Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1893-08-04
FROM ALTAR aoY no PRIEST.
The Young Catholics Life from the
Time he Serves Mass UutIl he CcIe-
braIe. III


braIes 10.
From Donahces Magazine
The Childhood shows the man
As the morning shows the Gay.
A familiar exemplIicAtIon Of this early
fore-shsiowIng of future career IS afford
ed by that not always insIgnifcans, II &C.
casiouslly dim!nutive, member of every
Catholic psrish, the altar boy. If the child
Is father of the man, the eeTyer Of the mass
is father Of the cslebrant. Not that every
altar boy inevitably enters the priesthood;
but the priest Is almost invariably devel-
opment of the sltsr hoy The sedste and
dignifed middle-sged pastor, whom the
younger members Of his fcck never dream
of associating with concrete boy hood at all,
need only revisit his natal parish to be
greeted bS many sn old resident who re-
members him as a little lad serving mass
for Father John-the Lord be merc!ful to
his eoul," and who very probably reminds
the quondam server Of particular occs-
sion when he came to grief by cracking the
bell, UpsettlBg the cruit stand or tumbiiue
down the altar steps in his hurry TO
''chsDge the book Comparatively few,
psThaps, are familiar with the different
phases of evolution that develops "young
Nike Mccarthy" into his Reverence, Fa-
ther Michael"
l. should bs promised, al the cutsst, ,tha,
the typical altar boy Is 9reemine8tlY the
good boy of the parish. This statement
tces not at all imply that he is a gccdy-
,01y little prig, with dnEncsct syes sud q
coGntepsnce pTeteTnatuTs.iy cemure, oI
Thst mischieyOus tricks and prsnks do not
appeal TO his sympath!es With a forcs not
always resistibls To be "1n the ALTAR" l.,
Indeed, distinction which every Catholic
boy rightly prizes a. the equivalent of an
exceptionally good certificate Of character,
and privilege of which misconduct would
certsinly deprive him; 50 that his oftics
proves rot only strong 6e;srrent from the
practice of boyish vices, but potent in.
ceniiye 10 the cultivation of exemplary
habiiR. An altar boy addicted to iruAncy,
or given to guarding, 6ecsitfuiness, in-
| dolence or the use Of improper Language,
would be an anomaly Too grea. TO prove
| enduring; and. SIS "A matter Of feet, 10 tbs
aversgs sltar boy these unlUvtly qualities
are conspicuOusly wanting.
The dscsds snl hslf OF years that us
ua!ly interyeues bsiween the hsppy dsJ
| when the young Catholic frst serves mAsS
and the incompsrsbly happier one when b.
| first celebrates that adorable fscrIfice. &
| divided into three distinct erEs: his boy
hood, spent at home; his youth, in college
and his dawbing manhood In the seDsraI Y
The fret period comprises sorse FIVE or Is!
/ years. Admitted In the sanctuary IN hi
eighth CT ninth year, lie serves an appreu
ticeship Uf varying length b-fore Atiain!pl
the dignity OF serving mass ell by HE osl
self"
For month he is e slyectataT of the differ
ent ceremonies snd functions. rather thai
an active participant IheEe.n-his dutie
fconsisting mainly in wearing his Mt:le reS
cassock and white surplice with btcomin,
gravity; in standing. Eneeling and boEins
If not with notable grace, 81 least wilhou
conspicuous Rwk@ATdnesF; and In coca
sionslly ringing the bell, holding The bssil
while the priest il washing his fingers, O
carving TO and from the sanctuary
candlestick considerably tAller than him
self.
Rapidly mastering tie details Of The aco
lyts's various movements aud more grAau
ally accomplishing ihs lsborious tack o
learning BY heart the Latin resPonses, b
finally hazards the opinion that he Is com
petent TO serve low msss alone; and, bein
allowed to try, he goes through the ordsS
triumphaatly, and is hercefortA full
fiedged altar boy. True, there mAy stiil b
some drawback TO his perfect happiness
For instance, his inches may be too few an
his lifting power too limited to warrant hi
attempting TO move tie missal from on
eide to the other. There used to be In th
"old chapel" down In St. George, n. B.
about quarter of a century sgo, q mlEsI
stard and missal sgainst which the write
remembers having had, during his earl
days as altar boy, distinct grievance. /
the frat place the altar was a pretty hig
ore and he had to wait a good man
months after his installation In the sanctI
! airy before growing tall enough, even b
standing on his tiptoes, to take coed hol
of the stand. When that desirable cor
summation was at last achieved he discoy
cred that while, by exerting ell bis strength
: he could raise stand and book from the q
tar, ID would be q periious undertaking
try to carry such load even a dozen stepl
I That missal must have weighed more tina
? | webster's international dictionary, an
3 whether the massive square stand wa
made of mahogany or ebony, it seemed {
q have acquired the specific gravity of lead
/ | It was q red-lettsr day IN that altar boy
: career when he c&rrssd the mighty load a
I round the ssoristy tn demonstrate his ab!
ity thereafter to ''cksngs the book"
, Until hia fourteenth OF fifteenth yea
there Is little in the life of the future prize
: to distinguish 1t from that of the ordinsr
. | schoolbny. Apart from his habitusl pre-
= erce at mass, his more frequent intercouri
with the pasto= (whom he occasionally q
companies 10 some country mission), b
r greater resularities in the reception Of II
9 sacramento, and his more puuctual atten
4 auce at school and catechism clRss-our
tar boy Ia much the same as other ligh
q hearted, fun-loving lads of his age. VIII