More than 1,700 altar servers from four dioceses in the Philippines were urged to see their ministry as more than simply performing liturgical duties correctly, with Bishop Roberto Gaa reminding them that serving at the altar should be rooted in love for God and others.
Speaking at the opening Mass of the fourth pilgrimage tour of the image of St. Tarcisius of Rome at the Novaliches Cathedral in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Bishop Roberto Gaa challenged the young servers to look beyond rituals and rules and allow their ministry to shape their values and character.
According to CBCP News, Bishop Gaa asked the servers to examine the motivation behind their service.
“Is it all rituals? Are all the rules? Or is it your love for God and for your neighbor?” Bishop Gaa asked.
“Serving is not just wearing an attire. Serving is not just not committing mistakes,” he said.
Bishop Gaa urged the young people to carry the spirit of service beyond the church, extending the same love and respect to family members, friends, classmates and even people with whom they disagree.
“Often, serving becomes just a ritual and a task that we have to perform without making mistakes,” Bishop Gaa said, according to CBCP News.
“But in truth, serving is formative. It forms your values, what is significant, and your heart,” he added.
The bishop said altar service can also help young people discern their vocation, including possible calls to the priesthood or consecrated life.
He pointed to St. Tarcisius, a young Christian martyr traditionally honored for protecting the Eucharist during a time of persecution, as an example of service rooted in love and sacrifice.
“For him, it was not just rites, it was not just tasks, but it was a sign of his love for God and for others,” Bishop Gaa said.
The gathering brought together altar servers from the Diocese of Novaliches, Diocese of Antipolo, Diocese of Cubao and Diocese of Malolos, all located in and around Metro Manila and neighboring areas of Luzon, the Philippines’ largest and most populous island.
The pilgrimage included worship, fellowship, a Holy Hour for Vocations and a vocation jamboree, where 44 religious congregations introduced participants to different forms of religious life.
The event reflects the wider role of altar-server ministry in the Philippines, where young people are often introduced to deeper participation in parish life and encouraged to discern their Christian vocation through service.
The pilgrimage will conclude with a closing liturgy at the Diocesan Shrine and Parish of Saint Mary Magdalene in Pililla, Rizal, east of Manila.
For the young participants, the message from Bishop Gaa placed altar service in a broader perspective: excellence at the altar matters, but the deeper goal is to form young Christians whose service is expressed through love, character and care for others.
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