Altar serving: a family tradition

By Marlene Quaroni - Florida Catholic

Photography: MARLENE QUARONI | FC

MIAMI | As a preschooler, Christopher Morales, 20, already knew what he wanted to be when he grew up. Like other kids he would play make believe and imitate the adult he looked up to. The adults he admired most weren’t police officers, airplane pilots or sports stars. They were priests.

“Sitting in the pew with my parents, I admired priests and how they celebrated Mass,” said Morales, a sophomore at St. John Vianney Seminary in Miami. “I thought they were very important. At home, I would play priest. A blanket would be my vestments. A piece of bread served as the host and Coca-Cola poured into a cup was the wine. I put them on a table and then I would go through the motions of celebrating Mass. My parents went along with it.”

While attending San Juan del Rio School in Jacksonville, Morales signed up to become an altar server. According to surveys, about 80 to 85% of current priests were altar servers, said Sharon Utterback, Miami Serra Club president, at the annual Serra Club Altar Awards ceremony, held April 30, 2023 at St. John Vianney Seminary’s St. Raphael Chapel.

The organization is named after Father Junipero Serra, an 18th century Spanish missionary whose work among Native Americans in California earned him the title “Apostle of California.” Archbishop Coleman Carroll introduced the Serra Club to Miami when he established St. John Vianney Seminary in 1959.

Each year, the Serra Club, whose mission is to promote the priesthood and religious life, sends letters to parishes in Miami-Dade and Broward counties asking pastors to send two outstanding altar servers to receive an award at the seminary on Good Shepherd Sunday. This year, the ceremony coincided with the World Day of Prayer for young men and women to hear and respond to the Lord’s call to religious and priestly life.

“About 30 parishes replied sending about 60 altar servers to the event,” said Utterback. “We understand the importance of new vocations. Two years ago, we were only 12 members, now we have grown to 154 members. We’ve done parish outreach, membership drives at parishes, and promoted the Vocation Prayer Chalice program, where parishioners at various parishes take home a chalice and pray for vocations.”

Father Matthew Gomez, archdiocesan vocations director, said the Church needs good shepherds.

“I’m the vocations director and I need to go fishing for good shepherds to lead the flock,” he said. “The Lord calls and people of God answer that call. The awards are always a great event. The altar servers come with their friends and family and enjoy the lunch in the seminary cafeteria after Mass.”

Serran Victor Rocha, who helped at the annual event, received his altar server award in 1968 when he served at Miami’s St. Mary Cathedral.

“It’s nice to see the joy of the people here today,” he said. “The Holy Spirit is truly at work here. If there aren’t any priests, then there isn’t a Eucharist.”

He noted how much the Serra Club has grown in Miami. In fact, it will host Serra International's USA Rally here, Jan. 24 and 25, 2024.

Gia Chau, 14, received an altar server award for his participation at St. Louis Church in Pinecrest. The Palmetto Middle School student arrived in the United States five years ago with his family from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, where they attended Tan Thai Son Church. Gia is following in the footsteps of his father, Choung Nguyen, as an altar server. He came to the event with his parents, grandmother and little sister. His family have always been devout Catholics, he said. Being an altar server is a family tradition.

“My mother wants me to help the church,” Gia said.

Auxiliary Bishop Enrique Delgado, who celebrated the Mass, talked about the importance of altar servers.

“I always say that serving on the altar is a privilege that allows children to grow up in the knowledge of the Lord,” he said. “A Mass with altar servers always inspires me. When I was a pastor, the sacristan always asked me how many altar servers will you allow on the altar? And my answer always was, the more, the merrier. All are welcome.”