Senza Vincoli

ASK DEACONETTE:

From a man with too much time on his hands…

Quaeritur: I was wondering if you know the rubrics or know where the rubrics for lay instituted acolytes in the EF can be found?
At my parish, we try and do a lot of things in the extraordinary form, and I am trying to find some authoritative/knowledgeable source on what an instituted acolyte can/ cannot do/wear (in terms of the biretta) for liturgical celebrations (mainly outside of Mass). Thank you!

Respondio: Footwear is de riguer, of course. Socks and ideally, shoes, should you be able to afford them; sandals are generally frowned upon unless accompanied by the habit of your mendicant order. Opinions vary on athletic shoes and boots; Deaconette believes they are best avoided at liturgical celebrations if one has the wherewithal to make a substitution more formal in nature. Omit the wristwatch. Finally, some sort of undergarment is generally expected, though it ought to go unseen. Tighty-whiteys, boxers, briefs, boxer-briefs are all acceptable; the thong, g-string, athletic supporter, or cloth diaper with safety pin is only acceptable when the acolyte is serving in a non-public situation, e.g. in the chapel of the Cardinal’s beach home at the Jersey Shore.