Society of the Sacred Mission: Difference between revisions

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The Society of the Sacred Mission is a [[Christian]] religious order first founded in [[1893]] by Father Herbert Hamilton Kelly, envisaged such that ''"members of the Society share a common life of prayer and fellowship in a variety of educational, pastoral and community activities in [[England]], [[Australia]], [[Japan]], [[Lesotho]], and [[South Africa]]."''<ref>http://clutch.open.ac.uk/schools/willen99/w_religion/ssm/ssm_home.html</ref> Fr. Kelly's missionary work began in [[1902]] in [[South Africa]], and the next year [[Kelham]] Hall was purchased to become the main centre, a theological college and the head office.

[[Kelham]] Hall really was the core of the organisation for the first sixty years of its existence. ''"It had no lighting except oil lamps, no heating except open fires and no water above ground floor, but there was room for 100 students and plenty of space for gardens anand playing fields. [[Kelham]] remained the mother house of the Society for seventy years."''<ref>http://clutch.open.ac.uk/schools/willen99/w_religion/ssm/ssm_home.html</ref> However, it was occupied by military personnel during both world wars. The Great Chapel was built there in [[1928]]: ''"it was almost square with a great central dome, (62 feet across and 68 feet high) the second largest concrete dome in England."''<ref>http://clutch.open.ac.uk/schools/willen99/w_religion/ssm/ssm_home.html</ref>

While in [[1962]], the ''"SSM reached a numerical peak of more than 80 members and a large novitiate..by [[1972]], the college at [[Kelham]] closed as number of student applications drop."''<ref>http://clutch.open.ac.uk/schools/willen99/w_religion/ssm/ssm_home.html</ref> Applications to Kelham ''"dropped from 400 a year before the war to less than 40 students in [[1971]] and the college closed in [[1973]]."''<ref>http://clutch.open.ac.uk/schools/willen99/w_religion/ssm/ssm_home.html</ref> Consequently, by [[1973]], a ''"subgroup of SSM move to Willen (Near [[Milton Keynes]]) to run a priory."''<ref>http://clutch.open.ac.uk/schools/willen99/w_religion/ssm/ssm_home.html</ref> By [[1997]] the contraction went further as ''"SSM members move out of [[Willen]] priory to a smaller house in [[Willen]]."''<ref>http://clutch.open.ac.uk/schools/willen99/w_religion/ssm/ssm_home.html</ref>