Dear young people, the service you carry out faithfully enables you to be particularly close to Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. You have the enormous privilege of being close to the altar and close to the Lord. Be aware of the importance of this service to the Church and to you yourselves. May it give you the opportunity to develop a friendship, a personal relationship with Jesus. Do not be afraid of communicating to those around you the joy you receive from his presence! May your whole life shine with the happiness of this closeness to the Lord Jesus! And if one day you hear his call to follow him on the path of the priesthood or the religious life, respond to him generously!

Benedict XVI

General Audience 29 August 2012

 

Altar Servers assist the priest in leading the people at Mass to worship God.  Serving at Saint Andrew’s is a special privilege that requires reverence, teamwork, prayer, commitment, responsibility, and a willingness to be a leader of God’s people.  Saint Andrew’s strives to have the best altar servers anywhere!  This excellence requires their dedication, special training, and diligence.

They assist the sacristans before and after the Mass; they lead the liturgical processions; they accompany and assist the priests during the Mass and serve at the altar as candle-bearers, cross-bearers and as incense-bearers.

 Filmed at Saint Theresa Catholic Church in Sugar Land, Texas

Requirements for Saint Andrew’s Altar Servers

Boys and girls who have received their First Holy Communion and are in the 4th grade or older are invited and encouraged to become altar servers. Many of our servers continue in this ministry throughout their high school years. High School Altar Servers serve the Midnight Mass at Christmas, the Easter Triduum services, and Corpus Christi.

Altar Servers should be practicing Catholics who attend Sunday Mass each week and all Holy Days of Obligation, go to Confession regularly, and strive to live a moral and faithful life.

They should be mature enough to understand their responsibilities and carry them out with appropriate reverence.

The servers are required to attend training sessions and occasional meetings.

If you are interested in joining us and learning more, please contact Sheryl Walsh, coordinator of altar servers, at swalsh59@gmail.com or call the parish office.

 

 For Current Servers

It is expected that all servers have completed the Altar Server training program and are familiar with the Guidelines for Saint Andrew’s Altar Servers and Words to Know.   Please review the Guidelines and Words to Know prior to serving, if necessary.  These Guidelines contain information on the requirements and dress code for serving at Saint Andrew’s.

 

Resources

Guidelines for Saint Andrew’s Altar Servers

Words to Know

USCCB Guidelines for Altar Servers

Preparation Prayer/Prayer Before Serving

Thanksgiving Prayer/Prayer After Serving

How to Pray the Rosary

Saint Tarcisius, Patron Saint of Altar Servers

Saint Tarcisius, Pray for Us