The Guild of St Stephen has added 37 more members to its ranks following an investiture service held at Ellenbrook Parish St Helena of the Holy Cross Church.
At Sunday Mass on 25 October, 23 altar servers and 14 acolytes were admitted into the Guild, thereby joining the ranks of a 120-year-old community dedicated to serving at the altar with fitting solemnity.
The Guild of St Stephen commemorates the proto-martyr St Stephen who was also a minister at the altar during the church’s infancy.
The Guild aims to encourage altar servers to serve with the appropriate dignity and reverence amidst the sacred rites of the Church for the sake of deepening one’s prayerfulness during the Mass, setting an example for those in the pews, and for spurring vocations to the priesthood and religious life.
The Guild was founded at London’s Westminster Cathedral in 1904 before receiving papal approval in 1905 by St Pope Pius X and eventually becoming an Archconfraternity the following year.
It has since spread throughout the commonwealth undergirded by the motto Cui Servire Regnare Est (To Serve is to reign).
The Mass was celebrated by Bishop Nelson Po and was joined by Ellenbrook Parish Priest Fr Bonaventure Echeta concelebrating. Following Bishop Nelson’s homily, the admission process began.
Candidates renewed their baptismal promises in tandem with a commitment to imitate Our Lord as the one “who came not to be served, but to serve” by offering themselves for the glory of God, the service of the Church and their own salvation.
Following this, candidates were clothed in a red cassock and white surplice by their parents and guardians — signifying a welcome return to traditional altar server attire, along with recognising the role which families play in the formation of a budding servant of Christ’s Church.
The new Guild members also received a medal which had been blessed by Bishop Nelson as an outward expression of their inward promise to serve with utmost dignity.
Along with celebrating new members, the occasion featured a recognition of four longstanding Guild members who hosted 110 years of collective service.
Two of the members, Taiwo Sanusi and John Topliss were commended for having served for over 16 years.
Meanwhile, Angelo Papiccio and Michael Harper, parish coordinator of the St Stephen’s Guild, were recognised for over 40 years of service.
Prior to the solemn blessing, Mr Harper thanked all those involved in helping admit the new members to the Guild.
Special thanks were given to parish priest Fr Bonaventure who, along with organising the admission of new members to the Guild this year, had done the same in 2019 thereby kickstarting a culture within the parish of deep commitment to serving at the altar.
Mr Harper also presented the newly crafted St Stephen’s Guild Board. He said the board stood as a shared symbol for the parish and Holy Cross College where many of the younger altar servers stem from.
At the board’s centre is an icon of St Stephen, whilst surrounding it are prayers to be said before and after Mass along with the Guild’s own hymn which reminds members that, like St Stephen, one should serve the Lord “to help His sacrifice”, “to give Him daily homage” and all “till he call to paradise”.
Mr Harper echoed those sentiments in his address by describing altar serving as no mundane chore, but as something of divine importance.
“Our ministry is not merely a duty, but a sacred calling — a privilege bestowed upon us to serve Our Lord with reverence, humility, dignity and unwavering faith,” he said.
“For it is in serving Christ and His Church that we discover the true meaning of Christian discipleship.”