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Altar Server Ministry

About Us

The Altar Server Ministry is very active in St Mary’s. There are nearly always Altar Servers at every Weekend Mass. We aim for three Altar Servers at each Mass but this can vary. During school holidays when many are away we might have only one but there is always someone. On special occasions such as Easter we may have up to six. This Ministry is open to boys and girls who have received their Sacraments on Initiation. ie Reconciliation, First Eucharist and Confirmation. At the end of the Sacramental Program each year all children are invited to be part of this Ministry.It is an excellent starting point for becoming part of Catholic Community Activities.Any child who has been part of the Sacramental Program from another parish is also invited to apply.

Throughout the Archdiocese of Brisbane – which is huge – St Mary’s is well-regarded for the number of Altar Servers and that we are able to retain them with a freely given commitment.

Contact Information:

Mr. Tom McGuire Acolyte and Altar Server Co-ordinator
Email: admin@coomeradrivertraining.com.au
Phone: 0404063761

Church & Parish Office: 
Address: 185 Billinghurst Crescent, PO Box 219,Upper Coomera QLD 4209
Office Hours : Monday to Friday: 9am – 1pm;
Telephone: (07) 5529 9144
Fax: (07) 5529 9644

 

Here are some of the main reasons for our success

TRAINING

Our Altar Servers thoroughly enjoy serving Jesus at Mass by helping Father John and Father Jeremy.Our Altar Servers are trained mostly on the job – at Holy Mass – by more experienced Altar Servers, who themselves were trained under the same buddy system.Fathers John and Jeremy take an extreme interest in the training and welfare of our Altar Servers; this includes an explanation before Mass and then guided by the Altar Server Buddy.There is an archaic saying of throwing people in the deep end – exactly the opposite happens at St. Mary’s

FAMILY FRIENDLY ROSTER

We know that from time to time, kids get sick, just want to sleep, and then there are other members of the family to be considered both older and younger. So we have the Family Friendly Roster. A Draft Roster goes out on Tuesday evening and let us say your Altar Server is rostered for 9am Sunday Mass but you have Soccer training at that time; you email me back, and I will swap you around or put Mass duty on for another day that you suggest. On Thursday, I send out the same roster with all of the changes you and others have requested and this is the Confirmed Roster – one we actually go with.Then of course there are last minute hitches, accidents etc that can be expected from time to time. If you don’t get to Mass as rostered there is no drama.

RESPONSIBILITY

Our Altar Servers learn responsibility early with simple tasks such as robing themselves, ringing the bells at the correct time, and holding the book. Over a period of time, they become Leader at Mass which is an important part of the Mass and all of the Altar Servers work to get this recognition. Then next year, they teach the new Altar Servers.

INDUCTION AND TRAINING (2019-2020)

Induction this year will be on Saturday 30 November, 2019 at 1pm at the Worship Centre. It will take about 90 minutes. Parents and children will be shown how to dress and how they fit into the Mass. Parents will be spoken to at length in a group. Some of our new Altar Server will commence serving immediately that night at Vigil and then others the weekend.

REGISTER YOUR INTEREST TODAY!

Please consider joining us by filling out the form

Altar Server Registration Form.

 

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Weekly Readings

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Weekly Reflection

Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Buongiorno!
This Second Sunday of Lent invites us to contemplate the Transfiguration of Jesus on the
mountain, before three of his disciples (cf. Mk 9:2-10). Just before, Jesus had announced
that in Jerusalem he would suffer greatly, be rejected and put to death. We can imagine
what must have happened in the heart of his friends, of those close friends, his disciples:
the image of a strong and triumphant Messiah is put into crisis, their dreams are
shattered, and they are beset by anguish at the thought that the Teacher in whom they
had believed would be killed like the worst of wrongdoers. And in that very moment,
with that anguish of soul, Jesus calls Peter, James and John and takes them up the
mountain with him.
The Gospel says: He “led them up a high mountain” (v. 2). In the Bible, the mountain
always has a special significance: it is the elevated place where heaven and earth touch
each other, where Moses and the prophets had the extraordinary experience of
encountering God. Climbing the mountain is drawing somewhat close to God. Jesus
climbs up with the three disciples and they stop at the top of the mountain. Here, he is
transfigured before them. His face radiant and his garments glistening, which provide a
preview of the image as the Risen One, offer to those frightened men the light, the light of
hope, the light to pass through the shadows: death will not be the end of everything, because
it will open to the glory of the Resurrection. Thus, Jesus announces his death; he takes
them up the mountain and shows them what will happen afterwards, the Resurrection.
As the Apostle Peter exclaimed (cf. v. 5), it is good to pause with the Lord on the
mountain, to live this “preview” of light in the heart of Lent. It is a call to remember,
especially when we go through a difficult trial — and many of you know what it means
to go through a difficult trial — that the Lord is Risen and does not allow darkness to
have the last word.
At times we go through moments of darkness in our personal, family or social life, and
we fear there is no way out. We feel frightened before great enigmas such as illness,
innocent pain or the mystery of death. In the same journey of faith, we often stumble
encountering the scandal of the cross and the demands of the Gospel, which calls us to
spend our life in service and to lose it in love, rather than preserve it for ourselves and
protect it. Thus, we need a different outlook, a light that illuminates the mystery of
life in depth and helps us to move beyond our paradigms and beyond the criteria of this
world. We too are called to climb up the mountain, to contemplate the beauty of t
he Risen One that enkindles glimmers of light in every fragment of our life and helps us
to interpret history beginning with the paschal victory.
Let us be careful, however: that feeling of Peter that “it is well that we are here” must not
become spiritual laziness. We cannot remain on the mountain and enjoy the bliss of this
encounter on our own. Jesus himself brings us back to the valley, among our brothers
and sisters and into daily life. We must beware of spiritual laziness: we are fine, with our
prayers and liturgies, and this is enough for us. No! Going up the mountain does not
mean forgetting reality; praying never means avoiding the difficulties of life; the light of
faith is not meant to provide beautiful spiritual feelings. No, this is not Jesus’ message.
We are called to experience the encounter with Christ so that, enlightened by his light,
we might take it and make it shine everywhere. Igniting little lights in people’s hearts;
being little lamps of the Gospel that bear a bit of love and hope: this is the mission of a
Christian.
Let us pray to Mary Most Holy, that she may help us to welcome the light of Christ with
wonder, to safeguard it and share it.
Pope Francis

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Christmas 2016

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CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS 2016

All  events and holy mass  will be held at the St. Mary’s Worship Center, Upper Coomera

Saturday, 24th December (CHRISTMAS EVE)

4.30pm –  Carol Singing   | 5:00  – Holy Mass 

9.30pm –  Carol Singing  | 10:00 pm –  Holy Mass 

Sunday 25th December 2016 (CHRISTMAS DAY)

7.30am Holy Mass

9.30am Holy Mass

Saturday, 31st December (NEW YEAR’S EVE)

6pm – Holy Mass 

Sunday 1st January 2017 (NEW YEAR’S DAY)

7.30am Mass  |  9am Mass | 5pm Mass 

 

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Lenten Progam

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HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE 

SAINT MARY’S CATHOLIC CHURCH

COOMERA

Ash Wednesday – Mass at 7pm

Stations of the Cross – Every Friday at 7pm

Mass Times :

                (NO 5 PM EVENING MASS ON EASTER SUDAY)

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Christmas Message from Archbishop Mark Coleridge

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