And we took considerable pride in our ability to do so, and took the responsibility quite seriously.
And we took considerable pride in our ability to do so, and took the responsibility quite seriously.And let's not forget those occasions when the host fell to the floor, and the priest had to circle the spot with chalk and deconsecrate it after it Mass.
And rightfully so. Altar servers then, actually worked at the mass. It was a tremendous responsibility. They had to remember so much! I had forgotten just how much until I attended the Tridentine mass a few months ago. These young boys had mastered the extensive Latin passages. Genuflect? Arrogant, you surely must remember how many times the altar boy genuflected at the mass. He genuflected each time he passed the Tabernacle. Given that they had to move the Lectionary from one side of the altar to the other, they genuflected copious times. Altar boys often had to kneel on the hard, cold marble stairs in sweltering heat (no a/c in those days).
When I watch the young kids who are "called" to serve at the altar today, they are for the most part, bored. There is little to do and even less to remember. One family in my paris has 3 young boys (7 - 11?). The oldest one is a husky lad with, rosy cherubic cheeks. They are the perfect candidates for the Tridentine mass.