The “thrust” of the altar servers

The pilgrimage of altar servers from Germany will take place in Rome from 4 to 8 August. As many as 48 thousand German participants aged between 13 and 27 years old (the majority between 14 and 18) from all the dioceses, and over a thousand from the Austrian Diocese of Linz and Vienna, plus the presence of a group from Latvia are expected in the capital. The altar servers from several dioceses will reach Rome as of August 1. The meeting with Pope Francis is planned for the evening of August 5, in St. Peter’s Square. Alexander Bothe, representing the pastoral care of the altar servers and liturgical and cultural education for the youth ministry of the German Bishops’ Conference presented to Sir Europe this particular pilgrimage. What are the expectations for the altar servers arriving to Rome? “For altar servers the experience of the community is essential in the liturgy and beyond it. Young people look forward being part of a larger community, which represents an image of the young Church. Travelling with all the altar servers of the diocese makes them feel in a more tangible way that they are not alone within the Church, in the sequela of Jesus. In the evening, in St. Peter’s Square we will perceive the greatness of this community. Altar servers from various parts of Germany – Görlitz, Treviri and Hamburg – will convene before Pope Francis who will welcome them with a special encounter, to pray with them, speak to them and exchange pilgrim scarves. For all of us it will be an unforgettable experience. We look forward to the encounter with the Pope with great joy”. What will be the impact of the meeting with Pope Francis in the pastoral journey of German altar servers? “The feast of the meeting with the Pope will take place according to the motto chosen for the pilgrimage: ‘We are free! Therefore it is lawful to do good! ‘. It refers to the verse of the Gospel of Matthew 12:12, where Jesus cures a man with a paralyzed hand violating the rules of the Sabbath. Pope Francis has repeated in a dynamic way the message of mercy. With the apostolic exhortation ‘Evangelii gaudium’ the Holy Father also recalled the urgent need to involve young people in the community of the Church. We will celebrate with him the Vespers dedicated to Santa Maria Maggiore, the Basilica which he is so close to. We will represent visually the motto of the pilgrimage with a human chain and we will ask for his blessing. Some boys and girls will have a very personal interview on the motto, on altar service and on the issues of young people, we are very curious to see what will happen. And of course, the Holy Father will receive the scarf of the pilgrim, packaged especially for him, as a sign of the fact that we are all with him on a pilgrimage towards Jesus Christ”. How is the role of altar service perceived in Germany? “In Germany there are over 430 thousand altar servers. It is a wonderful faith witness and it shows that this service continues to exert great appeal. To carry out this service with responsibility at times is challenging for children, youths, and young adults: they must always be in a state of spiritual recollection, available when needed, and sometimes also endure the contempt or the incomprehension of their peers. But the community they take part in, especially during Mass, and with other altar servers, the fact of being close and involved in the mystery and the heart of our faith in the liturgy, are experiences that enrich personal faith and journey. For the German Catholic Church a youth pastoral care that is sensitive to altar servers, based on modern pedagogic principles, complete, is fundamental; it requires spiritual formation and accompaniment. This also means hours of group work”. What will be the main destinations of the pilgrimage? “For all dioceses the highlight in Rome will be from August 4 to 8, with several archbishops, bishops and German auxiliary bishops who will accompany the groups of altar servers. Another event of the pilgrimage, meant as a concrete token of the greatness and the scope of this community and of the young Church, is the ‘Blind date’ evening, when groups from three dioceses at a time will casually convene in over 300 meeting points in the centre of Rome. They will pray together, sharing experiences and establishing new contacts. The altar servers will autonomously organize pilgrimages throughout the city of Rome, especially to the tombs of the apostles Peter and Paul. They will attend Mass services in Rome’s Churches that are pilgrimage destinations, such as St. Paul Outside the Walls. Trips and visits to the site integrate the rich program organized by the coordinators of youth pastoral care for the visit to this wonderful city. And obviously, in Rome’s heat, they won’t miss a good ice-cream!”