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4/1/03
Hello,
I am Jenni Llewellyn, one of the servers at St.Mary Magdalene in Taunton. I would like to join with other servers to be able to discuss and learn more about the role of serving - including how to care for the linen in this modern world (to machine wash or not!) and the correct way of dealing with the consecrated host. (Ought it to be returned directly back to the Aumbry or can it be left on the altar or credence table?
There is a lot to learn and we now have no Sacristan so a couple of us are fulfilling this role and we would like to do things well and correctly.
Many thanks.
Jenni
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REPLIES
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4/1/03
from David |
Hello Jenni
I am David, Sacristan of St. Luke's Woodside, London SE25. In answer to your queries. The Host is returned to the Aumbry after the communion administration. The only time it is left on the Altar, or the Altar of the Lady Chapel is on Maundy Thursday evening for the vigil. At St.
Luke's we have a seven day candle lit on top of the Aumbry where the Host is kept. As regards to the linen, the lady who does ours puts the Altar cloths in the washing machine to clean at 60 degrees. (only wash on their own or with other white items) For stains use a
little Vanish. Afterwards iron with a steam iron and use a little starch to make them really look fresh. Finally always roll the linen using a roller (we have made some out of cardboard) do not fold. I hope these tips are of use to you.
David
e mail David |
4/1/03
from Quintin Butcher |
A
MANUAL FOR ACOLYTES D G MICHNO.
This is available from
A.M.Edwards
10 Meteor Avenue
Whitstable
Kent CT5 4DH
Price £6.45p not many left as importers are discontinuing. PHONE NO 01227 262276 FAX 01227 261158
I was given one recently
Q B Butcher.S.R.A.
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7/1/03
from David Froud |
Jenni,
I am sure that you already know this point, but just in case, the corporal has 4 folds made with it to produce nine equal squares. The cross is in the centre of the first fold and are always made inwards.
The first fold goes one third up the corporal and the second comes down from the top to cover it. The third fold is from the leftside again one third of the distance and the fourth fold covers the third leaving you with a square. It is then kept in the Burse with the open edge away from the congregation.
There is a small book called the Sacristan's Manual by J. D. Dale published by Burns Oates and Washbrook. Unfortunately, I think it is now out of print but there copy be copies available on loan through your local library who can access the National Library collection.
I hope this is of some help, please come back to me if you have other points to raise.
Don't forget their is also a guild publication "Guidance Notes for the Ceremonial of the Guild Office" price 50 p from Nigel Makepeace.
Yours in Christ,
David Froud
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8/1/03
from Barry Newey |
Dear Jenni,
I guess we are nearly all like you! We do not know all the dozens of details of how to serve perfectly.
If I can help in any way I'd be delighted to do so.
However, I should also like to hear about all your replies please. I need to learn too!
All the very best of luck with your replies.
Barry Newey.
Member of St. Dubritius Chapter of The Guild of Servants of The Sanctuary.
Member of St. Andrew's Church in Wilmcote, near Stratford-upon-Avon.
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8/1/03
from Jenni |
Thank you to each one of you who have replied. May I clarify whether the consecrated host is returned to the aumbry immediately after use, or at the end of the service.
A further question! How to mix the ash + oil for the "ashing" so that the cross may be applied by the priest to the forehead in a neat, discreet and reverend way.
Jenni
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10/1/03
from Les |
Hi Jenni,
Reading the forum, I see most of your queries have been answered, the books I have used over the years & have found useful, for myself and my servers, & for duties as Sacristan are as follows:- Servers and Services, Instructions for serving Anglican liturgies, by Greig S.Dunn { I have forgotten the price could be £6 to £8} the other is,
The Sacristan in the Church of England, A Practical Guide, by Thomas J.D.Robertson, cost £7.50. Hope these give you more to think about.The consecrated host is placed in the Aumbry or Tabernacle during the Priest's Ablutions, after Communion.
Regards,
Les, MC Torbay chapter GGSS.
Sacristan & Head Server, St. John the Evangelist, Bovey Tracey.
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8/3/03
from Michael Johnson |
Originally
posted by Quintin Butcher:
A MANUAL FOR ACOLYTES D G MICHNO.
Price £6.45p not many left as importers are discontinuing.
Having been in a rush one day to collect a new set of books for the
bookstall at my former parish, where I ran the bookstall, I saw this book
and thought that it would be a good thing to have, based on the title.
Having got home and read it (which took all of five minutes), it is quite
easy for me to see why importers are discontinuing.
I'm sorry to disagree with Quintin on this one, but I really wouldn't
waste your money.
Pax,
Michael Johnson
Sacristan,
S John Chrysostom, Victoria Park.
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15/5/03
from David Callender |
Dear Jenni
Regarding the making of ash for Ash Wednesday you just need to cut up last years
Palm Crosses and burn them then place them in a pestle and mortar and grind them down, nothing else is added to it.
The oils are consecrated by the Bishop at the Chrism mass on Maundy Thursday.
I have known clergy to add a little water to the ash but it looks disgusting.
Hope this helps,
David M Callender
All Saints Notting Hill London
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6/11/03
from Richard Hawker |
With
response to the question of ashes, the best way of doing it is this:
1) They MUST be burnt- by definition they are the ASHES of last year's
palm crosses.
2) Grill them first, this makes them easier to burn.
3) Put them in a small brazier, or "fire-proof" dish, i.e.
something that will not shatter easily (Not the best bone china!)
4) Take them outside to burn, as they smoke very heavily, and set the fire
alarm off in seconds. But be careful to keep an eye on them as they don't
take long to burn- a minute at most, depending on
the amount to be burnt.
5) to extinguish the fire, I think that the best thing to do is to put a
dampish tea towel over them, in the same way as putting a chip-pan fire
out.
6) Modern Roman usage (for what it's worth!) says the should be mixed with
Holy Water, we have never used oil for this rite, but that doesn't mean
there isn't a precedence for it. Using Holy Water does mean that they can
be mixed into a paste which adheres better to the forehead.
7) If you don't want to go to all this trouble, you can buy ready-made
ashes from Hayes and Finch, and most other ecclesiastical suppliers these
are exactly the same the ones we burn, but they are
easier to do!
With regards to the placing of the Consecrated Host (The Blessed
Sacrament), it must removed to a place of safety, i.e. the Aumbry or
Tabernacle, as soon as it is not needed, that is at the ablutions, it may
not be left lying around the Sanctuary, as there have been instances where
the pyx which contains the Blessed Sacrament has been stolen, and
desecrated.
Reserving It in an Aumbry or Tabernacle is a very old Christian custom
(i.e. second Century, and earlier) If, for any reason, It is left out, it
must be placed on a Corporal, with at least two lit candles, and
preferably someone (properly two people) there keeping watch, this is the
same rule for exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. If the Blessed
Sacrament has to be transferred anywhere, such as bringing Communion down
to someone in the congregation, who is not able to approach the Altar due
to infirmity, the MC, or most Senior server should walk in front, ringing
the Sanctuary bell, or if a bell is no used, a server should lead the
Sacrament and Priest to the person. This is a replica of the middle ages
(and a practice continued to the present day in some countries, and here
until the Sixties, when such things became very untrendy), where the
Parish Clerk would lead the Blessed Sacrament a sick person's house,
ringing a bell and carrying a candle, to alert people the presence of
Christ, present in the Blessed Sacrament, so that they had time to kneel
devoutly until the Sacrament had passed.
All of this is to do with respect for the Blessed Sacrament, being Jesus
Christ, present under the veils of Bread and Wine "Though what sense
no change perceives, faith admires, adores, believes" (The hymn from
the Guild office, which is a hymn in honour of the Blessed Sacrament, and
sums up the theology of the Sacrament quite nicely, anything by St. Tomas
Aquinas (Godhead here in hiding; Sing my tongue the Glorious battle;
Therefore we before Him bending; etc..) are well worth reading, not only
for their beautiful poetry, but also their deep theology. Something to do
during a dull sermon anyway!
The final one is the care of Altar linen. It should be soaked immediately
after Mass, for two reasons, 1) To remove any particles of the Blessed
Sacrament
2) Wine stains are easier to remove when soaked
They can be machine washed with other whites, and ironed as one would iron
any linen, a little starch can be used, but not too much!
Towels can be folded, but pacificators look unsightly when folded, with
creases where there should not be creases.
A clean purificators should only be used once before washing, but a towel
may be used several times before washing, depending on how enthusiastic
the Priest is about drying his hands!
Corporals should be washed once a month, and starched, so that the creases
hold in place. This should be done as Brother David Froud has described in
such detail.
There are several very good books of assistance to Sacristans and servers,
the trouble is a lot of them are out of print, but a trawl through a few
second hand bookshop can be very productive sometimes, especially the
"Pilgrims' Progress" bookshop, Walsingham, renowned throughout
the land for the most un-predictable opening hours in the world, but he is
very good when open, and can probably recommend books on Sacristan's
duties, etc. He also has a network of people, and can get hold of various
books which he does not have. The Best one to get, is the illustrious
Ritual Notes, but this is VERY rare, as everybody hordes copies, but it is
very, very good, but terribly old-fashioned, but has a whole section
entitled "notes to Sacristans", which is very helpful.
PAX
Yours in Christ and Mary,
Richard Hawker
Sacristan,
St. Peter's Highfields,
Parish of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple, Leicester
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1/2/04
from Michael Johnson |
Many thanks to Richard for a most excellent post. I would only perhaps highlight two things. Firstly, that in current Roman usage, the priest is directed to sprinkle the ashes with Holy Water as part of the blessing thereof, but to my knowledge, is not directed to mix the ashes with water to form a paste as is so often seen done in our churches.
I have posted elsewhere that ash is ash. It is dry, without moisture, barren and lifeless; and therein lieth its symbolism. Water, the sign of new birth, refreshment, and eternal life, has its place at the Easter Vigil, surely.
Secondly, Ritual Notes is only difficult to come by if you are after particular editions. There are those who believe that anything after the eighth edition is unsound, however, if you are content to settle for the 11th edition, then this is available from The Anglican Catholic Church in the USA, (link at the bottom left):
http://www.anglicancatholic.org/
although the link seems to be currently broken. It is reasonably priced at $35, if I remember correctly.
The TAC:
http://www.acahome.org/tac/iaf/bookshop.htm
sell it at a slightly higher price to those of us on this side of the pond.
One must remember that the compilers of Ritual Notes were at the forefront of adapting Roman ceremonial to Anglican rites as and when it was updated, and would perhaps be somewhat uncomfortable about their works being used in this fashion.
Why not use Monsignor Peter Elliott's books instead?
I must admit to not being the greatest fan of adapting Roman ceremonial to Anglican rites, as I'm more of a 'Parson's Handbook' man, but I hope this information may be of help.
Yours in Christ,
Michael Johnson.
Sacristan,
St John Chrysostom,
Victoria Park.
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14/4/04
from Mary |
Greetings,
I have volunteered to mend an extremely old chasuble. Any ideas?
Also, is there a proper way to hem an altar cloth?
Mary
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19/4/04
from Richard Hawker |
Yes, I had forgotten about Mgr Elliot's work. I have both volumes
("Ceremonies of the Modern Roman Rite", and "Ceremonies of the Liturgical Year"), both have proved invaluable as a source of
information, and advice, especially to MCs and Clergy, even if they are not of a Rome-wards looking persuasion.
Mgr Elliot has tried, I think to produce a modern version of the late, great and legendary Fortescue and O'Connell- if you find a set,
get them!!!!!!!!!!!!! Fortescue has just been revised and re-published, for those interested, by Farnborough Abbey. It has been revised (but is
still 1962 Missale Romanum), by Dom Alcuin Reed, OSB. one of the most prolific and brilliant modern Liturgists and liturgical Historians in
the modern world (could it be another Dom Gregory Dix, OSB?).
I had also discovered that Ritual Notes had been re-published, and it is the 11th edition, I believe, which gives suggestions for west-ward
celebration, like what to do with those 6 huge candle sticks you've got, which are getting in the way a bit!
As to the Parson's Handbook, parts of it are very sensible, and it provides much sound advice (there is also the Server's handbook, which
is also very good, of which I have a copy), but really, Michael, are you suggesting that our reverend clergy should go about their parishes
attired in Sarum Cassock, academic gown, preaching bands, preaching scarf, and Canterbury cap? Any response Fathers????!!!!!!!! No, they
should go about in Soutane, complete with over-sleeves, shoulder cape, and Biretta, or broad brimmed hat (chuckle!!!!!!!).
This post has probably gone over the head of many people, so I will bring back down to a level which may be of interest to normal human
beings without a tat fixation! I have found three books, all I think, published by Kevin Mayhew publishers; they are called:
The Sacristan in the Catholic Church
The Sacristan in the Church of England
The Verger in the Church of England
The last one is more aimed at those who are specifically vergers, but contains useful information for others as well.
Hope this post may be of interest to some people.
PAX
Yours in Christ and Mary,
Richard Hawker
Sacristan,
St. Peter's Highfields,
Parish of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple, Leicester
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5/8/04
from Corinne |
I just started to volunteer in the Sacristy and really need good instructions of the proper way to take care of everything. The Sacristan quit her job and I need help.
Thanking you in advance for your cooperation in this matter.
Corinne
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22/9/04
from Fr. Bruce J. Simpson |
One Ash Wednesday while still a Deacon in the R.C. Church I observed one priest using a cork cut to a cross, as a sort of stamp. He would dip the cork in the ashes and stamp the forehead of each person. This made beautiful, neat and uniform crosses on each person but somehow seemed a bit cold.
Father Bruce J. Simpson
Associate Rector
Ascension Charismatic Episcopal Church
Casselberry, Florida
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