The Order of Saint Cuthbert was approved as a community in formation by the Right Reverend Derek Jones, the Bishop of The Armed Forces and Chaplaincy, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) in 2019. Initially, four men joined together and began prayerfully discerning the direction of God in how this community was to be formed. By unanimous consensus, Saint Cuthbert was selected as our patron saint, because of his example of holiness and leadership for the Celtic Church during a time of realignment. Saint Cuthbert, following the synod of Whitby, guided the Church through a season of change and adaptation as they came more fully into alignment with the received catholic tradition while retaining much of their distinctive charism.
The current Anglican realignment is in need of similar guiding principles, conformity to the received catholic tradition of the Church without the loss of our distinctively Anglican charism. The brothers of the Order of Saint Cuthbert are committed to supporting and working alongside the orthodox Bishops of the Communion leading this effort. In 2022, seven men, who had spent several years in discernment and completed a robust postulancy and formation process, were approved to take novitiate vows. An Abbot, Prior, and Director of Formation were chosen and installed. Shortly after, the Jurisdiction of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy was canonically released from the Church of Nigeria and received by the Most Reverend Foley Beach, Archbishop of the ACNA, as a full jurisdiction within the ACNA. The Order of Saint Cuthbert, under the episcopal protection of Bishop Derek Jones, is excited to continue our work and ministry in partnership with the ACNA along with all orthodox provinces of the Anglican Communion and the Continuum. Anyone interested in joining the Order of Saint Cuthbert must receive permission from their diocesan Bishop, prior to being allowed to advance to the postulancy phase of our formation process.
* The College of Bishops of the ACNA decided to observe a moratorium on the establishment of any new religious orders in 2020. This does not apply to the Order of Saint Cuthbert as permission to form the community was granted in 2019 by Bishop Derek Jones, under the authority of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion).