Society of Saint Margaret

The Society of Saint Margaret (SSM) is an order of women in the Anglican Church.

1 History
- 1.1 St Margaret's, East Grinstead
- 1.2 19th Century opposition
2 Mission and practice
3 References
4 External links

History

The Sisters of St Margaret were founded in 1855 by Dr John Mason Neale at Rotherfield, England. As their numbers increased, they moved into their first convent, Saint Margaret's in East Grinstead, Sussex.^[1] The society began its overseas activities in 1873.

St Margaret's, East Grinstead

St Margaret's, East Grinstead, had a total of 201 inhabitants in 1881: 57 staff, 6 "Industrial Girl scholars", 69 "Orphanage scholars", and 60 "St Agnes School scholars".^[1] The 66 staff were made up of: 42 "Sisters of Mercy", 4 "Teachers in St Agnes School", 10 servants, and a Catholic Chaplain, Laughton Alison; the remaining inhabitants were the gardener's family and a few visitors.^[1] The Convent thus already included both Sisters and teachers, and the people cared for included orphans, poor "industrial" girls and schoolgirls from wealthier families.

In 1891, St Margaret's, East Grinstead had 205 inhabitants. The pupils were now divided into: 20 girls in "Training for domestic service"; 57 "Pupils in Ladies School"; 61 "Scholars in Orphanage School" aged between 3 and 16. There were also 7 orphans aged 15 or 16 "Training for service". There were 42 "Sisters of Charity", 4 teachers and a needlewoman "in Ladies' School", 2 "Caretakers in Orphanage", and 2 "Teachers in Day School" - the Ladies' School was for boarders.^[1]

Photographs show "St Margaret's Convent" at Moat Road until 1936, and the Orphanage at Moat Road until 1910 (when the photograph shows the orphans in white sleeveless smocks with hoods, worn over darker dresses).^[1]

19th Century opposition

The society had a difficult start. Many Anglicans in the mid-19th century were very suspicious of anything suggestive of Roman Catholicism. Once the founder, J.M. Neale, was attacked and manhandled at a funeral of one of the Sisters. However, Neale eventually won the confidence of many who had fiercely opposed the order, and the Society of St Margaret survives to the present day.

Mission and practice

The Sisters' work is the worship of God, expressed in their life of prayer and service. The order was originally dedicated to nursing the sick. At Chiswick they care for elderly women in a nursing home^[2] and have a guest house. In Sri Lanka, the Sisters run a retreat house, a children's home (mainly for those orphaned in the civil strife), a hostel for young women, a home for elderly people, and are involved in parish work and church embroidery, from St Margaret's Convent, Polwatta, Colombo.

Mother Cynthia Clare SSM is the present Mother Superior. She assumed office 2 March 2000, and is based at Hooke Hall, 250 High Street, Uckfield, East Sussex, TN22 1EN, UK

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e TheWeald.org: St Margaret's Convent, Moat Road, East Grinstead. Retrieved 12 December 2011
^ St Mary's Convent, Chiswick. Retrieved 12 December 2011

External links

Active religious orders and communities of the Anglican Communion

Brotherhood of the Ascended Christ • Brotherhood of the Epiphany • Brotherhood of St. Gregory • Chama Cha Mariamu Mtakatifu • Chita che Zita Rinoyera • Chita che Zvipo Zve Moto • Christa Sevika Sangha • Community of All Hallows • Community of Christ the King • Community of Jesus' Compassion • Community of Nazareth • Community of Our Lady & Saint John • Community of St. Andrew • Community of St. Clare • Community of St. Denys • Community of St. Francis • Community of St. John Baptist • Community of St. John the Divine • Community of St. John the Evangelist • Community of St. Laurence • Community of St. Mary • Community of St. Mary at the Cross • Community of St. Mary the Virgin • Community of St. Michael & All Angels • Community of St. Paul • Community of St. Peter • Community of the Blessed Lady Mary • Community of the Companions of Jesus the Good Shepherd • Community of the Divine Compassion • Community of the Glorious Ascension • Community of the Good Shepherd • Community of the Holy Cross • Community of the Holy Family • Community of the Holy Spirit • Community of the Holy Transfiguration • Community of the Reparation to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament • Community of the Resurrection • Community of the Sacred Name • Community of the Sacred Passion • Community of the Servants of the Cross • Community of the Servants of the Will of God • Community of the Sisters of Melanesia • Community of the Sisters of the Church • Community of the Sisters of the Love of God • Community of the Transfiguration • Company of Mission Priests • Congregation of the Sisters of the Visitation of our Lady • Daughters of St. Francis • Ewell Monastery • Fikambanan'ny Mpanompovavin l Jesoa Kristy • Korean Franciscan Brotherhood • Little Brothers of Francis • Melanesian Brotherhood • Oratory of the Good Shepherd • Order of Julian of Norwich • Order of St. Anne • Order of St. Anne at Bethany Convent • Order of St. Benedict • Order of St. Helena • Order of the Holy Cross • Order of the Holy Paraclete • Order of the Teachers of the Children of God • Sisterhood of St. John the Divine • Sisterhood of St. Mary, Bangladesh • Sisterhood of the Epiphany • Sisterhood of the Holy Nativity • Sisters of Charity • Sisters of the Good Shepherd • Sisters of the Incarnation • Society of All Saints Sisters of the Poor • Society of Our Lady of the Isles • Society of Our Lady St. Mary • Society of St. Francis • Society of St. John the Divine • Society of St. John the Evangelist • Society of St. Margaret • Society of St. Paul • Society of the Franciscan Servants of Jesus & Mary • Society of the Holy Cross • Society of the Holy Trinity • Society of the Precious Blood • Society of the Sacred Advent • Society of the Sacred Cross • Society of the Sacred Mission • Society of the Sisters of Bethany