By Marlene Quaroni - Florida Catholic

Photography: MARLENE QUARONI | FC

MIAMI | Erich Vazquez received an altar server award in 2014 for his service at Miami’s St. Dominic Church. Now Vazquez is a seminarian at St. John Vianney College Seminary in Miami.

“I was 15 years old at the time,” he said. “Being an altar server inspired me to think about becoming a priest. I saw what the priest did and the beauty of the Mass. That’s when I received a calling from God.”

Vazquez and several other seminarians took part in the annual altar server awards ceremony sponsored by the Miami Serra Club. The Mass and awards presentation took place in the seminary’s St. Raphael Chapel on Divine Mercy Sunday, April 24, 2021.

This year, 69 altar servers from 27 Archdiocese of Miami parishes received awards. The annual recognition takes place after Easter. Archdiocesan pastors nominate altar servers to receive awards in appreciation for the work they do as volunteers. The servers and their families are invited to the Mass and reception at the seminary.

In early December, the Serrans also sponsor a celebration to thank all religious and priests.

Serra Club USA was formed in Seattle, Washington in 1935 with its main mission to promote vocations and vowed religious life. The founders chose St. Junipero Serra, a great missionary, as their patron. Miami’s first archbishop, Coleman Carroll, brought the Serra Club to Miami at the same time he established St. John Vianney Seminary in 1959.

Of Donald and Sandra Scarcello’s seven children, five have been altar servers at Blessed Trinity Church in Miami Springs. Three of their children — Dominic, 17, and Anthony, 15, students at Christopher Columbus High School, and Sofia, 16, a student at St. Brendan High School — received awards at the Mass. Another son, Donato, 19, a University of Florida student, received an award in the past. Ana, 13, and Alexia, 11, are altar servers and Andrea, 7, the youngest, will serve in the future.

Sandra Scarcello said that her parents’ example of being active in their church made her follow in their footsteps with her own family.

“I grew up in a very Catholic family,” said Sandra, who works at Blessed Trinity School, where her younger children also are enrolled. “We’ve been blessed. It’s beautiful. We want to plant the seeds of faith, loving God and serving the Church.”

Altar server Matthew Zavatsky, 11, from St. Timothy Church in Miami, said that the Catholic Church only brings good things to him.

“At first, I was nervous serving on the altar,” he said. “But you get used to it. I made friends with other altar servers. My family is active in our church. My father is a lector. My sister Sarah, 9, sings in the choir and my brother Lucas, 7, also wants to sing in the choir.”

Garreen Poncett, 13, from Christ the King Church in Perrine, said she wanted to learn more about her faith by becoming an altar server.

“I didn’t understand a lot about the Church,” she said. “Everything is intertwined. Church member volunteers work together for a single goal. I feel like I’m in a special place when I serve on the altar.”

Father Bryan Garcia, vice rector and dean of students at St. John Vianney Seminary, filled in for the Serra Club’s chaplain, Father Matthew Gomez, who was out of town. Father Garcia told the altar servers they are an inspiration to others.

“You are able to serve on the altar,” he said. “Do you realize what a gift you received to be so close to the sacrifice of the Mass?”

Serra Club President Peter Jude took a separate photo of each of the 69 award recipients and a group photo after the Mass and thanked the altar servers for their dedication.