Altar Servers, more commonly known as altar boys, are children or teenagers who assist a priest during Mass. Their name comes from the Latin word “ministrare” which means ‘’to serve’’. Their role is recognized by the Conciliar Constitution as an integral part of the liturgical office, and as such demands conduct and behaviour from those who serve that is in keeping with it. Altar Servers must follow the example of Jesus, who did not hesitate to place himself at the whole of humanity’s service, and even sacrificed himself.
Not only during services, but also throughout everyday life, Altar Servers must live by following His example of love, generosity, commitment and precision. Altar Servers are Jesus’ ‘friends’, usually young people full of enthusiasm and willingness to take part in the activities of the Church by offering their contributions of love and devotion. In the history of the Church there have been many characters who could represent the ideal model for Altar Servers, like Saint Tarcisius, who lived in the era of the first Christian communities in Rome and was killed by his pagan peers because he had made himself available to carry the Blessed Sacrament to Christians prisoners, or Saint Dominic Savio, who had Saint John Bosco as a teacher and guide, and devoted his (unfortunately short) life to his brothers and the community.
The Altar Server must comply with all the following rules to continue to serve at The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
Boys who have made their First Holy Communion, are regular attendees at weekend Masses and has a great love for the Eucharist, service and commitment will make a great Altar Servers.
For more information on Altar Servers training contact:
Mr. O’Neil Miller (Director of Religious Education)
The Ministry of Lay Readers is a calling to be a proclaimer of the Word of God. The call to the ministering of the Word of God is not just about fulfilling a function on Sunday morning; it is about sharing in the very life of the Body of Christ. Having personally encountered the Word of God, through the proclamation of Sacred Scripture, Lay Readers are called to feed those who come to the Sacred Banquet. To do so, Lay Readers are expected to have an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the Sacred Liturgy of the Mass and has been trained and is competent to effectively proclaim the Word of God (except the Gospel) during liturgical celebrations. The Liturgy of the Word is celebrated in such a way as to favour meditation.
The Lay Reader is a person of faith who have nurtured his/her relationship with God and formed his/her life on the Gospel, and manifests the theological virtues of faith, hope and charity as well as the cardinal virtues of prudence, fortitude, and temperance.
To be eligible to serve in this Ministry, the person must be:
Persons who are interested in serving in this Ministry at St. Ignatius, Christ the Redeemer or Stella Maris Churches, may contact the Liturgical Ministries Co-ordinators by calling 949-6797 or email [email protected].
An Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion in the Catholic Church is, under the Code of Canon Law, “an acolyte, or another of Christ’s faithful deputed”, in certain circumstances, to distribute Holy Communion. The term, “extraordinary” distinguishes such a person from the ordinary (normal, regular) minister of Holy Communion, namely a bishop, priest or deacon. The function of the Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMHC) therefore is to distribute Holy Communion either within Mass or by taking it to a sick person, when an ordained minister (bishop, priest, deacon) is absent or impeded. In the absence of a priest or a deacon, an EMHC may be called upon to lead a Communion Service, e.g., Stella Maris Church in Cayman Brac.
Genuine ministry is about humble service. The model for all ministry is Christ the Lord who came to serve, not to be served. The EMHC is an entrusted, fully initiated leader in our community at St. Ignatius Parish, one who is of sufficient age and maturity and of diverse ethnic background. In serving the community, the EMHC’s faith must be supported by visible signs, giving faithful testimony to Christ’s Presence in the Eucharist. Having nurtured his/her relationship with God, manifests the theological virtues of faith, hope and charity.
To be eligible to serve in this Ministry, the person must be:
Members of the Altar Society is a group of laypersons who offer their time and talent to Our Lord in maintaining and enhancing the environment, especially the sanctuary, for worshippers at St. Ignatius, Christ the Redeemer, and Stella Maris Churches.
Working quietly behind the scenes under the direction of the Pastor, they take reverent care of the altar vessels, altar linens, vestments, candle stands, holy water fount, floral arrangements, etc., and ensure that the Church is clean and ready for the celebration of Mass and other liturgical celebrations.
Key duties of members include weekly laundering of the altar linens, care for the floral and plant arrangements; cleaning and refilling holy water fonts and votive candle stands; cleaning and polishing the candle stands, altar, credence table; and ensuring there are adequate supplies for liturgical celebrations, amongst others.
Members also assist the Liturgical Environment Committee in decorating the Church for special and seasonal liturgical celebrations as well as supporting and assisting families with the preparation for funerals and wake services.
The Altar Society welcomes new members. Interested persons may contact the Parish Office at 949-6797 or email at [email protected].
Floral arrangements for the sanctuary are customarily donated by parishioners who have signed up to do so for a specific weekend during the liturgical year, except during Lent and Advent when no flowers are placed in the sanctuary.
Anyone wishing to provide flowers for any of the Churches can contact the Parish Office at 949-6797. Normally (6) floral arrangements are required for a weekend Mass at St. Ignatius, and (1) for Christ the Redeemer. If a floral arrangement is provided in loving memory or in honour of loved ones, this is published in the Church’s weekend bulletins.
The Ministry of Liturgical Environment is responsible for assisting the pastor with planning and decorating the church especially for seasonal or special liturgies for visual enhancement of the celebrations.
For special liturgical celebrations, such as Easter and Christmas, the sanctuary and the main body of the Church at St. Ignatius are elaborately decorated with thematic backdrops/scenes by the Liturgical Environment Committee members.