“If I do not become a saint when I am young, I shall never become one,” said St. John Berchmans, the Patron Saint of Altar Servers. The Altar Servers’ Day at Guardian Angel Church was celebrated on 20th October 2024 with great splendour, enthusiasm, and a profound sense of devotion.
The day began with a solemn Eucharistic Celebration at 9:30 AM, where nearly 90 altar servers processed in unison to the altar, taking active roles in the liturgy. The Holy Mass was presided over by the parish priest, Rev. Fr. Fredrick Monteiro. In his homily, he reflected on how each of us can be soldiers of God by spreading His message through service. He also reminded the congregation of the Pope’s message, as it was also Mission Sunday, stating that “the king’s banquet is a symbol of God’s ultimate invitation.” Fr. Fredrick further emphasized the Gospel words, “Whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant,” encouraging everyone to heed God’s call to serve His kingdom.
The event continued with a formal programme at 11:30 AM in the Golden Jubilee Memorial Hall, featuring a lively cultural showcase. The program commenced with a prayer dance by students from grades 6 and 7, setting a spiritual tone for the proceedings.
The program was graced by the presence of Rev. Fr. Fredrick Monteiro, the parish priest; Rev. Fr. Stany Fernandes, Socius; Deacon Jeevan Lobo; Mr. Paul Rodrigues, Vice President of the Parish Pastoral Council; Mrs. Lolina D’Souza, Secretary of the Parish Pastoral Council; and animators Mrs. Maria D’Sa, Mrs. Jyothi Monteiro, and Mrs. Sharitha D’Silva. They were escorted to the dais by Ms. Reeva Pinto, President of the Altar Servers, and Mr. Glenith D’Cunha, Secretary.
Ms. Reeva warmly welcomed the gathering, while Mr. Glenith delivered a detailed report summarizing the day’s events.
Rev. Fr. Stany Fernandes, Socius, addressed the audience, emphasizing the importance of being an altar server and expressing joy that 90 students have already responded to this call. He conveyed his hope that even more would follow this path of service in the future. He also underscored the critical role parents play in fostering both the academic and spiritual growth of their children, a commitment he observed strongly within the parish. He concluded his address by blessing the altar servers and praying for their steadfastness in faith, asking God to guide more individuals to this noble service.
Rev. Fr. Fredrick Monteiro, in his presidential address, extended his best wishes for the joyous celebration. He encouraged parents to include a prayer during their evening devotions, asking God to inspire their children to serve the Church, be it as priests, religious, or sisters. He highlighted the importance of instilling strong values and discipline in children and expressed his gratitude to the animators for their dedicated service. He congratulated the altar servers, expressing his delight in seeing more children step into this role, and encouraged them to deepen their faith commitment.
“Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.” Group activities for the altar servers followed, culminating in the distribution of prizes for group performances. Mrs. Jyothi Monteiro, an animator, announced the winners. St. Lawrence Group secured first place, followed by St. Mother Teresa in second, and St. Aloysius in third. Group leaders Ms. Vival, Ms. Ellan, and Mr. Roydon read out the names of the team members.
Prizes were also awarded to those who rendered the highest number of services at the altar. Mrs. Maria D’Sa, one of the animators, expressed her gratitude for everyone’s active participation and for the excellent coordination of activities. She thanked the parish priest and Socius for the opportunity to celebrate this event and extended thanks to Mr. Ullas Rasquinha, the sponsor of the program. A token of appreciation was presented to Ms. Vival Serrao, Mr. Daryl Monteiro, Ms. Reeva Pinto, and Mr. Roydon Misquith for their assistance in organizing the cultural program.
The cultural program that followed was a vibrant showcase, featuring a dance performance by grade 5 students, a retro-themed performance by grades 6 and 7, a traditional Maando, a skit titled ‘Apoone,’ and finally, an energetic flash mob by students from grades 8, 9, and 10, which added a festive atmosphere to the day.
Deacon Jeevan Lobo led the grace before meals, and the program concluded with a song dedicated to St. John Berchmans, the patron saint of altar servers, echoing beautifully through the hall.
The formal program was expertly hosted by Ms. Vival Serrao, while the cultural segment was hosted by Ms. Delicia Monteiro. The day ended with a sumptuous lunch, making it a memorable celebration for all the altar servers.
And does any Catholic celebration end without the Baila? Certainly not! The day concluded with a lively Baila dance, bringing elders, youngsters, and children onto the dance floor.
The Altar Servers’ Day celebration was a vibrant event that showcased the collective dedication of the altar servers, fostering a deeper spiritual connection within the community.
“ಹಾಂವ್ ತರ್ನಾಟ್ಯಾ ಪ್ರಾಯೆರ್ ಸಾಂತ್ ಜಾಯ್ನಾ ಜಾಲ್ಯಾರ್, ಮುಕಾರ್ ಖಂಡಿತ್ ಸಾಂತ್ ಜಾಂವ್ಚೊ ನಾ”, ಜಾವ್ನಾಸಾತ್ ಉತ್ರಾಂ ವೆದಿ ಸೆವಕಾಂಚೊ ಪಾತ್ರೊನ್ ಸಾಂ. ಜುವಾಂವ್ ಬರ್ಕ್-ಮನ್ಸಾಚಿಂ. ಆಂಜೆಲೊರ್ ಫಿರ್ಗಜೆಚಾ ವೆದಿ ಸೆವಕಾಂನಿ ಅಕ್ಟೋಬರ್ 20 ತಾರಿಕೆರ್ ಆಪ್ಲ್ಯಾ ಪಾತ್ರೊನ್ ಸಾಂತಾಚೊ ದೀಸ್ ವ್ಹಡಾ ದಬಾಜ್ಯಾನ್ ಸಂಭಮ್ಲೊ.
ಸಕಾಳಿಂ 9.30 ವರಾರ್ ಎವ್ಕರಿಸ್ತಿಕ್ ಬಲಿದಾನಾ ಸವೆಂ ಸಂಭ್ರಮ್ ಆರಂಭ್ ಜಾಲೊ. 90 ಜಣಾಂ ವೆದಿ ಸೆವಕಾಂನಿ ಬಲಿದಾನಾಂತ್ ವಾಂಟೊ ಘೆವ್ನ್ ಲಿತುರ್ಜೆಚೆಂ ಮುಖೆಲ್ಪಣ್ ಘೆತ್ಲೆಂ.
11.30 ವರಾರ್ ಗೋಲ್ಡನ್ ಜ್ಯುಬಿಲಿ ಮೆಮೋರಿಯಲ್ ಹೊಲಾಂತ್ ಸಾಂಸ್ಕೃತಿಕ್ ಕಾರ್ಯೆಂ ಮಾಂಡುನ್ ಹಾಡ್-ಲ್ಲೆಂ. ಸವ್ಯಾ ಆನಿ ಸಾತ್ವ್ಯಾ ಕ್ಲಾಸಿಚಾ ಭುರ್ಗ್ಯಾಂಚಾ ಮಾಗ್ಣ್ಯಾ ನಾಚಾ ಸವೆಂ ಕಾರ್ಯಕ್ರಮ್ ಆರಂಭ್ ಜಾಲೆಂ.
ವೆದಿರ್ ವಿಗಾರ್ ಮಾ. ಬಾ. ಫ್ರೆಡ್ರಿಕ್ ಮೊಂತೇರೊ, ವಸ್ತೆ ವಿಗಾರ್ ಮಾ. ಬಾ. ಸ್ಟ್ಯಾನಿ ಫೆರ್ನಾಂಡಿಸ್, ದಿಯಾಕೊನ್ ಜೀವನ್ ಲೋಬೋ, ಗೊವ್ಳಿಕ್ ಪರಿಷದೆಚೊ ಉಪಾಧ್ಯಕ್ಷ್ ಮಾನೆಸ್ತ್ ಪಾವ್ಲ್ ರೊಡ್ರಿಗಸ್, ಕಾರ್ಯದರ್ಶಿ ಮಾನೆಸ್ತಿಣ್ ಲೊಲಿನಾ ಡಿ’ಸೋಜಾ, ತಶೆಂಚ್ಚ್ ವೆದಿ ಸೆವಕಾಂಚಿ ಸಚೇತಕಾಂ ಮಾನೆಸ್ತಿಣ್ ಮರಿಯಾ ಡೆಸಾ, ಜ್ಯೋತಿ ಮೊಂತೇರೊ ಆಣಿ ಶರಿತಾ ಡಿ’ಸಿಲ್ವಾ, ವೆದಿ ಸೆವಕಾಂಚಿ ಅಧ್ಯಕ್ಷ್ ರೀವಾ ಪಿಂಟೊ ಆನಿ ಕಾರ್ಯದರ್ಶಿ ಗ್ಲೆನಿತ್ ಡಿ’ಕುನ್ಹಾ ಹಾಜರ್ ಆಸ್-ಲ್ಲಿಂ. ರೀವಾನ್ ಜಮ್ಲೆಲ್ಯಾಂಕ್ ಸ್ವಾಗತ್ ಕೆಲೊ ಆನಿ ಗ್ಲೆನಿತಾನ್ ವರ್ದಿ ವಾಚ್ಲಿ. ವಿಗಾರ್ ಆನಿ ವಸ್ತೆ ವಿಗಾರಾನ್ ಆಪ್ಲೊ ಸಂದೇಶ್ ದಿಲೊ.
ಉಪ್ರಾಂತ್ ವೆದಿ ಸೆವಕಾಂಕ್ ವಿವಿಧ್ ಖೆಳ್ ಆಸಾ ಕೆಲ್ಲೆ. ಖೆಳಾಂತ್ ಜಿಕ್-ಲ್ಲ್ಯಾಂಕ್ ತಶೆಂಚ್ಚ್ ಚಡ್ ಪಾವ್ಟಿಂ ವೆದಿ ಸೆವಾ ಕೆಲ್ಲ್ಯಾಂಕ್ ಇನಾಮಾಂ ವಾಂಟ್ಲಿಂ.
ವೆದಿ ಕಾರ್ಯಕ್ರಮಾ ಉಪ್ರಾಂತ್ ಚಲ್-ಲ್ಲ್ಯಾ ಸಾಂಸ್ಕೃತಿಕ್ ಕಾರ್ಯಕ್ರಮಾಂತ್ ವೆವೆಗ್ಳ್ಯಾ ಕ್ಲಾಸಿಚಾ ಭುರ್ಗ್ಯಾಂನಿ ವಿವಿಧ್ ಮನೋರಂಜನ್ ಕಾರ್ಯಕ್ರಮಾಂ ಸಾದರ್ ಕೆಲಿಂ. ಸಾಂ. ಜುವಾಂವ್ ಬರ್ಕ್-ಮನ್ಸಾಕ್ ಸಮರ್ಪಿಲ್ಲ್ಯಾ ಗಾಯಾನಾ ಸವೆಂ. ಕಾರ್ಯಕ್ರಮ್ ಸಂಪ್ಲೆಂ. ಕಾರ್ಯಕ್ರಮಾ ಉಪ್ರಾಂತ್ ಸರ್ವ್ ವೆದಿ ಸೆವಕಾಂನಿ ರುಚಿಕ್ ಜೆವಾಣ್ ಸೆವ್ಲೆಂ. ಜೆವ್ಣಾ ಉಪ್ರಾಂತ್ ಬಾಯ್ಲಾ ನಾಚಾ ಸವೆಂ ಕಾರ್ಯಕ್ರಮ್ ಆಕೇರ್ ಕೆಲೆಂ.
Report: Mrs. Sharitha D’Silva and Vival Serrao
Photographs: Neil Kenneth Fernandes
