Tag Archives: altar boys

Male service at the altar

A friend and long-time internet colleague – once a member of the staff of the ancient Catholic Forum on Compuserve! – sent the following from a blog called Harvey Millican 2.0: Musings of a Trad Dad: “These Our Men“. I … Read More

Posted in Hard-Identity Catholicism, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Save The Liturgy - Save The World | Tagged
10 Comments

ASK FATHER: Can a deacon serve as acolyte in the Extraordinary Form Mass?

From a reader… QUAERITUR: Can a deacon serve as acolyte in the Extraordinary Form Mass? Sure.  If there are not enough servers for the sake of a Solemn Mass, and for some reason you have a plethora of deacons and … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000 | Tagged ,
14 Comments

ASK FATHER: Color of altar boys’ cassocks

From a reader… QUAERITUR: I grew up in the 1950’s. All the illustrated “Children’s Missals” had photos showing altar servers wearing red cassocks and white surplices. I never saw red cassocks in person, however. Now, they seem to be making … Read More

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30 Comments

Bad priesthood vocations numbers? Not by accident. Wherein Fr. Z rants.

I posted this last year, to the day. Any additional thoughts? ___ Originally Published on: May 3, 2016 ___ And yet, do other parishes and dioceses and religious groups change what they are doing? Not much.  It is if they really … Read More

Posted in Hard-Identity Catholicism, POLLS, Priests and Priesthood, Seminarians and Seminaries, Wherein Fr. Z Rants | Tagged , , ,
30 Comments

ASK FATHER: “Today I was an Alter Server at Mass…”

I confess that I initially sent back a terse note to this one: “You are wrong.”   Having Reconsidered, more can be said… From a reader… QUAERITUR: Today I was an Alter [sigh] Server at Mass and upon returning home … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, HONORED GUESTS, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000 | Tagged , , ,
32 Comments

Altar girls and liturgy dominated by women: bad ideas

I’m Fr. Z.. and I endorse this essay by Rachel Lu at Crisis! My emphases and comments: In 1994, the Congregation for Divine Worship issued a letter officially specifying that it is licit for females to serve the altar in … Read More

Posted in Fr. Z KUDOS, Hard-Identity Catholicism, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, POLLS, Priests and Priesthood, Seminarians and Seminaries | Tagged ,
61 Comments

ASK FATHER: Liturgy director tries to forbid altar boys from wearing cassock and surplice.

From a reader… QUAERITUR: Our diocesan liturgical director is trying to prevent parishes from having altar servers wear cassocks and surplices, claiming they’re “clerical garb,” so lay people can’t wear them. Is his claim legitimate? Is there any official statement … Read More

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17 Comments

ASK FATHER: How to talk to other mothers about male only altar service?

From a reader… Our parish priest does not care for girl servers but allows it. Today we went to daily Mass and a new girl was serving (which was arranged by one of the moms, I don’t believe Father knew about it), … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ACTION ITEM!, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, New Evangelization, Our Catholic Identity | Tagged , ,
35 Comments

The Last Altar Boy

The often amusing Eye of the Tiber has this: The last male altar server in the United States has officially called it quits, the boy’s family is reporting this morning. The 3-year altar server veteran, who remained at his post as cross bearer despite pressure … Read More

Posted in Lighter fare, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000 | Tagged , , ,
12 Comments

Key stats for vocations to the priesthood – POLLS

The USCCB released survey results of the 2014 class of ordinands (from Latin, ordinandi, or “men to be ordained”).  HERE 82% were altar boys 73% attended adoration of the Blessed Sacrament regularly Suggestion to parish priests… heck… let’s include bishops, too: … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, Hard-Identity Catholicism, Our Catholic Identity, Priests and Priesthood, Seminarians and Seminaries | Tagged , ,
41 Comments

Airsoft Altar Boys

From a reader: Howdy from the heart of Texas Fr. Z! We decided to get our Altar Boy group together to play airsoft (military simulation that fires plastic pellets) at a local airsoft field. This is why we’re referred to … Read More

Posted in Be The Maquis, Fr. Z KUDOS, Just Too Cool | Tagged ,
57 Comments

D. Trenton: Guardians of the Altar

Watch the libs have a spittle-flecked nutty about this one! I see that at the Cathedral of the Diocese of Trenton, where Bp. David O’Connell reigns, there is a group called the “Guardians of the Altar”.  This, according to the … Read More

Posted in Brick by Brick, Fr. Z KUDOS, Just Too Cool, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Our Catholic Identity, Semper Paratus, The Coming Storm, The future and our choices, The Last Acceptable Prejudice | Tagged , , , , ,
44 Comments

Why don’t as many men go to church as women?

Today is the 50th anniversary of Sacrosanctum Concilium. What great fruits the liturgical reforms have produced!  Jammed churches, long confession lines, full schools, lots of weddings and baptisms, convents bursting, seminaries churning out priests as fast as they can be … Read More

Posted in Liberals, Our Catholic Identity, SUMMORUM PONTIFICUM, The Coming Storm, The Drill, The future and our choices, Vatican II | Tagged , , , , ,
61 Comments

Altar Boy Stats FOLLOW UP (and fun photo)

Remember the post about the number of altar boys increasing when there are no girls on the team? HERE A reader sent this: I’ve attached as proof a “sacristy selfie” the rascally rascals (including our #2 son) took yesterday ~ … Read More

Posted in SESSIUNCULA | Tagged
39 Comments

ACTION ITEM! All male altar service prompts increases in numbers of altar boys.

I have some homework for all you readers, below.  But first, this introduction. A friend sent a link to On This Rock where there is a post about how the number of altar boys increases dramatically once all-male service at … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, Brick by Brick, Just Too Cool, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, New Evangelization, Our Catholic Identity, The Drill, Vocations | Tagged ,
55 Comments

QUAERITUR: Something that should be heard in every sacristy in the world.

From a reader: I’ve been having a friendly disagreement with a priest that I know, and maybe you can give me an answer: at the end of Mass, the priest will say the word “Prosit,” and the servers respond “Pro … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Mail from priests, Our Catholic Identity | Tagged , , , , ,
21 Comments

QUAERITUR: Can Father require all servers to stand to receive Communion?

From a reader: My 10-year-old son, who daily receives Holy Communion on his tongue while kneeling (and in fact has never received standing) just completed altar server instruction. He was told that when he serves, he must receive standing!!! (for … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Our Catholic Identity | Tagged , , , ,
46 Comments

WDTPRS POLL: All-male sanctuary/altar service and vocations to the priesthood.

I have posted this poll before, but in light of another post, I thought I would revisit the question. Please select a response and make comments on this subject in the combox, below. And, yes, I know that some churches … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, Linking Back, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, POLLS, Priests and Priesthood, Seminarians and Seminaries, The future and our choices | Tagged , , , , ,
112 Comments

QUAERITUR: The colors of altar boy cassocks

From a reader: Is there any significance between altar boys who wear black cassocks as opposed to those who wear red ones in the TLM? No, there is no significance.  This is a matter of aesthetics.   Back in the … Read More

Posted in ASK FATHER Question Box, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000 | Tagged , ,
44 Comments

VIDEO: Altar Boys

My friend Fr. Stephen Reynolds in Sugar Land, Texas has been doing some great things. Here is the latest in some videos about worship and the life of the parish. [wp_youtube]EXIWMh7v3Kg[/wp_youtube] Fr. Z Kudos to Fr. Reynolds!

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, Fr. Z KUDOS, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Our Catholic Identity | Tagged , , , ,
24 Comments