Priest: Honour Altar Servers

by Caleb SC · January 13, 2018

By Selby Makgotho – The work of altar service is essential and must be honoured accordingly, a priest has said. “Mass without altar servers is like a car moving without a spare wheel. It can stop at any time. The important work done by the altar servers cannot go unnoticed,” said Fr Jimmy Mashamaite, diocesan chaplain for altar servers in Polokwane.

Fr Mashamaite was ordained in 2016 and immediately given the responsibility by Bishop Jeremiah Masela of coordinating and improving the altar service ministry in the diocese.

Officiating at the investiture of 18 altar servers in Polokwane’s Sacred Heart cathedral, Fr Mashamaite said the diocese is giving particular attention to this ministry.

“We have had intensive training which we ran in the form of workshops aimed at ensuring that these young people take this task seriously,” he said.

He expressed hope that the young children who had accepted the call to assist priests in the cathedral were taking steps in the right direction. Parents also have a role to play, he said.

“Please make your children available to help priests,” he told parents. “We need the help of these children.”

Fr Mashamaite is an assistant priest at Matlala parish outside Polokwane. He previously did pastoral work at Sacred Heart cathedral while he was a seminarian.