1. Altar servers have an important role in the celebration of the Mass and the other services of the Church. Since they are there to assist the priest in the sanctuary, it is important that they are always smart and well presented. They should wear shoes, rather than trainers, and their albs should be clean and pressed. It is the responsibility of each server to make sure that this is so. Do not, under any circumstances, throw albs into the cupboards for someone else to pick up! It is your responsibility to put them on an appropriate hanger.

2. Altar servers are required to prepare the church and sanctuary for Mass as well as to serve. Please make sure that you arrive at least 15 minutes before Mass begins. Put on your alb, without talking unnecessarily (!), and ask if there is anything for you to do. Servers should be lined up and ready for Mass itself, 5 minutes before it is due to start. They should be quiet and reverent, and on Saturday evenings they can join in with the Angelus or Regina Coeli with the people.

3. Upon approaching the altar steps, the servers, with their hands joined, bow deeply in pairs before the altar, turn slightly to the left to face the tabernacle, and genuflect, touching the floor with the right knee. During Mass, all servers should be alert and reverent. They should stand, sit or kneel in an upright fashion. Their hands should be joined in front of them when they are not holding or carrying anything, except when sitting. Hands are then placed on their knees with palms facing down. All servers should be familiar with the basic tasks of serving Mass both on weekdays and Sundays. If you need instruction, please speak to the Master of Ceremonies at that Mass.

4. Always remember that people can see you at all times! If you are prayerful and reverent, then this will help them to pray too. If you are staring into thin air or, worse still, chattering to one another, it can be irritating and distracting for others. Try to concentrate upon what is happening, be ready to be asked to perform a task at a moment’s notice. Sometimes that is necessary.

5. The procession from the altar at the end of Mss should be reverent and slow enough to enable everyone to keep up. If the sanctuary party (i.e. the priest and servers) is going straight to the sacristy, it is generally led by the two acolytes (candle bearers) who walk SIDE BY SIDE. Give them time to do that, and follow in pairs. If the procession is to make its way to the back of the church, the cross bearer, who leads, should walk slowly and deliberately. If you walk too fast, the clergy will get left behind!

6. If the Mass ends with a hymn, the candles should not be extinguished and the vessels etc. removed from the sanctuary UNTIL THE HYMN HAS FINISHED! Also, switching off the microphone causes an ugly "clunking" sound. Leave the microphone switched on until Mass is over and the people have started to leave.

7. Acolytes, please note that there is a frosted cross on each of the glass lanterns and that it should face FORWARD when they are carried in procession.

8. The new directions from the Vatican make it clear that the vessels used at Mass should only be purified by a priest, deacon or instituted acolyte, i.e.: Father Paul, Father Burton or Deacon Michael. This task should not be performed by an Eucharistic minister or altar server.

9. The same applied to the bringing of the Blessed Sacrament to the altar before Holy Communion, and the returning of the Sacrament to the tabernacle afterwards. Although the servers have always done this with great reverence, it is in fact the task of a priest, deacon or instituted acolyte.

10. We have always had a team of altar servers to be proud of, here in Bicester. Many of our visitors comment on this. It is important that we maintain the high standards of the past, and this means that we should all know what we are doing in the sanctuary, and avoid becoming slovenly. There are just a few things which need tidying up but if everyone is co-operative and tries their best, it will make a huge difference.