One more detail on the Time and Talent form that I wanted to highlight separately –
If your son is 12 or older and would like to become an altar server, he should fill out his own separate form and check number 103 in the liturgy section. If I recall correctly, the training for new servers is in January and by signing up now, someone will contact him with the dates as it gets closer.
My family has been to Mass in quite a few different places and we all agree the the servers at the Church of Saint Paul are among the best we’ve ever seen. They’re pious and reverent, they pay attention to detail and in general do such a great job that you hardly know they’re there. (Which is the point, of course. They assist with the Mass, but it’s so smooth that they do not distract from our prayer in any way.)
- The training is outstanding and your son will come to appreciate the details of the Mass in a deeper way.
- They become part of a little “band of brothers” supporting each other in this ministry. The older boys mentor the younger ones, helping with their training and giving helpful feedback on how they’re doing.
- It’s a great place to develop friendships with other boys and spend time with Father Jon and Deacon Tim.
- It encourages responsibility. It always amazes me to see boys who could barely be trusted to dress themselves the year before turn into excellent servers. (again, I credit the great training)
- It’s one of the few areas of parish life that is reserved exclusively for boys. For some reason, this makes it more attractive to them.
As you can guess, I’m a fan. If you have any questions, please ask me (or better yet, ask any of the altar servers!)
One more thing if he’s not sure – signing up does not imply a commitment, only an interest. Your son can go to some or all of the training to see if he likes it and make the decision at that time. They hold a new training every year, but it’s only one time per year so if the time is right for your son, don’t miss the opportunity.
Family Formation 