Routine service

BALBOA ISLAND — Frank McNamara gets up every day at 5 a.m.

He arrives at St. John Vianney Chapel at 7 a.m., takes off his jacket and dons a black cassock. He fastens the 21 buttons down the front and pulls the white surplice over his head.

It’s the start of a routine he’s been keeping for more than 20 years as the chapel’s altar server — they’re no longer called “altar boys” because the task is now open to girls as well as adults.

At 80, McNamara is the oldest altar server in the Diocese of Orange. He first served at the altar as a youngster in Ireland, and his son and grandson later followed in his footsteps.

He prepares the altar for the morning Mass — puts out the chalice for wine and water and the ciborium for the Host — every weekday, he explained on a recent morning. With Mass starting at 7:45 a.m., most kids are in school and can’t serve.

If you’ve got a minute, he’ll also show you around St. John Vianney.

“This little chapel was built in 1941,” he said, pointing to a picture of the church on the wall in a side room. He should know all about it — not only has he been attending the church for years, as an architect he helped design some of its furnishings and oversaw major remodeling projects there.

His ambitions as an architect, in fact, were what brought him to the United States from Ireland 51 years ago.

Like his Catholic faith, McNamara’s profession was handed down through the family. His grandfather also designed churches — most notably the chapel in Maynooth, and a cathedral in Kilkenny County, Ireland. McNamara’s father was an architect and engineer who designed the bridge that connects Achill Island to the northwest side of Ireland.

And McNamara was, himself, no slouch. In addition to working with the world-famous modernist architect Richard Neutra, McNamara designed numerous churches. While he never had any interest in exploring other religions, McNamara said, he has designed all types of houses of worship: Mormon, Baptist and Episcopal churches, a mosque in Saudi Arabia and a synagogue in Dublin, Ireland.

Now that he’s semi-retired, McNamara’s interest is in serving the church. He’s an extraordinary Eucharistic minister, so he helps the priest give the Sacrament to worshipers. He also helps throughout the Mass, handing little jugs of water and wine to the priest and ringing the bells at the appropriate times.

After sitting through thousands of Masses, McNamara said, the high point of each service for him is “particularly at the consecration — that’s when the priest raises the wine — that’s a very elevating moment for me during the Mass.”

Former St. John Vianney parishioner Mike McCrory said he appreciates what McNamara brings to the service. He began attending the chapel about nine years ago and noticed McNamara’s dignity and traditionalism. For example, many churches don’t use the bells during Mass, but St. John Vianney does.

McCrory has since moved back to Ireland, but he still comes to the chapel when he visits family in the area. McNamara inspired him so much, he wrote a poem about the aged altar boy. He explains in one stanza,

“This is how it’s meant to be

A sacred solemn prayer.

And not a casual commonplace act

That modern men prefer.”

One of the problems with the Catholic church today, McCrory said, is the loss of reverence by churchgoers and some of those serving in the church.

“It’s very distracting when you see altar boys chewing gum and looking around, and they forget to come and help the priest,” he said. “It’s a small role he [McNamara] plays but it has huge significance in terms of helping us appreciate the daily Mass.”

For his part, McNamara said he’ll keep on serving at the altar a long as the church wants him. St. John Vianney draws a regular crowd of people, many of them middle-aged and older, who attend church daily. But the church also has attracted enthusiastic young people, he said, and he aims to inspire them.

“I hope men like me who do this are an example to the youth, because it’s a great honor to be able to do this to serve God and the community,” McNamara said.