On Saturday 17 May, St Peter’s Cathedral in Lancaster will host the National Mass for Altar Servers, led by Bishop Paul Swarbrick. The Mass commences at 12.15pm.
The Mass, organised by the Archconfraternity of St Stephen, the Church’s official organisation for Altar Servers, travels to a different diocese each year. The aim is to reach and bring together as many Altar Servers as possible, young and old, their families and clergy, to grow in faith, service and friendship.
Pope Francis encourages us, in this Holy Year, to become ‘Pilgrims of Hope’, and we look especially to our local northern saints, who journeyed throughout our corner of England. We hope that servers, their clergy and families from our parishes and schools throughout the northern dioceses will make the pilgrimage journey to Lancaster for this special Mass together.
We are grateful to Bishop Swarbrick, the Cathedral staff and the local branches of the Guild for their support in organising this Mass. We look forward to seeing everyone on the day, it’s sure to be a grand occasion and an opportunity to celebrate and acknowledge the valuable work of our Altar Servers, young, old and in-between, and their families, who help to ensure that we celebrate our liturgies ‘worthily and well’ and contribute so much to the life of our parishes.
We are also excited, in this Jubilee year, to be travelling to Walsingham on Saturday 26 July for a Day Pilgrimage to the shrine. This date coincides with the ‘Jubilee of Youth‘ occurring in Rome the following day. Everyone is welcome to join us.
For more information, email: nationalmass@guildofststephen.org or see the Guild of St Stephen website: guildofststephen.org.