Life With Christ

A personal encounter with Christ should always elicit a desire for service of others. For Evan Adams, Jackson Taylor, and Michael Robichaux, their journey as disciples has been enriched by a love of the Mass, cultivated through their ministry as altar servers.

While each young man began his journey at a local level either at his parish or his school, they came together in the formation of a ministry as Pontifical Servers. Fr. Rusty Bruce explained that the desire to have this designated group of altar servers is inherent to the Church for celebrating diocesan liturgy– a special Mass where the bishop and faithful are present known as a “stational Mass.” The Ceremonial of Bishops, a liturgical book that instructs ministers in how to best carry out a stational Mass, states that these celebrations with the bishop should “serve as a model for the entire diocese and be shining examples of active participation by the people” (12). 

Fr. Bruce said, “To make our stational Mass the model to hold up for the diocese, I knew we needed to form a core group of dedicated individuals who were of the diocese and able to carry out the best liturgical practices to be an example for other places of worship throughout the diocese.” He envisioned this role to be particularly filled with young men as has always been the tradition of the Church, in hopes of fostering more priestly vocations within our diocese. This desire was close to the heart of the late Bishop Mario E. Dorsonville who Fr. Bruce said whole heartedly supported the idea right away. According to Fr. Bruce, the first choice for this role is a seminarian, but they are not always available due to their commitment at seminary. The term “pontifical servers” describes their service of pontifical, or stational Masses with the bishop. 

While most bishops choose to celebrate the majority of their stational Masses at their cathedral church, Bishop Dorsonville had a desire to visit as many parishes as possible which brought Fr. Bruce into contact with many of the servers who are dedicated to their respective parishes and schools. He said, “The young men who serve now have been selected based on their proven commitment and disposition in serving reverently the Holy Mass. These men love the Lord and the liturgy.” 

Michael, a senior at E.D. White, has been serving since he was young and over time has gained a deeper understanding of the Mass. He said, “I always wanted to know why the priest was doing certain things which gave me a level of focus that helped me fall in love with the Mass and the faith.”

Evan Adams, a junior at Vandebilt, who has also been serving from a young age, said, “A reverent and traditional Mass makes it feel like no time has passed since the days of the early Christians. There’s a whole feel of mysticism that’s completely drawn me in, wanting to learn more about it.” He’s convicted that the beauty of Catholic tradition, particularly the Mass, is enough to win over anyone who will give it a chance.

Altar serving has enhanced their love of the Mass, and for Jackson Taylor, a senior at E.D. White, the training he underwent ahead of beginning this ministry has encouraged more frequent reception of the sacrament of Reconciliation. He said, “I’ve been going to confession about once a week now and being in a state of grace has helped me feel closer to God and more comfortable serving at the altar.” 

Reflecting on his interactions with the servers, Fr. Bruce emphasized the profound relational aspect of their service, echoing Bishop Dorsonville’s commitment to fostering meaningful connections within the faith community. He said, “From his very first meeting with them, Bishop Dorsonville committed to learning everything about them. He joked with them in the sacristy, easing their nerves ahead of liturgies.”

Michael recalled his first interaction with Bishop Dorsonville, at Mass on Holy Thursday of 2023, where Michael was chosen to have his feet washed. He said, “When I first made eye contact with him, I felt the Holy Spirit rush over me. It was like seeing Jesus Christ in front of me, a truly humbling experience that made me share the sentiment of the apostles, “why are you washing my feet?” Bishop Dorsonville’s sincerity and reverence in that moment gave Michael a new found understanding of priests acting “in persona Christi.”

This experience of reverence and sincerity was also prevalent to the young men in the way Bishop Dorsonville celebrated the Mass. Jackson said, “It was a beautiful thing to see his joy in joking around before and after Mass, but when it came to Jesus Christ and what he was doing on the altar, he was the most serious man in the room.” 

Bishop Dorsonville’s passion for vocations resonated deeply with Evan, inspiring him to pray fervently for an increase in priestly vocations. 

Michael understood Bishop Dorsonville’s passion. As a witness to the intense preparation of the details of a reverent Mass, he developed an appreciation for the priesthood and a sense of urgency to increase vocations. He said, “They’re letting Christ use their bodies, laying down their lives for Christ and His Church. And without them, we can’t receive Him as fully as He wants us to.” 

The demands of preparation for sacred liturgies are not lost on Jackson either who said, “Priests work tirelessly and often don’t get enough credit. They’re human with their own struggles but witnessing their dedication has strengthened my faith.”  

Fr. Bruce said, “This experience convinced me even more that liturgy matters. It has been a joy to work with these young men and see them grow with each practice and liturgy served together.”

Evan, Jackson and Michael share a desire to see more lay participation which they believe enhances the communal experience of our faith. Evan said, “The beauty of what the Church’s sacred liturgies have to offer is not something you see anywhere else. This heightened experience of the Mass, the extra sacredness requires the right amount of servers and overall participation.” 

“We have a parish for a reason, so whatever your talents are, be it lecturing, commentating or altar serving, we can all contribute to a really beautiful celebration,” said Michael.

Fr. Bruce said, “The way we worship God matters. Giving fitting praise to God has the power to change hearts and sanctify us.” As we embrace the redemption and mission offered to us by Christ this Easter, may the example of dedication and commitment of these young men serve as inspiration to follow their footsteps on the path of faith and service.