Hello
Welcome to the website of The Society of St Wilfrid and St Hilda (SSWaSH) in the Diocese of Bradford. ‘Who?’ I hear you ask. ‘What’s this all about?’ And, ‘Who are you?’ We are members of the Church of England in the Diocese of Bradford. We seek to maintain and encourage the Catholic heritage of the Church of England.
We are passionate about the on-going life, witness and missionary endeavour of the Church of England. The sad fact is that our part in this is threatened by the fact that the Church of England is about to depart from the traditional ministry of the Church as it has been understood from the first millennium until now.
The Society has been formed in the hope that the General Synod of the Church of England will give us the necessary provision to enable us to remain, as we have always been, loyal members of the Church of England.
Until now the Church of England has been willing and able to contain within its structures many different ways of expressing the Christian faith of our fathers. At present, unless there is a change of heart by General Synod and the Bishops, significant numbers of us will, in effect, be driven out.
The Society is an attempt to provide a vehicle in which faithful catholic Anglicans may remain as members of the Church. Therefore, if you have a concern that the Church of England may remain faithful to the Faith it has received, and that members of The Society may be part of all of that, I invite you most warmly to become a supporter. You can do this by signing up today as a supporter and further praying for The Society and its aims and objectives.
Thank you in anticipation, Gareth
Fr Gareth Jones, Regional Dean
The picture is from the C12th St Alban's Psalter - Mary Magdalene bringing the news of the resurrection to the Apostles. It expresses beautifully, in the joyful news of our salvation, the importance of tradition and holy order; and we are all the more fond of this picture as it is so often misunderstood by those who do not take theology seriously enough.
We are passionate about the on-going life, witness and missionary endeavour of the Church of England. The sad fact is that our part in this is threatened by the fact that the Church of England is about to depart from the traditional ministry of the Church as it has been understood from the first millennium until now.
The Society has been formed in the hope that the General Synod of the Church of England will give us the necessary provision to enable us to remain, as we have always been, loyal members of the Church of England.
Until now the Church of England has been willing and able to contain within its structures many different ways of expressing the Christian faith of our fathers. At present, unless there is a change of heart by General Synod and the Bishops, significant numbers of us will, in effect, be driven out.
The Society is an attempt to provide a vehicle in which faithful catholic Anglicans may remain as members of the Church. Therefore, if you have a concern that the Church of England may remain faithful to the Faith it has received, and that members of The Society may be part of all of that, I invite you most warmly to become a supporter. You can do this by signing up today as a supporter and further praying for The Society and its aims and objectives.
Thank you in anticipation, Gareth
Fr Gareth Jones, Regional Dean
The picture is from the C12th St Alban's Psalter - Mary Magdalene bringing the news of the resurrection to the Apostles. It expresses beautifully, in the joyful news of our salvation, the importance of tradition and holy order; and we are all the more fond of this picture as it is so often misunderstood by those who do not take theology seriously enough.
The Society in Bradford
Thus far, the local, diocesan branch of The Society is still in its early days; but it has got off to an encouraging start. Please use this minimalist site for information on events organised by the Society, other local catholic societies and parishes, and anything else that may be important.
We call ourselves ‘The Society’, signifying the Mission Society of St Wilfrid and St Hilda (acronym SSWSH; or SSWaSH for easier pronounciation). If we are to have a future in the Church of England, witnessing to the historic faith as Anglicans have received it, then it will be as members of The Society. There is no other option on the table, so even if you are a little uncertain, you really ought to take it seriously, if you are in sympathy with its aims and purpose.
There are not many of us in the Diocese of Bradford, and much of our life and activity is shared with similar groups – in the Diocese of Ripon and Leeds in particular, and also in the Diocese of Wakefield.
We call ourselves ‘The Society’, signifying the Mission Society of St Wilfrid and St Hilda (acronym SSWSH; or SSWaSH for easier pronounciation). If we are to have a future in the Church of England, witnessing to the historic faith as Anglicans have received it, then it will be as members of The Society. There is no other option on the table, so even if you are a little uncertain, you really ought to take it seriously, if you are in sympathy with its aims and purpose.
There are not many of us in the Diocese of Bradford, and much of our life and activity is shared with similar groups – in the Diocese of Ripon and Leeds in particular, and also in the Diocese of Wakefield.
The Symbols of The Society
ST WILFRID
634 – 709
Bishop in Northumbria
Leader of the Roman party at the Synod of Whitby
Energetic missionary and astute church leader
THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND
The contemporary logo:
an implicit 'c' and an explicit 'e'
and a Latin cross within
ST HILDA
614 – 680
Abbess at Whitby
One of England's greatest saints and church leaders
whose skill and prestige enabled the success of the great Synod
