question...

[Soldier4Him]

I went to mass at not my usual parish this past Sunday, and noticed something odd....after the priest recieved communion, the ALTER SERVER went to the tabernacle and removed the chalice with already consecrated hosts. Is this ok? I thought only the priest could do that....

[karin]

i am not sure i understand but i dont think that an alter server should do that! i might have seen a deacon do that before i am not sure what you mean

[mariology21]

[quote name='Soldier4Him' date='Jul 7 2005, 12:59 AM']I went to mass at not my usual parish this past Sunday, and noticed something odd....after the priest recieved communion, the ALTER SERVER went to the tabernacle and removed the chalice with already consecrated hosts. Is this ok? I thought only the priest could do that....
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I believe it's in the GIRM that only an ordained minister (priest or deacon) is "allowed" to go to the Tabernacle to either 1) remove the consecrated Hosts for distribution at Communion and then once Communion is over only the ordained minister is to bring back the unconsumed Hosts to the Tabernacle. No lay person should be doing this.

~Jen

[StColette]

I looked through the GIRM and could not find anything about an altar serving not being allowed to remove the consecrated Hosts from the Tabernacle. Although I did find a site that only list priest, deacon, or EM removing consecrated Hosts from the Tabernacle or placing consecrated Hosts into the Tabernacle.

[phatcatholic]

i coulda sworn i read something about this in the GIRM too, but i can't seem to find it

[StColette]

I'm still looking lol [url="http://www.christusrex.org/www1/mcitl/girm.html"]http://www.christusrex.org/www1/mcitl/girm.html[/url] lol GIRM online for anyone who needs it lol

[cmotherofpirl]

EMOHC are allowed to do it with permission.

[qfnol31]

I used to have to do it at school. Great classes, poor living it at Mass.

Also, it could have been an Acolyte.

[Soldier4Him]

what's the dif? server and acolyte? *ugh* i hate not knowing things.

[Apotheoun]

[quote name='Soldier4Him' date='Jul 10 2005, 10:19 PM']what's the dif? server and acolyte? *ugh* i hate not knowing things.
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An altar server is a member of the lay faithful (only males are allowed this function in the Eastern Churches) who helps the priest during the celebration of the Divine Liturgy.

While in the Roman Rite an acolyte is a man who has been [i]instituted[/i] to the ministry of the acolytate in accordance with the discipline of the Church (cf. [u]Code of Canon Law[/u], canon 230 § 3). Only men can be instituted to the stable ministries of the acolytate and the lectorate.

[phatcatholic]

[quote name='Soldier4Him' date='Jul 11 2005, 12:19 AM']what's the dif? server and acolyte? *ugh* i hate not knowing things.
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i think the words are synonymous

[Apotheoun]

[quote name='phatcatholic' date='Jul 11 2005, 07:38 AM']i think the words are synonymous
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Although the terms are often thought to be synonymous, in fact they are not. The acolytate and the lectorate are both instituted ministries of the Church. In the Roman Rite they correspond in many ways to the old minor orders, and so only men can be instituted by the bishop as an acolyte or a lector.

[phatcatholic]

a lector is a reader, right? what exactly does a acolyte do?

[Apotheoun]

The functions of an acolyte are enumerated in the GIRM (see Chapter 3, Part 3; and Chapter 4, Part 1 C; along with other sections throughout the GIRM).

[cmotherofpirl]

[quote name='phatcatholic' date='Jul 11 2005, 02:14 PM']a lector is a reader, right? what exactly does a acolyte do?
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We use the words interchangeably but they are not the same.

[phatcatholic]

if anyone is interested, the word "acolyte" is found in the following paragraphs of the GIRM: 98, 100, 116, 120, 139, 140, 162, 178, 187, 188, 189, 190, 191, 192, 193, 247, 249, 279, 284, 339

[StColette]

GIRM Chapter 3 part 3

The Ministry of the Instituted Acolyte and Lector
98. The acolyte is instituted to serve at the altar and to assist the priest and deacon. In particular, it is his responsibility to prepare the altar and the sacred vessels and, if it is necessary,
as an extraordinary minister, to distribute the Eucharist to the faithful.

84
In the ministry of the altar, the acolyte has his own functions (cf. below, nos. 187-193), which he must perform personally.

GIRM Chapter 4 part 1 section C

C. THE DUTIES OF THE ACOLYTE

187. The duties that the acolyte may carry out are of various kinds and several may coincide. Hence, it is desirable that these duties be suitably distributed among several acolytes. If, however, only one acolyte is present, he should perform the more important duties while the rest are to be distributed among several ministers.

The Introductory Rites

188. In the procession to the altar, the acolyte may carry the cross, walking between two ministers with lighted candles. Upon reaching the altar, the acolyte places the cross upright near the altar so that it may serve as the altar cross; otherwise, he puts it in a worthy place. Then he takes his place in the sanctuary.

189. Through the entire celebration, the acolyte is to approach the priest or the deacon, whenever necessary, in order to present the book to them and to assist them in any other way
required. Thus it is appropriate, insofar as possible, that the acolyte occupy a place from which he can conveniently carry out his ministry either at the chair or at the altar.

The Liturgy of the Eucharist

190. If no deacon is present, after the Prayer of the Faithful is concluded and while the priest remains at the chair, the acolyte places the corporal, the purificator, the chalice, the pall, and the
Missal on the altar. Then, if necessary, the acolyte assists the priest in receiving the gifts of the people and, if appropriate, brings the bread and wine to the altar and hands them to the priest. If incense is used, the acolyte presents the thurible to the priest and assists him while he incenses the gifts, the cross, and the altar. Then the acolyte incenses the priest and the people.

191. A duly instituted acolyte, as an extraordinary minister, may, if necessary, assist the priest in giving Communion to the people.100 If Communion is given under both kinds, when no deacon is present, the acolyte administers the chalice to the communicants or holds the chalice if Communion is given by intinction.

192. Likewise, when the distribution of Communion is completed, a duly instituted acolyte helps the priest or deacon to purify and arrange the sacred vessels. When no deacon is present, a duly instituted acolyte carries the sacred vessels to the credence table and there purifies, wipes, and arranges them in the usual way.

193. After the celebration of Mass, the acolyte and other ministers return in procession to the sacristy, together with the deacon and the priest in the same way and order in which they
entered.

[phatcatholic]

don't altar servers perform those same functions too tho?

[StColette]

some of the same but not all of the functions. Like Altar servers aren't EM's but an acolyte is.

Where's Zach when ya need him lol he knows all about acolytes

[p0lar_bear]

Acolyte and lector refer to minor orders, which are rarely used now except transitionally for seminarians. Practically speaking, there is little difference between what an acolyte does and what a server does. An acolyte is actually ordained to that ministry and can perform the ministry in any diocese. A server is commissioned to serve in a particular diocese, and must get special permission or be commissioned to serve in another diocese. The same thing applies to lector and reader. In addition, just like the major order (deacon, priest, bishop), only a man can receive minor orders. So while it is legitimate for a woman to be a reader, she cannot technically be a lector.

However, the terms are generally used interchangeably. Since the minor orders are relatively unknown now, it's not generally worth getting upset about if someone refers to a reader as a lector...