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A brief and sketchy history of our church in Western Australia

In the mid-1980s, a former priest of the Mundaring parish of the Anglican Church of Australia, as well as people like Ken and Barbara Grimes, were concerned by the way that “Red Letter” Saints’ days were being neglected by the church.  He celebrated a mass for them in the chapel of Perth College.  Amongst those present was Michael Mansbridge-Wood, who had been to America.  The latter wanted Archbishop Falk to oversee this embryo group and suggested that Bishop Robert Mercer CR, who was then in Canada, be approached in this regard.

The group subsequently met at the Grimes’ where it was joined by Richard Playle who was then worshipping at the Anglican Cathedral in Perth.

From 1987 those in Australia opposed to the innovations of the Anglican Church had continued as an association of clergy and people under the protective jurisdiction of Alfred Woolcock, Bishop of Canada in the Anglican Catholic Church of Canada, which Church had promoted a Canon known as the “Interim Canon for the Creation of a Diocese of Australia and the Election and Appointment of a Bishop Thereof”.  This Canon received Episcopal Assent on 9 June 1988.

Meanwhile, on 3 January 1988, Bishop Mercer celebrated Mass at the Old Post Office in Cottesloe.  In March of that year, Fr Albert Haley paid a visit to Perth where he met with several people who were concerned by the direction the Anglican Church was taking. 

Back in Canada, on 29 June 1988, the Diocese of Australia was formally promulgated.
Fr Haley’s visit to Perth was followed by a public meeting, held at the Old Post Office, Cottesloe, on 2 July 1988, which was addressed by Fr James Bromley of Newcastle – about thirty people attended.  The following day Fr Bromley celebrated Mass at the Old Post Office, during which he baptised Angela Louisa and Graham Godsman.

As a result of the public meeting, a “Hills group” was formed which met in the Red Cross Hall at Boya, where Garth Godsman led its first service (Mattins) on 24 July 1988.  On 11 September, Fr Tom Silverwood celebrated at Boya and just over a month later, on 18 October, Fr Haley was consecrated in Canada as a Bishop and on 4 November he was enthroned as Bishop Ordinary of the Diocese of Australia.

“Falls Farm” was first used for a service on 27 November 1988 when Bishop Haley celebrated there and it was there that Richard Playle was made a deacon by Bishop Haley on 4 June 1989.
As no formal legal entity existed in Western Australia to conduct the affairs of the fledgling Church, on 16 August 1989 The Anglican Catholic Church of Australia (Western Australia) Incorporated was registered as an incorporated association.  This opened the way for a formal structure of government and on 12 November of that year a meeting was held at “Falls Farm” to appoint an interim management committee.  Those present were: Fr Tom Silverwood, Dn Richard Playle, Mr John Harper-Nelson, Mrs Mary Silverwood and Miss Patricia Rigby.  Mr Harper-Nelson, Mrs Silverwood and Miss Rigby were appointed members of the interim management committee and Mr Harper-Nelson was elected to the position of Pro-Vice-Chairman with Miss Rigby as Treasurer.  At that stage there were two parishes in Western Australia: St Francis of Assisi with St Chad’s at Busselton under Fr Silverwood, and St Ninian’s at Perth under Dn Playle.

The first Synod (which was also the first Synod of the Church in Australia) was held at Waroona on 2 December 1989 when a petition signed by Ken Grimes, Dennis Byett and Hugh Clift for the establishment of a provisional parish, to be known as the Parish of St Andrew’s, based at Lesmurdie, was received and endorsed with a recommendation to the Bishop that it be granted. 

The necessary approval was given by Bishop Haley at the second Synod which was held at St Ninian’s, Susan Street, Maylands, on 19 March 1990.  The new parish, which originally was to have been under the patronage of St Augustine, was established with effect from 22 April 1990.

On 26 January 1990 the parishioners of St Ninian’s had entered into a lease with the Roman Catholic Church for the St Pius X Hall at 11 Susan Street in Maylands. 

Except for the Tabernacle, which the Roman Catholics had left behind, the Hall was empty – but not for long.  Fr Silverwood made six candlesticks, Dennis Byett made the altar rails, and on 8 May 1990 the altar, made by Ken Grimes, was placed in situ.  All these items were donated and are still in use today.

Another milestone was reached when Bishop Haley ordained Dn Richard Playle to the priesthood on 18 March 1990 at St Ninian’s.

On 10 February 1995 a special meeting of the Synod was held at which it was unanimously decided to approve the purchase of the Hall by the parishioners of St Ninian’s from the Roman Catholic Church for the sum of $240,000.00.  This was made possible by the support of parishioners Margaret Kathleen Wilson and Terance Gratton Wilson who provided, on generous terms, a mortgage for the whole of the purchase price.

Pope Pius X Church Hall

In February 2000 the mortgagees advised the parish that they intended charging interest (until then they had not charged any interest, even though they were entitled to do so).  By then the balance owing under the mortgage had been reduced to $155,000.00.  During this period the numbers attending St Ninian’s were small and it was through the generous support of individual donors, and the other parishes (St Andrew’s in particular), that it was possible for St Ninian’s to meet the payments of principal due under the mortgage.  As the parish would find it difficult to meet the payments of principal and interest payable under the mortgage, it was decided to re-finance the balance and various financial institutions were approached in this regard; though they were keen to provide funds for the purchase of a house, only Home Building Society was prepared to provide funds for the purchase of a House of God.  The mortgage on the Church has been reduced substantially and it is expected that it will be paid off in the near future.

[This article is largely based on information provided by Mrs Barbara Grimes (who also provided most of the photographs) and Miss Patricia Rigby.  Any errors are, however, to be laid at my door.  Fr Brian]

Before Fr Brian was ordained a priest by Archbishop John Hepworth, the Primate of the Traditional Anglican Communion, at St Ninian’s Church, Maylands, Western Australia, on 12 December 2004, he had been approached by Roly Stinson, a parishioner of St Ninian’s, who suggested that he might consider founding a parish close to Applecross, where Roly and his wife, Gwenda, lives, as it was becoming increasingly difficult for them to travel to St Ninian’s, because of their age and state of health.

Deacon Brian, passing the buck (as the clergy are wont to do), said that he would consider this, if an appropriate venue could be found.

After exploring several possibilities, Fr Brian decided to found a provisional parish (St Paul’s) at Armadale, with a “daughter” parish at Brentwood (St Peter’s), which would meet at the Scout Hall there (as recommended by Roly).

On 2 January 2005, at 8am, a service of Holy Communion was held at the Scout Hall, and at 10.30am, a service was held at Westfield, Armadale.

Roly and Gwenda attended the first service at St Peter’s and have, ever since, been stalwarts of the parish.

As the growth was at St Peter’s, it was decided to amalgamate the two parishes.  This occurred on 30 June 2008 when St Paul’s was amalgamated with St Peter’s.

Although St Paul’s no longer exists as a separate parish, Fr Brian still holds a service at Kelmscott River Gardens Nursing Home twice a month, on a Saturday.

 

 

 

10 October 1992: Fr Richard Playle, Dn Ted Wilson,
Bishops Haley and Crawley and Fr Peter Wilson

8 December 2003: Fr Robert Burn, Dn Brian Tee,
Archbishop Hepworth, Frs Bill Hanson, Ted Wilson
and Harry Entwistle