300-plus altar servers to be honored at Bishop George Sheltz Archdiocesan Appreciation Mass
October 24, 2023
An altar server carries the processional cross during a Mass at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart. The Annual Bishop George A. Sheltz Altar Servers Appreciation Mass is set for Nov. 4 at the Co-Cathedral. (Photo by James Ramos/Herald)
HOUSTON — Hundreds of altar servers, both boys and girls, will be honored at the Annual Bishop George Sheltz Altar Servers Appreciation Mass on Nov. 4 at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in downtown Houston.
With the numbers of priests and other vocations declining in recent years, the Serra Club — an international organization that encourages young people to consider becoming priests, religious sisters and brothers — began these appreciation Masses to highlight altar servers. This is the third such local event and will begin at 10 a.m. that Saturday, celebrated by Auxiliary Bishop Italo Dell’Oro, CRS. Homilist will Father Matthew G. Súniga, vice rector and director of Human Formation at St. Mary’s Seminary.
“Praise God, so far, we have 342 altar servers who have served five years or longer attending this Mass,” said Candice Tyrrell, a member of the Serra U.S. Council. She said about 490 altar servers, both boys and girls, will be attending, representing more than 60 parishes.
She added, “We are in a crisis for more priests. Without priests, no Church, no Eucharist. We need to have priests and seminarians speak more from the pulpit to the young about opening their hearts to hear God, who may be calling them. A majority of priests were altar servers in their youth.”
Such a call is how Hector Rivera, now 15, decided to dedicate himself to serving his parish, St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church.
“When I was a little kid, I liked to watch the altar servers to see what part they played in the Mass,” Rivera said. “Then, a few years ago, I had a feeling that God was calling me to serve.”
His mother, Ana Magadan, is also a member of the newly formed Serra Hispanic Club of North Houston, which encourages young people to consider vocations. Mayra Meza Suarez, president of that Serra Hispanic Club, said both Rivera and his mother are devoted parishioners.
“Hector loves serving Mass, and every Sunday, he is willing to be there all day, serving at 10:30 a.m. English Mass, as well as noon and 2 p.m. Spanish Masses. Sometimes, we have to ask him to give others a chance to serve,” Suarez said.
“Recently, our pastor, Father Jesus Lizalde, asked our Serra Club to take over the training for our servers since we have several catechists as members. We also have resources to ask priests and seminarians to give their testimonies to the servers on why they are serving and who they are serving.”
Another sponsor of the upcoming Mass is the Scanlan Foundation, a nonprofit that supports the Roman Catholic Church of Texas and its ministries. Scanlan President Larry W. Massey Jr. said, “The Scanlan Foundation and Serra Clubs are proud to host this beautiful event, which highlights altar servers from the many parishes.”
Massey added, “Servers are very important as they help the priests during the time we celebrate the Eucharist. As an acolyte, I can personally attest to the value of well-trained altar servers for a beautiful Mass experience. This appreciation Mass is our way of saying thank you to all of them for a job well done.”
The servers will also receive certificates, prayer books and religious medals.
While Catholic priests in the U.S. have seen a drastic decline in numbers since 1965 from nearly 60,000 to about 37,000 currently, the number of Catholics in the U.S. has increased. Catholics in the U.S. jumped from 48 million in 1965 to more than 70 million, not counting the 30 million lapsed Catholics, according to surveys.
The Catholic Church is larger than any other single religious institution in the U.S., with over 17,000 parishes that serve a large and diverse population. About 23% of the U.S. population is Roman Catholic compared to a combined 48.9% of Americans who are Protestants of varying denominations.
An annual ordination report from the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) showed at least 73% of priests served as altar servers before entering the seminary. Half served as readers and 50% as extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion.
Remembering Bishop George A. Sheltz
The Serra Club named its annual Mass for altar servers the Bishop George Sheltz Archdiocesan Altar Server Appreciation Mass after the late retired bishop.
Bishop George A. Sheltz died on Dec. 21, 2021, shortly after his retirement in June of that same year. He was 75.
“I’m very humbled they did that. The Serra Club continues to encourage young men and women to go into vocations. Hopefully, by becoming altar servers, they consider going to the seminary and into religious life,” Bishop Sheltz said.
He said he remembered receiving the Altar Server of the Year award in his childhood when he served at Annunciation Catholic Church in downtown Houston.
“Being an altar server gives you participation in the Liturgy, and you are actively involved, not just a spectator,” Bishop Sheltz said.
His vocation may have been a case of being pre-ordained in more ways than one coming from a family who followed their vocations. His uncle, Monsignor Anton Frank, was the first native Houstonian ordained for the diocese in 1933 and became pastor at Annunciation. Bishop’s father, George Sheltz Sr., was ordained a permanent deacon, and his brother Anton also became a priest.
By fifth grade, Bishop Sheltz said he recalled dressing as a server to help his deacon father with benedictions and novenas at Annunciation. Then, through eighth grade, he continued to assist his uncle with Masses as well.
Bishop Sheltz was ordained a priest on May 15, 1971 , and installed as a bishop on May 2, 2012.