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March 24, 2021The author of “Ceremonies explained for servers: a manual for servers, acolytes, sacristans, and master of ceremonies,” Peter J. Elliott, is a former auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Melbourne, Australia. He is a consultant to the Vatican Congregation of Divine Worship, member of the Australian Bishops' Liturgical Commission, and the Vatican's Commission that prepared the Anglican use for the Personal Ordinariates. He is author of several books on the liturgy.
In this book, there are 11 chapters, an appendix and an index. There are some black and white illustrations by Clara Fisher. This book is good for high school juniors and seniors, college-age people and adults. This book is a great overview of what servers are called to do when serving at Mass and at various liturgies. It also is good for sacristans, seminarians, lay master of ceremonies and others involved in the liturgy. Bishop Elliott presents what the server is to do point by point.
Ch. 1 is an overview of what a server is. The bishop also says that serving involves reverence, discipline, decorum and piety. In Ch. 2, the bishop gives an overview of what liturgy is and how servers fit into that. He discusses what liturgical symbolism is, what liturgical time is, the various liturgical settings and other items connected to the liturgy.
In Ch. 3, he discusses the various actions and motions that the server does during the Mass or at other liturgies, like how the server is to walk, kneel, genuflect and bow. He also discusses how the server rings the bells and when to do this, and how to use the thurible. In Ch. 4, the bishop presents the three “kinds” of Masses a server may serve at, like a Mass with one priest with a congregation, a concelebrated Mass where there are several priests in attendance and a Mass without people.
In Ch. 5, Bishop Elliott discusses how to serve for the “Traditional Latin Mass” or the Extraordinary Form of the Mass. He presents what the levels of this kind of Mass are; Low Mass, Low Mass with two servers, and a Solemn High Mass. In Ch. 6, he informs the servers how to serve at celebrations for various Sacraments during Mass or outside Mass.
In Ch. 7, he explains how the server serves for the various funeral rites or celebrations like at a Vigil, Mass of Christian Burial or a funeral Mass, Final Commendation and Farewell, Prayers at the Grave, and funerals outside of Mass. In Ch. 8, Bishop Elliott discusses how a server serves at the Liturgy of the Hours, which mainly is at Solemn Vespers or Evening Prayer.
Ch. 9 is about other ceremonies that a server might be involved in, like the Mass for Candlemas, Ash Wednesday and such. Ch. 10 is about the high point of the Church Year, Holy Week. Bishop Elliott provides information and directions on what Holy Week and the Triduum are and their various liturgical ceremonies and what servers do at them.
In Ch. 11, he explains how the server serves at a Pontifical Mass, which involves a bishop or some other prelate like an abbot; how to serve at a Confirmation, Ordinations, Religious Professions and at the Chrism Mass. The appendices tell how to light candles, the setting out of vestments and prayers for servers. The book concludes with an index.
Throughout the book, Bishop Elliott points out differences in how things are done in Australia, the United States and Europe. This book will be of great interest to those interested in how liturgy is done. It is a practical book. Of course, some things are done differently from country to country and from parish to parish.
Br. Benet Exton, O.S.B., St. Gregory's Abbey, Shawnee, is a freelance writer for the Sooner Catholic.
