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.
Registration and Training
If you or your child is interested in the Altar Server Ministry, please register and sign up for New Server Training.
Please note: You will need a PDF copy of both the Baptismal and First Eucharist Certificates to upload with the registration.
Please also see the Altar Server Handbook, 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, please also see our Altar Server Quick Reference Guide.
