There was an obvious shift of the type of pilgrims flooding the streets and the metros. They were young people, ranging from age 13 to 23, moving together in organized but large groups. They broke into song on the metro, which was really very beautiful for the other riders. They are in Rome for the 12th International Pilgrimage for Altar Boys and Girls and obviously and have been ecstatic prior to and following their special encounter with the Holy Father yesterday, despite the blazing sun beating upon them in St. Peter’s Square! Their numbers exceed 60,000 and they are from 18 countries and islands. The largest group of at least 50,000 are from Germany, as well as many European countries, the United States, Russia, and the Ukraine just to name a few of the many countries represented by this enthusiastic group.
Below is an excerpts of the interview with Bishop Dr Ladislav Nemet SVD (Zrenjanin/Serbia), President of Coetus Internationalism Ministrantium (CIM), the international pilgrimage for altar boys and girls.
Why has this encounter been so important?
The real purpose is to bring together our altar boys and girls in Europe and fortunately now we even have boys and girls outside of Europe From the United States for the first time, Caribbean islands, Antigua; St. Vincent. We think it is important to give the feeling to our young boys and girls that they are not alone. There are thousands and thousands of young boys and girls from countries all over the world who like to perform this service for the Lord. Somehow the sense of the community, and then to deepen their faith commitment because there is a certain commitment to serve at the altar–these are two points. The third point surely is to meet the Pope and see the center of the Catholic Church.
What does it mean to be an altar server in 2018? What goes into deciding to be an altar server and how does being an altar server nowadays compare to years ago?
Surely there is a different motivation why a boy or girl becomes an altar
server. Sometimes it was a family tradition, father or mother was, sometimes the colleagues in the school and peers will encourage them and invite them to participate to see what it is about. Very important that a part of this desire to be an altar boy and girl , to have the right approach, the sense of spiritual values. It is difficult to say how deep is your faith and how deep is your preparation for this service. It is not that for the first time, someone will go to the altar. But you have to make a certain preparation, to know how to behave, what are the different actions, language, signs used in the Liturgy, the meaning, so that only once you are prepared, you can be fully at the service of the Lord.
I can imagine that for young people it is nice to have this community
experience, an aesthetical experience to be in the vestments and to be nicely dressed is a very important thing as well today. After the Holy Mass there is always the possibility to be together and enjoy activities that are outside of the Church and still reinforcing your community sense.
How is being an altar server important in the faith experience, of young people. How is it a way to encounter Christ?
Every age has its own way of approaching God and approaching the religious sense of life. Altar boys and girls who stay by the altar, and maybe are not too active, but still they feel the sense of being in the Church, and the Liturgy and I can imagine this is an important part of how and why I am Catholic.
Today it is less common that many are altar servers; maybe in a whole class there is a small handful, three or four…at least in Europe….. It is always very difficult to make a commitment to be there for when it is your turn to serve, your have to go to the Church. Especially on Sunday, they don’t want to get up.
It teaches you to be faithful to be your commitment. It teaches you to see
the Liturgy as it is done there. So it is it is a beautiful thing if the Liturgy is well done. I would say it is a theater, if you will. Not a theater obviously, but some elements and rules that make you recognize, from some points of view, some similar beautiful aspects.
Could you tell us about the altar servers here from the US?
The US participation is a very interesting thing. More than a year ago, there was a parish from the States, and while surfing on the internet, they found our website. They right away inquired whether their coming to Rome for the encounter were possible. So we gave them the possibility, it was for two boys and two girls to participate, We asked for a letter signed by their parish priest so we would verify it was serious inquiry.
They started the process and they sent us a couple of films of their parish life and their different forms of Liturgy, how they celebrate. It is very interesting that 90 young Vietnamese, as it is a Vietnamese parish, the children they are born in the United States. They very often celebrate different Liturgy through dances and singing. They will dance tomorrow afternoon.for just five minutes, their program like how they do it in the States in front of the basilica in St. Peter’s Square In the past those who join the seminary perhaps they were altar servers… It was generally always the first step of priestly vocations.
How can being an altar server be a way of helping with vocations?
I think that the age of making the decision of choosing to be a priest, or
religious was somehow earlier in the past maybe at age 10, 11, 12 to have a certain idea. Today it is normally at 18 plus when you will decide. Sometimes, in some countries still there is a youngster but normally in our countries in Europe it is 18, 19 years of age. I can imagine being an altar boy or girl provides a valuable opportunity to become closer to God, and with a better sense of your life, you decide on your vocation. Whatever that vocation may be… I am not so sure personally that it is whether [being an altar server] in some way makes it easier to find your way to the religious life, or to a priestly vocation. The general atmosphere in our society is rather not too positive [toward the option], which does not mean it is not a nice vocation, but only that there is the opinion, today, that this idea of pursuing a religious vocation is not the prevailing idea and are seen as the real way to spend your life.
But, in Germany, we see so many altar servers. Everything is very organized, there is so much participation, so obviously this stems from something. What would you say that it stems from?
I am happy to say that in Germany, because I go there regularly, this is the most effective pastoral work with the young in Germany. It is incredible how it developed. But this art, this way of pastoral work is flourishing still now and even getting ecumenically stronger. Because more and even more evangelical and Lutheran children come together to serve with their Catholic friends.
Thanks so much, Your Excellency
Thank you very much. God Bless