When we moved to Fulham in 1955 the Catholic priest was Father Becket. He was an elderly white haired and bespectacled man. But it wasn't till Father Ernest Eaton arrived at the Catholic Church (1960) that I became an altar server. Father Eaton was young, charismatic and energetic. He brought us children into the Church. He knew that many of us attended the non denominational Langford School and once a week at the end of school he would lay on a coach to bring us the few blocks to the Church, for an informal chat and some religious instruction. Father Eaton worked well with the older Father Carr.

Father Eaton transfered to the Church of St Anselm and St Cecilia in Holborn in 1964 but there are no further official church records for him which suggests that he may have left the priesthood. 

I served weekday Mass at the Church of Our Lady of Peperpetual Succour, as it was then known, on weekdays before primary school and on Sunday mornings (sung High Mass). I also assisted at Benediction services on Sunday evenings. I remember wearing a medal hung by a cord with the words "Member of St Stephen's Guild" inscribed on it. I also had a little cross signifying that I was a "Knight of St Columba" (not sure what this meant). I remember swinging the incense during services and carrying a candle. It was easy to singe the altar server in front's hair if one was not careful. To this day I can still recite many of the Latin responses from memory.

 

I recall an elderly Scottish gentleman by the name of Mr McDermott who attended Mass every day, recited very loudly and assisted with the collections. I also remember a gentleman called Mr Brooks who seemed to be head and sometimes only altar server during the sixties. He was a balding middle aged man who wore glasses and exuded importance. His sons Philip and Michael were also altar servers.

Father Patrick Mintern spent many years as parish priest during the sixties but I am sorry to say that I found him a little dull and uninspiring. He would deliver his sermons by reading from his notes and have very little eye contact with his congregation. Perhaps he was just a very shy person or lacking confidence and I am certainly not questioning his devotion.

My sister Isabel tells me that one the most popular priests was Father Dermot Nash, who was at the Parish between 1980 and 1985. He started a youth club and organised outings for local pensioners. Below is the Fulham Chronicle picture taking at his farewell presentation.