Altar Servers

Being a server means serving God and God's People at Mass

Altar servers are welcome members of the liturgy’s “team,” along with greeters/ushers, sacristans, musicians, priests, lectors, and Eucharistic ministers. All registered parishioners in 4th grade or older, including teens and adults are welcome to serve at St. Paul the Apostle. Altar Servers must be baptized Roman Catholic, received their First Reconciliation and First Eucharist, and attend Mass regularly. All adult servers must be Virtus certified and fingerprinted by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
Servers:

• • Receive an initial training of 2 hours when they join the ministry.
  • Complete serving at least 4 times while being shadowed.
  • Receive 30-minute “refresher training” each year.
  • Expected to arrive 20 minutes before the liturgy.
  • Serve at School masses as well as weekend masses.
  • May be asked to serve at funerals, weddings, and other special masses.
  • Need to serve at least 6 times a quarter. 

The primary role of the altar server is to assist the priest in the celebration of the liturgy during Mass. Servers carry the cross, the processional candles, hold the book for the priest, prepare the altar, assist in receiving the gifts, wash the hands of the priest, manage the incense, and assist the priest, deacon, and thurifer as necessary.

If you or your child is interested in the Altar Server Ministry, please register and sign up for New Server Training at this link: 2024-2025 New Altar Server Registration and Training Signup and see the Altar Server Handbook in the Downloads section. The Altar Server Handbook is the comprehensive resource for all servers. It inlcudes more information about the program, dress code, sign-up procedures, step-by-step procedures for each altar server role, a basic liturgy guide, an annoted glossary with photos of names and places, and examples of shoes, among other things. In addition, to the Handbook, there is a quick reference guide that can be download as well. Please note you will need a PDF copy of both the Baptismal and First Eucharist Certificates to upload with the registration. 

Jennifer Kozakowski is the altar server coordinator. She is along-time parishioner having worshipped at the University Catholic Center at UCLA (1978-1994) and St. Paul the Apostle Parish (1994-Present). She and her husband, Frank, have been married for 40 years and have two adult children who received all their sacraments at St. Paul the Apostle and graduated from the school. For years Jennifer managed all the ticket sales for the Fall Festival. In addition, she has served on the Parish Council, the Finance Council, the Liturgy Committee, as a Sacristan, Eucharistic Minister. She also serves as the Teen Confirmation Coordinator. For over 40 years has served in a variety of executive roles in health care, most recently with Providence St. Jospeh Health. She currently serves as the Chief Mission Integration Officer at Providence Little Company of Mary ministries in the South Bay, where (among other things) she is responsible for Ethics Committee and Consultation Service, as well as the formation of all employees, leaders, medical staff, and board members. She has earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, a Master of Nursing in Nursing Administration, and a Master of Public Health in Health Services Management, all from UCLA. In 2021, she completed a Master of Arts in Health Care Mission Leadership with emphasis in Theology and Ethics from the Neiswanger Institute of Bioethics at Loyola University, Chicago.

Please see “How to Join” for more information or contact Jennifer at jkozakowski@sp-apostle.org.