Altar Servers

Belmont Abbey Parish is served by altar servers at Broad Oak, Ewyas Harold and at Belmont Abbey itself. In addition to serving the parish masses on Sundays, the youngsters assist at all the Easter and Christmas services.

Any young person who has received their First Holy Communion is welcome to take part in this ministry. There are regular training sessions and social events. These have included trips to Alton Towers, Bristol Zoo, bowling and ice skating as well as family barbecues.

In 2006, a small group of us represented the Parish and Diocese at the Cardinal’s Mass for Altar Servers at Westminster Cathedral and two servers were privileged to serve at St David’s Cathedral in Cardiff on the occasion of Revd. Eddie Wyman’s ordination to the Permanent Diaconate.

Altar Servers express their commitment to the ministry through enrolment into the Archconfraternity of St Stephen or St Stephen’s Guild as it is better known.

 In the centre the letters XP are the first two letters of the name 'Christ' in Greek.

 At the top is the crown of victory given by God to everyone who overcomes evil, especially those who die for him.

 At the bottom are the palm branches, traditional signs of martyrs who died for Christ.

 Around the edge are the Latin words of the Guild motto:

CVI SERVIRE REGNARE EST which means
TO SERVE CHRIST IS TO REIGN.

Each server is presented with a bronze medal, shown below:

The Patron Saint of Altar Servers is St Stephen a name which 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.

If you wish to find out more about becoming an Altar Server, please contact Mr Chris Moore on 01432 358699 or e-mail him at servers@belmontparish.plus.com or speak to the parish priest.

http://www.guildofststephen.org