By Michael Gresham
The Texas Catholic
More than 450 altar servers from parishes across the Diocese of Dallas gathered Nov. 8 with family and friends for a Mass recognizing recipients of the 2025 Serra Club Altar Server Awards.
The annual awards are the initiative of Serra Clubs in the Diocese of Dallas, including the Serra Club of North Central Dallas, Serra Club of Metropolitan Dallas, Serra Club of Dallas, and Serra Club of University of Dallas.
During his homily for the Mass, Father Mark Garrett, who serves as the vocations director for the Diocese of Dallas, expressed his gratitude to the altar servers for their ministry, which is rooted in a desire to draw close to Christ.
“We need you by our side. We need you helping us. We need you helping the people of God. Help us do this well, for the sake of the salvation of souls,” Father Garrett said. “Brothers and sisters, thank you for your work … thank you for your service.”
He noted that the foundation for many who have discerned a vocation to the priestly or religious life began with a deep connection to the faith they felt through being an altar server.
“If you have a vocation, it’s going to begin there. It’s going to begin with that relationship with the Eucharist. It’s going to begin with your relationship with the Mass,” Father Garrett said. “It’s going to begin with the proximity that you can find by being as close as possible to this place of sacrifice, and when you serve at the altar, that is where you are.”
Father Garrett shared that his own vocation began as an altar server.
“I would not be a priest today if I had not first served at the altar,” he said. “That invitation opened the doors to what service in the Church means.”
He encouraged the altar servers to see their ministry as a call to conversion and deeper relationship with Christ.
“It’s not just about proximity to the altar; it’s about showing the people of God what it means to love Jesus Christ,” Father Garrett said. “You witness to us what it means to love Jesus on the cross, to serve him, to accompany him.”
Father Garrett concluded by thanking the servers for their witness.
“Whether your future vocation is priesthood, marriage, or another call, it begins here with your relationship to the Eucharist and the Mass,” he said. “Thank you for your service in your parishes, schools, and communities. Thank you for helping show us what it means to love Christ.”
Altar servers receiving Serra Club awards included:
Jessica Meneces
All Saints Catholic Community, Dallas
Ryder Smith
Bishop Dunne Catholic School, Dallas
Zach Garner
Bishop Lynch High School, Dallas
Kenneth Paul Utz III
Christ the King Catholic Parish
Porter Schmidt
Church of the Incarnation at the University of Dallas, Irving
Nick Hauser
Cistercian Preparatory School, Irving
Axel Cruz
Divine Mercy of Our Lord Catholic Parish, Mesquite
Gabriel Estrada
Good Shepherd Catholic Parish, Garland
Yamileth Guadalupe Salas
Holy Cross Catholic Parish, Dallas
Michael Leo Pringle
Holy Family of Nazareth Catholic Parish, Irving
Julieta Conde
Holy Spirit Catholic Parish, Duncanville
Isaiah Paz
Immaculate Conception Catholic Parish, Grand Prairie
Juliana Hernández
Immaculate Conception Catholic Parish, Corsicana
Vanessa Herrera
Mary Immaculate Catholic Parish, Farmers Branch
Pablo A. Preza
Nuestra Señora del Pilar Parish, Dallas
Phoebe Enriquez
Our Lady of Angels Catholic Parish, Allen
Janely Guadalupe Rojas
Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Parish, Dallas
Isaiah Moreno
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Parish, Dallas
Mason Peters
Prince of Peace Catholic Community, Plano
Canon Blackwell
St. Ann Catholic Parish, Coppell
Ian Mendoza
St. Anthony Catholic Parish, Wylie
Pablo Ivan Correa
St. Bernard of Clairvaux Catholic Parish, Dallas
Angel Emiliano Nuno
St. Cecilia Catholic Parish, Dallas
Pablo Arevalo
St. Edward Catholic Parish, Dallas
Christian Darmstedter
St. Elizabeth of Hungary Catholic Parish, Dallas
Anthony Foley
St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Parish, Frisco
Ricardo Romero
St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Parish, Lancaster
Anna Jane James
St. Gabriel the Archangel Catholic Parish, McKinney
Emily Perez
St. James Catholic Parish, Dallas
Bryan Lemus
St. Joseph Catholic Parish, Richardson
Chad Jurik
St. Joseph Catholic Parish, Waxahachie
David Hoang Nguyen
St. Joseph Vietnamese Catholic Parish, Grand Prairie
Mark Gregory Church
St. Jude Catholic Parish, Allen
Stacy Romero
St. Luke Catholic Parish, Irving
Michael Wilson
St. Martin of Tours Catholic Parish, Forney
A.C. Wright
St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Parish, Garland
Ian Noguerra
St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Parish, Grand Prairie
James Baumgarten
St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Parish, McKinney
Christian Cosse
St. Monica Catholic Parish, Dallas
Adam Garthoff
St. Patrick Catholic Parish, Dallas
Sebastian Narvaez
St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Parish, Richardson
Azael Abad Vázquez
St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Parish, Dallas
Joslyn Martinez
St. Pius X Catholic Parish, Dallas
Charlie Dinh
St. Rita Catholic Community, Dallas
Reed Pledger
St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Parish, Dallas
Damian Martinez
San Juan Diego Catholic Parish, Dallas
Kevin Castillo
Santa Clara of Assisi Catholic Parish, Dallas
Bao Chau Nguyen
The Highlands School, Irving
Cutline for featured image: Father Arthur Unachukwu, center, joins fellow priests and women religious in posing with recipients of the 2025 Serra Club Altar Server Awards after a Mass honoring the award winners Nov. 8 at Bishop Lynch High School. (MICHAEL GRESHAM/The Texas Catholic)
