Vincent OBANIYI

 

The Altar Servers’ Association of Nigeria (ASAN), Oyo Diocese, successfully hosted its 2025 Annual Seminar at St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church, Tede, from Thursday, September 4 to Saturday, September 6. The three-day gathering, which drew altar servers from all nine zones of the Diocese, was themed “Serving God and His People in Hope and Charity.”

 

The seminar opened with a Holy Mass presided over by the Diocesan Chaplain of ASAN, Rev. Fr. Francis Opeyemi Ogunsola. In his homily, Fr. Ogunsola reminded the young altar servers that their ministry is not a mere duty but a privileged service at the table of the Lord. He urged them to embrace discipline, prayer, and holiness of life so that their service may draw them closer to Christ. He expressed deep gratitude to the host parish priest, Rev. Fr. Samson Bayonle Babalola, for his hospitality and generosity in welcoming altar servers from across the Diocese.

 

In his welcome address, Rev. Fr. Babalola encouraged the altar servers to be useful instruments not only to the Church but also to themselves, their families, and their communities, stressing that true usefulness flows from a life rooted in God. Fr. Ogunsola also delivered the goodwill message and prayers of the Bishop of Oyo Diocese, Most Rev. Emmanuel Adetoyese Badejo, who invoked God’s blessings for the success of the seminar.

 

After the Opening Mass, Seminarian Paul Oguntegbe delivered a formation talk that enriched the participants. He began by reminding them that God created every human being out of love and invited all to serve Him faithfully. He emphasized that altar servers have a special responsibility to serve God with all their hearts, carrying out their roles of carrying the cross, lighting candles, and preparing the altar with devotion. He insisted that these outward duties must be supported by an inner spirit of prayer and urged them always to pray before engaging in any liturgical service.

 

Seminarian Oguntegbe further reminded the participants to show reverence by always genuflecting before the Blessed Sacrament when entering or leaving the Church, and to maintain good comportment in the sanctuary by keeping their hands joined in prayer. He stressed the importance of neatness, encouraging them to wash and iron their vestments regularly and to maintain proper grooming, noting that the way one dresses is often the way one is addressed. He urged them to cultivate the habit of helping others, explaining that the reward of serving at the altar is a closer relationship with God. Finally, he encouraged them to go regularly for confession in order to remain pure and worthy in the sight of God.

 

The seminar featured several other activities that strengthened both the spiritual and social lives of the altar servers. These included catechetical talks, a diocesan quiz competition, sports, group meetings, and a penitential service which allowed participants to encounter God’s mercy in the sacrament of reconciliation. The combination of prayer, formation, and recreation gave the altar servers a deeper understanding of their vocation while also fostering unity and friendship among them.

 

The program concluded with a solemn Closing Mass on Saturday, September 6. Parishioners of St. Mary Magdalene, Tede, joined in the celebration and expressed their gratitude for the blessings brought to their parish through the hosting of the Diocesan event. The 2025 seminar will be remembered as a fruitful encounter of faith, formation, and fellowship, leaving the altar servers renewed in their commitment to serve God and His Church in hope and charity.