taking place at any of the adjacent Altars-or if Holy Communion is being given, and the church be small,-the Server should not remain standing, but kneel.

26. Whilst the Gospel is being read, he should not prepare the cruets, but remain standing; and after it is finished, whether the Credo is said or not, he will kneel, till the Priest has said Dominus vobiscum, after which he rises, genuflects, and goes to the credence, or elsewhere, to prepare the cruets.

27. Should the Celebrant give him the veil of the chalice, he will fold it; and if the Altar be large enough, leave it there, near the Altar-card, but beyond the corporal, on the Epistle side. Should, however, the Altar be narrow, and there be danger of the veil being stained by wax from the candles, he should carry it to the credence, or elsewhere. Should the priest himself fold it, he will observe what has been mentioned above, respecting the burse (No. 16).

28. Standing, if possible, beyond the predella, the Server will spread the napkin on the Altar, and place upon it the plate with the cruets, uncovered. To prevent staining the linens, the cruets, without the plate, should not be placed on the napkin or on the Altar-cloth.

29. He will take the wine cruet with his right hand, kiss it, and having inclined his head to the Priest, present it to him. He then takes that which contains the water, and holds it also in his right hand; after the Priest has blessed it, he gives it to him in precisely the same manner: he receives the former with his left hand; and places it on the credence, and not on the Altar-cloth. Having received the water-cruet, he kisses it, as above. There is, however, an exception to be specified; namely, where the Mass is for the Dead, or when the Blessed Sacrament is exposed, or consecrated for the Exposition, neither the cruets, nor anything else which has to be presented to the Priest, should be kissed.

30. He will observe that neither his hands nor his arms may rest upon the Altar, but that he maintain a composed and reverential standing position.

31. When the Celebrant comes to wash his fingers, the Server, having adjusted the towel in such a way that it

may readily be taken up, will hold the plate in his left hand, and the cruet in his right; then kissing the cruet, he will gently pour out the water, always through the small spout, and in the middle, not scattering the water here and there over the hands of the Priest. Doing this, he should always stand apart from the Altar, and below the predella, making a profound reverence before and after.

32. When he has received the napkin from the Priest, he will kiss it, and make an inclination of the head. He will not leave the napkin extended on the Altar, but fold and place it with the cruets.

33. If the Most Holy Sacrament be exposed, he will not ascend to the Altar, but stand on the pavement facing the Altar, and there minister the water and napkin without kisses.

34. Then taking the little bell (without sounding it), he will return to his place and kneel, not omitting the proper genuflection.

35. At the Orate fratres, the Server waits till the Priest has turned to the Altar, and then begins the Suscipiat: for this he will kneel where he happens to be at the time.

36. At the Sanctus, he will incline his head a little, and thrice moderately ring the bell. He should not strike his breast, but at the Benedictus make the sign of the Cross on himself.

37. At the conclusion of the first Memento, or a little earlier, he will proceed to light the small candle for the Elevation.

38. He will approach the Priest for the Elevation,1 and take the chasuble with his left hand, not drawing it towards himself, but only lifting it when the Priest elevates the Host and the Chalice, and not when he genuflects, for then it should not be held. He should not begin to ring the bell till the consecration is made; he then rings it thrice during the Elevation of the Host, and thrice during that of the chalice, keeping together with the Celebrant,

1

Kneeling on the predella, not immediately behind the Priest, but a little towards the Epistle side.

that is, when he genuflects, when he elevates the Sacred Species, and again when he is about to geuflect. He should not kiss the chasuble, either before or after. At the Elevation, he will bow down to the Most Holy Sacrament in profound adoration.

39. At the Agnus Dei, in Masses for the Dead, he does not strike his breast.

40. When the Priest, after the Communion of the Host, signs himself with the chalice previous to his receiving the Precious Blood, then, and not before, the Server will rise, make the usual genuflection, carry the bell to the credence, and proceed to minister the cruets. If the Altar be that of the Blessed Sacrament, he should genuflect on the step before and after.1

41. Whilst the Priest is signing himself with the chalice, the Server should not ring the bell, since the Elevation of the chalice is not now made to excite the people to the adoration, which is already over, but the Priest only signs himself as he did with the Host. Besides, the Rubric of the Missal prescribes that the bell should be rung at the Sanctus and at the Elevation only; and to do so at this time would merely cause the people to stand up, whereas they should remain kneeling till the benediction, inclusively.3

42. The Server will take both the cruets at the same time, in order to pour out the wine and water for the purification of the Priest's fingers. He will, if possible, stand below the predella, and not incline over the table of the Altar, observing also the usual kisses and reverences. He should be careful never to touch, with the cruets or his hand, either the fingers of the Priest or the chalice;

1 If for any reason the Tabernacle be opened, the Server will kneel till the door is closed.

2 Should any of the faithful approach for Holy Communion, he will now say the Confiteor. He should not accompany the Priest when he communicates the people, but, if necessary, he may assist to sustain the cloth.

3 There is no Rubric which directs the bell to be thrice rung at the Domine, non sum dignus, in the Mass. It is usual in some countries to ring the bell at the "Hanc igitur oblationem," though the Rubric does not recognise the custom.

in withdrawing the cruets, he will be cautious, lest any drops of wine or water fall upon the Celebrant's hands, on the foot of the chalice, or on the Altar-cloth.

43. The cruets will be carried to their proper place and covered, and the Elevation-candle extinguished; all should be done briskly, yet with reverence.

44. The Missal, with its cushion or stand, should then be removed to the Epistle side of the Altar, the Server observing the proper genuflections. This done, he returns to the Gospel corner, and kneels till after the Priest's benediction.

45. When the Gospel of St. John is not said, but some other, he will convey the Missal to the Gospel side, after the Priest has said the Ite Missa est.1

46. Having taken the berretta in his hand, he will not place it on the Missal, or on the Altar; but when the Celebrant has finished, and has descended to the pavement, he should genuflect, and then (not before) kiss the berretta, and present it to the Priest with his right hand, in such a manner that it may be conveniently taken, kissing also the priest's hand.

47. On reaching the sacristy, the Server will step a little aside, and, as the Priest passes him, make a profound reverence: he will also incline in the same manner to the

Cross or Image of the sacristy. Having laid aside the Missal, he will stand to the left, and assist the Priest to unvest, kissing those vestments which are marked with the Cross-viz., the stole, maniple, and amice. In receiving the alb, he should so raise it that it may not trail on the ground. When all is done,3 he will make a final reverence to the Priest.

48. He then returns to the Altar, where, having made the proper genuflections, he puts out the candles first on the Epistle side, and then on that of the Gospel. Should

Having placed it there, he may kneel at the centre for the Priest's benediction, and then pass over to the Epistle corner.

2 Should the Missal be required in the sacristy, the Server will take it from the stand or cushion, on the Altar, just before he takes the berretta.

3 When the Priest washes his hands, the Server will again assist at the lavatory.

there be several candles burning, he will commence with the last, that is, the farthest from the Cross, and so on successively until they are all extinguished. They should not be left smoking, as is too often the case, nor should they be put out by the breath, but with the proper extinguisher, 49. Should he, however, extinguish the candles before leaving the Altar with the Priest, in order that they may remain lighted to the end of the Gospel, he will first extinguish that on the Gospel side, but yet not before he has answered, Deo gratias; afterwards that on the Epistle side, in the manner described above.

50. Finally, we have to observe that the Server should not ring the bell at the Sanctus or Elevation, when the Most Holy Sacrament is exposed on the Altar, there being then no occasion to excite the faithful to adoration, since the public exposition is sufficient, and ordained for that purpose. This will also be observed during the time of High Mass, or other solemn functions, as funerals, processions, &c., in order not to oblige the Ministers and choir to kneel at a time they should be standing or sitting.

CHAPTER VI.

THE MANNER OF GIVING HOLY COMMUNION OUT OF MASS.

1. As it often happens that Holy Communion has to be given out of Mass, it will be useful to give the Priest some instructions concerning it. He washes his hands, and vests in cotta and stole of the colour of the office of the day.' If the Priest who gives Communion be a Canon, having the use of the cappa, he should lay it aside, and take a cotta and stole. (S. R. C. 12 Julii, 1628, et 19 Junii, 1773; Rit. Rom.) Thus vested, the Priest puts on his berretta, and goes to the Altar of the Blessed Sacrament with hands joined, and preceded by a Clerk, who carries the corporal enclosed in a burse.

2. Having arrived at the Altar, he gives his berretta to

Juxta Ritualis Romani Rubricam (stola pro ministranda SS. Eucharistia) debet esse coloris officio convenientis. (S. R. C. 12 Martii, 1836.)