The Ridsdale Trust                                      Registered Charity No: 276959

 

Background to the name of the Trust.

 

Following on from the resurgence of interest in the Catholic origins of the Church of England through the Oxford Movement, Protestant Anglicans ensured the passing of the Public Worship Regulation Act, which came into force on 1 July 1875. By the end of August proceedings were started against

Father C.J. Ridsdale, S.S.C., Vicar of St Peter, Folkestone,

On 3 February 1876, in what the Protestant Church Association called 'one of the most absolute condemnations of ritualistic practices that has yet been delivered', Lord Penzance ruled against Fr Ridsdale on the twelve points complained of, including the eastward position, vestments, wafer bread, commixture, altar lights, the Agnus Dei, processions, the Stations of the Cross, and the erection of a crucifix on the rood screen. After the judgment,

Fr Ridsdale announced that he would retain the mixed chalice, altar lights, and vestments in obedience to the Ornaments Rubric and in defiance of the courts, unless granted a dispensation by his diocesan bishop, the Archbishop of Canterbury. . This Archbishop Tait conceded and so Fr Ridsdale, deferring to the bishop rather than the law, dropped the other offending practices.

 

'Black Sheep' from Punch, 18 December 1869:- Archbishop Tait has a crook which reads PUBLIC WORSHIP REGULATION BILL, the black sheep have RITUALISM written on their backs, the wall is called ESTABLISHED CHURCH, and the sign post is TO ROME.

 

 

The Trust

 

The Trust was set up on All Saints’ Day, 1978 by the then Parish Priest, Fr Francis Capener M.A., now a Catholic Priest in Folkestone, and three parishioners.  

It was Registered with the Charity Commission on 8th December 1978.

 

The Trust’s area of operation is the Ecclesiastical parish of St Peter, Folkestone, and

the Trust’s Objects are defined as:

The advancement of the Christian religion in the parish of

St. Peter’s Folkestone and the promotion and maintenance of the Catholic tradition of the Church of England in the parish of St. Peter’s church Folkestone and for the upkeep and maintenance of the fabric and contents of

St. Peter’s church Folkestone.

To see the Charity Commission pages for the Trust, go to:

http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/find-charities/

 

Applications for Grants

The trustees welcome application for grants from Charitable organisations, which, in the view of the Trstees, would help them, meet one or more of their Charity’s Objects.

There is no application form, and the Trustees do not meet on any fixed schedule.

If you are interested in finding out more or have a specific grant application in mind,

please email us in the first instance: email Trustees

 

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