22. Ministry of Servers

22. Lineamenta on the Ministry of Servers

THE MINISTRY OF SERVERS AND CHILDREN MINISTRY

Christ, the “way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6) to the youth in search for meaning and value in life, has a compassionate heart for the children. In one endearing moment, “he took a little child, set him in the midst of them, and putting his arms around him said to them, “Whoever welcomes a child such as this in my name, welcomes me” (Mark 9:36-37). To “set him in the midst” is to place the child in a significant place reserved for the Torah or Law which is an obvious gesture how Jesus considered the children as important and the Kingdom of God that has already dawned through Him belong to them and to the disciples who would be child-like. It represents a fundamental shift of standpoint and perspective that Christian discipleship means that we have to be passionately concerned for the dignity and rights of children and to have a resolute commitment to a society in which children no longer have to live out an insignificant role but find their place in the midst of it with an active contribution to our life of faith. “In the family, parents have the task of training their children from childhood to recognize God’s love for all men…Children must also be educated to transcend the family circle, and to open their minds to ecclesiastical and temporal communities. They should be so involved in the local community of the parish that they will acquire a consciousness of being living and active members of the people of God” (Apostolicam Actuositatem [AA], 30) “Children also have their own apostolic work to do. In their own way, they can be true living witnesses to Christ among their companions” (AA, 12). In this light, the Church does not only have Cultural and Sports Program, Sunday School and Catechesis for children, she also recognizes the gifts and talents of children and so encourages them to be members of children’s choir and as altar servers.
Altar servers or acolytes are those who accompany the priest or the deacon in order to help them during Eucharistic celebrations. Formerly it is a “minor order” reserved for one who is in the preparatory stage for priestly ordination. In 1972 Pope Paul VI restored it also as a lay ministry. At present altar servers are those children or adolescents who help the priest or deacon at the service of the altar and they carry the cross, candles, books, incense, wine and water, and give the celebrant anything needed. The altar servers are not instituted acolytes but de facto act as such in most ways. Parish priests must be aware of the positive contribution acolytes and servers render to the liturgy and divine worship so, every parish and basic ecclesial community should have a group of well-formed altar servers. Proven in their integrity and commitment, the parish priest shall form them comprehensively in order to have a correct understanding of the Eucharist and the sacraments.
The presence of children round the altar is very significant for their invaluable services, for representing the whole community and for making every celebration meaningful and festive. Altar servers should wear liturgical attire for esthetic, festive and sacred reason. Parents should inspire their children to be acolytes or altar servers not only to consider its educative factor in the faith for them and for the community, it also nurtures priestly vocations. A good number of priests had been altar servers in their youth which simply probes that the ministry of altar servers is a good source for priestly vocation. Altar servers and their parents should bear in mind the meaning of this ministry of altar servers. Since the Eucharist is the “re-presentation” of the sacrifice of Christ, so they themselves must become a sacrifice to the Lord, exhibiting dedication and concern for their fellowmen and genuine love and deep appreciation of the Eucharist.

Questions for small group discussions

1. How should the altar servers be formed in the parish? How can we have a common curriculum for their formation in our diocese?
2. Do we allow girls to join the ministry of servers and be altar girls? If yes, why; if not, why not?
3. What programs and activities, which should be organized in the whole diocese, so we can continuously encourage children and adolescents to be altar servers, have a proper formation and promote priestly and religious vocation?