At a Mass for Scouts celebrated in St George’s Cathedral, Southwark, yesterday, the lead Bishop for Scouts, Bishop Richard Moth reminded the scouting congregation that when we serve: “we are carrying out the work of Jesus himself.”
He told the Scouts gathered from the South East of England; Lancashire, Birmingham and the Franciscan Study Centre in Canterbury: “As Catholic members of the Scout Association, we might ask ourselves why we do these things. When we serve others, we might feel good about it. That is OK – it would be very odd to feel bad about helping someone else! But Jesus reminds us that when we serve others, we serve Him.”
The Gospel of Sunday found Jesus curing a man of his leprosy. In his homily, Bishop Moth said: “We may not find lepers on our streets and there are no leper colonies in this country. There are, however, many people who are in need of our service – the friendly word, the welcoming gesture. None of this needs to be complicated.”
He continued with this theme of service:
“’Scout Community Week’ provides us with a wonderful opportunity for this service. The older ones amongst us will remember, like me, the ‘bob-a-job’ week of years gone by. The purpose was just the same then – service of others. Service is uncomplicated – it is the giving of ourselves for others. We may do this in different ways, but the one thing we must do is use our gifts and every one of us if called to do this. Don’t leave it to someone else!”
The Scouts Mass is celebrated every year for Founders day, as near as possible to Lord Baden-Powell’s birthday, he was born on 22 February 1857. The Guides call this day ‘Thinking Day’ as Baden-Powell’s wife Olave Baden-Powell the world Chief Guide was also born on the 22 February.
There were many Guides present at the Mass from the South East and South Wales. Bishop Moth became the lead bishop for Scouts last year, taking over from Bishop Edwin Regan after seven years of service. Fr John Seddon, the National Catholic Scout Chaplain in Liverpool concelebrated at the Mass.
Homily: Bishop Moth to Scouts and Guides
Full set on our Flickr photostream
