The Formation of Altar Servers for the Current Times

February 23, 2024 by

Note: I would like to thank Br. Jonathan Ibarra, M.Id for his insights into this topic.

Many dioceses in the United States and around the world are facing a decrease in the number of altar servers and a lack of formation of the altar servers. There are parishes in which the formation of altar servers lasts only for a week or two. The lack of formation is detrimental to the ministry (and the Church as a whole) and has also contributed to the lack of vocations. There are many factors that have contributed to the lack of formation. For example, there is a lack of formation personnel, know-how, and knowledge about the context in which we live, and fear that the formation might be excessive. This article will attempt to provide a practical approach to the formation of altar servers.1 This article will first discuss the context in which we currently live; second, it will discuss the formation of altar servers based on the four pillars of seminary formation as stated by Pope Saint John Paul II in Pastores Dabo Vobis; finally, it will give some general pointers.

Context

Before one starts to formulate a formation plan, one needs to make sure that they understand the context in which this plan is going to be implemented. It is essential to recognize that the Church today has moved from the “naïve optimism” of Vatican II and has become “more realistic” regarding the troubles that are plaguing our age (EG 84). The Church is no longer the center of power and influence, having been pushed aside and viewed as another mere institution in the world. This has resulted from the “materialistic, consumerist, and individualistic society” that we inhabit.2

Msgr. Shea, in his enlightening book From Christendom to Apostolic Mission, speaks of the new context as the loss of the Christian worldview or Christendom. Msgr. Shea notes that within the Church there is a loss of the “general acceptance of basic Christian truths and an assumption of the Christian narrative and vision of the world around which the societies’ institutions were gathered.”3 Christians no longer live their lives according to the “fundamentals of the faith.”4 We can clearly see this in our empty churches and more concretely in the lack of altar servers. Therefore, it is crucial for the Church to undergo a conversion and be creative in sharing the message of the Gospel with joy and mercy to a world that is increasingly hostile to the Church.

The Church is missionary by nature and not enclosed within itself. It is constantly on a mission to be a light to the nations. It is essential “to provide an education which teaches critical thinking and encourages the development of mature moral values” (EG 64). This is so that a Christian culture can be created (EG 68). The aim is to “create an ‘apostolic friendly’ environment that will encourage creative missionary initiative.”5 Concerning priests (but also any Christian), the Pope advices that “‘mere administration’ can no longer be enough [but that they must be] . . . permanently in a state of mission” (EG 25).6 The priest must be willing to get involved in the daily lives of his people. The sheep will only listen to a shepherd who has the “smell of the sheep” (EG 24). They also need to be on the lookout for genuinely committed disciples among their members and find ways to form them. This, as Msgr. Shea notes, will involve “certain apostolic ‘messiness,’” such as “unenlightened zeal” and “rigoristic attitudes.”7 However, this is precisely what the Church requires at this time, and she must be prepared to tame and form this energy.

Formation of Altar Servers

I believe there must be an increased focus on the formation of altar servers. This is mainly because, unlike in religious education, where the students are formed for about four to five years, altar servers are formed for at least ten years (if not more). While this may be a shocking number of years, what is being proposed is that the altar servers remain in continuous formation. Thus, the formation of an altar server does not end with the commissioning but goes on well beyond that. This is important if one desires to form the person not merely as an altar server who knows what to do during the Mass but as a missionary disciple who truly reflects Christ to the congregation and his/her neighbors. Thus, the altar server becomes a well-formed, holy, intelligent, and effective minister.

How to Recruit Altar Servers

As stated earlier, the days when young boys and girls flocked to become altar servers have ended. Finding three or four proper altar servers in some parishes is lucky. Many children do not even know what an altar server is. Though there are many ways to recruit new altar servers, it is important to note that the coordinator should utilize all of these ways, given the context in which we live.

First and foremost, the altar server meetings must be announced in the announcements section of all the Sunday Masses. The coordinator should make this announcement personally rather than the regular announcer. The reason for this is twofold: first, parishioners rarely pay attention to the announcements since they have gotten used to their monotonous nature, however when it is someone new comes to speak (which is a break from the ordinary), they are more likely to pay attention. Second, it allows people to put a face to the abstract idea of the altar servers meeting. This is important for parishioners as the coordinator now becomes the go-to person concerning the altar servers. In the announcement, if there is a trip planned, it can act as an added incentive for altar servers to join.

Another place for an announcement would be in the catechism classes, i.e., going to each class and making the announcement. Another good context to announce is during the Mass of the First Holy Communion and Confirmation. It is also essential to provide people with a slip containing the information about the meetings so that they can have something tangible to take home with them. Publishing in the bulletin is also an excellent way to recruit more altar servers.

A good age for altar servers to begin formation is six or seven years.8 The reason for this is that the younger they are, the more adventurous, inquisitive, and filled with wonder they are. The older the children get, the shyer they get. Another way is through direct contact with their parents and encouraging them to send their children. Parents play a crucial role in the formation of altar servers, and it is vital to involve them as much as possible in the various activities. Finally, if one already has an altar server group, the coordinator needs to encourage the altar servers to recruit their friends and relatives.

Four Pillars of Formation

Supposing the goal of formation is to form the altar server into a well-formed, holy, intelligent, and effective minister, providing an overall formation of the person is essential. Rather than reinventing the wheel, it is better to adapt the four pillars for the formation of priests, i.e., intellectual, human, spiritual, and pastoral, to the formation of altar servers. The four pillars are interrelated.

Through human formation, the foundation is laid upon which the other dimensions can be received and lived. Through spiritual formation, the. . . [person] learns to bring everything from the other dimensions into his[/her] relationship with Jesus Christ. Through intellectual formation he[/she] comes to a deeper understanding of the truths of faith and the human person, enriching his[/her] relationship with God, his[/her] understanding of himself[/herself], and his[/her] service to others. Through pastoral formation, he[/she] learns how to express the other three in pastoral charity.9

Intellectual formation flows from the definition of man as a rational being who desires to know. The intellectual formation should be a deepening of the catechism that each person has received. Thus, it is a further development of the seed of faith given to them at baptism and nourished through the sacraments. The altar servers must be taught what to do before, during, and after the Mass. This would also include special Masses like feast day Masses, funerals, Masses with a bishop, and Masses of sacraments. They would need to be taught how to set up for the Mass. They would also need to know how to serve when there is just them or when there are eight altar servers or more (it would teach them the division of tasks). While knowing and doing the bare minimum is fine, to begin with, over time, altar servers need to be well-versed in all the practical parts of the entire Mass. An important thing to point out is that altar servers love when things are developing, and the complexity increases as long as it is done in incremental steps.10

Altar servers also need to be formed and educated in the theoretical parts of the Mass. This includes understanding the parts of the Mass, the parts of the Roman Missal,11 The liturgical calendar, some historical facts of the Mass, etc. Altar servers need to also be formed in church architecture, i.e., parts of the church,12 and Church music. Altar servers also need to be formed in the theology of the sacraments, whose celebration they will be assisting in. Given the amount of formation required, formation should be continuous, as two to three weeks is not enough. The different topics prevent the meetings from becoming monotonous. Suppose there are different groups of altar servers (experienced and new); one can divide the group based on one’s discretion. As altar servers grow older, it is an excellent idea to have them become leaders in the meetings and lead the practical training of the new altar servers with the coordinator overseeing them. This allows them to be formed as leaders and gives them a mission.

Concerning human formation, its primary purpose is to form a well-balanced person. The end is to “mold . . . [this person’s] human personality in such a way that it becomes a bridge and not an obstacle for others in their meeting with Jesus Christ the Redeemer of humanity.”13 Forming the altar servers in virtues and being persons of communion is essential. It is crucial for the altar servers to feel like the ministry is a family. It is important once in a while to have a BBQ or a pizza party. This facilitates communion among the altar servers. It is also an excellent opportunity to get the parents involved. Another idea is to plan trips.14 A beautiful trip could be to significant churches or the seminary. Trips should alternate between a fun trip and an educational one. In this way, children learn as well as have fun on the trips.

The dress code is another major focal point. It is important to inform the children of the dignity of their ministry and the sacrament of the altar. Thus, dressing appropriately for Mass is crucial. The basic dress code for the altar servers is formal black shoes. Thus, wearing sneakers or some other color shoes is strictly prohibited. If an altar server mistakenly, does it, they should not be allowed to serve the Mass. While this may seem harsh, it is a good teaching moment as the altar server learns that this is a serious ministry and that they should preserve the dignity of the ministry. It is vital to tell altar servers to be prepared to serve whenever they come for Mass since there can be an emergency where the assigned altar servers are absent.

Concerning spiritual formation, it is from human formation that spiritual formation flows. Every meeting should begin with the reading of the gospel for the upcoming week and asking the children for their reflections on the topic. This allows them to be aware of the upcoming gospel. Following this, there should be a time of spiritual direction. It is advisable for girls and boys to be separated and for a woman to direct the girls and a man to direct the boys.15 The questions can be “Where did you fail to live charity this week?”16 and “Where did you feel the presence of God during your week?”17 The spiritual director should comment or offer advice based on the faults expressed and encourage them in their journey in the spiritual life. Spiritual direction is usually done in a group, given the context.18 The spiritual direction should be done in an appropriate place.19 Once every two months, it is good to have a holy hour, with a Gospel reading with reflection and then silent adoration with confessions. It acclimates the children to silent prayer. It could end with a community meal. The coordinator could choose three parents to bring food for the altar servers. This allows the parents to get more involved.

Concerning pastoral formation, it is the fruit of the other three pillars, i.e., to become missionary disciples. Altar servers must be encouraged to give witness and preach the Word of God through their lives. Thus, “whatever. . . [they] do in word or deed, [they] do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father” (Col 3:17). Personally, I have noticed that parents of altar servers start being more involved in the church and come more frequently to Sunday Mass.20 Thus, the ministry of altar servers has a huge role to play in evangelization. Concerning the frequency of the meetings, the meetings should be held weekly or bi-weekly.

Some General Pointers

It is important for the coordinator to be dedicated to the formation of the altar servers rather than doing it as a side job. There is a requirement for the changing of one’s mindset towards this ministry. This means that the coordinator should always think of ways to improve the formation plan and see what more can be done. It is also important for the coordinator and the parish as a whole to pray for this ministry21 as at the end it is “the Holy Spirit [who] is the principal agent of evangelization.”22 The senior altar servers must be asked for their input on what could be done better. For example, what training should be emphasized, what trip would be fun and/or educational. The coordinator must be present at all the Sunday Masses so that he/she can be approached anytime the altar servers have doubts or questions. In this way, the shepherd acquires the “smell of the sheep” (EG 24). Mistakes are bound to happen; thus, coordinators and priests must be patient with altar servers. While correction is important, it must be done in a gentle manner so as not to risk getting them discouraged.

While teaching the altar servers, especially the young ones, it is important to be strict with them without being afraid. However, this must be done with love. Young children usually like to run around and play; thus, it is important for the coordinator to form them and teach them about discipline. It is essential to remember that children forgive easily and do not hold grudges. While altar servers usually correct and instruct each other,  they must be taught how to correct the younger ones gently. Involving the parents whenever possible is always important, as it provides them with a mission.23

Given the above points, the basic structure of an altar servers meeting could be: the meeting begins with a short prayer, then the gospel is read and reflected on, and following this, the group splits into smaller groups for spiritual direction, following which there can be a theoretical or practical lesson. The meeting usually ends with a few moments of silent prayer and closing vocal prayer.24 Given the structure, the meetings would ideally be an hour and a half to two hours.25

Conclusion

The ministry of altar servers is a much-needed ministry in the Church today. Pastors must recognize this fact and invest as much as possible in this ministry. It is essential not just to have utile altar servers but to form them as truly missionary disciples that the Church desperately requires. This involves forming them in the four pillars. As the Ratio Fundamentalis points out “each of the dimensions of formation is aimed at ‘transforming’ or ‘assimilating’ the heart in the image of the heart of Christ.”26 Being transformed, the young men and women will be open to a vocation to the religious life. It is through this ministry that there will be an increase in good, faithful and holy Catholics. The above plan has worked in the various parishes that I have worked in and has increased the number of altar servers seven to eightfold. The proposed plan is one of the ways in which the formation of altar servers can be done in an effective way.

  1. The below formation plan/ideas come from my personal experience as a coordinator of this ministry in the parishes I have worked in. The plan/ideas have successfully increased the number of altar servers by seven to eight times in the parishes that I have worked in. ↩
  2. Francis, Apostolic Exhortation on the Joy of the Gospel Evangelii Gaudium, November 26, 2013 (Washington, D.C.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2016), 63. ↩
  3. James Shea, From Christendom to Apostolic Mission (Burleigh County, North Dakota: University of Mary Press, 2020), 14. ↩
  4. Shea, From Christendom to Apostolic Mission, 22. ↩
  5. Shea, From Christendom to Apostolic Mission, 58. ↩
  6. Msgr. Shea also is of the same opinion (From Christendom to Apostolic Mission, 26). ↩
  7. Shea, From Christendom to Apostolic Mission, 59. ↩
  8. Ideally, those who have made their First Holy Communion. ↩
  9. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Program of Priestly Formation, 6th ed., (Washington, DC: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2022), 116. I have replaced the word seminarian with person so that it becomes applicable to the formation of altar servers. ↩
  10. In some parishes, before getting commissioned, altar server aspirants become Observers in the Mass, i.e., they wear an altar server’s alb or vestment and sit in the sanctuary but do nothing. This is so that they get acclimated to the environment. This can be a good option based on the discretion of the pastor. ↩
  11. Altar servers need to be taught how to traverse the Roman missal. ↩
  12. I know from personal experience that kids get quite fascinated when you disclose some parts that the rest of the congregation usually does not know about, such as an altar stone. ↩
  13. John Paul II, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Pastores Dabo Vobis, March 25, 1992 (Washington, D.C.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 1992), 43. ↩
  14. Once, I took the senior altar servers to an opera. This allowed altar servers to be exposed to the art form and be formed by it. ↩
  15. It is also advisable that the people directing should be getting spiritually directed themselves. Thus, the ones forming are also getting formed. ↩
  16. It is important to give them examples so that they understand. ↩
  17. As the children grow older, the questions start becoming more specific. In the Idente community, for example, by the age of thirteen, the questions would be distinguished between the Ascetical side and the Mystical side. In the Ascetical side, the questions may be: Were there any faults in regards to your thoughts, desires and actions that led you away from the presence of God? What was your didactic lesson (a lesson from the New Testament that has helped you in the past week to overcome certain faults)? What is your dominant defect and do you remember any manifestation of it during this past week? Were there any faults in poverty, chastity, obedience and charity? How is your prayer life? Do you have an observance (reading one chapter of the New Testament daily, daily moments of silent prayer, and frequent reception of the Eucharist, as much as possible)? How are your apostolic activities or missions going? In the Mystical side, the questions may be: Did you feel the presence or consolation of Christ during this week? Finally, what is your Charismatic Touch, i.e., what has the Holy Spirit inspired in you to put into practice from this community? (The Idente missionaries use the term community to describe spiritual direction.) The points of the mystical side are important as it teaches the children to be more sensitive to the movement of Christ in them. Parishes can use or adapt these points according to their needs. If a parish follows another strain of spirituality within the Church, such as Franciscan, Ignatian, Dominican, etc. and thus, forms the altar servers in that way, it would be more apt to use the points of that spirituality for spiritual direction. ↩
  18. It must be explicitly stated to the group that whatever faults are manifested here should not be shared outside. ↩
  19. Keeping in mind the regulations of the Safe Environment. ↩
  20. Parents have received baptism and have gotten married in the church some years after the children have started serving. (To see their children serve has led the parents to come to Mass frequently, which led to their formation.) ↩
  21. The pastor could also offer every now and then a Mass intention for this ministry. ↩
  22. Paul VI, Apostolic Exhortation On Evangelization In the Modern World Evangelii Nuntiandi, 8 December 1975 (Washington, D.C.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 1975), 77. The Pope also states that “techniques of evangelization are good but even the most advanced ones could not replace the gentle action of the Spirit.” ↩
  23. I know of a parish where the parents present the children during the Mass of commissioning, thus showing the congregation (and themselves) the crucial role they play in the formation of the altar servers. ↩
  24. Usually we end with the Trisagio (the Idente Rosary). For more information see www.idente.org/our-lady-of-mystical-life/?lang=en. ↩
  25. The Founder of the Idente Missionaries, Fernando Rielo, entitled the altar servers meeting as “The School of Altar Servers.” I believe it is an appropriate title as its mission is to form the altar servers into saints. ↩
  26. Congregation for the Clergy, Ratio Fundamentalis Institutionis Sacerdotalis, December 8, 2016 (London: Catholic Truth Society, 2017), 89. ↩
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Br. Loyce Pinto, M.Id About Br. Loyce Pinto, M.Id

Loyce Pinto is a consecrated religious brother of the Institute Id of Christ the Redeemer, Idente Missionaries. He is a fourth-year seminarian at St. Joseph’s Seminary, NY and the youth minister at St. Luke’s R.C. Church, Brentwood, NY. He has a Bachelor of Engineering in Computer Science Engineering and a MA in Catholic Philosophical Studies.

Comments

  1. Avatar Thien Ta says:
    February 24, 2024 at 5:36 am

    Thank you for your informative article. I will definitely look into this and discuss it with my pastor.