Tag Archives: altar boys

Pope Leo to MALE alter servers: “be attentive to the call…”

Pope Leo XIV had an audience with altar BOYS (maybe some older, too) from France. English HERE – French HERE Among other things, he said this: I also express the wish that you may be attentive to the call that … Read More

Posted in SESSIUNCULA | Tagged ,
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26 Dec: St. Stephen the Protomartyr, his Archconfraternity, and the Octave

In addition to Boxing Day, and the day good King Wenceslaus went out, it is the feast of St Stephen. I hope all your snow is neat and crisp and even. St. Stephen’s feast has been celebrated this day since the … Read More

Posted in Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Saints: Stories & Symbols, Save The Liturgy - Save The World | Tagged
1 Comment

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
9 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

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

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