Parish of St. Mary the Virgin, Lewisham

The link between St Mary’s Lewisham and the Abbey Church of St Peter’s Ghent was re-established in the early 1990’s after an interval of over five and a half centuries. The Abbey of St. Peter's had owned Lewisham and Greenwich from the tenth century until 1414 when Henry V confiscated their lands. Contact with St Peter’s was made by means of a letter and a reply was received from Rev André van der Schuexen the incumbent.

The initial stages of the link have been marked by exchanges from each parish to the other. This has been an interesting process. Ghent itself is situated in Flanders in Western Belgium, where the majority of people speak Flemish.

On one occasion the Choir visited St Peter’s and sang at a service.

On Remembrance Sunday 2002 Revd Dirk De Backer concelebrated the Mass at St Mary’s. This was extremely significant in the life of the parish as it is likely that it was the first time since the Reformation that a Roman Catholic priest has concelebrated the Eucharist in an Anglican Church. Furthermore, it was also pleasing that Rev. Dirk De Backer subsequently took part, along with Father Garlick, in the annual commemoration at the War Memorial in Lewisham High Street.

Since 2002 representatives from St. Peter's have regularly attended the Remembrance Day service in Lewisham.

Michael Woolstenholmes