Liturgical Customary of the Church of the Advent, Boston

© Julianne E. Turé and William J. Theisen 1999

The Liturgical Customary of the Church of the Advent, Boston
Daily Mass

On credence: wine and water cruets, lavabo bowl and towel, [breadbox as requested by priest].

Missal on Epistle horn of altar (priest will set it).

Lectionary on lectern; lections set by priest.

Service cards at altar, lectern, and in stalls; Prayer Books (1928 large print) in stalls marked for Psalm of the Day.

Chalice on vesting altar in sacristy with tabernacle key and intercessions book.

Server wears black cassock and vests in plain cotta or surplice after lighting candles and placing vessels at credence.

The Service:
Celebrant and server say preparatory prayer in sacristy.

When the Mass is scheduled to begin, server leads celebrant out through smoke sacristy, pausing to ring warning bell at sacristy door.

Server leads celebrant past High Altar, pausing to reverence, and into Lady Chapel. Server goes to Epistle Horn at foot of steps. Celebrant stops in center at foot of steps. Both genuflect. Celebrant goes to footpace, places chalice on altar, spreads corporal, then goes to Epistle Horn to begin Mass:

Opening Acclamation
Collect for Purity
[Summary of the Law]
Kyrie or Gloria in Excelsis
Collect of the Day/[Season]

Celebrant then goes to Epistle-side stall and sits. Server turns around to lectern for first lesson. Server waits for Celebrant to be seated before turning to lectern and beginning to read.

After lesson, server goes to Gospel side stall. Celebrant or server (as appointed) leads Psalm, responsive or unison as directed.

After Psalm, Celebrant and server rise. Celebrant goes to center at foot of steps. Server passes behind Celebrant. Both reverence. Server goes to Epistle Horn to move book to Gospel side of center. Server goes to Epistle-side kneeler and stands for Gospel.

Server may be seated for homily. Server stands again and goes to Epistle-side kneeler for Intercessions. If Celebrant bids the prayers facing the congregation at the foot of the steps, the server faces in. If the Celebrant bids the prayers from the top of the steps, server faces East.

Kneel for Confession and Absolution. Stand for Peace.

At Offertory, server goes to credence, Celebrant to footpace to prepare chalice. Server will bring breadbox if directed. Celebrant offers bread using the prayers on the service card. Server removes stoppers from cruets and holding wine cruet in right hand and water cruet in left, brings them to Celebrant at Epistle horn. Server hands wine cruet to Celebrant and transfers water cruet to right hand; receives wine cruet with left hand and hands water cruet to Celebrant, then transfers wine cruet to right hand and receives water cruet with left hand. Celebrant adds water to chalice using commixture prayer ("By the mystery of this water and wine ..."). Celebrant returns to center to offer chalice, using the prayers on the service card.

Server returns to credence, replaces wine cruet; places towel over left forearm, holds lavabo bowl in left hand and water cruet in right hand, and returns to Epistle horn to wash hands of Celebrant who has come to Epistle horn. After lavabo Celebrant returns to center and server replaces bowl, towel, and cruet to credence and goes to Epistle-side kneeler.

Canon of the Mass:
Celebrant turns (clockwise) to congregation to begin Sursum Corda. After Sursum Corda Celebrant turns back (counterclockwise) to altar and begins the Preface. At the words "Therefore with Angels and Archangels ..." server kneels and takes up mallet. During the Sanctus, server rings bell THREE TIMES during "Holy, Holy, Holy ...". At end of phrase "until His coming again," server rings bell ONCE.

For Words of Institution, after Consecration of Bread, Celebrant genuflects, elevates Host, and genuflects again. Server rings bell THREE TIMES, corresponding with Celebrant's actions. Same process repeated with Chalice.

Celebrant genuflects again after Doxology of Canon and bids Lord's Prayer. The Fraction follows, then Prayer of Humble Access and Agnus Dei. If it is necessary to use the Reserved Sacrament, the Celebrant opens the Tabernacle during the Agnus Dei.

Celebrant turns clockwise to show the Sacrament to the people and bids the Invitation ("Behold the Lamb of God ..." etc.) Server leads congregation in response ("Lord I am not worthy ..."), then rings bell ONCE.

Celebrant communicates himself, then server, in both kinds.

After receiving Communion, server retires to credence. When all Communions are completed, Celebrant returns to footpace. Server brings up water cruet from credence (remembering to remove stopper).

Ablutions take place over corporal. Server pours water into chalice, then over Celebrant's fingers into chalice. Server then returns cruet to credence and goes to center at foot of steps, ascends to Celebrant's left to pick up Missal, descends to foot of steps at center, bows, and ascends to Epistle horn to place Missal, then descends to foot of steps and crosses to Gospel-side kneeler for Postcomunion Prayer.

Celebrant cleanses vessels, revests chalice, and goes to Epistle horn for Postcommunion Prayer. At conclusion of Prayer, Celebrant closes Missal and goes to center for Blessing and Dismissal.

Server kneels for Postcommunion Prayer, Blessing, and Dismissal. After Dismissal, server rises. Celebrant picks up chalice and descends to foot of steps, then faces East. Both genuflect, then turn. Server leads Celebrant out of Lady Chapel via High Altar (the way by which they entered). Final prayer follows in priests' sacristy. Server removes cotta/surplice and returns to Lady Chapel for cleanup. Celebrant removes chasuble and stole and comes out by way of All Saints Chapel to Lady Chapel entrance to greet congregation.

Either Celebrant or server may record attendance and communion counts in the service register. It is courteous for the server to wait for the Celebrant to return to the sacristy before departing, unless otherwise directed by the Celebrant (who may have an early appointment or other commitment).