What Does An Altar Server do?

Altar serving promotes responsibility, accountability, leadership and teamwork. Becoming an altar server is also a wonderful way for the youth of our parish to learn and grow in their appreciation of our Catholic liturgical traditions. Plus, it is a great way for them to meet other Catholic children.
  • Altar Servers assist the priest and deacon during the Mass and at other special liturgies.
  • They help to enhance the Liturgy by being good examples, for the assembly, both in their responses and participation during Mass.
  • Each celebration of the Mass requires three servers. There are also special liturgies (Christmas, Holy Week/Easter, Confirmation) where more server assistance is required.
  • All servers are expected to serve at least one Mass per Month
  • Weekly and month-to-month in advance scheduling is available

Upcoming Altar Server Training Dates:

  • Sunday, February 28, 2023 from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. in the Main Church
  • Tuesday, March 14, 2023 from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. in the Main Church

Click here for printable flyer.

Can Anyone Become An Altar Server?

This ministry is open to boys and girls in the fourth grade and older. Our Parish utilizes adult servers for weekday Masses and Funerals. We would like to expand the role of adult servers to include Sunday Masses. If you are interested, see below.

How Do I get started?

New altar servers complete a training session and are initially assigned to serve with more experienced servers. This applies to both youth and adults. Please contact smaministry@stmota.org for more information or call the parish office at 847-223-0010

Altar Server News

Sunday afternoon March 8 saw a great gathering of St. Mary altar servers and their families. It was the first of, many gatherings to come and WOW! What a success! Fr. Don Cambe shared a prayer for all who were there, blessed the pizza and goodies we ate and talked about how he started as an altar server at his parish in the Philippines. After a bit of information from ministry heads Tom Forster and Colleen Russ, including the formation of a team for training and server help, a great game of Altar Server Jeopardy was played! Team 2 went away with the win, although all three teams had a very good showing in knowing many answers about the Mass, serving and the tools you use, and general Church and saint knowledge.

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