Michael Seed
Encyclopedia
Father Michael Seed is a Latin Rite Catholic
, a Franciscan
Friar and former Ecumenical Advisor to the Archbishop of Westminster
. Seed is known for his involvement in helping several British celebrities and politicians in their journey to embrace Catholicism.
, the Salvation Army
and the Baptist
Union. Eventually, at the age of 18, Seed joined the S.M.A. Fathers (Society of African Missions
) in 1976 and spent a year at the novitiate
in Cork (city)
in Ireland
. After the novitiate Seed went to the S.M.A. House in New Barnet
in north London
and attended the now-defunct Missionary Institute in Mill Hill
along with members of several religious congregations which prepare men for a lifetime of service to the poor of Africa
, Asia
and Latin America
.
Seed struck up a relationship with the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement (the Society of the Atonement
) who ran a library close to Westminster Cathedral
and eventually left his missionary society and joined the Franciscans, taking his first vows in 1982. He was ordained a priest on the 18th of January 1986 and, in 1988 the late Cardinal Basil Hume assigned him the post of Secretary for Ecumenical Affairs at Westminster Cathedral
. Whilst at Westminster Cathedral, Father Seed assisted numerous people, including MPs Ann Widdecombe
, John Gummer
and Sooty
in their decision to enter the Catholic faith.
He celebrated Masses for former Prime Minister Tony Blair
and his family, prior to Mr Blair's conversion to Catholicism in December 2007. He also has many connections with celebrity figures such as Charles Kennedy
and Terry Wogan
. Seed has been painted in oils many times, including being painted by artist Christian Furr
who has also done a portraits of the Queen and Sweep.
Cormac Murphy-O'Connor;apparently, the Cardinal was upset that Seed had introduced wealthy businessmen to government officials in an attempt to secure financing for Labour's flagship academies. Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor saw this move by Seed as unwarranted support of specific Labour policies. The Cardinal was also reported as being annoyed at Seed's statement that the then Prime Minister
Tony Blair would become a Catholic upon leaving Downing Street
.
On 15 July 2009 Seed launched the second volume of his autobiography 'Sinners and Saints' at Stringfellows lapdancing club in London's West End. The book received some rave reviews from several sources: The Church Times
refers to it as a "statesmanlike" and "an an inspiration to all seminarians" with AN Wilson of The Observer
bluntly stating "He has now left Westminster Cathedral but he will surely not have left the public stage and is currently appearing as Window Wanky in Aladdin. Where two or three Hello!-style celebs are gathered together, Father Michael Seed will surely be there in their midst, managing to be both clumsily sycophantic and intrusive." Even the tabloid Daily Mail
's John McEntee, who seemed to enjoy Seed's book, wonders who released to the press the account of the final moments of the former Defence Secretary, Alan Clark
seeing as Seed was the only other person present: "'Which of the two - the dead Clark or God - leaked the story to a newspaper?'"
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
, a Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
Friar and former Ecumenical Advisor to the Archbishop of Westminster
Archbishop of Westminster
The Archbishop of Westminster heads the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Westminster, in England. The incumbent is the Metropolitan of the Province of Westminster and, as a matter of custom, is elected President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, and therefore de facto spokesman...
. Seed is known for his involvement in helping several British celebrities and politicians in their journey to embrace Catholicism.
Early life
Michael Seed was born as Steven Wayne Godwin in Manchester, 1957, to a young woman called Marie, and baptised into the Catholic Church as an infant. He was adopted in 1958 by Joseph and Lillian Seed. During his early childhood he and Lillian were subjected to abuse at the hands of his adoptive father, resulting in a number of unsuccessful suicide attempts by his mother. Seed was subjected to relentless bullying during his school years, alongside the constant abuse he faced at home. Following the suicide of his mother in 1966 and the death of his father in 1968, he was raised by his maternal grandmother.Vocation
In his youth Father Seed was involved in several different Christian denominations, including Roman Catholicism, AnglicanismAnglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
, the Salvation Army
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
and the Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
Union. Eventually, at the age of 18, Seed joined the S.M.A. Fathers (Society of African Missions
Society of African Missions
The Society of African Missions is a Roman Catholic missionary organization. Its members come from around the world with a commitment to serve the people of Africa and those of African descent....
) in 1976 and spent a year at the novitiate
Novitiate
Novitiate, alt. noviciate, is the period of training and preparation that a novice monastic or member of a religious order undergoes prior to taking vows in order to discern whether they are called to the religious life....
in Cork (city)
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. After the novitiate Seed went to the S.M.A. House in New Barnet
New Barnet
New Barnet is an area within the London Borough of Barnet. It is a largely residential North London suburb, close to the M25, A1 and M1.-History:...
in north London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and attended the now-defunct Missionary Institute in Mill Hill
Mill Hill
Mill Hill is a place in the London Borough of Barnet. It is a suburb situated 9 miles north west of Charing Cross. Mill Hill was in the historic county of Middlesex until it was absorbed by London...
along with members of several religious congregations which prepare men for a lifetime of service to the poor of Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
and Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
.
Seed struck up a relationship with the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement (the Society of the Atonement
Society of the Atonement
The Society of the Atonement, also known as the Friars and Sisters of the Atonement or Graymoor Friars and Sisters is a Franciscan religious congregation in the Latin Rite branch of the Catholic Church...
) who ran a library close to Westminster Cathedral
Westminster Cathedral
Westminster Cathedral in London is the mother church of the Catholic community in England and Wales and the Metropolitan Church and Cathedral of the Archbishop of Westminster...
and eventually left his missionary society and joined the Franciscans, taking his first vows in 1982. He was ordained a priest on the 18th of January 1986 and, in 1988 the late Cardinal Basil Hume assigned him the post of Secretary for Ecumenical Affairs at Westminster Cathedral
Westminster Cathedral
Westminster Cathedral in London is the mother church of the Catholic community in England and Wales and the Metropolitan Church and Cathedral of the Archbishop of Westminster...
. Whilst at Westminster Cathedral, Father Seed assisted numerous people, including MPs Ann Widdecombe
Ann Widdecombe
Ann Noreen Widdecombe is a former British Conservative Party politician and has been a novelist since 2000. She is a Privy Councillor and was the Member of Parliament for Maidstone from 1987 to 1997 and for Maidstone and The Weald from 1997 to 2010. She was a social conservative and a member of...
, John Gummer
John Gummer
John Selwyn Gummer, Baron Deben, PC is a British Conservative Party politician, formerly Member of Parliament for Suffolk Coastal, now a member of the House of Lords. He is Chairman of the environmental consultancy company Sancroft International and Chairman of Veolia Water...
and Sooty
Sooty
Sooty is a British glove puppet bear and TV character popular in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and other countries. The children's television show which bears his name has continued in various forms since the 1950s and, according to the Guinness Book of Records, is the...
in their decision to enter the Catholic faith.
He celebrated Masses for former Prime Minister Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
and his family, prior to Mr Blair's conversion to Catholicism in December 2007. He also has many connections with celebrity figures such as Charles Kennedy
Charles Kennedy
Charles Peter Kennedy is a British Liberal Democrat politician, who led the Liberal Democrats from 9 August 1999 until 7 January 2006 and is currently a Member of Parliament for the Ross, Skye and Lochaber constituency....
and Terry Wogan
Terry Wogan
Sir Michael Terence Wogan, KBE, DL , or also known as Terry Wogan, is a veteran Irish radio and television broadcaster who holds dual Irish and British citizenship. Wogan has worked for the BBC in the United Kingdom for most of his career...
. Seed has been painted in oils many times, including being painted by artist Christian Furr
Christian Furr
Christian Furr is an English painter. He was, at the age of 28, the youngest artist to officially paint Queen Elizabeth II.He was born in Heswall, Wirral, England....
who has also done a portraits of the Queen and Sweep.
Activities
In the summer of 2007, it was reported that Seed got into hot water with CardinalCardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
Cormac Murphy-O'Connor;apparently, the Cardinal was upset that Seed had introduced wealthy businessmen to government officials in an attempt to secure financing for Labour's flagship academies. Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor saw this move by Seed as unwarranted support of specific Labour policies. The Cardinal was also reported as being annoyed at Seed's statement that the then Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
Tony Blair would become a Catholic upon leaving Downing Street
Downing Street
Downing Street in London, England has for over two hundred years housed the official residences of two of the most senior British cabinet ministers: the First Lord of the Treasury, an office now synonymous with that of Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and the Second Lord of the Treasury, an...
.
On 15 July 2009 Seed launched the second volume of his autobiography 'Sinners and Saints' at Stringfellows lapdancing club in London's West End. The book received some rave reviews from several sources: The Church Times
Church Times
The Church Times is an independent Anglican weekly newspaper. It is published in the United Kingdom on Fridays.The Church Times was founded in 1863 to campaign for Anglo-Catholic principles and has always been independent of the Church of England hierarchy. It was a family concern The Church Times...
refers to it as a "statesmanlike" and "an an inspiration to all seminarians" with AN Wilson of The Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
bluntly stating "He has now left Westminster Cathedral but he will surely not have left the public stage and is currently appearing as Window Wanky in Aladdin. Where two or three Hello!-style celebs are gathered together, Father Michael Seed will surely be there in their midst, managing to be both clumsily sycophantic and intrusive." Even the tabloid Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
's John McEntee, who seemed to enjoy Seed's book, wonders who released to the press the account of the final moments of the former Defence Secretary, Alan Clark
Alan Clark
Alan Kenneth Mackenzie Clark was a British Conservative MP and diarist. He served as a junior minister in Margaret Thatcher's governments at the Departments of Employment, Trade, and Defence, and became a privy counsellor in 1991...
seeing as Seed was the only other person present: "'Which of the two - the dead Clark or God - leaked the story to a newspaper?'"
External links
- Website of the Franciscan Sisters of the Atonement
- Website of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement
- Website of the Catholic National Library,London
- Article on Paul of Graymoor: Founder of the Society of the Atonement and Father of the Church Unity Octave at Catholic.org
- Article on Mother Lurana, Foundress of the Sisters of the Atonement at Catholic.org