Hello again!  It is over a year since the last Newsletter was published, in fact it was in the Autumn of 2003. I did actually prepare some material for an edition in the spring of 2004 but the Central Council decided to postpone publication until sufficient material was available publicising events for our Centenary Year. Well, here we are, a quarter of the way through this special year of 2005 some events have taken place and others yet to come are mentioned elsewhere in this edition. So, in the words of a famous football club director ìLetís be having you!!î

All items of news or articles of interest to servers, and donations towards the costs of the Newsletter, should be addressed to:

The Editor
Mr C. E. A. Merritt
8 Venetia Road
South Ealing, London W5 4JD.

REPORT ON THE 2004 AGM

The AGM of the Archconfraternity was held at St Vincent’s Convent, Carlisle Place, London SW1 on Monday 6th December 2004. It was fairly well attended with members attending from a variety of Parishes in the London area and some from further afield many of whom took the opportunity to purchase Guild goods that would be required for St Stephen’s Day.

One place on the Central Council was up for election at this AGM as Mark Brophy had completed two years on the Council. Two other members Ken de Broize from Wellingborough and Jason Lawford from Manor Park stood for election as well as Mark. After the votes were counted it was declared that Mark Brophy  will serve on the Central Council for a further two years.

The National Director also announced that after 45 years Paul Diston KSG was standing down as Treasurer and Vincent Shalvey from Ely Place succeeds him. John Ryan another long-standing officer of the Archconfraternity was also standing down as Business Manager and is succeeded by Paul Diston. Fr Latham thanked Paul and John for all the work they have done over so very many years.

The Central Council for 2005 consists of the following members:

Hon President:

Anthony J Hawes (Palmers Green)

Honorary Vice President:

Michael Chute (Brook Green)

Hon. Treasurer:

Vincent Shalvey (Ely Place)

Hon. Secretary:

Michael O’Leary (Westminster Cathedral)

Business Manager:

Paul Diston (East Preston)

Goods Manager:

Kevin Bryant (Underwood Road)

Elected Members:

Mark Brophy (Lincolns Inn Fields)
Paul Clubb (Westminster Cathedral)
Graham Lake (Tooting Bec)
Michael Moriarty (Ely Place)
Anthony Ogunseitan (Westminster   Cathedral)
Nicholas Tilbury (Westminster Cathedral)

Co-opted Member:

Mathew D’Souza (Stamford Hill)

Honorary Counsellors:

Rev. Gregory Moore
James Crowe
Daniel McElliogott
William McIvor

 2005 marks the Centenary of the founding of the Guild by Fr. Hamilton MacDonald at the Sacred Heart Convent Hammersmith in west London and to celebrate this event a Mass and Reception would be hosted by Fr Latham at the Sacred Heart Convent on Friday January 21st at 7.30pm. The main national centenary celebration will take place in the form of a national pilgrimage at Walsingham on Monday 2nd May at 1.00pm. Later in the year a trip to Rome and Assisi will take place during late July/early August. More details would be circulated as soon as they become available. A Dinner to celebrate the Centenary will take place sometime in November and it is hoped that Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor will be able to attend. 

The opportunity was taken to remind everyone of the Cardinal’s Mass for Altar Servers at Westminster Cathedral on Saturday 12th February 2005 at the earlier time of 2.30pm. Later in the year the Annual Dinner will take place at Brook Green on Wednesday 6th July and Mark Brophy will be organising another MC/Senior Servers Dinner early in the New Year.

Several points were put to the meeting regarding changing the time and day the AGM is held so that members from other parts of the country could attend. It was pointed out that the AGM has to be held in Westminster as the Archconfraternity is based there. It was agreed that the AGM could be held on a Saturday and the Central Council will discuss this at a future meeting. 

Michael O’Leary

Honorary Secretary

THE GUILD CENTENARY

A BRIEF HISTORY: In the early years of the last century, 1901-04, Fr. Hamilton MacDonald held training classes for his servers at the Sacred Heart Convent in Hammersmith where he was chaplain, and included servers from the local parish church, Holy Trinity, Brook Green. Fr. MacDonald placed these servers under the patronage of St Stephen. Fr. MacDonald was also secretary to Archbishop (later Cardinal) Bourne who became interested in this group and in January 1905 established the Guild of St Stephen at Westminster Cathedral and at the convent and it is the centenary of these events that we celebrate this year. In November 1905 Pope St Pius Xth gave his approbation to the canonical erection of the Guild at Westminster Cathedral and in December 1906 the Sacred Congregation of Rites, in Rome, made the Guild an Archconfraternity prima primeria with power to affiliate to itself other confraternities of altar servers.

CELEBRATING THE CENTENARY: Our celebrations began at the birthplace of the Guild, the chapel of the Sacred Heart Convent in Hammersmith, with a solemn Mass celebrated by our National Director, Fr. Peter Latham. This was a most moving occasion and a report on this will be found elsewhere in this Newsletter. The Mass was followed by a reception, hosted by the National Director, which was an opportunity for many senior members of the Guild to renew old acquaintances and for the Officers and Members of the Central Council to meet Directors and senior servers from around the country.

In February our Superior General, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, led us in a solemn Mass at Westminster Cathedral when almost one thousand servers and priests gathered to celebrate the Centenary.

The main national celebration of our centenary takes place on MONDAY, 2nd MAY 2005 (First May Bank Holiday), at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham in Norfolk. Our celebrations will be led by the Right Reverend Michael Evans, Bishop of East Anglia and commence with Mass in the Chapel of Reconciliation at 1.30 p.m.. Full details of this are given in a leaflet enclosed with this Newsletter. It is to be hoped that there will be a record attendance on this occasion.

In July/August there will be a National Altar Server's Centenary Visit to Rome & Assisi and here again full details are given in a leaflet enclosed herewith. The price of £500.00 for a nine night trip (6 nights in Rome & 3 nights in Assisi) is extremely reasonable and we hope that, despite the very late release of these details, many servers will take the opportunity of joining this visit. Obviously, as the date is drawing near, early requests for application forms would be appreciated.

Later in the year, probably in November, we hope to hold a grand Centenary Dinner at an hotel in London and information concerning this will be made available as early as possible.

In addition to these events organised by the Central Council in London several other Archdioceses and Dioceses are planning their own Celebrations for servers this year.

Dates of which we are presently aware are:

BRENTWOOD: celebrating the centenary with a Mass in the grounds of Ingatestone Hall on Saturday 14th May at 11.00am. The Chief Concelebrant will be Bishop Thomas McMahon.

PLYMOUTH: are having an Altar Servers Mass at Plymouth Cathedral on Saturday 4th June at 11.30am. Chief Concelebrant will be Bishop Christopher Budd.

SOUTHWARK will be holding their Altar Servers Festival at Aylesford on Bank Holiday Monday 2 May. The main concelebrant is Archbishop Kevin McDonald.

The Central Council wishes every blessing and success on all such events.

Anthony J. Hawes, KSG,

HONORARY PRESIDENT

CENTENARY MASS AT THE BIRTHPLACE OF THE ARCHCONFRATERNITY

It was most appropriate that the Archconfraternity of St Stephen should inaugurate its Centenary year with a special Mass at the Sacred Heart Convent Chapel in Hammersmith on 21st January 2005. It was there that our Founder, Fr Hamilton MacDonald, in the early 1900’s, held training classes for servers from both the Convent and the local parish church, Holy Trinity, Brook Green.

Some 70 guests attended, including Fr Colin Davies, Fr Keith Stokes, Fr John O’Leary, Fr Terry Tastard, parish priest of Holy Trinity. Canon Eddie Matthews of Bishops Stortford gave the homily refecting on the history of the Archconfraternity and the Church during the past 100 years. Priest diocesan Directors Fr Michael Locke, from Plymouth and Fr David Parmenter (Arundel & Brighton) joined Fr Gregory Moore (former Diocesan Director in Southwark) concelebrating the sung Mass led by Fr Peter Latham, the National Director, assisted by Deacon Peter Simpson who read the Gospel.

Many commented on how prayerful the Mass had been. The setting was the “Missa de Angelis” which was sung with great gusto, as indeed were the hymns, by all present.

It was a great privilege for me and a team of servers from Holy Trinity to have the honour of serving this special Mass, especially remembering that it was our predecessors who were trained by Fr Hamilton MacDonald 100 years ago.

Mass was followed by a splendid reception in one of the refectories.. Tony Hawes, our President, welcomed our priest guests, and three former Presidents (Dannie McElligott, Charlie Merritt (with Mrs Merritt) and Michael Chute, as well as Former Treasurer Paul Diston and Maureeen his wife.

Michael Chute

Vice President.

PRESIDENT CELEBRATES HIS DIAMOND JUBILEE

On Thursday 11th December, 2003, a special sung Mass was celebrated at St Monica’s, Palmers Green, for Tony Hawes the President of the Archconfraternity of St Stephen.

It marked a milestone in Tony’s life, his 60 years as an enrolled member of the Archconfraternity and to celebrate his 25 years as parish Master of Ceremonies. It was a most joyful and happy occasion for Tony who has worked tirelessly in promoting the Archconfraternity at both national and local levels.

Mass was celebrated by Fr Brian Creak, the parish priest, together with Mgr Dennis Arimoku from Africa who was helping out at St Monica’s for a short while. Fr Robin Witney, former parish priest also concelebrated together withformer assistant priest Fr Denis Touw. I am sure that Tony was delighted to see Fr Gregory Moore the former Diocesan Director from Southwark: they have worked together for 25 years both on the Central Council and various Guild visits to Rome. Over 30 parish servers were present together with many other parishioners and friends.

Among Guild friends and colleagues present were three past Presidents, Charlie Merritt (Guild Newsletter Editor), Dannie McElligott, Michael Chute (Vice President),and Paul Clubb, Mark Brophy, Michael O’Leary and Kevin Bryant. Tony’s friend and predecessor as MC at St Monica’s, Francis Ayers and his wife also attended.

Fr Touw spoke of Tony’s care and concern for altar servers and of his encouragement of training and development of servers. He acknowledged that it was due to Tony that St Monica’s has such a wonderful and devoted team of altar servers, of which the parish was justifiably proud.

Following the Mass Tony arranged a buffet in the parish upper hall for his friends in the Guild and parish.

May I, on behalf of all who attended thank Tony for all he has done for the Guild over so many years, congratulate him on this anniversary and wish him ad multos annos.

Michael Chute

Vice President

Sts Peter & Paul, Northfields

(Archdiocese of Westminster)

Since our last report we have had three enrolment ceremonies. At the first one – St Stephen’s Day 2003 – Fr Tom Quinn, our Parish Priest, enrolled 21 servers, including our set of quads, and then in January 2004 a further three who had been away from the prish over Christmas. This year’s ceremony – because there was no St Stephen’s Day – was postponed until 22nd January, and this followed Fr Tom’s well-earned and deserved holiday. At the 6.30pm Mass the following servers received their medals: Sarah Bick, Shannon Callaghan, Katherine Do Rosario, Dominic Goodall, Liam Griffin, Isabella Hacking, Martyn Jenkins, Harriet Roddy, Natalia Rybka & Oliver Wild.

This was a very special time for these servers who had all worked very hard to achieve their goal. It was also a very special occasion for me, too, and imagine my delight when at the end of Mass two of the yound servers presented me with an illustrated crucifix and a large candle. As if this wasn’t enough I was presented, on behalf of the parish, with a most beautiful wooden carving of the Last supper. This was to mark my celebration of 60 years as an altar server which took place with a special Mass last November, when I was joined by six priests, many friends from the Guild, members of my family, Catenian brothers as well as a large congregation of parishioners and many of “my own” servers. I will always remember this day for the great kindness shown to me by all those present.

Charles Merritt

MC

Charlie Merritt’s 60th Anniversary As An Altar Server

On Wednesday November 17th 2004 at Sts Peter and Paul’s Church, Northfields, Charlie Merritt the Editor of the Guild’s Newsletter celebrated 60 years as an Altar Server with a Mass attended by his Family a large number of his Altar Servers and Priests he has known through many years of Guild service including Fr. Colin Davies who used to be a member of the Central Council and is now Parish Priest of Our Lady’s Church, St John’s Wood and Fr. Gregory Moore the former Diocesan Director of Southwark. Other guests included Tony Hawes and Michael Chute the President and Vice President of the Central Council and several other past and present members.

Fr Tom Quinn Charlie’s Parish Priest preached a lovely homily praising Charlie’s work in the Parish over many years. The Mass was enjoyed by all  present and Charlie’s servers are a real credit to their Parish and to the Guild.

The Central Council extends its congratulations to Charlie on this wonderful achievement.

Michael O’Leary

HONORARY SECRETARY

Worth Abbey

by Michael Weston-Burt

When, at the tender age of four years, I enrolled as an Altar server at the Sacred Heart, Bournemouth. I was too young to realise that the War had just ended, and that I was just a minute part of that great surge of increased Church attendance, prompted by relief and gratitude, that lasted into the 1950's.

I was just a lowly torch-bearer, of course, one of many; I had to wait my turn each Sunday morning to see if I was chosen. Promotion to Boat-bearer was a rare privilege indeed. Acolyte or Thurifer; that was strictly for the grown-ups.

In those far-off Pre-Vatican II days, the 11am "Solemn High, Mass" was very different from today. It was all in Latin, naturally. but this didn't seem to bother us; we all had our Missals and followed the English translation. Mass was said at a High Altar facing away from the people; this didn't bother us either, perhaps because we were close to the Priest on the sanctuary and could see everything perfectly well. It. was sung from start to finish - only the Homily was spoken. We may regard that today's 9.30am Conventual Mass at Worth is sung. but it's not really: It's what the C of E. would irreverently call a "Hymn Sandwich"! Just think for a moment: When do we sing the Asperges (sprinkling) Kyrie, Verbum Domini, Gradual, Sequence, Gospel, Creed, Bidding Litany. Preface, Canon, Pater Noster or Dismissal? (Pssst! What's a Gradual or for that matter a Sequence?).

There was no Concelebration as we have now but nevertheless there were three ministers at the altar. The celebrant of course, but also a deacon, vested in an oblong dalmatic. His main jobs were to sing the Gospel, proclaim the Pax and Dismissal, and assist the celebrant, much as our very own Deacon Chris assists at Conventual Mass today. Worth, however, doesn't have a modern dalmatic for Chris to wear, so when the colour of the Mass is red or green, he is vested in the old Tridentine style vestment - a wonderful "flash-back" to the past.

The third Sacred Minister was the Subdeacon, who, vested in a simpler garment - the Tunicle, would sing the Epistle (1st reading) and act as Cross-bearer. The role of Subdeacon has been discontinued, or more accurately, been split into two -the instituted Acolyte, and the instituted Lector - who between them share the subdeacon's duties. Our Bishop, Kieran, (of Arundel & Brighton) at the Cathedral at Arundel; has recently reinstated the subdeacon (replete with tunicle), who now assists at Pontifical Mass.

During Lent and Advent, as a sign of penitence, the deacon and subdeacon did not wear their dalmatics and tunicles; the deacon assisted wearing a simple broad purple stole.

But Sunday Mass did not end our duties. For us kids it was back to Church at 3.00p.m.. for Sunday School (Catechism Class) presided over by rather formidable nuns! This was followed by Benediction, which we all loved. Still in Latin, of course, but now it was our turn to get our hands on the acolyte candles and the thurible and try to burn down the church. Nice and short, too ...just a quarter of an hour.

Evening service, at 6.30pm was for the big boys and grown-ups. I hated it, and only went under protest. It started with the rosary, then a half-hour “fire and brimstone" extended homily, followed by Solemn Benediction, replete once again with celebrant, deacon and subdeacon. All seemed far, far too long, but at least some hymns in English were now allowed. Hence the origin of the wail you sometimes hear from us oldies – “they made me go to Mass three times on Sunday!”

But the really "Big-un" for us children was the rare occasional visit by the Bishop, for Pontifical High Mass. And what a magnificient, memorable ceremony it was!  Firstly, the Bishop would enter the Church wearing his Cappa Magna; a great purple train that had to be held at the back by a server, who tended to trip over it. The choir sang the anthem "Ecce Sacerdos Magnus" (Behold the High Priest), and the Bishop would bless us as he swept majestically down the aisle; we mere mortals humbly sinking to our knees as he passed. Arriving at the altar, he would then vest for Mass, wearing all three vestments; a subdeacon’s tunicle, a deacon’s dalmatic, and a celebrant’s chasuble, to signify that he possessed the "fullness" of the priesthood. Then, donning his mitre and holding his crozier, he would ascend his throne, and, assisted by three deacons, two subdeacons, and an assistant priest in cope, he would celebrate Mass. What memories indeed!

There was one more oddity about the Solemn High Mass of those far-off days: There was no Communion (except for Maunday Thursday and Christmas Midnight Mass) If you wanted to receive Communion, you attended a Low Mass earlier in the morning ... which meant going to Church four times! ...a bit too much, really!

Michael Weston-Burt Master of Ceremonies St Stephen’s Guild Worth Abbey

Turners Hill West Sussex

ARCHCONFRATERNITY OF ST STEPHEN'S PILGRIMAGE TO ROME 1955

A recollection by Bill Tomlinson

The Guild, celebrated the 50th anniversary of its founding by going to Rome on a pilgrimage of thanksgiving in 1955.

I, together with fellow altar servers had been enrolled as members of the Guild in St Anne's Church, Underwood Rd in the old Borough of Stepney in 1954, in the area of London generally known as Whitechapel. Shortly after this enrolment, it was announced that the Guild was proposing to celebrate its Golden Jubilee in Rome in 1955. I was the only server from St Anne's to go. There were restrictions on how much money could be taken out of England, any application for foreign currency was entered in your passport by the issuing bank.

The pilgrimage, was led by Mgr. Sutton, so, together with clergy and altar servers, from parishes throughout the UK, we met at Victoria Station, in London on Monday 29th August, to board the noon train, to carry us to Dover to board the ferry for France. It was a sunny day with a calm crossing to Calais.

After passing through French customs, we boarded the train around 5pm, then travelled the rest of day and night to Basle in Switzerland, where we would change trains and catch the first train out going to Rome. There was not much sleep during the journey, we had booked couchettes, but there were none on the train, so trying to sleep on the bench seats, plus many of the young servers were walking or running up and the down the corridors all night. We arrived at Basle at about 6.30am. To obtain some refreshment we had to change sterling for Swiss francs. We left Basle on an Italian train bound for Rome around 8.30am. The first main station we stopped at was Milan, this was a cul-de-sac type of station - ride in and then out the same way. On the return journey we had to change trains, so while waiting for the to train for Switzerland, we spent sometime sightseeing in Milan, visiting the magnificent Cathedral. Our final station stop before Rome was at Florence. We finally arrived in Rome at 10pm and were bussed to the hostel in the Vatican City, run by the Sisters of St Paul, who wore a blue coloured habit with a cone type of headdress.

At this time in the Church, it was the custom, that to receive Holy Communion, during Mass, you had to fast from food and drink from mid-night, which meant that many people who went to Mass on Sundays etc never received Holy Communion at Masses later that 9.30 am. Of course, Mass then was celebrated differently. Priest and people all faced towards the east and Latin was the language, one of the benefits was that you could travel the world and not know the language of the country but could follow the Mass, as it used a universal tongue.

I was able on many occasions, to serve Mass in St Anne's, with French, German, Belgian and many other priests who did not speak English.

St Peter's Basilica, opened its doors at 7.00am every morning, with many Priests going to offer Mass each day. The first Mass I served was in the crypt below the High Altar, with the late Fr Thomas Hookham RIP, it was at this time that some countries, were trying to encourage the congregations to join the altar servers in saying the responses that were normally said by the servers alone, this did not happen in England. So it came as a complete surprise to Fr Hookham and myself at the beginning of Mass, when there was a loud response from people whom we had not known were there, joining in the responses, which threw us. It was only for a few prayers, as soon as their own priest was vested and arrived at the next chapel altar they moved on quickly.

During the Guild's time in Rome, I served Mass in many of the Chapels in St Peter's, with different priests as many of the young servers were not early risers, so there always a priest who need a server. As these Chapels were spread all around the Basilica, there was always a line of Priest and server moving around to find an empty chapel. While the Priest carried the chalice etc the server carried cruets, communion plate and bell which was quite a feat while leading and looking for a vacant chapel. There was in the main sacristy many young Italian boys who gave out the cruets etc whose attire was a red cassock, white surplice and wore a Roman collar around their necks they were like mini priests and they acted like on occasions. It was from these boys, from whom you collected the cruets etc. There were many occasions when you only received just the cruets which led to many questions. One of the sad things about the change in the order of Mass, is that it cannot be celebrated in the Chapels, as all the altars are built onto the walls of the Basilica.

The convent doors closed at 9pm and the Vatican City gates closed at 10pm, which caused some problems at the beginning, if you came back after 10.00 pm, you had to gain entrance by way of the guardroom and then waking the Nuns who went to bed early, as they arose about 4.30 am for first prayer of the day.

One of my memories, was visiting one of the Chapel's in St Peter's, it was the Chapel where the body of St Pius X lay at rest, who had be canonised in 1954, was to see a priest laying rosaries and other religious objects on the body of St Pius and blessing them, he wore a brown habit like a Franciscan but with a Star of David embroidered on the front, I learned later, he was a Friar of the Atonement, an order of Anglicans who became Catholics in 1910. So like may other pilgrims, I offered my rosary which I had purchased for 2 shillings and sixpence, (12½p) in 1945 and was blessed once again by being laid on the tomb of St Pius.

We made visits to various Churches and shrines, one was to visit Assisi to see how St Francis and his followers began, and how their work spread throughout the world.

On Saturday 3rd September we paid a visit to the Papal summer residence, Palazzo Pontificio di Castel Gandolfo, where at 6.00pm with other pilgrims we had a public audience with Pope Pius XII. Until this time I had not seen a person who radiated holiness!

The total cost of this trip to Rome was £32.00 (in 1955) !

Annual Guild Dinner

The 2005Annual (as opposed to the special Centenary) Dinner will again be held in the Parish centre at the Holy Trinity, Brook Green. Wednesday 6th July at 7.30pm. Tickets £12.50 each. The is an excellent 'outing' for servers from about 13 or so and upwards, if any Parish Priests are feeling it is time to thank and reward their servers. More details will be available nearer the date but be sure to note your diaries now!