St Joan of Arc Altar Servers
The Guild of St Stephen for Altar Servers
St Stephen is the Patron of Altar Servers. Personally, I do not like the team ‘altar boy’ or ‘altar
girl’ because it implies that service at the altar is a child’s activity. It is not. The fact that servers can receive their silver medal after ten years and their gold medal after fifty years tells us that service at the altar is an adult activity into which children are incorporated.
For adults to serve on a Sunday, a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check is required. For adults to serve on a weekday, no check is required. (If it is a school Mass on a weekday, adults without DBS will step aside to let the school children serve).
Ideally, these are the minimum number of servers that we should have according to the solemnity (weight) of the Mass being celebrated:
- Weekday Mass – 1 server.
- The anticipated Mass of the Sunday – 2 servers.
- 9.15am Mass – 3 (Cross & 2 Acolytes)
- 11.15am Mass – 5 (Thurifer, Boat, Cross & 2 Acolytes)
•>5pm Mass – 3 (Cross & 2 Acolytes)
More servers than the above are always welcome!
If you have any questions about the Altar Servers, please email Father Simon Simon.dray@abdiocese.org.uk.