The Altar Server Ministry is an ancient tradition in the Catholic church that continues on today. Altar servers assist the priests and deacons with sincere devotion and decorum in the spirit of the Liturgy for Eucharistic celebrations, Sacraments, funeral masses, benediction, and prayer services. The server role, when conducted with grace and reverence, add significantly to the sacredness for the rituals and help the assembly participate more fully and more prayerfully. 

This ministry allows the youth of the parish to become involved and contribute to the Liturgy of the Mass by serving others.

Typical duties of the server are to carry the processional cross, the processional candles, the incense and boat, to assist with the Roman Missal and the liturgical books used in the liturgy, to assist the Bishop with his miter and crozier and to assist in preparing the altar.

Altar Servers must have a strong desire to serve at the Altar of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. An applicant must have made their First Eucharist, be a member of St. John the Evangelist Parish, and be in 4th grade or higher. They must know how to genuflect, make the sign of the cross, be willing to pray aloud, and know the appropriate responses during Mass. It is most important that as a server is to be attentive, sit quietly during Mass, and show reverence at the Altar of the Lord. In addition to the new altar server training, you must also attend training meetings and rehearsals for special celebrations.

The Greeters / Ushers give all who enter the church the first impression of the Parish. They pass out any worship or song sheets that may be needed and assist with seating. They must be ready to handle emergencies quickly and efficiently.

The Lector is responsible to proclaim either the first or second reading during the Mass. The Lector also, in the absence of a psalmist, recites the Psalm between the readings.  Lectors can be lay people who are registered parishioners, are truly suited to carrying out this function and are carefully prepared, so that by hearing the readings from the sacred texts the faithful may conceive in their hearts a sweet and living affection for Sacred Scripture.

Lectors will participate in an initial training session and an annual renewal session.  For more information contact [email protected].

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion are lay parishioners who are specially trained and mandated to distribute the sacred body and precious blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ. These ministers receive training both at the Diocesan level and the parish level concerning the spiritual aspects of the ministry as well as the logistics of how to distribute. Diocesan Bishops have the faculty to permit a suitable person individually chosen as an extraordinary minister for a specific occasion or for a time or, in the case of necessity, in some permanent way, either to give the Eucharist to himself or to other faithful and to take it to the sick who are confined to their homes. This faculty may be used whenever:

a. There is no priest, deacon, or acolyte available

b. The priest, deacon or acolyte are prevented from administering Holy Communion because of another pastoral ministry or because of ill health or advanced age

c. The number of faithful requesting Holy Communion is such that the celebration of Mass or the distribution of the Eucharist outside of Mass would be unduly prolonged. 

For additional information on this ministry or if you have an interest in becoming an extrordinary minister, please email [email protected] or contact the Parish office.

The sacristans are responsible for the sanctuary and sacristy area. They keep the vestments and altar linens cleaned and pressed and make sure all the liturgical vessels are cleaned and polished.