Adventure Boy showed up at my house 2 hours before we leave for church (don't panic--we go to noon Mass, so he wasn't here at the crack of dawn...THIS time). His hair was (mostly) combed. He was, for him, formally dressed in a golf shirt and cargo pants and basketball sneakers--a step up from flip-flops. And he announced that he was coming to church with us.
A couple of hours earlier, Little Brother had woken up, and he came downstairs announcing that he wasn't going to be an altar server anymore. Last time he served, it was VERY hot in church, and our altar robes are made of a fabric that's closer to burlap than it is to seersucker. It was his first day flying solo as a server, there was a baptism of twins during the Mass, and he passed out right before the Lamb of God.
I couldn't even go over to help him out, since half our folk group was on vacation and I was leading the band. But at least 5 others came to his rescue and got TheDad, who didn't have Little Brother in his line of sight. Once he was hydrated and out of that hot robe, he was fine. (A Slurpee helped.)
Anyway, Little Brother was pretty nervous about getting back on the horse. And apparently on the way to church, he and Adventure Boy cooked up a plan.
When I got to church (I leave earlier than the non-musicians in the family) Father asked me how Little Brother was. I explained that he was fine, but nervous; I hoped that there would be a pre-Mass pep talk in the sacristy. I saw Little Brother and Adventure Boy arrive, and both headed into the sacristy. The next thing I knew, the two of them were wearing their robes and marching up to get the candles off the altar so they could carry them in the procession.
I'm not sure what Father was thinking, letting those two carry LIT candles. There was some during-the-Mass coaching going on (Adventure Boy wasn't holding the finger towel the right way, apparently) and quite a bit of fidgeting by the boys. Little Brother noticed me watching him and would occasionally flash me a thumbs-up to let me know that he was feeling fine.
Two very proud altar servers carried LIT candles off the altar after Mass and (a little too quickly) led the procession out. TheDad and I are very proud parents--and godparents.
And after Mass, Father asked TheDad (AKA The Cubmaster) to encourage the other Cub Scouts who are old enough to consider being altar servers.
5 comments:
Hooray for more male altar servers! And poor Little Brother--that is a frightening experience!
Another fainter! No robes in our parish, which is a blessing for those who overheat. I still remember one hot early summer day when my oldest was serving, and a friend saying Mass. It was not at all certain either was going to make it off the altar upright.
And it's good to have a friend along...
We have plenty of male altar servers, over the years we've averaged about 50/50. I wonder if that's because we tend to have older teens, both male and female, working as weekend sacristans?
I'm 3 for 3 with fainters...all in church.
I had to email Father about some Secular Franciscan upcoming events and I thanked him for whatever he must have told Little Brother before Mass. He replied that he told the story of having to be carried out of church the first Christmas Eve he was an altar server.
It was a good bit chillier in the church today...maybe they turned the A/C a notch toward "cold?"
We are very short on servers in our parish, mostly because no one really encourages/trains them. I am hoping that Little Brother and Adventure Boy will start a trend. I told TheDad to invite Father to speak to the older Cub Scouts and tell them about serving.
Bless Father, what a story I bet that was!!
I think the older teens working the weekend Masses helps us keep a good pool, they do a lot of of the training, and on the spot support and encouragement. I love watch my oldest do this, he does a great job of helping cue the new ones; but I've noticed all of the older teens are wonderful with this.
I think that getting Father to talk to the Scout and tell the story of fainting will get you more servers!
I am so inspired by the ongoing story of how your family "ministers" to Adventure Boy. He is so blessed to have your family in his life!
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