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Altar Servers

Altar Servers are young boys and girls who love our Lord, Jesus Christ and want to serve Him at the altar with priests.


They should serve the Mass with their best humility and holiness. While they serve the Lord at the altar, they may find their call to be priests or religious men and women in the future. 


Altar Servers are those who want to answer the call to serve our Lord by assisting the Priest during mass.

Who can be Altar Servers?


Servers must be at least 8 years old and have received the sacrament of Holy Communion, but there is no upper age limit. Servers must:


  • Have received your First Holy Communion
  • A strong desire to serve at the Altar of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ
  • Be punctual, meaning being at the church at least 15 minutest before Mass starts. 
  • Stay alert and attentive during the Mass. 
  • Be willing to pray aloud and make appropriate responses during the Mass
  • Be willing to fold your hands and show reverence at the Altar of the Lord. 
  • Function without attracting attention away from the Mass. 
  • Show absolute reverence at the Altar in your total demeanor. 
  • Face the Altar with reverence when standing. 
  • Be able to work together as a team. 
  • Take direction from the priest / deacon / sacristan for the Mass that you are serving. 
  • Make sure that your shoes and clothing are clean and appropriate for Mass. 
  • Adult altar servers are welcome and encouraged to train as well. 


There may come a time when you no longer feel that serving is appropriate for you. When this happens, please advise the Server Coordinator in charge of Altar Servers or the Priest, as a courtesy. 

Altar Server Training


Training is required before you are eligible to serve. You will receive appropriate training to get you started. During the training, you will learn some basic information about the Catholic Church and the Mass. You will also learn how to carry out specific tasks while serving at the Altar. After you have progressed satisfactorily in training, you will be assigned to serve for several times with an experienced server.


How do I volunteer?


Please call the parish office at 503-769-2656 to sign up for a training session.


 

Altar Server Training Videos

As a tool to help in training Altar servers, we have two training videos available on our YouTube channel. Click here for a more comprehensive video, and click here for a shortened version intended as a quick reference. Both new and current Altar Servers are invited to make use of these videos to help you learn and to brush up your training.


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