For alter servers

1. ANNUNCIATION OF THE LORD PARISH

2. Message from our Pastors
Dear Servers
As your title indicates, your primary role is to serve. First, you serve God from
loving and prayerful hearts. Secondly, you serve the priest through specific actions and
attention to the practical details of the liturgy. Lastly, you serve the congregation by your
attentive posture and attentive disposition to the prayer of the Mass and the sacred
atmosphere of the liturgy.
The many instructions and rules in this manual are meant to help you perform well your
duties, which are always to be done for the greater glory of God.
As pastors, we are very concerned that the Mass here at Annunciation of the Lord be a
prayerful and meaningful experience for us all. We count on your good service to help
make this happen.
We thank you for saying yes to being an altar server and we pray that it will be a fulfilling
experience for you now and in the years to come.
Peace and Blessings,
Fr. Yves Marchildon
Fr. Dennis Hayes.

3. General Rules
 If you notice an alb that needs attention throughout the year, please contact me with the
size and I will look after it.
 In the winter you can bring shoes to change into before entering the Sacristy, if possible.
This helps to keep the gowns clean at the bottom.
 Please email scheduler any dates (or pertinent information) that will assist in
coordinating a schedule that works with your family’s routine. If no specific instructions
from families are received, people are scheduled on a rotational basis to the Mass time
requested. Deadline for submissions is given each month.
 Schedules are sent via email; limited hard copies are available in the mailbox for altar
servers (located just outside the parish office and Sacristy). Schedule is also posted on
the Sacristy bulletin board. Please try to keep the sacristy copy up to date with switches
so that the priests know who is helping them. We try to keep ~One month posted. After
the schedule is posted, any switches that are necessary are made between families of
other servers. Scheduler does not coordinate your switches or changes in the
schedule once it is posted. Schedules are also posted on the parish website under:
ministries>liturgy and worship>altar servers> documents. Direct link to altar servers:
http://www.annunciation-ottawa.org/index.cfm?load=page&page=250 >go to
documents.

4. General Rules: 2 PART
 In case of absences, please try to contact someone else on your team for
the Mass to tell them that you will not be present, or find a
replacement/switch, so the other servers will not be waiting for you. The
servers have different routines with the candles and cross they must prepare for
before the service starts if they are short a server. On short notice, 48hrs or less,
please contact others by phone.
 Arrive at least 15 minutes, preferably 20 minutes before Mass.
 Sick children should not serve at the Mass for obvious health and safety
reasons. (ex. Coughing and ‘runny’ noses.)
 Servers who are not scheduled can ‘check out’ who’s showing up in the Sacristy
just in case there is an opening because of an absence. We function with 1-3
servers, ideally with 3. Please respect the ‘5 minute’ rule of silence prayer
before the Mass.
 Special Masses (Christmas/New Year/Ash Wednesday/Easter week) are
scheduled by volunteers only and sometimes require extra practice (1/2hr--hr)
before the service.
 High school students: Altar Serving can be applied to community service
hours. Keep track of your hours.

5. Dress code:
 NO SHARP JEWELRY/EARRINGS. The fabric snags
easily on sharp edges.
 Hair must be combed/ brushed neatly.
 Teeth must be brushed.
 Try to wear neutral colours, avoid bright colours or
designs that show through the gown.
 Khakis are a neat option.
 Always wear shoes, dress shoes preferred. Proper
sandals permitted in summer, but no bright colours,
no crocks or flip-flops. Big boots should not be worn.

6. Before and during Mass.
 Try to arrive 20 minutes before Mass.
 All servers should wash their hands before they dress.
 Go where the albs are kept and find your size. You can
hang up your jacket, if you have one, on the same hanger
that was used for your alb.
 Once you have put on the alb, take a cross and put it on.
Make sure to put on the hood of your alb before putting
on the cross and then pull the hood down after.
 Find out in the schedule what job are you doing.
 Servers should be gowned, candles lit/cross and ready for
procession at the doors to the church 5 minutes before
the Mass starts.

7. Before and during Mass. (2)
 Use your indoor voice before Mass starts, the
congregation should not be distracted from their quiet
preparation before Mass.
 Talking at the altar should be kept to a minimum
during the service.
 Please cover your mouth when you yawn during Mass.
 Face forward, do not sit and turn your body to face the
congregation, especially at communion time.
 Walk when in the Sanctuary, do not run.
 Make sure to waist bow to the altar as you cross the
Sanctuary.
 Move together as a team

8. Introductory Rite:
 The procession starts when the singing starts. Do not start
walking until you hear words being sung. Walk normally, not too
fast or not too slow, and maintain the same pace throughout.
Order of the procession
 Thurible (on special occasions only)
 Cross
 Candles
 Other servers
 Priest and Deacon.
 Upon reaching the altar, head bow and the proceed to place the
cross and candles where they belong and then to your seats. Do
not sit down right away!
 If you are not carrying anything, when you reach the altar, waist
bow, walk on the tiled floor until you reach the steps on the side,
then proceed to your seat. Do not sit right away.

9. LITURGY OF THE WORD,
LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST AND CONCLUDING RITE
 Liturgy of the Word (readings/Gospel):
 Stand and sit as the congregation does and try to participate. Try not to fidget or do
anything distracting. Remember your purpose is to help the congregation pray and
concentrate on the Mass.
 Liturgy of the Eucharist:
 After the “Prayers of the Faithful,” proceed down to the first step and take the gifts to the
credence table.
 Concluding Rite:
 Once the final blessing has been given, be ready to leave the sanctuary the same way you
entered. Once the music starts, the cross bearer will proceed to carry the cross and the
candles will follow.
 If you are not carrying anything, walk down the steps and on the tiled floor until you
reach the center aisle. At this point, the cross will stop and turn around, to face the altar
and wait for the other servers and the priest.
 When the priest waist bows the altar, the servers who are not carrying anything waist
bow as well, then turn and process out. The servers carrying the cross and the candles
may head bow when the priest bows.

10. Roles of an Altar Server:
Cross
We have two different
types of Crosses: a
Heavy and a Light one.
They are both located
in the wall in front of
the office
The Altar server
carrying the Cross is
always the first one in
the initial procession.
The Cross Bearer intervenes four times during the Eucharistic celebration:
First (initial procession): The Cross bearer must start walking when
the choir begins to sing. Upon reaching the altar, head bow and then
proceed to leave the Cross to the place where it belongs.

11. The light Cross is left in the stand
next to the chair (in the right side of
the altar.
The heavy Cross is left in the stand
underneath the big Cross (next to the
candles).
Then you can have a seat in the second chair after the light Cross stand.
Remember that the chair next to the Father’s seat is reserved for the deacon.

12. Second (procession for gifts): After the “Prayers of the Faithful,” the
deacon or another altar server will start setting up the altar (note: it
could be you if you are the only one serving). When they finish take the
Cross and go to the back of the Church.
Wait for the ushers or the people
carrying the gifts (bread and wine)
to tell you that they are ready. A
hint: start walking when you see the
Priest standing up and walking to
the front of the altar.
Then, leave the Cross in the same stand where you got it
from and remain standing next to your seat.

13.  Third (lead the Eucharistic Minister): Get the Cross as soon
as you finish receiving communion.
When you see that all the Eucharist
Ministers have a Ciborium (blue bowl) in
their hands start walking towards the
confessionary. It is located behind the choir
and scent-free area, near the back of the
Church.
When that line of communion is finished
walk towards the center isle of the Church
and wait there. The Extraordinary Minster
will tell you when to walk again to the altar
as in the initial procession. A hint: start
walking when the Priest goes to give
communion to the choir.

14.  Fourth (final procession): After the Priest gives the final
blessing the choir will start singing.
At this point grab the Cross and start
walking towards the back of the Church
through the center isle. Stop at the
second pew and turn around (facing the
altar). Turn around when you see the
Priest turning around and walk out nor
too fast or too slow.

15. Book
The Book (Roman Missal) will be set up
before each Mass so it will be ready to use
once you get to the altar. You will always
find a ribbon coming from one of the edges
of the Book. It indicates the page where it
should be opened
The Book Bearer intervenes two times during the Eucharistic celebration:
First: In the beginning of Mass the Priest will
say some prayers. Next, you will hear the choir
singing the Glory. The song will finish with the
words “In the glory of God the Father. Amen.”
At this point, get the book and open it in the
page where the ribbon is. When you hear the
Priest saying: “Let us pray,” take the book to
the Priest. After he reads the prayer go back to
your seat.
Second: After giving Holy Communion, the
Priest or the Deacon will clean the altar (put
things away) and then they will go to their seats.
He will remain in silence for a couple of minutes.
As soon as the Priest stands up grab the book
and open it in the page indicated by the ribbon.
Once you hear the Priest saying: “Let us
pray,” take the book to the Priest. After he
reads the prayer go back to your seat.

16. Candles
 If there are only two servers, the Cross must be processed with them, never the
candles by themselves. Never process with only one candle.
 If you are a Candle bearer, you are in charge of lighting up the candles 5 min
before Mass. The Candle Bearers intervene three times during the Eucharistic
celebration:
First (initial procession): The Candle bearers are always the
second ones in the initial procession. They are meant to follow the
Cross while they are walking towards the altar. Once they reach the
altar, the candles are left at the foot of the big Cross.

17. Second (Gospel): After the first, psalm and second reading are read;
the choir will start singing the Alleluia
At this moment you proceed to pick up the
candles (they are underneath the big Cross).
Then, walk and stop at the end of the altar.
Wait for the Priest to approach the altar and
bow.
After the Priest bows, he will start walking
towards the ambo. Walk before him as if you
were leading him. Then stand next to the
ambo. One on the left and one on the right as
shown in the picture. Hold the candle at a
height that you can hold still without moving
back and forth for the duration of the Gospel
reading. This avoids distraction for the
congregation.

18. Third (final procession): After the Priest gives the final
blessing the choir will start singing the recessional song.
At this point grab the Candles and start
walking towards the back of the Church
through the center isle (following the
Cross). Stop at the beginning of the
second pew and turn around (facing the
altar). Turn around when you see the
Priest turning around and walk out not
too fast nor too slow.

19. •Setting up the Altar
After the Creed, the “Prayers of the faithful” are said. Then the priest will sit down. At
this time, the setting up of the altar takes place.
The first step is to take the chalice from the credence
table (with the corporals, pall and purificator on it) to
the Altar.
If a Deacon is present, put the chalice on the Altar and
he will set it up. If there is not a Deacon, then an Altar
server sets it up.
If you are the one setting up the altar, take first
the small corporal and put it in the center
unfolding it systematically. The second corporal
should be placed on the right side about an inch
apart from the small one

20. At this moment another altar server should be
bringing the book from the back to the
sanctuary. The book should be placed in the
left side of the altar. If you are the only server,
you can bring the book after arranging the
corporals, pale, purificator and chalice
After placing the corporals on the altar, take
the pall and the purificator and put them in
between the two corporals. Remember to
leave around an inch from the bottom edge of
the altar to the corporals.

21. Once the altar set up is completed it should look like this:

22. The cruet with the wine and the lead of the
ciborium should be placed on the credence
table. Remove the leads of both cruets
before moving them. One altar server carries
the wine cruet and another carries the water
cruet.
•Preparation of the Gifts
The server in charge of the offertory walks
down to the first step and waits with the
priest and deacon (if present) for the gifts to
be brought. The deacon or priest will hand
the altar server the wine and the other walks
along the deacon or priest to receive the lead
of the ciborium.

23. After that, you need to take them to the deacon or, if there is no deacon present,
to the Priest. Once the Deacon or priest has poured the wine and the water into
the chalice and returned them, the servers head bow and return to the Credence
table to prepare for the washing of the hands.
The server carrying the water then picks up
the lavabo (transparent bowl) while the server
who was carrying the wine leaves the cruet on
the credence and takes the hand towel and
opens it for the Priest
As the two servers approach the altar, the server with the water and lavabo must
be on the right side, while the server with the towel is on the left.
When the priest has finished washing his hands, slight head bow and return the
lavabo and water to the credence table.

24. •Bell
As soon as the choir starts singing the “Holy, Holy” go to the first step and face the altar.
When the song finishes kneel down.
Once the priest has elevated the host, the
server is to ring the bell three times. After
the priest elevates the chalice, the server is
to ring the bell in the same manner. When
the priest says: “The mystery of faith” stand
up and go back to your seats.
•Communion time
After receiving communion all altar servers, except the Cross bearer, stand next to
an Extraordinary Minister, Priest or Deacon while they are giving communion to
the people. The main goal is to make sure that all persons in the communion line
(especially the ones receiving the Body of Christ on their hands) consume Him.
When the extraordinary minister, priest or deacon go back to the altar; follow
them and go back to your seat.

25. The altar servers sitting next to the credence table
should be attentive. The priest or deacon will
hand out the ciborium for you to take them to the
credence table. Put them on the corporal and DO
NOT stack them.
If a deacon is not present you might need to help the priest to fold the
corporals on the altar. DO NOT LIFT the open corporal from the
altar. Fold it without lifting it and bring it to the credence table.