History

School to Parish

St. Michael’s, Burghclere, first started in 1991 when the Society of St. Pius X opened a small boarding school for families in need of a solid Catholic school for their children. A handful of priests and voluntary teachers and supervisors began their work in spartan conditions. The beginnings were made of frugality and utter trust in Divine Providence.

The school rapidly grew as new classes were opened from year to year. A few families also moved to the area, and with time, the number of day pupils eventually surpassed the number of boarders. This trend has continued to the present. The boarding school has transformed into a predominantly day-school.

The close proximity of school families, along with the steady arrival of increasing numbers of faithful who wish to live close to a place where they can receive the sacraments, has given rise to the largest traditional Catholic community in the country. This happy occurrence brings with it the need for sustained pastoral care which the school cannot provide. St. Michael’s School has become St. Michael’s School and Parish.

The time has come to build the first church in the country since Vatican II that will be dedicated exclusively to the Traditional Catholic Liturgy. The church will provide all the care necessary to a thriving parish. In the past 3 years alone, 45 baptisms have been entered into the registers. Where will these children attend Holy Mass in years to come?

St. Michael’s school, so modest in its beginnings, has slowly brought together numerous souls in need of priestly care. A large parish has developed around it, and this parish now needs a home. Our Lord too needs a home worthy of His Divine Majesty. Most importantly of all, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, which is the reason why so many people come to St. Michael’s, needs a place suitable and fit for celebration and veneration. The Church of St. Michael Archangel will be our answer to God’s gracious blessings over the past three decades.