Altar Servers

Note: Holy Trinity will be maintaining the practice of Boys serving at the Altar. We would also like to reach out to the girls of the parish and include them in the Liturgical Life of our Parish. Girls who are in 5th grade and above who wish to read at the Liturgy each week can contact Joan Coleman at (703) 368-7989. Girls who would like to help with the linens and preparation of the Altar can become Sacristans and join the Altar Society, contact Mary Ellen VanderWoude at (703) 594-3457. Girls interested in joining the choir, contact Kathy Cumber at (703) 753-7791. Girls interested in becoming Greeters, contact Charlie Mallon at (703) 753-0532.

Welcome! Serving Father at the Altar is a great privilege and the information on this website and in our altar boy handbook will help you learn the responsibilities, expectations and procedures.

The Altar Boys have a special relationship with and work for our priests, but Father Peffley has assigned an Altar Boy coordinator, Mr. Tom Mead, to work with you on training, scheduling and enforcing the rules. If you or your parents have any questions please let the coordinator know.

It is the responsibility of the parents of boys wishing to serve to read the Holy Trinity Altar Boy Handbook, paying particular attention to the section on serving in a reverent and dignified manner.

Qualifications

Holy Trinity parish is honoring the long tradition and practice of having boys serve our priests at the Altar, and any boy who has received his First Holy Communion is eligible to be trained to become an Altar server.

Our parish is blessed to have both the Ordinary and Extraordinary Forms of the Mass. The Ordinary Form is often known as the Novus Ordo and may be celebrated in Latin or English. This is the Mass that most of you are familiar with and at which you will typically serve.

The Extraordinary Form is often called the Traditional Latin, or Tridentine, Mass and is celebrated only in Latin.

Training

All boys wishing to serve at Holy Trinity will typically begin training in the Ordinary Form and then, with the permission of Father Wooton, who says the Extraordinary Form, may begin training to serve this Mass.

As Pope Benedict has noted, our Latin Rite has two forms and it would be a blessing for our parish to have as many boys as interested learn to reverently serve both the Ordinary and Extraordinary Forms.

Training for the Ordinary Form is held periodically throughout the year, but parents of eligible boys wishing to serve may begin right away after they review the handbook by registering with the Altar Boy coordinator.

Scheduling

All altar boys may serve at any regular weekday or weekend Ordinary Form Mass they wish.

In general, only older boys (Knights of the Altar) are actually scheduled to serve particular Ordinary Form Masses. (Exceptions to this generous serving policy are for weddings, funerals and other special Masses which only scheduled boys may serve).

Dress Code

Altar Boys from the time they receive Holy Communion through 8th grade wear the traditional black cassock and white surplice.

The more experienced boys in 9th grade and above wear the red cassock and white surplice and are known as Knights of the Altar, or just Knights. The Knights are responsible for training the younger boys, assigning duties at Mass, and instructing the boys after Mass on any mistakes made.

Boys should wear dark dress- or Dockers-style pants with dark socks and brown
or black (preferred) shoes.

Absolutely no jeans, shorts, sneakers, flip flops, etc.

If you are not dressed appropriately for serving, do not vest.

Boys wearing collared shirts must fold the collar down while serving so that it does not extend above the cassock—it looks sloppy at best and when wearing white shirts it often appears as a Roman collar.

Remember, you are in the Sanctuary when Christ is made present on the Altar.

Dress accordingly!

Holy Trinity Altar Boy Schedule
July-August 2010