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ST ANDREW'S PARISH

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 Synod of 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.

In October 2010 the parish withdrew from the Anglican Catholic Church in Australia as the parishioners do not wish to become Roman Catholics.  The parish is now part of The Continuing Anglican Church in Australia.

The parish provides a fortnightly service of Holy Communion at the Meeting Room, Drill Hall, corner of Murray and Crowther Steets, Bayswater, for those Traditional Anglicans in the Maylands area who cherish their Anglican heritage.

The parishioners of St Andrew’s still worship at “Falls Farm”, Cagney Way, Lesmurdie, and all Traditional Anglicans are welcome to join them.

This article is largely based on information provided by the late 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]

 

ST PETER'S PARISH

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 and Ted Wilson