There is no age limit for Altar Servers
Just recently, we trained a new batch of third graders to serve weekday Masses, and a new batch of fourth graders to serve weekend Masses. We try to encourage children to serve Mass because hopefully it will give them a deeper sense of the importance of the Mass. However, there is no age limit on altar servers. We would like to invite any adult who is interested to be trained as an altar server. We could especially use adult servers during the summer when many of our children are gone on vacation. We could put these adult servers on the regular schedule, or just have them available as substitutes. We could also arrange for families to serve together on one team. We have right now one team of father and sons, and we would gladly welcome a team of mother and daughters or mother and son. Billy Galindo is coming up with the summer serving schedule now. Please give Billy (274-4050) or Fr. Harris (274-3809) a call if you are interested.
Why do this?
Unfortunately, it is difficult sometimes to get children to commit themselves to serving especially during the summer months. There are many reasons for this. Obviously, many families are gone because of summer vacations, but it's hard for me to believe that families are gone for an entire three months. Don't get me wrong. I am grateful for each child who serves, and the sacrifice of time and talent which is offered by that child and their family. However, to have a small child not serve for three months will not help that child to be a better server. That's why we will have the new third grade servers on the schedule quite heavily their first summer in order for them to really internalize their new jobs. Even with the new third graders, we could still use more servers.
Why bother having servers at all?
Altar serving is a very important liturgical ministry. Sometimes, we can diminish the importance of the altar server, but if you give it some thought, it's probably one of the most important functions. Think about it. Obviously, you need a priest. Without a priest you could not have the consecration. What about the deacon? Deacons certainly enhance the liturgy, but many parishes do not have them, and they do fine. If you really thought about it, deacons are the full expression of altar serving. One of their main jobs at Mass is to assist the priest at the altar. What if the reader doesn't show up? Well, if the reader doesn't show up it would diminish the liturgical experience, but if push came to shove, the priest could do the readings with great ease. What if the cantor doesn't show up? If push came to shove, the priest could lead the music- maybe not well- but he could do it. What if an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion doesn't show up? Again, it would diminish the liturgical experience, but in a pinch the priest could cover that ministry as well. It's only when no altar servers show up that it begins to be awkward. The priest will have difficulty receiving the gifts at offertory when three items (host, water, and wine) are presented. It's a bit awkward when it come to the washing of the hands and the preparation of the chalice. So, I would make the argument that the most important of all the liturgical ministries outside the priest would be an altar server. Now, of course, all the liturgical ministries are important, and all of us need to be committed to fulfilling our ministries on the days that we are scheduled (altar servers are not the only ones who fail to show up). I'm just trying to illustrate the importance of altar servers. From a purely functional point of view, altar servers are always necessary. This is not only my opinion, but it is also the view of the Church. In the missal, when a priest celebrates Mass without a congregation, the only other minister that is stipulated is an altar server. All other ministers become optional.
Do we really need three servers on a team?
Well, three servers work best for weekend Masses. For weekday Mass we could get away with two servers. In a pinch, one server will work. However, the best number is three. We try to group them into a team so that they develop a sense of team work. Altar serving is not just me doing my thing, but an expression of me being a part of the Body of Christ. We realize that there are exceptions, and Mr. Galindo bends over backwards to accommodate everyone, but you just can't meet everyone's schedule. There needs to be flexibility on the server's part.
This is an opportunity for women.
Altar Girls have only been around for the last 15 years. Many women have missed out on the opportunity to serve as girls. This is their opportunity to have the experience.
Altar Serving is not just a kid thing.
Altar Serving is primarily an adult ministry in our tradition. It was only extended to children when the availability of adults were lacking in rural parishes. Ironically, we have the opposite problem. Children are not available, but there may be a number of adults available to do it. Although, I would be the first one to give kids the priority to serve. This is how we get the next generation involved in liturgical ministries.
Even after saying all this, it is still important that boys and young men spend time altar serving.
We all know that the younger someone begins to learn a particular skill; the greater of a chance the person will reach a certain level of mastery. From what I have been told, they are now starting some sports training as early as four years old. It is not unusual for kids in first grade to begin piano lessons. With all this in mind, we especially need boys to learn how to serve from an early age in preparation for priesthood. Granted not every boy who is a server will grow up to be a priest. Then again not every boy who plays little league will become a major league pitcher. However, the major league pitcher begins his training when as a little boy he begins to play in little league. So it is with priests. In the seminary, I noticed that those seminarians who didn't really have a liturgical sense and felt most uncomfortable performing liturgical ministries were the ones who never served as a child. I can't help but to wonder- because it is only my suspicion-if the lack of love for the liturgy found in some priests does not stem from the fact that love for liturgy did not begin with it being instilled in them as a child in their altar server training. If you want priests to do a better job on the altar it begins with adults encouraging boys and young men to be altar servers.