THE HISTORY OF THE SOCIETY OF CATHOLIC PRIESTS begins in the Church of England, which first approved the ordination of women to the priesthood in 1992. At that time, many of the catholic-minded priestly societies did not
accept the validity of women's ordination. As a result, some members, such
as Father Michael Hart, SSC, gave up their affiliations with the existing
societies in order to support women in Holy Orders.

In 1994, Fr. Hart convened a local group of catholic-minded priests, both men and women. Soon after this group found compatriots in the Diocese, and by the summer a new society, the Society of Catholic Priests, was formed, with the support of the Right Reverend Roy Williamson, then Bishop of Southwark, who agreed to be its Episcopal Visitor. The first class of 14 initiates were admitted to the Society by Bishop Roy on September 15, 1994.  The patron of the Society is the Most Rev'd Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury.

The first conference of the Society was held the following September, at
which a constitution and organization structure were formally adopted. The
Society essentially is a federation of local chapters, each of which has its
own Episcopal Visitor and which elects its own officers. The members at
large would gather every year for an annual conference and would elect
national officers. Local chapters would be inaugurated with a mass
celebrated by their Episcopal Visitors and concelebrated by members of the
Society. Chapters would meet periodically to conduct business and to admit
new members.

The word spread quickly. An article about the new Society, entitled "Not for
Our Own Sake," appeared in the Affirming Catholicism Journal (UK), sparked greater interest, and resulted in new members being admitted and new chapters being organized. Due to surging interest, a special division of the Society, the Dearmer Society, was formed in 2003 to initiate seminarians preparing for Holy Orders.  The SCP UK now has over 500 priest members.

Interest in the Society was not limited to England. Priests in
Wales, Scotland, Ireland, and Europe inquired about organizing local
chapters. Even priests in other Churches, like the Old Catholic Union of
Utrecht, sought membership.  Anglicans in North America were no different.

While there were some religious organizations for Anglo-catholic clergy in
Canada and the United States, it became increasingly clear that there was no society for priests who found themselves to be both more moderate or
progressive, as well as catholic and sacramental. These priests believed
fervently in the seven sacraments, the Real Presence of Christ in the
Eucharist, and in traditional piety but also recognized their Province's
attempts to be more inclusive. In 2006 and onwards, a number of these priests began to inquire about creating a new SCP chapter in North America.

In 2009, Father David Cobb, rector of Christ Church in New Haven,
Connecticut, and Robert Hendrickson, a graduate of the General Theological Seminary in New York, began to network Catholic-minded priests and to form a new chapter of SCP in North America. The founding members of the North American chapter will be formally admitted to the Society of Catholic Priests by the Rev'd Canon Andrew Nunn, Rector General of the Society, at Christ Church New Haven on November 10, 2009.