Posted on 01/09/2016 3:12:21 PM PST by NYer
I’ve written glowingly in the past about the altar servers at my parish--and even posted some advice from an expert about how to launch a thriving program--but I’m pleased to see some attention being given to our neighbors upstate, who are having similar success.
From The Evangelist in Albany:
Immaculate Conception parish in Glenville is bursting at the seams with altar servers.
While some parishes struggle to get girls and boys to volunteer as altar servers, Immaculate Conception currently has more than 50 young people trained to assist Rev. Jerome Gingras, pastor, at Masses.
Ministry coordinator Tom Bigos told The Evangelist that the community Father Gingras has created among the servers is a big reason the ministry is so popular.
"A lot of our young people really enjoy being with Father Jerry," Mr. Bigos said.
Father Gingras explained that he checks on the servers before a liturgy even begins: "" always make it a point to talk to them and ask them if they’re all set."
He doesn't reprimand them for making mistakes, either. "I always try to be calm with them," he said. “There are a lot of little mistakes; they're kids."
The altar servers, who are between the ages of eight and 17, understand that they aren't always perfect. Carrie Watkins, a sixth-grader from Iroquois Middle School, noted that, when a fellow server makes a mistake, others have to notice it immediately and fix it, without missing a beat.
"We have a lot of jobs," she said.
Catholic ping!
Latin Mass parishes never struggle to finder altar boys. And that’s say something since they use so many at High Masses. My old parish often had a dozen or more at every High Mass. A Confirmation Mass would mean having 26 or so altar boys at one time. If only Novus Ordo parishes knew what they were missing!
When I saw the headline and the picture, I couldn’t help but think of the old Dr. Pepper jingle:
“I’m a Pepper, he’s a Pepper, she’s a Pepper, we’re a Pepper
wouldn’t you like to be a Pepper, too?”
Nice to see such a gender-equal distribution of Servers. Amazing hos that happened all by itself. . .
/sarc
Since the priesthood is, properly and meaningfully, a male charism, the girls shouldn't be up there at all.
No needs to just cold-bloodedly shut them out. The girls can be in charge of their own strong competencies. They can be sacristans, they can be the choir, they can lead a wealth paraliturgical functions, including processions, pilgrimages and public recitations of the Rosary and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.
Let's not obliterate the Tao of male and female, as is done everyplace else in this symbolically threadbare secular society.
Always remember those days of latin classes with Fr. Picher just to be an alter boy, we had lots of boys at the classes and a lot of them entered the Seminary. Not all went on to a Vocation but enough did to keep a thriving Seminary going. My Grandfather went to a Seminary in France and got a Degree but he came back home got a Law degree at Yale [1904] and married, raised a family and practiced Law in Hartford Ct for many years. His Son [my Father] also went to a Seminary [St. Thomas in Bloomfield Ct] but went on to raise a family instead of the Priesthood. Great education and training for any young man with inclination to serve a greater good.
Should be altar boys only; knock off the “Father Jerry” bit and keep to the priest’s last name - he’s not a playmate; and clip a kid around the earhole if he messes up. Worked in my kiddiehood and we never had a scandal.
I expected to see only boys.
Agree with you.
I think that actually helps. When I was an altar server we had 4-6 boys at Mass. The older boys did most of the work and the younger boys carried candles etc. until they learned how to do more. At my current parish we have just a couple of servers at each Mass and the young kids have to just muddle along as best they can. I think some kids now are intimidated about having to remember everything.
In my area we are outnumbered 14 to 1 (Literally) Non-Catholic to Catholic Churches. Our population is small but dedicated. Almost every single boy has volunteered but we were still short. We literally had no choice but to allow girls as altar servers.
That sounds like prevalent contraception in your area.
Keep the boys — that’s how the pathway to the priesthood is formed.
[As of late] we are traveling several towns west of us [by train] to attend a Tridentine on Sundays.
We love it, and the pastor of the parish is the one who taught our kids long ago. A really holy inspiring priest! In fact, his current parish has eight Masses every Sunday.
I’m guessing he has no girl altar servers at any of them.
I think you’re right. With the old Mass there’s a certain discipline that goes along with serving as an altar boy. I’m always amazed at seeing the young boys - and I mean 7 or 8 years old - kneeling with ramrod straight backs while holding their hands perfectly together in prayer. You simply can’t find that sort of patience and discipline in kids today.
(1) grow more boys, and
(2) recruit upward in age.
There is nothing wrong with having altar servers in their teens and twenties. It gives the service of the altar a vastly increased status: it gives the younger boys something to look up to.
I was expecting this article to say that the successful parish had stopped putting girls on the altar. Oh, well....
Well said.
The “Father First Name” nonsense engenders disrespect.
Yes, disappointing....
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