One of the things I love about the senior servers at Blackfen is their willingness to coach the younger ones. There is none of this "Well, for the first five years you'll be torchbearer, and then, maybe, we'll consider working you up to senior torchbearer!" The Senior MC likes to keep everyone on their toes, and so all the servers have to learn all of the different jobs. This means that the various roles usually get divvied out according to who shows up earliest in the Sacristy and expresses a preference...
Except for the awesome role of MC...
For the last two weeks, one of the younger servers has been having a little extra instruction after the Mass, and today he got the top spot. That meant that he had to keep an eye on the other servers... and also to tell Father what to do. Seriously daunting stuff for an adult, let alone a 12 year-old...
I served my 2nd Missa Cantata today, and this time I was on the Gospel side, so I just need to move the book at the incensing after the Offertory, unfold the Communion cloth, and hold the paten during Communion.
ReplyDeleteI didn't make too many mistakes...however, none of us knelt during the Epistle, and the (much) older servers blow through the responses. SMH, oh well.
I love it. This wasafter I got done serving 3rd Sunday of OT in the Ordinary Form. While Dom Britt and Fortescue don't like the way we do it, I really like being there to teach the younger boys, at the first Mass, and then be the learner in the EF.
Well done the new MC.
ReplyDeleteO Lord send us priests. Send us many holy priests... Pretty please...
ReplyDeleteThis is just so very good. I do believe that very young men should have the opportunity to MC as much as to be an acolyte. Another gold star for Blackfen!
ReplyDeleteI normally don't comment on blogs, however, I feel the need to comment on your particular post, and may I say I am in total agreement with how your parish runs the serving roster in terms of positions (e.g. the constant rotating and training of junior servers to more senior positions, instead of saying well there will be a probationary period for 6 months, then we'll work you up to torchbearer, etc). The method of teaching all positions to everyone has immense value, not only for the spiritual development of the boys/men in question, but also in a practical sense, where one can be quickly called in to serve a more complicated position where someone doesn't show up. I must say that, from my own standpoint, MCing for the traditional Latin Mass is a beautiful experience.
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