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Peter Finney Jr.
Clarion Herald
Video: https://youtu.be/6AZobzI8u2o
Stressing the importance of their service at the altar, Archbishop Gregory Aymond told the 87 Altar Servers of the Year for the Archdiocese of New Orleans Sept. 8 that what they do well and with care sets the table for good liturgies, which lead people to God.
Examining the Gospel story of Jesus celebrating the Passover meal – the Last Supper – with his apostles, Archbishop Aymond said when Jesus took bread, blessed it, broke it and offered it as his body, he was celebrating the first Eucharist.
“Jesus sat at table with his apostles, and he went through the ritual of songs and hymns and prayers,” he said in his homily at the annual Mass at St. Rita Church in New Orleans. “That was a very, very special meal, a meal that we have carried on for 2,000 years, which we call the Mass.
“As we think of that scene, we wonder to ourselves – who set the table? The Gospel doesn’t tell us. I wonder who cleaned up after the meal? I wonder who served the meal? We know that at our meal, the Eucharist, who helps set the table, and that’s you.”
The archbishop said when the altar servers lead the opening procession with the cross and candles, “you’re basically saying to the people of God that we’re getting ready to do something very important, and Jesus on the cross leads us.
“You wash the hands (of the priest) as Jesus washed the feet of the disciples. And when you rings the bells after the priest says, ‘This my body, this is my blood,’ you are saying, ‘Pay attention, something important is happening.’”
He said holding the book as the priest proclaims prayers during the Mass is an altar server’s privilege because the priest “prays in the name of the whole community.” The recessional is another graced opportunity, he said, because “at the end of Mass, we don’t just leave; we are sent to live our faith at home, at school and in the community.”
The annual Mass and awards presentation, sponsored by the Serra Clubs of New Orleans, was delayed five months because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the archbishop said he was determined to celebrate it because it is one of his most cherished liturgies of the year.
“I always look forward to this celebration,” Archbishop Aymond said. "(Whether or to have it this year) was not negotiable. We honor you servers because you are leaders.”
Father Colm Cahill, vocation director of the archdiocese, said young people who practice their faith need to be affirmed by the church.
"It’s very important in encouraging young people who serve in ministry in the church to recognize that we see what they do," Father Cahill said. "They sacrifice of themselves to be present at all these Masses and assist in leading people in worship.”
Camille Truxillo, 14, of St. Pius X Parish in New Orleans said training her two younger brothers and her cousins has been the most fulfilling aspect of her altar serving. She said it also brings her closer to the Mass.
“I feel like it helps me pay attention at Mass if I can actually participate in it,” Truxillo said. “It helps me focus on what God’s telling me.”
The Altar Servers of the Year for 2020 are Dominic Adams, St. Agnes; Max Anderson, Our Lady of the Lake; Sydney Andras, St. Francis Xavier; Jacob Bailey, St. John the Baptist, Edgard; Sara Barfield, St. Dominic; Milan Ferrer Barrett, St. John Bosco; Eddie Bergeron, St. Peter, Covington; Eli Cannon, St. Joseph, Gretna; Matthew Choina, St. Christopher the Martyr;
Madison Clark, St. Joseph the Worker; Skylon Collura, Our Lady of Prompt Succor, Westwego; Kristen Davis, St. David; Johnny DiMaggio, St. Ann; Caylee Drexel, Ascension of Our Lord, LaPlace; Khalil El-Amin, St. Genevieve, Slidell; Orlando Espinoza, St. Anthony of Padua, New Orleans; Jack Flanagan, Mater Dolorosa; Matthew Frederick, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Kenner;
Joshua Fuentes, St. Jerome; Nathan Gabriel, St. Charles Borromeo; Zoe Garbin, St. Cletus; Kadin Gaubert, Holy Family; Kaden Gibson, Sacred Heart of Jesus, Lacombe; Katie Glas, St. Catherine of Siena; Austin Hebert, St. Philip Neri; Bryan Hines, St. Gabriel the Archangel; Thien Hoang, Our Lady of Prompt Succor, Chalmette; James Johnson, Sts. Peter and Paul; Cole Justice, St. Jane de Chantal;
Matthew Kirkland, Annunciation; Kaihlan Knox, St. Joan of Arc LaPlace; Sage Laehney, Infant Jesus of Prague; Johnathan LaCroix, Corpus Christi Epiphany; Roman Laurent, Our Lady of Lourdes, Violet; Nicholas Lauritsen, St. Rita, Harahan; Darrin Lea, Mary Queen of Peace; Terrence L’Herisse, St. Mary of the Angels; Ellis “Dale” Lindsey III – Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Belle Chasse; Carter Magness, St. Anthony, Gretna; Ethan Martin, St. Andrew the Apostle;
Roberto Matthews Jr., Christ the King; Bennie McCormick, St. Peter Claver; Austin Nguyen, St. Martha; Shomari Norwood, All Saints; Avery Oertling, St. John the Baptist, Paradis; Ocian Ordonez, St. James Major; Caleb Overby, St. Margaret Mary; Gabriel Overby, St. Margaret Mary; Brandon Palmisano, Our Lady of the Angels; Tomas Pazo Jr., Divine Mercy; Justin Pepin, Our Lady Star of the Sea;
Isaiah Petty, Our Lady of Guadalupe; Richard Pham, St. Agnes Le Thi Thanh; Joseph Truong D. Phan, St. Joseph, Algiers); Caitlin Phillips, St. Paul the Apostle; Ashley Pineda, St. Luke the Evangelist; Philip Pugh, Our Lady of Lourdes, Slidell; Allison Romero, Holy Guardian Angels; Kristine Rutledge, St. Angela Merici; Joseph Torres Sanchez – Blessed Francis X. Seelos; Victoria Sancho, Immaculate Conception, Marrero;
Ian Silva, St. Edward; Troy Smith III, St. Raymond and St. Leo the Great; Tallon Spears, Blessed Sacrament-St. Joan of Arc; Roland Sternfels, Most Holy Trinity; Dominic Stoner, St. Rosalie; Caleb St. Pierre, St. Bonaventure; Carina Swonger, St. Clement of Rome; Daniel Taylor, Our Lady of Divine Providence; Troy Taylor, Our Lady of the Holy Rosary; Max Theriot, St. Patrick, New Orleans;
Nickson Thibodeaux, St. Anthony, Lafitte; Hunter Thomassie, St. Joachim; Jessica Yen-Nhi Tran, Mary Queen of Vietnam; Marin Trepagnier, St. Matthew the Apostle; Camille Truxillo, St. Pius X, New Orleans; Julia Tucker, St. Francis of Assisi; Conner Varnado, St. Mary Magdalen; Shayla Vu, Assumption of Mary; Carissa Wagner, Holy Name of Jesus; Nathaniel Walker, St. Anselm; Claire Walsh, St. Rita, New Orleans; Briana Williams, St. Katharine Drexel; and Semaj Young, Blessed Trinity.
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