SAINT Joseph’s Parish in Subiaco re-launched the Guild of St Stephen on 26 June. St Stephen was the first martyr of the Church and is the Patron Saint of
the Guild which is set up to officially train, foster and develop altar
servers and acolytes within Australia.
St Joseph’s is the designated parish for the Guild in the Archdiocese and now has over 31 altar servers and 11 acolytes trained to serve the Mass and other liturgical services.
Servers play a vital role in the Catholic Liturgy and it often proves the starting point of interest for young men for the vocation of priesthood.
The Official Guild of St Stephen investiture Rite Mass was to invest the junior servers aged 13 and below into the Guild and to enrol the servers 14 and over into the Guild and present their medal.
Guild servers pledge their loyalty and devotion to the Church and commit to serving reverently and regularly as part of their role.
MC of St Joseph’s, Subiaco, Hugh Jones, said: “The attendances at Masses have been growing with the Solemn Sung Mass at 10am on Sundays attracting a very large crowd with the full quota of servers including thurifer and the beautiful Schola Cantorum Choir directed by Mr Michael Peters. We have been approached by many schools and parishes to assist with the training of their ministers and servers in effort to correct some of the laxness that has slipped into our beautiful traditions and revive the richness of our liturgy”.Parish priest Fr Joseph Walsh said that he was “immensely proud of the Guild and the wonderful work done by the servers in the parish and hopes that the Guild will continue to grow as more and more young people become interested in the formation process offered by the association.”