THE ADDITIONAL CURATES SOCIETY

St George's Hanworth supports the work and aims of the Additional Curates Society.

The Additional Curates Society is a missionary society which helps the Church to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus to the people of this country, by providing parishes with priests and by encouraging vocations to the priesthood.

The Additional Curates Society was founded in 1837 by a layman, Joshua Watson. He lived during the Industrial Revolution and was a close associate of all the leading figures of the Tractarian Movement.

The Industrial Revolution resulted in large numbers of people moving from the country to the new industrial towns and cities where living conditions were very poor, and where over-population caused great social problems. The Church, under the influence of the Tractarian Movement, was concerned about the spiritual and social welfare of these people.

Joshua Watson sought to so something about all this by founding three societies. One was to build schools for the education of children in the industrial estates, the second was to build churches where the people could worship and the third was the Additional Curates Society, which would pay for assistant priests to work in these new churches, proclaiming the gospel of Jesus to people in 'poor and populous' areas and to administer the sacraments to them.

The present General Secretary is the Revd. Stephen Leach.

As part of his work, he visits parishes around the country, celebrating the Eucharist with the clergy, preaching and getting to know the supporters of the Additional Curates Society.

Please contact him if your parish would like a visit.