Dom Matthew Britt - How to Serve: In Simple, Solemn, and Pontifical Functions (with Supplemental Reading: Confession: Its Fruitful Practice) [Illustrated]

St. John Berchmans
Patron of Altar Boys
15991621

Imprimi Potest: Lambertus Burton, O.S.B.
Abbas S. Martini

Nihil Obstat: H. B. Ries
Censor librorum

Imprimatur: Samuel A. Stritch
Archiepiscopus Milwaukiensis
October 18, 1933

Copyright 1934 by The Bruce Publishing Company. Re-typeset, reformatted and republished from the Third Edition by TAN Books and Publishers in 2008.

ISBN: 978-0-89555-888-6

Cover design by Milo Persic. The cover photo and photos for Figures 3, 4, 5, 6 and 10 were taken by Milo Persic at St. John Cantius Church, Chicago, IL, in cooperation with the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius and Fr. Scott Haynes, S.J.C.

Printed and bound in the United States of America.

TAN Books
Charlotte, North Carolina
2011

Introibo ad altare Dei.

Ad Deum qui laetificat juventutem meam.

I will go unto the altar of God.

To God, who giveth joy to my youth.

A MONG THE FEW THINGS accomplished by the writer during the course of a somewhat busy but ill-spent life has been the preparation of three manuals or guides for servers, each of which has been independent of its predecessor. The first, a Vade Mecum for Servers , was published in 1895; the second, a Ceremonial for Altar Boys , appeared in 1898. Both of these were written several years before the authors ordination. The third booklet is now making its bow, and it is dedicated to the young men in our preparatory seminaries, with the hope that some day one of them may write a better book.

Since the earlier handbooks were published, and they were pioneers in the field, many changes have taken place that affect a work of this kind. Furthermore, many new and exhaustive ceremonials, written in a systematic and scientific manner, have appeared in Latin, English, French, and German. In the preparation of the present work extensive use has been made of such recent literature. Regarding Pontifical ceremonies, and Mass in particular, a special word must be said. The scholarly works of Stehle and Schober have been followed throughout. Each of these authors explains separately and concisely, but with sufficient detail, the duties of each minister in the sanctuary, both sacred and inferior.

It is not claimed that the method of serving as set forth in this manual is, in every case, the only correct one. Anyone who is familiar with more than one book on the subject need not be told this. The rubrics provide a fair outline of the servers duties; liturgical writers supply the details. The rubrics are often quite general, and at times none too clear. As a result they are not always interpreted in the same way. Custom, too, plays its part, even where there is no ambiguity in the law. From these and from similar sources arise the differences that are found in approved authors. Any approved author may be safely followed.

It need scarcely be said, and the fact is here stressed, that the present work contains considerable matter and many references that are not intended for the servers but for those who instruct them or provide for their needs in the sanctuary. This is especially true of some of the sections included under Common Ceremonial Actions. Thus, to mention only two, the section on Vesture will be of interest to the members of the altar society, if it be their duty to provide appropriate garments for the servers. Nor is any apology required for the much-needed section on the little silvery-toned Altar Bell which is being so generally replaced by a variety of unrubrical, clangorous instruments that distract the recollected and make the angels weep.

The author expresses his grateful appreciation to his confrere, Dom Raphael Heider, O.S.B., for the cover design and for the twenty-eight drawings and other illustrations that were made by him especially for this book. Acknowledgment must also be made to the Rev. Vincent A. McCormick, S.J., of Woodstock College, for the frontispiece, an unusual picture of St. John Berchmans, the patron saint of altar boys.

For information concerning the St. John Berchmans Sanctuary Society, its origin, rules, indulgences, etc., see the Manual of the St. John Berchmans Sanctuary Society published by the Apostleship of Prayer (1927).

The author will be deeply grateful to anyone who will point out anything in the present work that is contrary to either the letter or the spirit of the rubrics. However, this implies no request for the readers preference in matters that are variously interpreted by approved authors.

The present edition contains only minor changes, which were made for the sake of clearness. , is new; the one on Mass pictures has been deleted since the pictures, published abroad, are no longer obtainable. A work of great value on the rubrics has just been published. Its author, the Rev. J. B. OConnell, is the editor and reviser of Fortescues The Roman Rite . The work is an exhaustive one in three volumes on The Celebration of Mass (Bruce, Milwaukee, 1941). It compares favorably with such standard works as Bishop Van der Stappens Sacra Liturgia . It is a storehouse of rubrical knowledge for priests, seminarians, masters of ceremonies, and others.

Bishop.

Celebrant wearing a chasuble.

Celebrant wearing a cope.

Deacon.

Subdeacon.

Master of ceremonies.

Thurifer with censer

Thurifer without censer.

Cross-bearer whether subdeacon or server.

First acolyte.

Second acolyte.

Torch-bearer.

Assistant in cope.

Assistant priest.

Assistant deacon.

Crozier-bearer.

Miter-bearer.

Book-bearer.