The mission of these volunteers in grades 6th through 8th is to be trained in the ministry of serving and to then assist at the altar at weekend Masses. The ministry of the Altar Server is rooted in the ministry of the Acolyte. “The Acolyte is instituted to serve at the altar and to assist the Priest and Deacon. In particular it is for him to prepare the altar and the vessels….” An Altar Server sets up the necessary items for Mass, assists the priest and deacon during Mass, and cleans up after Mass.

For more information, contact Fr. Sullivan 314 576-5366, ext. 15 .

Thank you for the volunteers. I invite you to join us in this very rewarding ministry. For additional information, please see the Q&A below.

- Fr. Sullivan

Mass Server Questions & Answers

Q: What is a Mass Server?

• A trained volunteer who sets up items on the altar for Mass, assists the priest at the altar during Mass and cleans up after Mass.

Q: Who can be a Mass Server?

• Any boy or girl who has completed 5th grade and is not yet in 9th grade.

Q: How do I become a Mass Server?

• A registration form will be sent home through school and PSR in the Spring to students. This Mass Server Registration Form must be signed and returned. Or you may contact Fr. Sullivan 314 576-5366, ext. 15.

Q: Do I need any training?

• Yes.

Q: When are training sessions held?

• A training session will be held in the Spring by the Associate Pastor.

• Yes, Practical guidelines for Mass Servers

• You are assigned a Mass time by the time your family prefers to attend.

Q: Can I serve with other family members?

• Servers are scheduled by their preferred Mass time and then alphabetically. You may or may not be scheduled with your brother or sister.

Q: Can I serve Life Teen Mass?

• Dan Huss, the youth minister schedules the Sunday 6:00pm Life Teen Mass.

Q: Can we serve a weekday Mass?

• Adult Volunteers server weekday Masses.

Q: Can I server at an All-School Mass?

• Teachers are responsible for assigning servers for All-School Masses.

Q: How many servers are there at each Mass?

• There are three servers; a cross server and two candle servers.

Q: How often will I serve?

• Some Masses are more popular than others so your frequency of serving is dependent on how many servers are available for a particular Mass.

  For example, the 5:00pm Mass on Saturday night has 39 servers and each Mass requires three servers, so a person signed up for this Mass will serve only once every 13 weeks. On the other hand, the 7:30am Mass on Sunday has 15 servers so they serve once every 5 weeks.

Q: When do I need to arrive for my scheduled Mass?

• 10 minutes before Mass is to begin.

Q: How often are schedules distributed?

• Every couple of months.

Q: Are schedules available on the Web?

• Yes. The URL will be provided with your first schedule.

Q: How are Mass Servers selected for holidays?

• The schedule always goes alphabetically.

Q: What should I do if I know I'll be unavailable to serve a scheduled Mass?

• You should make arrangements to obtain a substitute for your Mass.

Q: Do I need to sign up each year?

• No.

Q: How many servers are there at Incarnate Word?

• Currently there are 106 Mass servers.

1. Practical guidelines for Mass Servers
2. Mass Server Registration Form