National Mass 2025
The Servers and Clergy of the National Mass 2025, Cathedral Church of St Peter, Lancaster
What an amazing day yesterday in Lancaster we had at St Peter's Cathedral for our National Mass. Worries that people might not travel to a remote city in North West England were quickly forgotten when servers from all over the country started descending on the Cathedral mid-morning for the noon Mass, filling the Cathedral Hall and then the Cathedral itself.
All the photos, and the Order of Service can be found linked on the National Mass page, guildofststephen.org/nationalmass.
We were blessed from the start not only with glorious weather, a stunning cathedral and grounds and hundreds of servers, but literally too with a Papal Message and Jubilee Blessing for the day from the late Pope Francis via the Apostolic Nuncio.
A large group of local servers representing various areas of the diocese came together to serve the Mass led by the regional MCs and the Central Council was well represented with members from Westminster, Liverpool and Brentwood in attendance. The National Director of the Guild, Fr Dennis Touw, attended on behalf of Cardinal Nichols who remains in Rome.
This Mass was also very special to the diocese, which is currently celebrating its centenary, and also as the Presidency of the Guild currently lies with Lancaster. Bishop Swarbrick reflected in his Homily, that although in his youth in Garstang, he had not served at the Altar himself, he remembered watching carefully those boys that did and took his inspiration from them, later when he was a missionary in Zambia, Africa, he would take the servers with him to the remote parishes on Sunday's, in the parish pick-up truck, to help celebrate Mass. He told us to always remember that the Blessed Sacrament, is the 'Food and and Drink of Love'. Reference was also made to Pope Leo's visit to the Cathedral in 2008 when he was Fr Robert Provest for an Episcopal Ordination, "and look what happened to him!" the Holy Spirit will help each of us discern our vocation if we are willing to listen.
Some of the attending Central Council members with Bishop Paul Swarbrick
Our thanks to everyone who came for your support of us, your parishes, communities and clergy. Thanks also to the cathedral staff, clergy and the Oswald Singers, organists and stewards who helped us pull off such a wonderful occasion.
Deo Gratias.
