Thursday, April 24, 2008

Man Talks About How It was to be Altar Server to the Pope


We are still rounding up the Papal USA Stories that are coming out. This very good blog Fish in a A Barrel has a unique one at (On Serving Solemn Pontifical Vespers for the Holy Father, or:) pope pope pope pope pope pope pope pope pope pope pope

This is one of the best stories yet especially as he tells it!!! THis of course was the beautiful and very prayful Ponticial Vespers (Evening Prayer) that we all got see on the TV from the Basilica .

Besides telling how he met the Pope and all that , I was struck by this part in which Master of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff told them:
One final thing I’d like to mention happened before the Vespers. It’s something that I hope I remember for a long time. After the rehearsal and before he had to attend to other checklists, Monsignor Marini gave us a short spiritual conference which Monsignor Anglophone translated for us. He spoke to us about what it means to serve at the Altar of God. Obviously this centered on serving for the Holy Father. He told us he understands we were a little nervous, and that it’s okay. It is important for us to know our functions in the liturgical movements and to execute them well, but he exhorted us to above all, pray. Monsignor told us to always remember that whenever we are serving, we are first and foremost engaging in the Church’s worship of God. Our specific roles in the liturgical movements can and do help the faithful who are present in fostering a reverent, solemn, prayerful atmosphere in which to praise God, and the best way we can do that, is to pray — pray with the Holy Father today, pray with the bishops and priests we serve for throughout the year.

Ultimately, the most effective altar server is the one who prays

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