The ministry of the altar server is a very important one, for both server and parent. Being an altar server gives your son or daughter responsibilities they won’t get anywhere else. Servers are responsible for allowing the priest to “pray” the Mass, his main purpose. The altar server is at the priest’s side every step of the way during the course of the liturgy. Servers learn how to be attentive, show leadership, focus and bring reverence to the Mass.
If you want your son or daughter to develop skills they won’t learn anywhere else, give them the gift of serving God as an altar server.
The Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion (EMHC) assists in distributing Holy Communion to God's people present at Mass and to those who are in nursing homes or home bound.
To become an EMHC, it requires careful preparation on the part of the extraordinary minister.
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A lector is the person who proclaims the first or second readings, Psalm, and lead the Prayers of the Faithful at Mass.
A lector must have a desire to minister in this capacity at the Eucharistic liturgy. This ministry in the Church requires a person who is of excellent character and serious about the practice of their faith.
The lector must believe that Sacred Scripture is the Word of God and have deep respect for God’s presence in that Word.
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The ministry of ushers is the oldest lay ministry in the Catholic Church. The ushers of today have descended from a long line of people of God who have gone before them. During the time of Christ, the doorkeepers of the temple numbered in the hundreds and were the forerunners of today’s ushers. The more immediate predecessor of today’s usher can be found in the clerical order of porter, instituted in the third century A.D. During those times, it was the duty of the porters or ushers to guard the door of the church against any intruders who might disturb the service. The porter duties were so important that they came to be included in the rite of ordination, where they were specified as “to ring the bells, open the church and sacristy, and open the book for the preacher.” In 1972 Pope Paul VI abolished the order of porter and this important task was given over to the laity. While today’s ushers don’t ring the bells or open the book, their primary duties and responsibilities include greeting and welcoming parishioners as they enter the church, helping them to find seats, and taking up the collection.
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Sacristans assist in preparing the Church for worship, performing mostly behind the scenes. They assist at Daily and Sunday Masses, baptisms, weddings, funerals, and other liturgical celebrations. Some principal duties of Sacristans include: opening and closing the church; arranging the lighting; preparing and placing the Holy Vessels and Gifts for Mass; coordinating with Altar Servers, Ushers, Lectors and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion; and assisting the celebrant and congregation as needed.