Local News
Letter to the Editor
Published: November 13, 2008
To the Editor:
Suzanne Haugh has written a very informative and descriptive article on Catholic funerals (“Church’s Funeral Rites Reflect Heart Of Catholic Faith,” The Georgia Bulletin, Nov. 6). The funeral is, or should be, a very solemn and memorable occasion. The order of service as followed by the priest certainly helps to make this happen. But those serving the priest on the altar can also help to make the service very dignified.
For many years All Saints Church in Dunwoody utilized altar servers from Pinecrest Academy at funerals. Then Pinecrest moved to a more distant location, leaving the church without readily available altar servers for funerals. All Saints Knights of Columbus Council 11402 took steps, at the request of our pastor, Msgr. R. Donald Kiernan, to ensure that the priest would be properly served and that the funeral service would be dignified.
We have formed four acolyte teams of eight men, plus having about 15 alternates, who rotate as altar servers at every funeral Mass held at All Saints. We all wear black shoes, gray slacks, white shirts with a Knights of Columbus tie, and navy blazers. Generally we have either five or six men on the altar. We have had many compliments from family members of the deceased, other attendees at the funeral, and even from the funeral directors as to how much more dignified we help make the funeral.
So if any readers want to see a really dignified and solemn funeral, I invite them to attend a funeral at All Saints and see the acolytes in action. By the way, I believe we are the only Knights of Columbus council anywhere in the order who performs this task.
Guy Stryker, Alpharetta
