Altar Server's Response Awry

[The Harlequin King]

I had in mind the simple servers at low Masses. I know the Church prefers clerics and older males for high Masses.

On the contrary, the acolytes of low Mass assume many more duties than at (solemn) high Mass, because they take over in the absence of the deacon and subdeacon. For example, if an altar server learned solemn Mass first, he wouldn't have to memorize the prayers at the foot of the altar, because they belong more properly to the deacon and subdeacon. They are his "fratres" whom the priest addresses in the Confiteor, not a 7-year old boy. I'm of the opinion that it is better for boys, if they must serve, to first learn how to attend and sing Mass in choir, then begin solemn Mass as torchbearers. Serving low Mass is quite complicated by comparison.

What does relatively modern mean? Can you give some year/reason?

I can't pinpoint exactly when boys became more fashionable than older teens or men for altar service, but "relatively" means in the past 300 years.

[The Harlequin King]

Either way, yet another argument for why we should employ older teenagers or, even better, adult men to serve the altar, rather than young boys.

My son started serving the TLM when he was 12 and it seems to have been really good for him.  I'm noticing that being a server really makes a lot of sense if understood as analogous to apprenticeship. I can see how it fosters vocations to the priesthood.

If he served Mass well at age 12, that's good to hear. But altar service should not be understood primarily as training for priesthood. That is merely incidental. The order of acolyte, as well as deacon, subdeacon, and lector (for sung Mass and certain Masses of the year when there are additional lessons from the Old Testament) ought to stand in their own merits.

[Jayne]

My son started serving the TLM when he was 12 and it seems to have been really good for him.  I'm noticing that being a server really makes a lot of sense if understood as analogous to apprenticeship. I can see how it fosters vocations to the priesthood.

If he served Mass well at age 12, that's good to hear. But altar service should not be understood primarily as training for priesthood. That is merely incidental. The order of acolyte, as well as deacon, subdeacon, and lector (for sung Mass and certain Masses of the year when there are additional lessons from the Old Testament) ought to stand in their own merits.

The younger boys do not do all the tasks of an altar server.  At first, all they do is process up and get used to being at the front, sitting still, etc.  Then they are taught one or two tasks and keep doing those until they have mastered them.  Then they are taught a bit more. And so on. My son has been doing this for over a year and there are still a lot of things he needs to learn.  By the time he is fully trained and able to serve on his own, he will be over 14. 

I know that it is not primarily training for priesthood.  That is my wishful thinking.  I would be thrilled if my son were to become a priest.  I think of most things in his life in terms of how it might help him with priesthood in the future.

[Basilios]

In after the King.

Knew he'd be here to denounce the errors. HK reminds me of Clive from the bodybuilding forums. He hardly shows up to other threads but if you mention bicep work he will no doubt make an appearance.

[The Harlequin King]

The younger boys do not do all the tasks of an altar server.  At first, all they do is process up and get used to being at the front, sitting still, etc.  Then they are taught one or two tasks and keep doing those until they have mastered them.  Then they are taught a bit more. And so on. My son has been doing this for over a year and there are still a lot of things he needs to learn.  By the time he is fully trained and able to serve on his own, he will be over 14. 

That sounds like a reasonable plan of action. My one objection is that, if rhe principles of Romanitas are to be observed, wherein there are never more servers than are really needed, we would never see servers merely sitting "in choir" (which is what it sounds like from your description), performing no real service at all. At a minimum, they would be chanting the Ordinary of the Mass, thus being truly a liturgical choir. But there is not really a place in the Roman Mass for lay servers who neither sing nor perform any other action. Just saying. Of course, I'm not criticizing your son in any whatsoever.

[The Harlequin King]

In after the King.

Knew he'd be here to denounce the errors. HK reminds me of Clive from the bodybuilding forums. He hardly shows up to other threads but if you mention bicep work he will no doubt make an appearance.

Lol.

[Jayne]

The younger boys do not do all the tasks of an altar server.  At first, all they do is process up and get used to being at the front, sitting still, etc.  Then they are taught one or two tasks and keep doing those until they have mastered them.  Then they are taught a bit more. And so on. My son has been doing this for over a year and there are still a lot of things he needs to learn.  By the time he is fully trained and able to serve on his own, he will be over 14. 

That sounds like a reasonable plan of action. My one objection is that, if rhe principles of Romanitas are to be observed, wherein there are never more servers than are really needed, we would never see servers merely sitting "in choir" (which is what it sounds like from your description), performing no real service at all. At a minimum, they would be chanting the Ordinary of the Mass, thus being truly a liturgical choir. But there is not really a place in the Roman Mass for lay servers who neither sing nor perform any other action. Just saying. Of course, I'm not criticizing your son in any whatsoever.

When you are being so careful not to offend me, it makes me feel like I must be a big meanie. 

[RobertJS]

I had in mind the simple servers at low Masses. I know the Church prefers clerics and older males for high Masses.

On the contrary, the acolytes of low Mass assume many more duties than at (solemn) high Mass, because they take over in the absence of the deacon and subdeacon. For example, if an altar server learned solemn Mass first, he wouldn't have to memorize the prayers at the foot of the altar, because they belong more properly to the deacon and subdeacon. They are his "fratres" whom the priest addresses in the Confiteor, not a 7-year old boy. I'm of the opinion that it is better for boys, if they must serve, to first learn how to attend and sing Mass in choir, then begin solemn Mass as torchbearers. Serving low Mass is quite complicated by comparison.

What does relatively modern mean? Can you give some year/reason?

I can't pinpoint exactly when boys became more fashionable than older teens or men for altar service, but "relatively" means in the past 300 years.

Holy cow! in the past 300 years??! Such a response immediately tells me you are wrong. Such a length of time within the true Church could never be silent and wrong. Which tells me you are wrong.

[The Harlequin King]

Holy cow! in the past 300 years??! Such a response immediately tells me you are wrong. Such a length of time within the true Church could never be silent and wrong. Which tells me you are wrong.

Two items:

1.) We are speaking only of a quirk in the American, and perhaps, the French church. Elsewhere, adult servers have always been common.

2.) Gregorian chant was a dead art for centuries when the abbey of Solesmes set upon its revival. Even if bad music had reigned in the Church for a thousand years, it would not make it good. Same goes for any other discipline or custom. Solemn Mass on Sunday has never been part of the vast majority of the American church's historical tradition. Does that mean low Mass on Sundays is superior to solemn Mass? Obviously not. Likewise, if the greater part of American Catholics have never known Sunday Vespers, is introducing it a bad thing? Of course not.

This photo below of the Rev. Adrian Fortescue, who wrote Ceremonies of the Roman Rite Described, a liturgical manual found in every traditional seminary on earth, features the altar servers of his parish church in England, who are mostly adults or older teenagers.

[The Harlequin King]

When you are being so careful not to offend me, it makes me feel like I must be a big meanie. 

Ha. When playing the armchair liturgist, one should take care to emphasize the liturgical ideal while realizing that many people at their churches are doing the best with what they know. I'm not even suggesting that any individual withdraw their young sons from serving Mass just because someone on the Internet said it was "bad". Rather, I'd ask everyone to remember that serving Mass is a privilege, not a right or even a rite of passage for boys who happen to be born to devout Catholic families. The liturgy is serious business.

Still, learning to sing the chant at Mass really ought to be the first step for all boys who are interested in serving the liturgy.

[The Harlequin King]

Holy cow! in the past 300 years??!

Additional thoughts: perhaps much shorter than that. I said 300 years to be generous. The domination of young boys in the sanctuary is not a topic that I've yet researched intensively, and I'm not sure it's even possible to. But, let's look at a couple of representations of the liturgy in art over time...


Adult server (even though it's low Mass):


All adult servers:

[Jayne]

When you are being so careful not to offend me, it makes me feel like I must be a big meanie. 

Ha. When playing the armchair liturgist, one should take care to emphasize the liturgical ideal while realizing that many people at their churches are doing the best with what they know. I'm not even suggesting that any individual withdraw their young sons from serving Mass just because someone on the Internet said it was "bad". Rather, I'd ask everyone to remember that serving Mass is a privilege, not a right or even a rite of passage for boys who happen to be born to devout Catholic families. The liturgy is serious business.

Still, learning to sing the chant at Mass really ought to be the first step for all boys who are interested in serving the liturgy.

I appreciate that you try to be clear these matters.

What could I do to help my son learn about singing chant at Mass?  Should I teach him chant notation?

[Chestertonian]

When you are being so careful not to offend me, it makes me feel like I must be a big meanie. 

Ha. When playing the armchair liturgist, one should take care to emphasize the liturgical ideal while realizing that many people at their churches are doing the best with what they know. I'm not even suggesting that any individual withdraw their young sons from serving Mass just because someone on the Internet said it was "bad". Rather, I'd ask everyone to remember that serving Mass is a privilege, not a right or even a rite of passage for boys who happen to be born to devout Catholic families. The liturgy is serious business.

Still, learning to sing the chant at Mass really ought to be the first step for all boys who are interested in serving the liturgy.

I appreciate that you try to be clear these matters.

What could I do to help my son learn about singing chant at Mass?  Should I teach him chant notation?

how can you teach chant ywitoust teachingchant notation

my son is 4 and keeps asking me when he can be an altar boy.  usually the young altar servers just hold the candles though,

i told him 'when i trust you to carry around FIRE i.e. not anytime soon"

[The Harlequin King]

What could I do to help my son learn about singing chant at Mass?  Should I teach him chant notation?

Absolutely. In fact, you could even think of it as part of training for priesthood, if you wish; the altar missal which the priest must read from has chant notation for various sections, such as the prefaces and the Lord's prayer. It's a necessary skill for traditional priests. There was a time (a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, it seems) when being unable to sing would preclude one from ordination to major orders, including the priesthood. Those were the days in which Mass was always sung, and the idea of privately reciting the Divine Office hadn't occurred yet.

I started with the Idiot's Guide to Square Notes: http://ceciliaschola.org/pdf/squarenotes.pdf

You can try to learn square notation by singing along to videos, such as the ones posted by Corpus Christi Watershed, for the chants from the Kyriale for the Ordinary of the Mass. For example:

[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rB5HAywTyyQ[/yt]

But nothing can replace professional instruction. Perhaps your son can ask to join the church's chant schola, if there is one.

[Chestertonian]

ive known some wonderful priests who couldn't carry a t use