ALTAR GUILD

THE SERVER. "You are a server. As you assist the priest, who leads the worship of the Church, so you make Catholic worship more reverent, efficient, and beautiful. Your work for God is very important, and this [program] is designed to help you. At the altar, your service is directed firstly to God, secondly as help to the clergy, and thirdly  as assistance to the people who have gathered by God for worship. Your actions are visible. You appear in public, but you are never a performer. By your faithful duty, you remain always a servant of Jesus Christ in the community of His Church. A good server is not only skilled in a "craft" of duty at the altar but a humble and sincere person. The good server is a member of a team, working together in harmony with others, serving for the glory of God, learning that work at the altar is prayer in action. The good server is careful and reverent, even if there is only some small duty to perform." (Most Rev. Peter J. Elliott, Ceremonies Explained for Servers According to the Roman Rite: A Manual for Altar Servers, Acolytes, Sacristans, and Masters of Ceremonies, 1).