The following comes from an August 12 Catholic San Francisco article by Lidia Wasowicz:
St. Hilary Parish in Tiburon has introduced a ministry to help altar servers master their craft and worshippers mind the Mass.
Seated to the right of the altar in a cassock and surplice, an adult master of ceremonies assists, guides and, when necessary, steps in for school age acolytes to promote a seamless rite.
“My hope is that every Sunday liturgy will be as beautiful and well orchestrated as possible so the people of God may worship without distractions,” said parochial vicar Father Roger Gustafson, who implemented the program in January, six months after his arrival at St. Hilary as a newly ordained priest.
His idea of extending the role of a master of ceremonies – typically reserved for more solemn liturgies – germinated last October during a visit to his childhood hometown of Atlanta.
Wowed by the “military precision” of the five altar servers at the 6 p.m. Sunday Mass, Father Gustafson sought the secret to their perfect performance.
He found it in the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, who spends every weekend attending every Mass to instruct, inform and inspire the servers.
“When Father Roger brought this idea to me, I was skeptical, because I was set in my ways and saw no need for having a master of ceremonies at Sunday Mass,” said pastor Father William Brown.
“However, I decided not to be an old sourpuss, as Pope Francis says in his letter, ‘The Joy of the Gospel,’ and it has turned out to be a great blessing for the parish!”
The master of ceremonies job entails organizing the servers and answering questions before Mass, directing them and filling in as needed during the rite and providing constructive feedback afterward. It does not usurp the servers’ role, he emphasized.
Candidates must complete an online child safety course and pass a criminal background check, paid for by the San Francisco archdiocese.
The roster includes eight men in their 40s to 80s, with another in training. Father Gustafson encourages women to apply.
The system comes in particularly handy during the summer when many regular servers leave on vacation and in the spring when the older ones are busy with class trips, retreats and graduation plans, said Leslie Kennedy, the mother of two servers.
“It helps smooth the transition when they bring in new children and incorporate younger ones,” she said.
One emcee proved his mettle when, with a sideways glance, he reminded a newbie to bring out and ring the bell for the Sanctus, recalled John Peitz, 10, who began serving a year ago to follow in his father’s footsteps,
The new ministry has had its ups and downs, according to Peter Quill, 12, who joined his older sister at the altar three years ago.
“Sometimes, they take the fun jobs, like carrying the cross, which is my favorite part,” he said, “but always I definitely like interacting with the older people in our church.”
What a wonderful idea! The sexist woman (a wife of one of the deacons) in charge of servers at my parish does a horrible job and has been in place for many years. I wish a man like this was at my parish — not that he would be welcomed or allowed to do what he does.
It sounds like this MC is very well balanced — neither curt and severe nor lax in his approach. Bravo.
I will always love the role of the altar boys, of the old Latin Mass! That, to me, is the very best! I recall vividly, at age four, the priests coming around the neighborhood, to recruit young Catholic boys, to train as altar boys. I so wanted to join them! But my mother patiently explained to me, that I was a girl, and what the different roles were, of Catholic girls and boys. Today, sadly, no one understands, the different and special God-given roles, of girls and boys, (or, of men and women!) in our Faith, or in the secular world, too! Many altar boys of long ago, went on to join the seminary, and became priests! The modern Church has lost all her treasures, in the loss of her beautiful and sacred Tradition!
Now I’m wishing our parish would give this a try: our young people seem disorganized, when the priest’s back is turned they get into mischief, and some of them just don’t bother to show up.
Now, if they would only have “altar boys”…
Terrible ideal… Go to San Bernardino and watch “Masters of ceremonies” pushing altar severs around and distracting the congregation from the Liturgy, because they want the Mass to be run perfectly…. Altar servers have done fine (even with their imperfections) for many years. This use to create a special bond between them and the Priest, that will help form their lives.
It was wonderfully distracting when the little alter servers would light the candles, a reality check for me, that we all learning to serve the Lord.
Next step, corrections needed for Eucharistic Ministers.
He should be helping “BOYS” NOT GIRLS to become “altar boys” they can never become priests a complete waste of time, but hey the Novus Ordo priests are slipping away while Tradtitional orders of men in the S.S.P.X. F.S.S.P. and Institute of Christ The King are booming!!!!! Remember young boys do not want to hang around with girls and vice versa stop this nonsense already!!
‘Now, if they would only have “altar boys”…’
R u kidding me?
Girls can be altar servers too, ONE, HOLY, CATHOLIC and APOSTOLIC CHURCH have approve it.
Regarding altar girls, we can once again thank the rebellious church in Germany. They insisted on altar girls and eventually the pope caved in and allowed it throughout the Church. In 1970 in fact, the Vatican released the document, Liturgicae instaurationes, which states woman are barred from serving at the altar. So just like Communion in the hand, the allowance of altar girls comes from those who want to be provocateurs and force novelties upon the Church. Sadly, in these post Vatican II years, those entrusted with the care of the Church have not had the courage to uphold tradition.
We have a MC in my parish and never have a problem with poor altar service.
My former parish had a wonderful person who trained the acolytes to serve weekend Masses. When new acolytes were serving their first Mass the Trainer would wear an alb and serve with them, pushing and prodding gently, a motion here and another there to lead the newbies through their paces. Worked wonderfully. At times, too, families served at a Mass – Father, Mother, Brother(s) and Sister(s). Wonderful!
I’m glad to see thee grown men helping the priest and altar servers!
What a great role model for the children to see their dads, or grandfathers, stepping up to the plate, making it clear that liturgical ministry does not stop when you graduate from grammar school.
As for all this fuss against altar servers being male and female, who cares?
Some boys will feel inspired to become priests, but very few.
Some girls will feel inspired to become lectors or join the parish council when they grow up, but very few.
In any case, it’s the PRIESTHOOD that is reserved for men, not all liturgical ministries!!
When some parishes started to disobey the Vatican’s original post-Vatican II ruling, that women and girls were to be barred from the altar– I always wondered– what about the NUNS?? Of all things, why are there no NUNS serving as Eucharistic Ministers– they are women, and consecrated to God!! All the laymen would look up to NUNS (in religious habits, especially!)– and NUNS ought to be considered FIRST OF ALL– if a parish is going to disobey, and have women as Eucharistic Ministers! (But I really only prefer the Tridentine Mass! So, the parishioners who love the Novus Ordo Mass, can deal with the issue of women and girls, on the altar!))
Today, of course, women and girls are allowed, on the altar. But I am so glad that there is plenty of availability, for the old Latin Mass! If a parish wants to have girls and women on the altar, for the Novus Ordo Mass — I still say, why can’t the nuns help guide them?? Nuns would be terrific ROLE MODELS!!
Linda Maria, because there are no nuns in most parishes. When they are, they are almost always included in the EME schedule.
Only Alter Boys please!
I am a member of St Hilary Parish and there are actually numerous men (dads and granddads) who serve as Masters of Ceremonies.
I like the traditional look of them in cassock & surplice, and the almost “invisisble” way they carry out their ministry, which is as it should be. Contrary to what one poster above wrote, they do NOT push the servers around or distract from the Mass but are very subtle.
Our two priests have told me they appreciate the fact that, right before Mass, they are not bombarded by tons of questions from the altar servers, especially the new kids, because the Masters of Ceremonies take care of the kids, make sure they are properly vested, and assign the duties (who carries the cross? who carries the candles? who brings…