Liturgical Rubrics & Customs

Rubrics and customs provide engagement and spiritual depth. With so many moving parts, we hope this page to be a comprehensive guide for the altar party.

Advent

  • Remove the relics from the altar
  • St. Nicholas: shoes and candy
  • Display the Nativity Set after the 2nd Sunday, and place the wise men on the opposite side of the church. Each Sunday, they move closer but do not arrive until Epiphany.
  • 4th Sunday: Las Posadas procession after mass with Star

Christmas-Epiphany

  • Infant Jesus is carried to the creche between Matins and Mass.
  • Double censers during the Gloria of Christmas
  • Wise men arrive at the creche on Epiphany, blessing of chalk.
  • At the patronal feast, a procession with Bibles
  • At Candlemas, before Mass, the priest blesses the candles. He distributes lit candles for the procession; the candles are put out until the Sanctus, and then blown out again.

Lent

  • Lock away the alleluia between Lauds and Mass on Septuagesima
  • No dalmatic or tunicle
  • Cover all holy imagery during the Psalms of Lauds of Passion Sunday

Holy Week-Pascha

  • Set up palms for decoration to be blessed before Lauds, then decorate during Psalms.
  • Palms for the procession are blessed after Mass and distributed by the priest.
  • After Mass, turn the first three rows of pews towards each other for antiphonal chanting.
  • Gather St. Raphael oil during Holy Sunday Matins, and anoint those present
  • During Holy Monday, prepare the garden for decoration, prepare the herse for Tenebrae, prepare the clapper for Triduum, and purchase figs for Tuesday evening.

May, may be adjusted to the date of Pascha; all take place immediately after Mass.

  • 1st Sunday: Children are invited to come forward and place a red rose (provided) in the BVM’s crown. Once the statue is decorated, the priest will place the crown on it. The choir will lead us in Regina Caeli during the placement of the roses.
  • 2nd Sunday: Immediately after the Mass, children will gather with the priest at the front to sing the Litany of Loreto antiphonally.
  • 3rd Sunday: Procession with the icon of Mary for all children. Bring an icon of Mary from home to carry during the procession. If you do not have an icon, have your girls print one from the internet. These will serve as our Marian banners and lead the procession. Say Hail Mary at each corner.
  • 4th Sunday: The priest will approach the steps before the altar with the altar servers. All children are invited to come forward and stand at the steps with the priest while we lead the congregation in one Our Father and 10 Hail Marys, as given to us by our Vicar General, Fr. Ed Hughes. At dismissal, the priest distributes rosaries for children who do not have one.

Per Annum

  • On the night before Ascension, we will have a Mass. After Mass, we will have an inside procession that visits the four stations (corners) of our church. The priest will carry the body and blood of Jesus Christ under our canopy in remembrance that His human body has ascended into heaven. Children are invited to lead the procession, waiving their banners. A teenager will help our children lead the way. Those seated are asked to kneel throughout the procession because the blessed sacrament will be exposed.