🔴 The Guild of Servants of the Sanctuary was founded in 1897 and is a Catholic society of altar servers in the Church of England supporting the objects of Forward in Faith. It seeks to deepen the spiritual life of its members and help them to become more worthy of their important office. The objects of the Guild are:

· To raise the spiritual tone of Altar Servers

· To promote a conscientious performance of the duties of Altar Servers.

· To encourage a more frequent attendance at the Holy Eucharist in addition to times of duty.

Membership is open to any lay person who is an altar server in the Church of England and 'accepts Catholic Faith and Practice'. Bishops, Priests and Deacons are welcomed as Associate Members and non-servers as Supporter Members.

The Guild is organised into local chapters, each overseen by a secretary, who is a member of the Guild, and a chaplain, who is a priest and thus a 'priest associate' of the Guild. Chapters meet regularly: a typical gathering takes the form of the 'Guild Office': this consists largely of Psalms and Canticles, culminating in the Magnificat and a short Bible reading. The Guild Office will often be followed by a short address and perhaps Benediction. When undertaking Guild activities, members dress in choir habit: typically a black cassock with a white surplice or cotta, but sometimes a white or coloured cassock-alb according to local usage. Members also wear a special 'Guild Medal' engraved with the Latin text, Introibo ad Altare Dei (I will go unto the altar of God, Psalm 43.4).

Guild website: http://guild-of-servers-of-sanctuary.weebly.com/

The Chapter of Ss Osmund and Swithun, Bournemouth

The Bournemouth Chapter was formed at St Luke's Church, Winton, with the amalgamation of two Guilds and is dedicated to the patron saints of the dioceses of Salisbury and Winchester, respectively. Together with the Chapter of the Holy Cross, Chard, it forms Provincial Group 7 which covers Dorset, West Hampshire and East Somerset. The Chapter banner passed from St Luke's to St Francis, Charminster, and thence to St Ambrose, Westbourne, with the Chapter Secretary, Councillor Alan Scott, who also oversees Provincial Group 7.

Chapter Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/GSSBournemouth

🔴 The Programme for 2022 is still in progress but the following information is available.

Tuesday, 18th January: 6:30 p.m. Guild Office and Benediction at St Thomas More R.C. Church, Iford, Bournemouth, to mark the beginning of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, by kind permission of Father Darryl Jordan OLW.

Tuesday, 22nd March: 7:00 p.m. Stations of the Cross and A.G.M. at St Katharine's Church, Southbourne, Bournemouth, by kind permission of the Churchwardens (interregnum).

Saturday, 30th April, 2022: 10:30 a.m. Quiet Day at Hilfield Friary, Dorset. Secretary Alan Scott writes: "It is proposed that we should arrive at Hilfield at ten o'clock to ten thirty. This will give us time to settle down and have a look around. Mass will be at twelve noon followed by lunch. Brother Malcolm will be the celebrant at this service. They have a dining room at Hilfield where food is served but it is limited in size so they might not be able to accommodate us as there will be other groups. In this case we shall have to bring our own food. After lunch it is proposed we should have a period of prayer and reflection which will probably be led by Brother Malcolm. The nature of this is not certain as yet but it will be about an hour to an hour and a half long. I thought it would be good to have a recitation of the guild office to round off the day. The friary has good parking facilities I am told so we can go there in cars though it might be possible to hire a minibus."

Wednesday, 25th May: 7:30 p.m. Guild Office and Benediction at Sarum St Martin's Church, Salisbury, by kind permission of Fr David Fisher, Rector.

Wednesday, 29th June: 7:30 p.m. Guild Office and Benediction at St Ambrose' Church, Westbourne, Bournemouth, by kind permission of Fr Adrian Pearce, Vicar.

T.B.C. September, possible visit to Beaulieu Abbey (Fr John White).

T.B.C. September, 7:30 p.m. Guild Office and Benediction at St Ambrose Church, Westbourne, Bournemouth, by kind permission of Fr Adrian Pearce, Priest-in-Charge.

Wednesday, 5th October, 7:30 p.m. Guild Office and Benediction at St Aldhelm's Church, Branksome, Poole, by kind permission of Fr Philip Martin, Vicar.

T.B.C. All Souls' Day, 2nd November, 7:00 p.m.: Requiem Mass for Departed Members. Secretary Alan Scott writes: "I think we shall again be at St Stephen's, Bournemouth for Requiem Mass on All Souls' Day. I have undertaken a little research and have found the names of some departed members who who were not on our chantry roll. Their names will be added."

The possibility of a December service at Christchurch Hospital Chapel is being explored, and there will probably be a Christmas Lunch following the success of the last one at The Curlew Pub & Restaurant, 287 Christchurch Road, West Parley, Bournemouth, Dorset, BH22 8SQ.

For more details of Chapter activities contact the Secretary, Alan Scott: Tel. 01202 531609 or email: [email protected]

The Guild Collect
Grant, we beseech Thee, Almighty God,
to us Thy servants, the spirit of holy fear:
that we, following the example of Thy holy child Samuel,
may faithfully minister before Thee in Thy Sanctuary;
through Jesus Christ Thy Son our Lord,
Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost,
ever One God, world without end. Amen.