar, just because they are now in high school, some arbitrary “iron door” descends placing them outside this form of Eucharistic ministry.

A few parishes I know have developed a special role for these experienced servers, which has heightened their participation in parish life and catechesis. They become great trainers and supporters of the aspiring servers. It seems strange that on one hand we are critical of our youth for not being willing to become engaged in parish life, yet in an area where they may well be willing to serve, we close the door.

We might want to look to the children in religious education classes as prospects for serving as well. So often serving at the altar is open only to children in the Catholic school. One or more parishes have begun to fashion service at the altar into a “family affair.” Father, mother, children—all family members who are able take part in the celebration, carry the cross and candles, assist in the Gospel procession, assist in preparing the altar, readying the gifts, etc. At one Confirmation I celebrated, the fathers of the candidates thought they would honor their children by serving the liturgy.

Any and all of these approaches take time and planning. It would take some discussion with liturgy committees, pastoral ministers and clergy, but the result, it seems to me, would be well worth it. There would be more people across the age groups of the parish involved in the ministry of the parish by using their talents and time in Eucharistic service.

It may seem like a long way from the celebration of the Ministry of Acolyte for permanent deacons to the enhancement of the servers at the liturgies at the parish level, or is it?

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Bishop Edwin M. Conway

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