St. Matthew Catholic Church

Pope Francis to Altar Servers ..... 
Altar Servers Guidelines.
 Handbook 
  Ministry Coordinators: Leroy Yeomen   (English)
                                                 Teodulo  Landa  (Spanish)

Altar Server - Patrons

St. John Berchmans  (Feast Day November 26)

Eldest son of a shoemaker,John was born at Diest, Brabant. He early wanted to be a priest, and when thirteen became a servant in the household of one of the Cathedral canons at Malines, John Froymont. In 1615, he entered the newly founded Jesuit College at Malines, and the following year became a Jesuit novice. He was sent to Rome in 1618 to continue his studies, andwas known for his diligence and piety, impressing all with his holiness and stress on perfection in little things. He died there on August 13. Many miracles were attributed to him after his death, and he was canonized in 1888. He is the patron of altar boys.  
(a children's version)

St. Tharsius:

St. Tarcisius was an altar boy when the pagans were taking Christians into the dungeons and killing them. And one  day, the priest wanted to take the Holy Eucharist to the people who were going to be killed. But he couldn't find anyone to do it, because if a Christian went out, they'd just be taken in, so he offered to do it. So he covered the Eucharist and he ran out. And then these boys came up to him and yelled, and they go, "Hey Tarcisius, we just need one more boy to play our game!" And he goes, "Not right now, I have a job to do." And then one of the older boys saw him; he was holding something. And so they said, "Tarcisius, what do you have there?" And he started walking faster. But they came up and they beat him. Then a soldier came, a secret Christian, and he tore the boys off of him and he carried Tarcisius back to the priest. The priest was sad, but he was glad that Tarcisius had not let them steal the Holy Eucharist.