St. Benilde Honors Three Exceptional Young Men
Though it's becoming increasingly rare to see young men altar serve past their grammar school years at many Catholic parishes, here at St. Benilde Catholic Church you'll often find high school and even college-age youth reverently serving upon the altar. There to assist the priest and deacons throughout the sacred liturgy, these young men serve as powerful witnesses for the entire faith community. They are tangible reminders of what it means to be a good and faithful servant; symbols of hope for our world and Church.
Though this is true to some degree of every young man who serves upon the altar of the Lord, three St. Benilde high school seniors stand out, in particular, for their longstanding reverence and faithfulness to this liturgical ministry: Andrew Dupuy, Nicholas Flynn, and Anthony Monistere (pictured below).
For nearly a decade these three collectively have served for over 900 St. Benilde Masses! In a world frequently fixated on a me-first attitude, they have chosen to adopt a spirit of selfless discipleship. They've become true leaders in our community, calling on their peers and those of us in the pews to a more authentic, Christian discipleship.
In honor of their commitment and dedication, Andrew, Nicholas, and Anthony were each awarded a Master of Ceremonies surplice (white outer garment people who serve can wear) two years ago at the beginning of their junior year. Though these surplices are owned by St. Benilde Church, they are reserved exclusively for these extraordinary young men. These senior altar servers have also earned the privilege of setting up the Altar of Sacrifice for the sacred liturgy and were permitted to serve for the 2020 Easter Triduum services even when people were not permitted to physically attend Mass due to COVID-19.
Next month, Andrew, Nicholas, and Anthony will each move away from home in order to begin attending out of town colleges. Though this will prevent them from serving regularly, their surplices will still remain reserved for them should they wish to altar serve again when they are home.
We would look to say a heartfelt thank you to their parents--Paul and Rachael Dupuy, Danny and Amy Flynn, and Michael and Beth Monistere--for raising such incredible young men who will undoubtedly carry our Church and country forward. This is in large part to your own excellent example.
Andrew, Nick, and Anthony, please know that St. Benilde Church recognizes and sincerely appreciates your longstanding dedication and excellent service to our priests, your fellow altar serves, and to all of us who worship with you. Know that you remain in our thoughts and prayers as you prepare for this new chapter of your lives.
Click the video below to view part II of Fr. Matthew Johnston's series on the Our Father.
We know that some of you are still uncomfortable or unable to physically attend Mass at this time. That’s why St. Benilde will continue to Livestream Mass daily on Facebook, our YouTube channel, and the website homepage. You can watch live M/W/F at 9:00 a.m., Tu/Thu at 5:30 p.m., and Sunday at 9:00 a.m.
We look forward to worshiping together once again in the future. Until then, let us remain spiritually united through prayer.
The St. Vincent de Paul Society would like to thank you for your generosity of food donations and financial support to the food pantry. Your contributions have enabled the Society to continue providing food and financial assistance to those in need within our community during this current crisis.
If you are interested in learning more about or becoming more permanently involved in the St. Vincent de Paul Society, click the link below.
