Altar Boys

As Catholics, we treasure the Mass as the “most beautiful thing this side of Heaven” and our altar boys have an important role in preserving this sacred tradition. Their service to Mater Dei is a serious responsibility and the  community is very grateful for the sacrifices of their own time and talents.

It is a very great honor to be an altar boy at the Lord’s altar for any Mass. The altar boy helps the  priest in those things which he does at the altar during the Sacrifice of the Mass and other liturgical events. He also sets a good example to the whole congregation, since he is highly visible and able to help the people in  church to also be reverent. Many vocations to the priesthood have come from  young men serving the  priest at the altar.

We all love the Traditional Latin Mass for its beauty, reverence, and prayerful elements. Properly trained altar boys are an important part of this. They impact these very elements we care so much about. The priest is to a high standard, especially in how he says Mass. The altar boy, who is directly assisting the priest in the sanctuary, must also be held to a high standard. No man has the right to the priesthood but is ordained by the Church only after showing the signs of a true vocation through a disciplined and prayerful life. So also serving as an altar boy is a privilege which is granted by priests to young men who have the capacity and discipline to properly serve and assist at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

When serving the Tridentine Mass, one of the most important things that the server does is say the responses to the priest’s prayers in Latin. Very often, people in the congregation do not say anything at Mass using the older form of Mass, because there is an old tradition that the server alone was to make the responses for them. This means that the altar boy must be able and ready to clearly and accurately make all the Latin responses that fall to him.

Requirements to join the Altar Boys at Mater Dei

• A boy must have received his 1st Holy Communion
• Be able to recite from memory all the Latin Responses for a Server at Low Mass.
  • New boys must pass a test with Fr. Ohotnicky or one of the other priests. Schedule your test by emailing the Parish Secretary: secretary@materdeiparish.com
  • Once he passes this test, a boy can begin training and attending monthly meetings. (Monthly meetings are only for boys who have passed this test.)

Tips and Resources for learning Latin Responses:

• Tips on how to learn:
  • Practice every day for 5-10min
  • Use the recordings on the Mater Dei website for help with pronunciation.
  • Listen carefully at Mass and follow along in the Missal

PDF of Latin Responses for Low Mass:
Can be found at this link.

Link to pronunciation recordings:
Server Responses – Church of all Saints