Altar Server Jobs

- Parish Life

- Prayer Hands
  - All first year servers begin as prayer hands. But all servers will do prayer hands depending on the team that is serving.
  - "First Book" - holding the Roman Missal for the Collect during the Introductory Rite..
  - Preparation of the Gifts
  - Washing of the Hands
  - "Second Book" - holding the Roman Missal for the Concluding Prayer during the Concluding Rite.
  - Bell ringer
- Candle Bearer/Crucifer
  - Also known as the torch bearer or candle holder
  - After a server has served consistently for a year they may train as a candle bearer and crucifer (if tall enough).
  - This role has a height requirement too. If you are too short you will not be able to handle the cross nor place the candles or cross on their stands. If this is the case you must wait until you can safely and properly control the candles or cross.
  - For safety, the sacristans will light the candles in the altar server room.
  - Candle Bearers extinguish the candles with a gentle blow. Do not blow hard or the wax will spray and YOU will clean it off.
- Thurifer
  - After serving consistently a minimum of two years AND demonstrating a mastery of prayer hands, candle bearer and crucifer, a server is eligible to be trained as a thurifer.
  - The thurifer also must be tall enough to manage the thurible and coordinated enough to handle the boat too.
  - The thurifer's job is to lead the processional incensing the way, present the thurible and boat for the incensing of the altar at the processional, lead the gospel processional, present the thurible and boat for incensing the gospel at the reading the of the gospel, present the thurible for incensing the altar at the preparation of the gifts, and incense the body and blood at the elevation.
- Serving the Bishop (crozier, mitre bearer)
  - When a bishop celebrates the mass a server is needed to hold his crozier and mitre.
  - At any mass with a bishop there will be an MC (Master of Ceremonies). All servers will arrive an hour early and the MC will go through the duties of the crozier and mitre bearer.