The Altar Server Ministry
at St. Francis of Assisi Church

Ministry Head:  Dan Meyerkord • dkam27@sbcglobal.net • 708-846-4144

An altar server is a lay assistant to a member of the clergy during a Christianliturgy. An altar server attends to supporting tasks at the altar such as fetching and carrying, ringing the altar bell, among other things.

Some of the Duties of an Altar Server at Mass Include: 

• Entrance: Servers participate in the entrance procession, led by one who acts as thurifer with burning incense (if incense is used at the Mass) and bearers of lighted candles flanking another carrying the cross.
• Servers hold the liturgical books for the priest when he is not at the altar and is proclaiming the presidential prayers with outstretched hands. They bring and hold such things as books, thuribles, lavabo bowl and towel, patens, communion bowls, and microphones.
• Proclamation of the Gospel: At the preceding Alleluia or other chant, the thurible is presented to the priest for him to put incense in it, and then servers, perhaps carrying candles and thurible, precede the priest or deacon who goes to the ambo to proclaim the Gospel there.
• Beginning of the Liturgy of the Eucharist: Servers arrange the corporal, the purificator(s), the chalice(s), the pall, and the Missal on the altar, and then assist the priest in receiving the bread and wine and perhaps other gifts that are presented to him.They present the cruets of wine and water for the priest or deacon to pour some into the chalice. If incense is used, the thurible and incense are presented to the priest and, after he has incensed the offerings, the cross and the altar, the deacon or a server incenses the priest and the people. When the priest then washes his hands standing at the side of the altar, a server pours the water over them.
• Consecration: An altar server rings a bell shortly before the consecration, generally at the epiclesis (when the priest extends his hands above the gifts). In accordance with local custom, the server also rings the bell when, after the consecrations of the bread and wine, the priest shows the Host and then the Chalice. If incense is used, a server incenses the consecrated host and the chalice while these are being shown to the people.
• Sign of Peace: The servers may receive the sign of peace from the priest or deacon within the sanctuary.
• Recessional: The servers lead the priest and any other clergy as at the entrance procession, except that a server who acted as thurifer at the entrance now follows the cross-bearer.

If a bishop celebrates Mass solemnly, two servers, wearing vimpas, hold the mitre and the crosier, and present them at the appropriate times. Servers may also be needed to carry a processional canopy (baldachin) during a procession with the Blessed Sacrament outside, as on the feast of Corpus Christi.

If you are interested in joining the Altar Server Ministry at St. Francis of Assisi Church, please contact the Ministry Head/Scheduler listed at the top of this page.