Presidents Message: Feast of St Stephen 2025
This year has truly been a Jubilee Year of Hope for the Guild of St Stephen.
We marked 120 years since the foundation of the Guild, and 100 years since the establishment of the Central Council - remarkable milestones in our shared history.
Rt Rev. Paul McAleenan celebrates Mass at the Altar where the Guild began its mission, 120 years ago.
To give thanks, we returned to Hammersmith for a Mass of Thanksgiving in the chapel at what is now Sacred Heart High School, the very place where it all began with Fr Hamilton McDonald. It was a powerful reminder of our roots and the faith that continues to inspire us today.
Over the years, the Guild has continued to grow and flourish. One of the highlights of the year was the National Mass in Lancaster in May. It was a wonderful success, with members attending from many dioceses. It was a joyful day, full of friendship, mutual support, and encouragement - a real celebration of who we are as a Guild.
The National Mass 2025 at Lancaster Cathedral
This year also saw the launch of the Accredited Certificate for Altar Servers. This exciting new initiative is designed to further form and support servers in this vital ministry at the heart of the Church’s life and mission. We wish our first cohort every blessing as they begin their studies early in the New Year.
If you are interested in joining a future intake, please complete the expression of interest form - we would love to hear from you.
It has also been a year of significant change as we marked two important retirements in the life of the Guild.
Rev Fr Dennis Touw, National Director Emeritus
We offered our heartfelt thanks and best wishes to our National Director Emeritus, Fr Dennis Touw, who retired after 27 years of dedicated service. We are deeply grateful for his leadership, his guidance, and his unwavering support for the Guild over many years.
At the same time, we warmly welcomed Fr Keith Stoakes, who has been appointed our new National Director. We look forward to working with him as we continue to Move the Guild forward with confidence and hope.
In recent days, we also learned of the retirement of the Superior General of the Archconfraternity, Cardinal Vincent Nichols. After 16 years in this role, we thank him sincerely for his generous support - particularly for his encouragement of the servers’ certificate initiative and for his steadfast backing of the Guild’s work.
We are delighted to welcome the appointment by Pope Leo XIV of Archbishop-Elect Richard Moth who will become the new Superior General of the Archconfraternity. We congratulate him on his appointment and assure him of our prayers and support as he begins this ministry.
Archbishop Elect Richard Moth and Cardinal, Archbishop Emeritus of Westminster, Vincent Nichols. Photo by Mazur.
What a year it has been - a year of great milestones, meaningful change, and renewed hope.
As we look ahead to 2026, we will celebrate yet another significant moment in our history: 120 years since the Guild was raised to an Archconfraternity by Pope Pius X, now a saint. This allowed parishes not only across the UK but also around the world to affiliate with Westminster - a powerful reminder that we are part of a global family, united in our service at the altar for the greater glory of God.
And so, to each and every one of you, wherever you are in the world, on behalf of the Central Council of the Archconfraternity, I wish you a peaceful and joy-filled Christmas, and a blessed Feast of St Stephen.
Paul Briers K.C.H.S.
Honorary President
