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The Archconfraternity of Saint
Stephen
The Altar Servers Guild
Who was St. Stephen ?
Stephen's name means, "crown," and he was the first disciple of Jesus
to receive the martyr's crown. Stephen was a deacon in the early
Christian Church. The apostles had found that they needed helpers to
look after the care of the widows and the poor. So they ordained
seven deacons, and Stephen is the most famous of these.
God worked many miracles through Stephen and he
spoke with such wisdom and grace that many of his hearers became
followers of Jesus. The enemies of the Church of Jesus were furious
to see how successful Stephen's preaching was. At last, they laid a
plot for him. They could not answer his wise argument, so they got
men to lie about him, saying that he had spoken sinfully against
God. Stephen faced that great assembly of enemies without fear. In
fact, the Holy Bible says that his face looked like the face of an
angel.
Stephen spoke about Jesus, showing that He is the
Saviour, God had promised to send. He scolded his enemies for not
having believed in Jesus. At that, they rose up in great anger and
shouted at him. But Stephen looked up to Heaven and said that he saw
the heavens opening and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
His hearers plugged their ears and refused to
listen to another word. They dragged Stephen outside the city of
Jerusalem and stoned him to death. Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus,
receive my spirit!" Then he fell to his knees and begged God not to
punish his enemies for killing him.
After such an expression of love, the holy martyr
went to his heavenly reward. St Stephens feastday is on 26 December.
What is the Archconfraternity of Saint Stephen?
A confraternity is a sort of club, or society, for people who are
interested in the same things and want to do these together. The
Church uses the word 'confraternity' as the official name for
societies set up in a parish. We often use another, easier, word
instead of 'confraternity' - Guild.
An archconfraternity is a guild, which has been
given special power by the Church authorities in Rome. It has
special privileges and facilities. Because it is an
archconfraternity it can allow other guilds to share in those
privileges and facilities.
That is what the Guild of Saint Stephen is. The
main Archconfraternity is based on Westminster Cathedral, in London.
It has many Guilds in parishes in Great Britain and elsewhere
affiliated to it. Strictly speaking, only the Guild at Westminster
Cathedral should call itself Archconfraternity, but parish Guilds
call themselves branches of the Archconfraternity.
Aims and Objects
The objects of the Guild of Saint Stephen are:
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To encourage, positively and practically, the
highest standards of serving at the Church's liturgy and so
contribute to the whole community's participation in a more fruitful
worship of God.
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To provide altar servers with a greater
understanding of what they are doing so that they may serve with
increasing reverence and prayerfulness and thereby be led to a
deepening response to their vocation in life.
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To unite servers of different parishes and
dioceses for they're mutual support and encouragement.
History of the Guild
The Guild of St Stephen is an International Organisation of Altar
Servers founded in England in 1904 by Father Hamilton McDonald when
he formed a Society of Altar Servers at the Convent of the Sacred
Heart in London. In 1905, Pope Pius X gave his approbation to the
Canonical establishment of the Guild at Westminster Cathedral and in
1906, the Sacred Congregation of Rites made the Guild an
Archconfraternity prima primaria enabling all the parish branches to
be linked with it. The Guild spread, and in 1934, Pope Pius XI
enabled all Guilds of Altar Servers throughout the British
Commonwealth to be affiliated with the Archconfraternity at
Westminster.
Constitution and Organisation
The Archbishop of Westminster is the Superior General of the
Archconfraternity and he appoints a priest to be the National
Director of the Guild. A lay Central Council consisting of a Lay
President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and other members
assists him in the running of the Guild. The Central Council is
responsible for running the business side of the Guild.
Many diocesan bishops appoint a Priest Director of
the Guild for their own diocese and together these form a National
Council of Priest Directors, which is an advisory body to the
National Director. Some dioceses have organised their own local Lay
Councils to assist the Diocesan Director in furthering the work of
the Guild.
The Guild may be erected in any parish with the
permission of the bishop of the diocese (see Canon 312 of the new
Code of Canon Law) and shall then be affiliated to the
Archconfraternity at Westminster Cathedral. Thus, in each parish,
while maintaining its objects and keeping the rules of the
Archconfraternity, the Guild can be independent in its constitution
and organisation.
Membership
Membership of the Guild is open to any server, without limit of age,
who can serve Mass, and who has shown a wish to live up to the
objects and standards of the Guild.
Servers will have been given adequate training and
reaches the necessary standard before being admitted to the
sanctuary and then should serve satisfactorily for a minimum of six
months before being enrolled as a member of the Guild. The parish
priest, or the local director of the Guild, decides whether a
candidate is eligible and worthy of admission to the Guild and he is
empowered to perform the ceremony of enrolment and invest the server
with the Guild medal, using the prescribed form of enrolment.
Rules
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To serve at the altar with reverence,
understanding and regularity and with due attention to personal
cleanliness and tidiness.
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To say short prayers in preparation for and in
thanksgiving after, serving Mass.
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To observe silence in the sacristy and great
reverence in the sanctuary.
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To recite the Guild prayer every day.
Recommendations
We also recommend the following:
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Be ready to serve at every opportunity, yet
making sure that your fellow servers have an equal chance.
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Take part in all services as fully as possible,
by paying careful attention to everything that is being said or done
and by joining in the prayers, responses and hymns -and especially
by receiving Holy Communion at Mass.
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Avoid doing anything, which might distract the
attention of the people. Do not fidget or look around, or stare at
the people in the church.
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Carry out the ceremonies calmly and without
drawing too much attention to yourself and remembering that you are
part of a team.
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Be in good time before services so that you can
prepare properly.
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See that you are suitably dressed for serving
(especially footwear) and that your alb is clean and cared for.
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Wear the Guild medal on all occasions when
serving.
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Do your best to attend Guild meetings and
festivals so as to get to know other servers, especially those from
other parishes.
The Guild Promise
I offer myself to God almighty,
to blessed Mary, our Mother
and to our holy patron, Saint Stephen.
And I promise to do my best
to serve regularly
with reverence and understanding,
for the glory of God,
the service of his Church,
and my own eternal salvation.
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Altar Servers
