Altar Servers
What Is an Altar Server?
Welcome to the ministry of Altar Server at Saint Paul the Apostle Parish! Your willingness to serve is a blessing to all the people who will come to the parish church to worship and praise God. The church is grateful for your generous gift of time and talent.
To be an Altar Server is a special honor and a great privilege in the Catholic Church. As an Altar Server, you can trace your roots to the order of acolyte, a ministry that once was reserved only for those who were going to be ordained priests! You can look upon being an Altar Server as a special and unique ministry by which you can begin your christian vocation to spread the word and the love of Christ through your actions and words. Even though it is a very important ministry, it is not difficult, and this handbook will help you with the things that you need to know in order to fulfill your commitment.
The ministry of Altar Server is open to men and women and to boys and girls fifth grade and up. Altar Servers are not ordained, but they are commissioned for service by the pastor of the parish and publicly inducted into service.
The main role of the Altar Server is to assist the priest and deacon in the celebration of the liturgy. The most common liturgy we celebrate is the Mass. Sometimes we celebrate other liturgies including: baptisms, weddings, funerals, stations of the cross, and Eucharistic Adoration. Servers perform specific actions and set an example to the assembly by their active participation in the liturgy: by their actions, singing of hymns, responses, looking alert, and keeping an appropriate posture.
Welcome to the ministry of Altar Server at Saint Paul the Apostle Parish! Your willingness to serve is a blessing to all the people who will come to the parish church to worship and praise God. The church is grateful for your generous gift of time and talent.
To be an Altar Server is a special honor and a great privilege in the Catholic Church. As an Altar Server, you can trace your roots to the order of acolyte, a ministry that once was reserved only for those who were going to be ordained priests! You can look upon being an Altar Server as a special and unique ministry by which you can begin your christian vocation to spread the word and the love of Christ through your actions and words. Even though it is a very important ministry, it is not difficult, and this handbook will help you with the things that you need to know in order to fulfill your commitment.
The ministry of Altar Server is open to men and women and to boys and girls fifth grade and up. Altar Servers are not ordained, but they are commissioned for service by the pastor of the parish and publicly inducted into service.
The main role of the Altar Server is to assist the priest and deacon in the celebration of the liturgy. The most common liturgy we celebrate is the Mass. Sometimes we celebrate other liturgies including: baptisms, weddings, funerals, stations of the cross, and Eucharistic Adoration. Servers perform specific actions and set an example to the assembly by their active participation in the liturgy: by their actions, singing of hymns, responses, looking alert, and keeping an appropriate posture.
How to Become an Altar Server
Training for new Altar Servers is scheduled several times throughout the year for students in the 5th grade through high school. When future training dates are scheduled, they will be announced in the bulletin and on this website.
Training for new Altar Servers is scheduled several times throughout the year for students in the 5th grade through high school. When future training dates are scheduled, they will be announced in the bulletin and on this website.
Also, the Altar Server Ministry Team at St. Paul Parish has created a training video for Altar Servers. It is available for viewing on YouTube. Click on the link below.
If you have any questions, please contact Fr. Michael Bialorucki at 419-668-6044, ext. 225, or email him at frmichael@stpaulchurch.org.
Pope Francis Encourages Altar Servers:
"The closer you are to the altar, the more you will remember to speak with Jesus
in daily prayer; the more you will be nourished by the word and the body of the
Lord, the better able you will be to go out to others, bringing them the gift that
you have received, giving in turn with enthusiasm the joy you have received."
"The closer you are to the altar, the more you will remember to speak with Jesus
in daily prayer; the more you will be nourished by the word and the body of the
Lord, the better able you will be to go out to others, bringing them the gift that
you have received, giving in turn with enthusiasm the joy you have received."
Saint John Berchmans, Patron Saint of Altar Servers
The eldest son of a shoemaker, John Berchmans was born March 13, 1599, in Driest, Belgium, where he was an ordinary young man who knew early in his life that he wanted to be a priest. During his life, he loved serving at the altar, praying the rosary, meditating about the crucifix, and striving for holiness. In 1615, he entered the Jesuit College and became a Jesuit novice the following year. He was sent to Rome in 1618 to continue his studies but died there on August 12, 1621, while still a seminarian. After his death, many miracles were attributed to him, and he was beatified on May 28, 1865, by Pope Pius IX, and canonized on January 15, 1888, by Pope Leo XIII. His feast day is November 26.
There is a website devoted to St. John Berchmans, and articles about him can also be found in the Catholic Encyclopedia.
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More Information
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Pope Francis' Address to Altar Servers
The Life, Death and Miracles of St. John Berchmans [sjbdevotion.org] St. John Berchmans [video - YouTube] |
