St. Thomas Forane Church
Jalahalli, Banagalore, Karnataka 560 013
Prayer to St. John Berchmans
“Pray for us, Saint John Berchmans, That we may be worthy of the promises of Christ. Let Us Pray Grant, we beseech You, O Lord God, that we Your servants may follow, in Your service, the example of innocence and fidelity by which the angelic St. John Berchmans consecrated to You the flower of his youth, through Christ Our Lord”.
Amen
“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45)
The altar servers of St. Thomas Forane Church play an essential role in supporting the Holy Qurbana and other sacred services. From 2017 onwards, our parish proudly began welcoming both boys and girls as altar servers, expanding this ministry to all young members who wish to serve from the time they receive their Solemn Holy Communion until they complete Catechism in 12th grade.
These dedicated young servers assist with various tasks to ensure that each Holy Qurbana is conducted with reverence and dignity. In addition to regular Qurbanas, they also serve during special occasions, such as feast days and sacraments, preparing the altar, lighting candles, opening and closing doors and windows, and handling incense. Their service contributes to the solemnity of our worship and the spiritual experience of the congregation.
The altar servers also participate in parish activities outside of Holy Qurbana. During Christmas, they help set up the nativity scene, and at Easter, they prepare the Resurrection display, creating a meaningful visual for these holy celebrations. Through these responsibilities, our altar servers deepen their connection with the church and nurture a lasting dedication to their faith.
We continued our practice of arriving early for Holy Qurbanas, reciting prayers, serving at the altar, praying afterward, and ensuring the church doors and windows were secured.
Each year, we take on the responsibility of setting up Christmas cribs and Resurrection tombs for Easter inside the church.
We also organize stalls for various parish festivities, such as Feast Days and Parish Day
On September 22nd, 2024, the Seraphim Meet 2024 was held at Mount Carmel Forane Church, Carmelaram, bringing together all Altar Servers from the Bangalore zone of the Mandya Diocese. A good number of altar servers from our parish attended this gathering, which was presided over by His Excellency Mar Sebastian Adayanthrath, Fr. James Pulthakidiyil, Director of the Altar Servers Association, and Fr. Paul Manjooran, Catechism Director. Several priests and nuns shared their experiences and reflections on their past service at the altar. This meeting, attended by around 400 altar servers—both boys and girls—marked the first Altar Servers’ Koinonia within the Diocese of Mandya.