Altar Servers

[Guest ......]

what is the proper attire for a priest to have for his altar servers? i know there are albs but have seen many times altar servers in cassicks (sp?) are cassicks only for those who are in the process of becoming a priest and for hte priest only to wear?

just wondering because all our altar servers wear cassocks. 8-up

[phatcatholic]

[quote name='......' date='Jun 13 2004, 06:04 PM']what is the proper attire for a priest to have for his altar servers? i know there are albs but have seen many times altar servers in cassicks (sp?) are cassicks only for those who are in the process of becoming a priest and for hte priest only to wear?

just wondering because all our altar servers wear cassocks. 8-up
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the 2003 GIRM, w/ US adaptations says:[list][b]339.[/b] In the dioceses of the United States of America, acolytes, altar servers, lectors, and other lay ministers may wear the alb or other suitable vesture or other appropriate and dignified clothing.
[/list]also, in this [b][url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassock"]Wikipedia article[/url][/b] on cassocks, we read:[list]"Cassocks are sometimes worn by lay people when they are assisting with the liturgy in church, such as altar servers, by seminarians studying for the priesthood, and for religious who are not priests (e.g religious brothers)."
[/list]now, i suppose the authority of a wikipedia article could be called into question, but i generally find it to be a trustworthy source.

the [url="http://www.archstl.org/links/gloss-lit.htm"][b]Catholic Glossary[/b][/url] defines a cassock as:[list]"A non-liturgical, full-length, close-fitting robe for use by priests and other clerics under liturgical vestments; usually black for priests, purple for bishops and other prelates, red for cardinals, and white for the Pope."
[/list]every definition of the word found [url="http://www.onelook.com/?loc=pub&w=cassock"][b]here[/b][/url] includes it use by someone other than a priest, usually "assistants at mass" or "members of the choir."

taking all this together, it would appear that servers could wear the cassock. however, i personaly feel that, since this particular garment is so closely related to the priesthood and for seminarians training for the priesthood, that it may cause confusion if altar servers were to wear it as well.

i hope that helps

pax christi,
phatcatholic

[Cam42]

[quote name='......' date='Jun 13 2004, 07:04 PM']what is the proper attire for a priest to have for his altar servers? i know there are albs but have seen many times altar servers in cassicks (sp?) are cassicks only for those who are in the process of becoming a priest and for hte priest only to wear?

just wondering because all our altar servers wear cassocks. 8-up
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[/quote]

Speaking from a liturgical standpoint the surplice (the white over garment) is the liturgical garment of an altar server. It goes over the cassock, because the cassock is not a liturgical vestment, as phatcatholic pointed out.

[quote name='Catholic Encyclopedia']The surplice belongs to the liturgical vestment in the strict sense, and is the vestment most used. It is the choir dress, the vestment for processions, the official priestly dress of the lower clergy, the vestment worn by the priest in administering the sacraments, when giving blessings, at Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, etc.; in the last-mentioned cases it is the substitute for the alb, which, according to present custom, is worn only at Mass and a few other functions.[/quote]

Traditionally speaking the cassock is the vestiture of choice, however, it is not proper for a girl to wear, because it is closely related to the priesthood. But that should not be a discouragement for boys to wear as vestiture for serving the Mass.

What do I mean? I don't see little Timmy getting confused with Fr. Smith, simply because Timmy wears a cassock and surplice to serve Mass.

Choir dress or cassock and surplice is proper for any male member who is assisting at the Mass and sitting in the sancutary. While today the cassock and surplice are most properly associated with priests and seminarians, as Nick pointed out, there is nothing prohibiting nor excluding the use of the choir dress by anyone who is assisting at the Mass.

[quote name='Redemptionis Sacramentum' date=' 153']Furthermore, it is never licit for laypersons to assume the role or the vesture of a Priest or a Deacon or other clothing similar to such vesture.[/quote]

While some will turn to this paragraph of Redemptionis Sacramentum to say that the cassock and surplice should not be worn, one needs to look to the context in which it is applied. This is speaking about those who would be distributing Holy Communion dressing in an alb,dalmatic and/or chasuble.

This does not apply to the altar server, who should be vested when serving the Mass. Because the cassock and surplice are not the vestiture of the priest clebrant nor the assisting deacons, the cassock and surplice are allowable for use by those who are assisting the Mass.