Saint Edmund, Downham Market, Norfolk

 Society of the Holy Cross [ssc]

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The parish of Downham Market is served by a priest of the Society of the Holy Cross (SSC).

The Society of the Holy Cross - or SSC from the Latin Societas Sanctae Crucis - is a Congregation of priests, who live and minister under a common Rule of Life.

There are currently over 1,000 members around the world in parishes, missions, chaplaincies, schools and other areas of pastoral ministry, committed to witnessing to the Cross of Christ by their lives and ministry.


Fr Charles Fuge Lowder SSC (1820-1880) Founder of SSC

(Reproduced from the St Peter's London Docks website)
Fr Charles Fuge Lowder SSC (1820-1880) Founder of SSC (Reproduced from the St Peter's London Docks website)

St Peter's London, Docks, founded by Fr Lowder, and still staffed by an SSC priest today.

(Reproduced from the St Peter's London Docks website)
St Peter's London, Docks, founded by Fr Lowder, and still staffed by an SSC priest today. (Reproduced from the St Peter's London Docks website)

The Society of the Holy Cross (SSC) was founded in London in 1855 by a small group of Anglo-Catholic priests led by Father Charles Lowder.

At a time when the Catholic Revival in the Church of England was threatened by persecution and misunderstanding, these priests came together for support, mutual prayer and encouragement. Fr Lowder spelled out the objects of SSC:

"To defend and strengthen the spiritual life of the clergy, to defend the faith of the Church, and to carry on and aid Mission work both at home and abroad".

The members of this society, meeting together as they did in prayer and conference, were deeply impressed with the evils existing in the Church, and saw also, in the remedies adopted by St Vincent de Paul, the hope of lessening them. (Click here for more about St Vincent de Paul.)

The Society has now spread throughout the world and is organised in autonomous Provinces under Provincial Masters elected by their Brethren. Within each Province are various Regions headed by Regional Vicars, and the work of the Society at local level is carried forward in Chapters led by their Local Vicars.


Priests of the Society live under a common Rule and meet together in their local SSC Chapters every month or two for prayer, Mass and some kind of study or conversation.  Presiding over the Society worldwide is a Master-General who has a special responsibility to ensure an on-going fidelity among the Brethren to the spirit of the Society.

SSC is not a devotional guild, but takes its stance upon a shared vision of :

‘a disciplined priestly life fashioned after a definite spiritual rule.’

It is this Rule of Life which unites the Brethren in their various priestly ministries and lives. They are required to:

‘consider their obligation to the Society as a close spiritual bond...which takes precedence to that of any other voluntary society.’

This obligation includes a commitment to attend local SSC Chapter meetings and annual Regional and Provincial Synods. The life of the Society is experienced primarily through the local Chapter, and attendance at Chapter is of obligation unless prevented by genuine pastoral duties.

The fortunes of the Society have waxed and waned since the early days of the Catholic Revival, but for its members it has always been an important source of priestly formation, discipline and fraternity. Many of the best-known and best-loved priests of our Anglo-Catholic tradition have been brethren of SSC.

Priests of the Society can be recognized by the small gold lapel cross that they generally wear. On it is inscribed the motto of the Society - in hoc signo vinces - in this sign, conquer!

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'Stand Up For Jesus'
Celebrating 150 Years of the Society of the Holy Cross
1855-2005

(Click here to go to the Stand Up for Jesus website, from which the following images are reproduced with acknowledgement)


2005 - 150 years of SSC
2005 - 150 years of SSC

International Synod Mass (at St. Alban's Holborn)
International Synod Mass (at St. Alban's Holborn)

Theological Conference : Archbishop of Canterbury
Theological Conference : Archbishop of Canterbury

Conference Panel Canon Martin Warner, Canon Robin Ward, Fr Jonathan Baker, Fr Jeremy Sheehey with the AbC
Conference Panel Canon Martin Warner, Canon Robin Ward, Fr Jonathan Baker, Fr Jeremy Sheehey with the AbC

Pilgrimage to Walsingham
Pilgrimage to Walsingham

The people join their priests in a grand celebration at the Royal Albert Hall, in thanksgiving to God for SSC
The people join their priests in a grand celebration at the Royal Albert Hall, in thanksgiving to God for SSC

Some of the 900 concelebrating bishops and priests
Some of the 900 concelebrating bishops and priests

In hoc signo vinces - In this sign conquor!
In hoc signo vinces - In this sign conquor!