More than 500 altar servers at a gathering held by the Archdiocese of Pondicherry-Cuddalore at the Shrine of Our Lady Periyanayagi. Many girls also attended, although there is still some resistance in some parishes. Bishop Kalist: “It is a great ministry, which must be carried out with devotion and prayer.”
Pondicherry () – More than 500 altar servers from 26 parishes in the Archdiocese of Pondicherry-Cuddalore gathered for the first time in many years at the Shrine of Our Lady Periyanayagi in Konankuppam. The meeting was held on the occasion of the priestly ordination of Fr. Johnson, local priest. Boys attended, but also girls, who even in Indian parishes are increasingly present in the liturgical service. A fact that was joyfully underlined by Archbishop Francis Kalist, who intervened to bring his message to the ministers.
The day had a vocational touch, since several religious congregations took the floor to present their experiences. “Many of the vocations to the priesthood have come from altar boys,” he reminded The p. Raj, parish priest of the sanctuary, “but giving importance to their service is also important, more generally, to educate good Catholics. In some parishes, people are still not willing to accept altar girls. But it is a mentality that must be change: synodality is also this”.
To the youth, Archbishop Kalist told the altar service “is not just doing practical tasks in the liturgy, but being in the presence of Jesus. It is a great ministry, which must be done with devotion and prayer, thus helping also to those who participate in the celebration”.
“In my speech – said the Archbishop of Pondicherry-Kundalore – I also addressed the problem of caste, which also afflicts the Church. It can only be eliminated if from a young age they are educated in communion with one another, overcoming any division based on caste, language, culture or anything else. That is why I have also entrusted this task to these boys and girls, reminding them that the Holy Spirit always unites.”
