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Altar servers, also known as altar boys and girls, are a form of ministry that aims to facilitate and simplify the celebration of the Eucharist. Altar servers are also called to serve with joy. Being an altar server is a calling from God to serve. They are called to be part of the “Communio Altar Boys and Girls” to serve God and others with sincerity as an expression of faith and brotherhood.

There are positive values in being an altar server, namely

Joyful service, which means that altar servers must serve Jesus and the Eucharist with love and without expecting anything in return, so that they are seen to be serving sincerely.

Responsibility as an altar server means that we have a weekly schedule of duties. If we are entrusted with this responsibility by the altar server coordinator, we must fulfill our duties to serve, but if there are any obstacles, we must provide information or permission in advance so that it can be known.

Discipline before the Eucharistic celebration takes place, altar servers must prepare themselves in advance, so they must also be able to arrive on time to be fully prepared.

Respect is very important, especially for altar servers. Respect for an altar server is not just a matter of ordinary manners, but an inner attitude that is manifested in actions based on faith and understanding of the sanctity of the Eucharistic celebration.

These are the values that I have learned during my four years as an altar server. 

I began my service on October 16, 2022, at Santa Odilia Parish Church. I was very happy because I had the courage to try to serve. When I first joined the altar servers, I felt alone, without any friends. But I made friends with Ka Agnes, Ka Nonna, Ka Melisa, Velika, and Redempta, who were from Santa Maria Junior High School at that time. I was very, very happy to be friends with all of them.

Before starting to serve, it is necessary for the altar servers to build warmth in their

relationships. Therefore, we held a Makrab (Malam Akrab or Intimate Night) activity, which was carried out with the aim of making the altar servers more intimate, sensitive to one another, caring and helpful, respectful, disciplined, and appreciative of time.

As the days passed as a misdinar, I was given the opportunity to visit the Fermentum High Seminary because I was participating in Misdinar. The Fermentum High Seminary is a place of education for prospective priests (pastors) of the Diocese of Bandung. In this place, prospective priests undergo a training process to become priests and serve the Church and society. The visit was very memorable for me because I was able to explore Fermentum High Seminary with the parish, region, neighborhood, and GSG. That was when I gained new experiences and made many new friends with different personalities and characters.

Not only were these activities carried out, but there was also an event called the Tarsisius Cup. This event consisted of physical activities such as sports (basketball, badminton, futsal, and volleyball). This event invited many altar servers from parishes, regions, neighborhoods, and GSG. This activity allowed the altar servers to become more familiar with one another. 

And from November to December, I am busy with rehearsals for Christmas Eve Mass, Christmas Mass, New Year's Eve Mass, and New Year's Mass. I am not very happy about these rehearsals because they are held during exam weeks, when I have to prepare myself to study in order to get good grades that I can be proud of.

Since becoming a member of the altar servers, I feel that my time has been cut short because I have to spend my time serving God as an altar server at church. Even so, I am not forced to do it, let alone complain. Of course, I must serve with joy and sincerity from my heart. 

I am happy and certainly very proud of myself for being willing and brave enough to try it myself. And of course, by joining the altar servers, I have made many new friends, both older and younger. I have also learned that I must be more patient and accept people's different personalities. I also learned that serving is not just about physical work, but also about defending oneself sincerely through concrete actions that benefit others, whether through big tasks or small things like listening or giving time. That is the experience I had during my four years as an altar server. Thank you.