St Edmundsbury Cathedral praises faithful service of altar server as he retires after 60 years

The faithful service and ‘quiet presence’ of a man who has devoted his life volunteering at a town’s cathedral has been praised by church leaders.

This week, Paul Collard, 74, retires as an altar server at St Edmundsbury Cathedral, Bury St Edmunds, after 60 years.

Mr Collard was one of the first altar servers, who are lay assistants to the clergy, when the cathedral was first redeveloped in the 1960s.

Since then he has assisted at everything from Mass to Matins and Evensong, and all major events in the church calendar.

“One of my favourite memories is representing the cathedral at the Remembrance Service at the Albert Hall in 1970,” said Mr Collard, who lives in Fornham St Martin. “I still have the poppies that fell from the ceiling that day.

“This along with acting as the thurifer and swinging the thurible when the then Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, consecrated the new cloisters and chapel in June 2009.

There were of also course the visits of various Archbishops and bishops and members of the Royal family including the Prince of Wales, patron of the new tower, the Queen, Princess Margaret and Princess Diana in the 1980s.

Mr Collard, who worked in the building trade, has a long history with the cathedral.

He was also baptised there, joined the choir when he was seven years old, and met his wife Teresa at the cathedral, where they were also married and confirmed.

His role as an altar server saw him carry out the duties of fetching and carrying, ringing the altar bell, bringing up the gifts, bringing up the Book, and carrying the processional cross.

He was head altar server between 1980 and 1994, and he also ran the cathedral shop between 2006 and 2012. He will however continue his volunteer work as an honorary verger, sidesman and visitor steward,

“St Edmundsbury Cathedral is a wonderful building and it has been a privilege to serve there,” said Mr Collard.

Everyone remarks how wonderfully friendly the cathedral is, and so beautifully light.

Canon Philip Banks said: “The cathedral family expresses joy, gratitude and love to Paul for his constant and prayerful ministry as he marks 60 years as an altar server. Paul’s faithful, dependable, quiet presence has been evident at so many of the cathedral’s major events and landmarks.”

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