Being an Altar Server means serving God and his people at Mass. The name “server” clearly points out what they do at Mass: serve God and his people by helping the priest and his fellow worshippers to praise God as well as they can. By helping the priest and people carry special objects and carry out special actions at Mass, they are really serving God. Some of the tasks that the altar servers carry out at Mass are:
Carry the cross at the beginning and at the end of Mass
Hold the book for the priest
Prepare the altar for the Liturgy of the Eucharist
Assist the priest when accepting the gifts of bread and wine brought forth by the parishioners
Help the priest at the altar during the liturgy of the Eucharist and wash his hands at the appropriate time
Respond to the prayers and dialogues of the priest along with the congregation.
Join in singing the hymns during the liturgy in response to Vatican II’s call to full, conscious and active participation by the entire congregation in our spoken, silent and sung prayers.
Altar Servers, girls and boys, should be mature enough to understand their responsibilities and to carry them out well and with appropriate reverence. They should have already received the body and blood of Jesus for the first time and normally receive whenever they participate in the liturgy.
The servers receive proper formation and instructions before they begin to serve for the first time. Their formation includes instruction on the Mass and its parts and their meaning, the various objects used in the liturgy (their names and use), and the various functions they will perform during the Mass and other liturgical celebrations. Servers also receive appropriate guidance on maintaining proper attire when serving Mass. Within the tradition of the Church the servers are normally vested when serving.
Altar Servers serve Masses on Saturday, 4:00pm; Sunday, 8:30 and 10:30am, and Sunday at 5:00 pm Masses.
Due to Covid-19 and to keep the Altar Servers safe, at this time Altar Servers are not serving Mass.
For information or to become an Altar Server call Sacred Heart's Parish office at 337-364-4439