NAGA City— A Catholic bishop urged altar servers to live their faith beyond the altar, connecting discipleship to everyday acts such as opposing bullying and serving at home.
Speaking at the closing Mass of an archdiocesan altar servers’ camp in Naga City, Bishop José Rojas Jr. of Libmanan urged participants not to confine their faith to liturgical service.
“Do not leave Christ at the altar. Bring Him to your homes, schools and communities,” Rojas said, addressing more than 1,200 altar servers gathered for the three-day formation event.
He emphasized that serving at the altar is a call to a deeper relationship with Christ, marked by attentiveness to the Mass and openness to God’s word.
The bishop stressed that the real test comes outside church settings, challenging young servers to embody Christian values even without their vestments.
He tied this call to concrete actions, urging participants to reject bullying, help with household responsibilities without being asked and invite others to attend Mass.
The annual summer camp, organized by the Archdiocesan Ministry of Altar Servers, also included the induction of newly elected officers and coordinators.