Sacred Heart Parish of Navrongo-Bolgatanga Initiates 83 Altar Boys

By Samuel Akapule

Bolgatanga — The Sacred Heart Cathedral Parish of the Navrongo-Bolgatanga Catholic Diocese in the Upper East Region, has initiated 83 altar boys into the Saint Dominic Savio Mass Association of the church.

The altar boys, who underwent vigorous training and preparation for almost three years, were invested with cassocks and surplices as symbols of purity, holiness and kingship of Jesus Christ.

They are expected to help the priests at the altar during the celebration of holy masses and other liturgical ceremonies.

The investiture, popularly known as initiation, is a sacred, spiritual and cardinal activity of the liturgical ministry where newly trained altars boys or servers are consecrated and given the officially right to sit at the sanctuary and assist the priests during holy masses and benedictions.

The new servers were presented with certificates, and it adds to the series of investiture being held for altar servers in the church over the years.

Performing the investiture ceremony at the Sacred Heart Cathedral Parish in Bolgatanga on Saturday, Reverend Father Vitus Adiita, admonished the new servers to demonstrate the exemplary lives that depict the righteousness, holiness and royalty of Jesus Christ in them, so as to help draw people closer to God.

Fr Adiita, who is also the Secretary to Most Reverend Alfred Agyenta, the Bishop of the Diocese, schooled the altar boys on their responsibilities, and stressed that as altar boys at the sanctuary, they are expected to assist the priest and help the congregation to worship, especially during masses.

"The sanctuary is not a place for show, it is a place for worship and therefore how you look, walk, dress and do things should not be a distraction to the people, instead it should help people to worship God," he emphasised.

"Knowing who you really are and doing your work with humility and sense of dedication draws you closer to Jesus Christ. It is therefore imperative for you as altar servers to work together in unison in order to help others," Reverend Father admonished them.

Whilst asking the altar servers to be prayerful, he said it behoves all parents as well as parishioners to assist and advise the young people in all aspects in order to enable them to fulfill their call as altar servers.

St Dominic Savio Mass Association, under the guidance and leadership of the director, has over the years trained lots of altar servers who eventually became priests, reverend brothers and other members of the clergy.

Reverend Adiita commended the leadership of the association, particularly the director, Mr James Nsoh, for contributing immensely to priesthood in the diocese, and said more than 90 per cent of the priests in the diocese came from the Mass Servers Association.

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