The Guild of St. Stephen

Cathedral of our Lady and St Philip Howard

Votive Mass to St Stephen

Saturday 16 October 2010

Principle celebrant: THE RIGHT REVEREND KIERAN CONRY. Bishop of Arundel and Brighton

The Bishop, 2 Priests, a Deacon-soon to be priest, and altar servers from the cathedral and from neighbouring parishes, started off the mass with the procession from the sacristy leading around the pews and down the middle aisle-the visitor servers in the front with a cathedral server carrying the cross and 2 altar servers behind. Then came the altar servers from St Wilfrid’s, then from Horsham and so on from all the neighboring parish altar servers. Finally the altar servers from the cathedral came in front of the deacon, priest and bishop, with 2 servers holding the bishop’s mitre and crozier.   Unfortunately, the visiting altar servers did not take part in any of the ritual during the mass and, apart from processing down the aisle at the end of mass, we did what the congregation did.

The opening hymn was ‘Praise to the Holiest in the height’.  We then began with the introductory rights, a greeting, and the Liturgy of the Word, reading only the First Reading which was from Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59; the Responsorial Psalm was sung by the cantor.  The Gospel Reading, Matthew 10:17-22, was read by the priest. After the Homily the bishop enrolled about 10-13 altar servers into the Guild of St Stephen.

While the cathedral altar servers were preparing the gifts to the altar, we sang ‘Christ be our light! Shine in our hearts.’  Then followed the Prayer over the Gifts, the Eucharistic Prayer and the Communion Rite.

The Post Communion hymn was ‘First of Martyrs, thou whose name’ after which the bishop pronounced the final Blessing and the Dismissal.

After Mass there was a party over in the hall with free drinks and crisps and biscuits.

We then began our hour journey home where the parents were waiting for us in the church car park.

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