Through the variety of tasks & responsibilities, altar servers offer a ministry that could be described in a threefold way: as a knight, as a ninja, and as an honor guard. Altar servers are knights through their care & protection of the mysteries they serve and the liturgies at which they assist. They are ninjas in that they never draw attention to themselves, striving to be invisible servants of the prayer & worship of the Church. Finally, they are honor guards through their presence and actions – adding solemnity to even the simplest of actions, their reverent demeanor inviting others to join in prayer & worship.
There are four rules that guide our altar servers:
- Pray!
- Avoid collisions
- Don’t set anything on fire that you didn’t mean to set on fire
- ‘I meant to do that’
In order to be an altar server, one must be:
- a baptized Catholic in good standing with the Church
- a member of Saint Mark parish community
- have received First Holy Communion
- carry a desire to more deeply understand and serve at Mass
- be willing to commit to regular ministry (at least twice monthly)
There is no upper age limit! We welcome all children, youth, and adults who desire to serve to inquire about how they might join this ministry. For more information, contact the parish office.
We use this Altar Server Manual as our guide for server training and advancement, asking that servers contribute $10 to the cost of the book. However, if you would like to purchase one for yourself, please feel free to do so!