More than 300 servers, families and friends, as well as members of the Archconfraternity of St Stephen from other dioceses, attended the Mass of celebration at St George’s Cathedral on Saturday, March 22, 2003, to mark the 50th anniversary of the Altar Servers’ Guild in the Diocese of Southwark

Archbishop Michael Bowen celebrated the Mass and welcomed everyone to the special occasion by giving a brief history of the Guild in the diocese from its inception in 1953 in the parish of Thornton Heath. It was this parish that provided the servers for the celebratory Mass, as well as the choir and cantor.

Archbishop Bowen said that he was delighted to see so many servers present and he paid special tribute to Fr Gregory Moore, who has just retired from his post of Guild Diocesan Director after 25 years’ service and he was quick to give a warm welcome to Fr Stephen Boyle whom he has appointed to this post.

Fr Gregory Moore also welcomed everyone to the Mass and made a special point of talking directly to the younger Guild members.

“When priests put on their vestments before a Mass, a special prayer is said with each garment so I hope that when you, before Mass, put on your Guild medals, you will do so with reverence and prayerfulness,” he said.

Both Archbishop Bowen and Fr Moore made a particular point in saying that the majority of the clergy came from youngsters who had been servers and they both called upon all the servers present to pray to see if they might have a calling to the religious life.

At the end of the Mass, Archbishop Bowen made a special announcement:  “I have here in my hand,” he said, “a special medal of merit which has been awarded to a server who has given many years of faithful service to the Church and I am please to present this Gold Medal of Merit to Mr Paddy Flynn of St Ethelbert’s in Ramsgate.”

Mr Flynn has been a server for 64 years, though not all that time as a member of the Guild of St Stephen.

Archbishop Bowen presenting Paddy Flynn with his Medal of Merit

Paddy Flynn (right) with Tony Roberts, Southwark secretary, after receiving his medal.