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Easily overlooked, even by life-long Catholics, is theappreciation of truths of our

Faith. For example:• The Seven Sacraments and the

centrality of Mass;• The Real Presence in the

Eucharist and the great privilegeof Eucharistic Adoration;

• The role of the Magisteriumunder the guidance of the Bishopof Rome and those bishops incommunion with him;

• The role of the Blessed Mother inthe Church;

• The spiritual value of suffering;• Our part in the Communion of

Newsletter N° 53

Easter message from the Grand Master

www.oessh.va@granmagistero.oessh @GM_oessh

“How does the deathand Resurrection of Jesus make

a difference in my life?”

We are called – each one of us – to askourselves what the death and resurrection of

Jesus changes in our lives (this photorepresents the empty Sepulchre reproduced

in the Roman parish of the Resurrection ofOur Lord Jesus Christ).

ordinis equestris sancti sepulchri hierosolymitani

jerusalem cross

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II N° 53NewsletterJERUSALEM CROSS

The Order in Union withthe Universal Church

Proceedings of the Grand Magisterium

The Order and the Holy Land

The Life of the Lieutenancies

c o n t e n t s

THE COURAGE OF ENCOUNTER AND AN

OUTSTRETCHED HAND III

“THE CHURCH I KNOW” V

“THE HOLY LAND IS WITHIN US” VII

5000 PEOPLE AT PALAZZO DELLA ROVERE:TWO INTENSE AND EXCITING DAYS IX

IN MEMORIAM XI

THE NEW HOLY LAND COMMISSION XII

THE ORDER’S COMMITMENT TO DISABLED

CHILDREN IN BETHLEHEM XIII

“GIVE GOD A CHANCE AND HE WILL

CHANGE YOUR LIFE” XV

A COMPASS FOR KNIGHTS AND DAMES XVI

COMMITMENT IN THE ORDER IS A PATH

TOWARDS HOLINESS XVII

THE LIEUTENANCY FOR WESTERN

AUSTRALIA AND ITS MALAYSIAN

DOMICILED MEMBERS XIX

AN INITIATIVE BY THE WESTERN USALIEUTENANCY: THE MINISTRY FAIR XXI

A SOLIDARITY EXPRESSED BEYOND

THE HOLY LAND XXII

Printed in April 2019GRAND MAGISTERIUM OF THE EQUESTRIAN ORDER

OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE OF JERUSALEM00120 VATICAN CITY

E-mail: comunicazione@oessh.va

Saints: the intercession of the saints andthe value of our prayers for one anotherand for the souls in purgatory.

It is to these and to so many otherdogmas of our Faith to which we giveimplicit assent in the Nicene Creed werecite each Sunday. One commentator putsit this way:

“Dogma is the record of the absolutelyunchangeable love of God for us. It is thecrystallization of all truths of divine love sofar revealed to us – a burning vision of truthsent by the Holy Spirit to prophets,disciples, evangelists and saints, finallyreaching verbal for in the words of popeand councils.” [Ronda Cherwin]

Clearly the truths of our Faith areprovidential gifts to us on our way toeternal goal. We must never be apologeticabout Catholic dogmas, but rather with theinsights of the Catechism of the CatholicChurch at hand, explore them for our ownspiritual and intellectual growth.

Important as they are, however, they palein the significance of our response to theultimate question for eternal life. “Howdoes the death and Resurrection of Jesusmake a difference in my life?”

As a member of the Equestrian Order ofthe Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, how clearand convincing would my answer be?

Edwin Cardinal O’Brien

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The Grand Master of theOrder of the Holy Sepulchrewas in the Holy Land with

his team in early February, whilePope Francis made a trip to theUnited Arab Emirates, a countrywhere eight of the nine millioninhabitants are immigrants in arather precarious position, amongwhich many Christians of South-East Asia.

Speaking to Cardinal O’Brienand the Grand Magisterium aboutthis first pontifical visit to theArabian Peninsula, Msgr. Giacinto-Boulos Marcuzzo – PatriarchalVicar for Jerusalem and Palestine –expressed the profound joy of theChristians of the Middle Eastregarding the Document on HumanFraternity. The text was signed inAbu Dhabi by the Holy Father and by theGrand Imam of Al-Azhar, leading SunniUniversity based in Cairo. It affirms theneed for religious freedom and “to establishin our societies the concept of full citizenshipand reject the discriminatory use of the termminorities which engenders feelings ofisolation and inferiority.”

This document opens a new page opens inthe history of relations between religions,800 years after the friendly meeting betweenSt. Francis of Assisi and the Sultan of Egyptal-Malik al-Kamil, nephew of the greatSaladin, during the Fifth Crusade, atDamietta. The Document on HumanFraternity – signed February 4 in Abu Dhabi– is destined to become “a guide for the newgenerations in understanding the great

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The Order in Union with the Universal Church

The courage of encounter and an outstretched hand

divine grace that makes all human beingsbrothers.”

Muslims from the East and of the West,with the Catholics of the East and of theWest, declare that they will adopt “theculture of dialogue as a way” and “mutualknowledge as a method,” to foster the valuesof peace, justice, goodness, beauty, humanbrotherhood and shared coexistence, whichthey consider as “an anchor of salvation” forall.

“The West can discover in the Eastremedies for those spiritual and religiousmaladies that are caused by a prevailingmaterialism. And the East can find in theWest many elements that can help free itfrom weakness, division, conflict andscientific, technical and cultural decline,”

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The Document on Human Fraternity – signed by the Popeand the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar in Abu Dhabi – is destinedto become “a guide for future generations to advance aculture of mutual respect in the awareness of the great divinegrace that makes all human beings brothers and sisters.”

states the Document,”a sign of the closenessbetween East and West, between North andSouth, and between all who believe thatGod has created us to understand oneanother, cooperate with one another and liveas brothers and sisters who love oneanother.”

This text is the result of a friendlycollaboration between the two signatories,who have met several times, especiallyduring the papal visit to Egypt in April 2017.Pope Francis sees there – for the CatholicChurch – the development of the teachingsof the Second Vatican Council, in the wakeof the journey of Saint John Paul II inCasablanca (August 1985) and of theinterreligious meeting in Assisi (October1986). “Processes must mature, like flowers,like fruit,” he commented on the plane thattook him back from Abu Dhabi to Rome.

In the footsteps of the visit to Abu Dhabi,as well as the Document on HumanFraternity signed on that occasion, PopeFrancis went to Morocco the last two days ofMarch. He wanted to promote interreligiousdialogue in this country that constitutes anatural bridge between Africa and Europe,

recalling again the eighthundred years that hadelapsed since the historicmeeting between St.Francis of Assisi and theSultan al-Malik al-Kamil.“That prophetic eventshows that the courage ofencounter and of theoutstretched hand is a wayof peace and harmony forhumanity, whereextremism and hatred arefactors of division anddestruction,” he pointedout before KingMohammed VI whowelcomed him.

During the privatemeeting at the Royal Palaceof Rabat, Mohammed VI

and Francis shared a common appeal thatsanctions the uniqueness and sacredness ofJerusalem. “We consider it important topreserve the Holy City of Jerusalem / Al-Quds Acharif as the common patrimony ofhumanity and especially the followers of thethree monotheistic religions, as a place ofencounter and as a symbol of peacefulcoexistence, where mutual respect anddialogue can be cultivated. It is our hope,therefore, that in the Holy City, full freedomof access to the followers of the threemonotheistic religions and their right toworship will be guaranteed”.

Brother Jean-Pierre – the sole survivingTrappist monk of the Tibhirine community,is a symbol of this tenacious commitment tointerreligious dialogue at the service ofhope. He now lives in the monastery Notre-Dame de l’Atlas, in Midelt, Morocco. OnSunday, March 31, the Pope bowed beforethis very elderly religious, kissing his handin a sign of profound respect. It was anindication to us all on how we can renewthe Church: by living the Gospel simply, bygiving one’s life for love.

François Vayne

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During the private meeting at the Royal Palace of Rabat, MohammedVI and Pope Francis signed a common appeal aimed at recognizingthe uniqueness and sacredness of Jerusalem.

Recent weeks and months havehighlighted for the Catholic Churchsome of the difficulties and even

atrocities which have taken place within theChurch. The media have been vociferous intheir condemnation of what has beenhappening over a period of years. There hasbeen justifiable anger at what has beendone, and what has not been done.

All members of the Catholic Church mustfeel emotional about this – shame,embarrassment, being perplexed, angry,cheated, and all the negative emotions thatare possible. For many to be associated withsuch an institution is painful.

The secular media in particular have notspared any detail of some of the atrocitieswhich have taken place. I am left to ask thequestion, “Is this the Church that I know?”

As a rhetorical question I am inclined tothe view that this is not the Church that Iknow. Nor do I see myself as having anypart of an institution which can shelter themisdemeanours and the shocking activitiesof members of the Church in whose name

crimes and indiscretions have beencommitted.

The Church that I know, however, is aChurch of generosity, of care, and of love. Iknow people in religious life and laity whodevote themselves to the betterment ofsociety and to accompanying and servingthose in need. Many give their lives to theChurch – either as ordained religious, or aspeople who serve through vows that theyhave taken, or through vocational calling.They do so freely and with integrity andwith the simple mission of wishing to helpothers.

I am especially aware in the Holy Landthat the Order of the Holy Sepulchre ofJerusalem is devoting its attention toeducation, humanitarian aid, and pastoralcare. These lie at the heart of the work ofthe Order, and indeed of the Church, and itsupports many people who wish to make theworld a better place by their activities andactions. It is one example of how theCatholic Church gathers resources and putsthem at the service of those in need.

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“The Church I know”

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Some high-ranking members of the Order of the Holy Sepulchreparticipated in the organization of the historic meeting convoked by

the Pope regarding “The Protection of Minors in the Church” held inthe Vatican from February 21 to 24. In particular, Cardinal SéanPatrick O’Malley, Archbishop of Boston, Cardinal Blase Cupich,

Archbishop of Chicago and Archbishop Charles Scicluna of Malta.The assembly listened to moving testimonies of victims of sexualabuse, seeking solutions to the crisis in dialectic of exchange and

prayer. Following the event, which was widely reported in the press,president of the Grand Magisterium’s Holy Land Commission,

Bartholomew McGettrick, shared this text in which – conscious of thechallenges and in no way justifying the horrible actions carried outby some clergy – he wanted to point to something we often forget or

take for granted: the beauty of what we live at the heart of the hurchand the presence of God through the generosity and self-giving of so

many people who form the Body of Christ. This is alsothe Church we know, we love and we should not forget!

In season and out of season members inevery continent donate funds to the Order.These funds go to supporting Christiancommunities. Of course it is notnewsworthy to proclaim that the Churchsupports schools, hospices for the dying andhomes for the elderly and infirm, hospitalsfor babies, clinics, orphanages, places ofrefuge for abused women, shelter forrefugees and the tortured, and so on. That isthe Church that I know.

Globally the Catholic Church works inthe field of education to promotehumanitarian values and to do what it can toensure that there is a deep sense of justice insociety. Catholic education tries to bringhope and achievement through therelationships that are created within theCatholic schools. It is the constant work ofteachers who are motivated by the love oftheir students that makes the world a betterplace; of doctors and nurses who attend tothose who suffer in the most miserableliving conditions; and of so many otherswho simply serve others.

Amid the constant pressure for change isthe fact that children still need to love andbe loved. The Church has a duty to ensurethis is a love that is pure and based on rightrelationships. Is it too much to think thatthis may indeed be a human right? Thisremains as perhaps the one area we stillneed to conquer – in the depths of the heart.The Catholic Church can lead in this,

because that is the essence of thenature of Catholic social action and isintegral to the work of the Church thatI know. Of course the Church stillneeds to seek guidance of the Spirit tomore fully celebrate the place ofwomen in its social action andleadership.

In terms of humanitarian aid theCatholic Church is at the forefront ofsupport for refugees, displaced peoples,and those who find themselves at themargins of society. One only has to lookat those organisations which work with

the most needy in our society to find thatthe Catholic Church is present. There ispersecution of peoples for their beliefs andthe Church is there. Indeed it is the role ofthe Church to accompany those most inneed, and to walk with them on theirvarious journeys.

Increasingly in our world there is a needfor pastoral care of all God’s children.Support for the spiritual and social well-being of everyone is increasingly importantin a complex world. In addition there isclearly a growing need for supporting peoplewho struggle in a world which increasinglydisregards the human needs of so many insociety. Increased suicide rates across many“advanced countries” are simply oneindicator of the pressure under which manypeople find themselves.

The Church that I know is a Church thatis generous with the people who serveothers. To be a Christian is to be a person forothers; to be a Christian in the presentworld is to be a person of undying service;and to be a Christian in the present world isto walk along with our neighbours – andespecially those who most need help andsupport. Many, many people are on thosejourneys – and they should not be forgotten.

It is the Church of the pilgrim. It is theChurch of the servant. It is the Church ofgenerosity, of justice, of hope and of love.That is the Church that I know.

Bartholomew McGettrick

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Bartholomew McGettrick and the members of the GrandMagisterium Holy Land Commission during a recentvisit to the people involved in the pastoral service of theLatin Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

From February 1 to 5, the managementand staff from the Romanheadquarters of the Order of the Holy

Sepulchre spent five unforgettable days onpilgrimage to the Holy Land, at the expressinvitation of Cardinal Edwin O’ Brien.

It was the Grand Master desire that theGrand Magisterium’s staff visit someinstitutions that benefit from the Order’ssupport and meet the people who coordinatethe aid in the offices of the LatinPatriarchate of Jerusalem.

The group went to Jaffa of Nazareth, to aparish school that has about 500 studentsand which has expanded: It is just one of thegreat projects that Knights and Dames havegenerously contributed to in recentyears.

On the same day, following Masspresided by the Grand Master on theshores of Lake Tiberias, the pilgrimsgathered in prayer in the place of themultiplication of the loaves and fishesand visited the Mount of Beatitudes, aswell as the Basilica of theAnnunciation, trying to internalize thebeautiful expression shared in themorning by Msgr. Fortunato Frezza, theOrder’s Master of Ceremonies: “TheHoly Land is within us”.

This affirmation becameincreasingly true for each of theparticipants, as the pilgrimagecontinued on to Jerusalem thefollowing day. There Mass wascelebrated at Calvary followed by amoment of meditation in the UpperRoom and a procession to the WesternWall of the Temple.

One of the important moments of

this journey was marked by a visit to Saint-Louis Hospital in Jerusalem. This structurewelcomes the terminally ill – Jews, Muslimsand Christians – and can do so thanks to thefinancial support of the Order. “We do notadd days to life but life to the days”,explained Sr. Monika, director of thisinstitute, showing to what extent acommitment to the dignity of the humanperson can concretely reinforceinterreligious dialogue.

On the eve of our departure, we gatheredbefore dawn at the Holy Sepulchre, insidethe empty tomb, for a Mass during which,side by side, the staff of the GrandMagisterium breathed profound spiritual

“The Holy Land is within us”

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Proceedings of the Grand Magisterium

During an extraordinary pilgrimage to the Holy Land lastwinter, the Grand Master wanted the Grand Magisteriumstaff to visit the institutes that benefit from the support ofthe Order, meeting the people who coordinate aid in theservices of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

The pilgrimage of the Grand Magisterium staff

solidarity, strengthening the awareness ofbeing one family, while carrying the prayerintentions of the 30,000 members of theOrder in their hearts.

The day continued with a visit to theMount of Olives, at Gethsemane, beforegoing to Bethlehem University, a vitaleducation centre that works in large partthanks to the generosity of the Order andthat since its opening in 1973 has become abearer of true hope for the youngPalestinians tested by the complicatedsituation in which they live.

Lunch with some representatives of theUniversity’s 3000 students helped to clearlyshow the difficult conditions that thePalestinians face due to the sinisterSeparation Barrier and the colonization oftheir lands.

After praying in the Grotto of theNativity, the group spent the afternoon atthe Hogar Niño Dios – to which the Order isa major contributor – together with thedisabled and abandoned children whom thenuns of the institute of the Incarnate Wordcare for with tenderness and love.

On the last day, during a Mass at theLittle Cenacle, in Jerusalem, the preacher

invited each pilgrim to ask the Lord for helpto carry out his or her mission here on earthfor which He has desired us from eternity.He recalled that God only waits for adefinitive “yes” to His will to work miracles.

The delegation also went to the Basilica ofthe Dormition and then to the church of StPeter in Gallicantu, next to the steps of theancient road that connected the city toGethsemane, surely travelled by Jesus.

Before leaving, in the absence of theApostolic Administrator who was with thePope in Abu Dhabi, Msgr Giacinto-BoulosMarcuzzo, Patriarchal Vicar in Jerusalem,warmly received the staff of the GrandMagisterium and hosted a lunch for themtogether with the staff of the LatinPatriarchate, directed by Sami el-Yousef.

This historic pilgrimage has allowed tocreate new bonds of collaboration betweenRome and Jerusalem. The discovery for thefirst time of the holy places for someemployees of the Grand Magisterium hasstrengthened the motivation that sustainstheir work. Moreover, everyone was able torenew their enthusiasm in serving theChurch through the Order of the HolySepulchre. François Vayne

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The Palazzo della Rovere, theinternational headquarters of theOrder of the Holy Sepulchre, opened

its doors to more than 5000 visitors onMarch 23 and 24, 2019, during the SpringDays organized by the FAI (ItalianEnvironment Fund) dedicated to thediscovery of Italian heritage. This year thetheme of the Days was the bridge betweencultures.

This exceptional event was an occasion toboost awareness of the Order’s mission toChristians and to all the inhabitants of theHoly Land.

Joining the President of the FAI, AndreaCarandini, and the Vice President, MarcoMagnifico, the Governor General of theOrder, Leonardo Visconti di Modrone – whohad taken the bold initiative of openingPalazzo della Rovere to visitors on these dayswith the agreement of Grand Master,Cardinal Edwin O’Brien – answered thequestions of the Italian television stations

covering the event. In particular, Italiannational TV dedicated a program broadcastlive from Palazzo della Rovere on Sundaymorning.

Marco Magnifico commented on thehappy union between the theme of thisyear‘s FAI Spring Days and the Order of theHoly Sepulchre: “The idea of dedicating theFAI Days to the bridge between cultures wasborn from the fact that Italian culture isamplified in Italy. However, Italian culturehas been nourished by all the Mediterraneancultures and stems from continuousinfluences. For example, here in the Sala deiSemidei, there are sphinxes that clearlycome from other cultures. Throughrecounting these facts, the visitor’s horizonwidens. Moreover, the Palazzo della Rovereis today the headquarters of the Order of theHoly Sepulchre that helps Christianity in theHoly Land, which is a melting pot ofreligions. Together, and not in opposition toeach other, these religions try to collaborate

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5000 people at Palazzo della Rovere:two intense and exciting days

�During the FAI

days organizedfor more than

5000 visitors atthe headquarters

of the Order ofthe Holy

Sepulchre, themedia present

contributedgreatly toboosting

awareness of theactivities of

Knights andDames (here the

GovernorGeneral

interviewed liveon the Italian

national televisionchannel RAI).

and grow.”During the visit, each group – consisting

of about thirty people and guided by FAIvolunteers – was able to watch a three-minute video with images filmed during apilgrimage to the Holy Land in which theactivities of the Knights and Dames werepresented, in addition to meeting membersof the Order who have witnessed theirvocation at a special stand organized by thestaff of the Grand Magisterium and somerepresentatives of the Lieutenancy forCentral Italy. “For us Knights it was thechance to tell people about our mission andillustrate the Order’s main activities.Through the distributed material and stories

we shared from the Holy Land, visitors wereable to touch our work in benefit of ourbrothers and sisters in the Land of Jesus.This is magnificent,” commented GiancarloImbrighi, Secretary of the Rome Section ofthe Lieutenancy, who welcomed visitors toPalazzo della Rovere throughout Saturdayand Sunday.

About 2200 art and history enthusiasts, onthe first day, and 2900 on the second wereenthralled by the artistic treasures of thePalace, decorated in the 15th century byPinturicchio.

These enthusiastic visitors were moved todiscover the generosity of the 30,000members of the Order in the world and left

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President Carandini at Palazzo della Rovere

Archaeologist and academic, Andrea Carandini – president of the Italian Environmental Fund since2013 – honoured us with his presence at Palazzo della Rovere during these exceptional days.

Known for his lifelong passion for heritage conservation, this eminent scholar points out that about800,000 visitors were received at 1100 sites in the 430 cities of Italy during the weekend of March 23and 24.

“The central state cannot do everything on its own and so it helps the associations or foundationsdedicated to the public good so that, in this way, civil society acts alongside institutions. This is the casefor FAI, which has existed for 44 years, a rare reality in Europe that was inspired by a similar reality inGreat Britain and the Commonwealth”, he declared.

The FAI has about 300 employees but relies on a large group of volunteers who work in a familial spiritand it boasts more than 200,000 members. “Italy is the mother of Europe and this soul remains. Itfascinates the world on an artistic level and we are at the service of this precious heritage”, the presidentcontinued. He also confided that he was deeply moved to be at the headquarters of the Order of the HolySepulchre, a reality he first encountered as a child through the then Grand Master, Cardinal Tisserant. F.V.

A stand run bythe GrandMagisterium staffallowedthousands ofvisitors todiscover theOrder of the HolySepulchre,during the twoFAI days lastMarch. Manypeoplesubscribed toour publications.

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On the eve of ninety years on February 5last, Prof. Kaspar Elm, born in Xanten

on September 23, 1929 ended his engagedearthly pilgrimage in Berlin. He was,undoubtedly, one of the most distinguishedhistorians of religiousmovements and currents ofspirituality in the EuropeanMiddle Ages.

We are beholden toremember him here, given hiscontribution to the history ofour Order, critically re-proposing the question oforigins, the ideal motifs thatcharacterized its spirituality, the institutionalevolution that from the Middle Ages to themodern times marked the organizationaladvances and internal reorganizations thattook stock of the most far-reaching eventswhich modified the political scenarios of theHoly Land and of the entire Mediterraneanbasin.

While reserving the right to provide amore in-depth profile of Elm’shistoriographical commitment, we cannotfail to highlight his involvement in aninitiative, desired by the then Grand Master

of our Order, His Eminence Cardinal CarloFurno, which saw us engaged in the searchfor the Idea and the Institutions of the MilitiaSancti Sepulcri.

Numerous specialists from the variousdisciplinary fields were calledupon to discuss this issue in aninternational Colloquium heldin the Aula Magna of thePontifical Lateran Universityfrom April 10 to 12, 1996. Elmwas entrusted with the openingspeech of the session andmyself with its concludingspeech.

Cardinal Furno chose this occasion for theconferral of the honors of the Order and theCommenda was bestowed on Elm.

The Berlin native historian has alwaysbeen proud of this and, quite rightly, in thenote with which the family announced hisdeparture, they placed the cross of the Orderand the incipit of the famous rule attributedto Saint Augustine, which constituted thespiritual codex of the Knights of the HolySepulchre.

Msgr. Cosimo Damiano FonsecaAcademician of the Lincei

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Kaspar Elm, historian of the Orderof the Holy Sepulchre (1929 - 2019)

their contacts to receive more informationabout the Order. Some expressed the desireto materially help the Church in the HolyLand and also to join the Order.

Barbara, a Journalism student at theFaculty of Communication Sciences atnearby LUMSA University shares: “It wasinteresting to know the history of this Palaceand of the Order that has its headquartershere. Every time I passed in front of thisdoor to go to the University I alwayswondered who was here and this was the

occasion to find out!”Among the visitors there are also some

fans of the Holy Land, such as Corrado whoentered with one of the last Sunday groupsafter “a long wait – he comments – but itwas worth it! I lived in the Holy Land fortwo years and came to visit the headquartersof the Grand Magisterium of the Orderwhere the contributions of the Knights andDames – then sent to the Holy Land –converge from all over the world; it was abit like returning to Jerusalem.”

IN MEMORIAM

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The new Holy Land Commission

In January, the new members of theGrand Magisterium’s Holy LandCommission took office. Scottish

professor Bartholomew McGettrick replacedthe American Thomas McKiernan at thehead of this Commission, also constituted bythe Lieutenant emeritus for Germany, DetlefBrümmer and Cynthia Monahan, belongingto the northeastern US Lieutenancy, ofwhich Cardinal Sean O ‘Malley is GrandPrior. We wish to thank Thomas McKiernan,on behalf of the Grand Magisterium, for theleadership work carried out withcompetence and passion, as well as for hisrole as consultant in the new team. Recently,in March, the Commission went to the HolyLand to follow the ongoing programs andmeet the leaders of the Latin Patriarchate, aswell as the representatives of pastoral,scholastic and health life. On the website ofthe Patriarchate, Rula Shomali informs that– welcomed by Mr. Sami El-Yousef, Chief

Executive Officer of the Latin Patriarchate –the members firstly visited the LatinPatriarchate, met with representatives fromthe Project Development, Financial, andTechnical teams along with the catechismoffice before they left to inspect the on-goingand finished projects that the Order funded.During their meeting at the Patriarchate,they discussed the proposed projects for thecoming years, which will focus on youth,scouts, pastoral work, educational projects,humanitarian and infrastructure needs.

Moreover, the HLC visited Jaffa ofNazareth and visited St. Rachel Center inJerusalem before visiting four familiesreceiving support from the Order. After ashort stop at St. Louis Hospital, they had anaudience with Archbishop PierbattistaPizzaballa.

The Commission had quality time withstudents at Bethlehem University, the LatinPatriarchal Seminary in Beit Jala, and the

youth in BeitSahour. Theyvisited the Home ofthe Elderly inRamallah and metwith Fr. Iyad Twal,Director of theLatin PatriarchateSchools in Palestineand Israel and otherschool directors.They ended theirvisit celebrating theSunday Mass withparishioners in OurLady of Fatimaparish in BeitSahour. Finally, theCommission wasreceived by theApostolic Nuncio,Msgr. LeopoldoGirelli.

The Grand Magisterium Holy Land Commission welcomed by Sami El-Yousefand the staff of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, which he expertly directs.

The Hogar Niño Dios is a home that mainly welcomesdisabled children in the Bethlehem area. Starting from 2016,the North Central USA Lieutenancy, who sent us this article,

decided to dedicate 10% of the contributions collected bymembers to help this structure carry out its mission of

welcoming and helping disadvantaged and often abandonedchildren. In addition to the North Central USA Lieutenancy

– which annually sends around $ 15,000 – in 2018 theWestern USA and Central Italy Lieutenancies also decided to

support the Hogar thus enhancing the Order’s action interms of presence and effectiveness.

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The Order and the Holy Land

The Order’s commitment todisabled children in Bethlehem

Hogar Niño Dios, located just downthe hill from the Church of theNativity, is a home for severely

disabled Palestinian children and some

adults. Many of the children have cerebralpalsy and other serious neurologicalconditions that necessitate use ofwheelchairs. Some children have

microcephaly, autism,Down’s syndrome, andgenetic defects. Somehave poor vision orhearing. Most do notspeak. Half of the home’sresidents cannot feedthemselves, and mostrequire considerableassistance in theactivities of daily living.

Four sisters of theReligious Family of theIncarnate Word reside inthe home, which wasfounded by theirsuperior, Mother MariaPia, thirteen years ago.The sisters are theprimary caregivers,assisted by lay staff whoprovide night time

Glen Heinzl, Knight of the Order, a volunteer with disabled children atthe Hogar Niño Dios in Bethlehem.

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supervision, meal preparation, cleaning,and playground supervision. Teachers,physical therapists, and a speech therapistprovide full time services right in the homebecause most of the children are unable toattend school outside the home. Priests ofthe Religious Family of the Incarnate Wordcelebrate Mass in the home’s chapel,provide spiritual direction for the sisters,and interact regularly with the children. Alocal physician provides medical servicesweekly. Seminarians from the LatinPatriarchal seminary visit regularly. Italianvolunteers from Unitalsi and Misericordieassist several times per year. Theyparticipate in cleaning and painting projectsand assist the sisters in feeding and playingwith the children. Project Bethlehem fromGreat Britain provides volunteer teachersand therapists who work with the localteachers and therapists to upgrade skills.

In 2016 the North Central USALieutenancy selected five Holy Landcharities to which its members provideadditional voluntary contributions.Ambassadors were appointed to learn moreabout these institutions and to bechampions for these causes.

Hogar Niño Dios isone of those charities.In 2016 Deacon GlenHeinzl, a Knight, andhis wife DameCommander ChristineHeinzl, travelled toBethlehem asambassadors to HogarNiño Dios. They spent

six to nine hours for eight days at the home.They assisted the children with meals,cleaned them up afterward, changeddiapers, pushed wheelchairs, soothed thechildren when distressed, sat alongsidethem, held them in their arms, and helpedthem exercise. In September, 2018, theHeinzls returned to Hogar Niño Dios for anadditional twelve days of assisting in thecare of the children.

Mother Maria Pia is most grateful for thefunding which has gone toward generaloperating expenses. During the past twoyears an additional teacher and physicaltherapist have been hired. The number ofresidents has increased from twenty five tothirty one. Work is underway to move thenow adolescent boys to a nearby home to berun by the same religious community; thiswill require additional expense.

Joy, peace, and love are evident withinthe home as well as rambunctious behaviortypical of most children. The needs of thechildren are great, and the sisters wouldlike to accommodate still more children asneed arises

Matthew BunsonNorth Central USA Lieutenancy

Mother Maria Pia, of thereligious Family of theIncarnate Word, superiorat the community thatanimates the Hogar NiñoDios, flanked by the Heinzlcouple, representatives ofthe North Central USALieutenancy.

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In early 2019, youngCatholics fromaround the world

gathered in Panama forWorld Youth Day.Among them was alsoa group from the LatinPatriarchate ofJerusalem. NirmeenOdeh, a 26-year-oldPalestinian, shared hertestimony in thepresence of PopeFrancis, which we re-print in full below:

“My name isNirmeen Odeh. I havealways been shy butcurious. I finished mystudies with an ideaengraved in mind, thatthe most importantthing to do in life isgain knowledge. Although I was born as aChristian in Palestine, I did not really carefor that title nor for the Holy Sites thatexisted near to me. In 2016, I participated inWorld Youth Day in Krakow. During thattrip, I made a decision and took a leap offaith. On July 23, 2016, I confessed and Ireceived the body of Christ with faith in myheart for the first time in my life. On theplane back home, I was introduced to thefirst Christian book that I have ever read inmy life; “the Confessions of SaintAugustine”. That book was followed by somany other books that talk about the mercyand love of God. Here I am three years laterin Panama, praying excitingly for God toshow me what my next journey will be, somy message to you my fellow youth of the

world is to have faith in Him and let Him inyour lives. Give Him a chance and He willchange your life.”

Not only young people came from theHoly Land, with them arrived a million anda half rosaries made by the Christians ofBethlehem. This was the gift made to all theparticipants in WYD, indeed the triple giftbecause each young person was given threerosaries; one for themselves, one to deliverto another participant and one to give tosomeone in their own country. The Order ofthe Holy Sepulchre contributed generouslyto this project – AVEJMJ – launched byPierre Bürcher, bishop emeritus ofReykjavik in Iceland, who carried the HolyLand through this Marian prayer all over theworld!

A young Palestinian at the WYD in Panama

Palestinian Nirmeen Odeh was the voice of the Holy Land during the recentWorld Youth Day in Central America. (@CNS Paul Sharing)

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“Give God a chanceand He will change your life”

Thank you Eminence!The Knights and Dames are grateful for

such a useful instrument.We have long felt the need to be more

in communion with our brothers andsisters from all over the world and theHoly Spirit has provided.

The Lieutenancy for Italy Sicily has,since the beginning, distributed the prayer

booklet in its own Sections andDelegations. Some of them have printedand distributed a copy to each member ofthe Order.

The simple and immediate structure – areflection / meditation, further readingand a monthly commitment that becomespersonal prayer – makes it immediatelyaccessible and appreciated.

The Palermo Section, in additionto having printed and distributed thebooklet, at the beginning of themonth through the WhatsApp groupsends everyone the introductorypart of the chapter to remindmembers to meditate, deepen andimplement their personalcommitment.

The booklet was printed anddistributed to all the Confreres andConsoeurs of the Catania Sectionand every month, after the monthlyMass and before a moment offraternal agape, the President –alternating with the ecclesiasticalMaster of Ceremonies – developsthe first part in community. Thesecond and third parts are left topersonal prayer taking advantage ofmonthly Eucharistic adoration.

This new resource makes itpossible for us to be pilgrims withJesus on the journey “to Jerusalem”.

Antonio MirtoLieutenancy for Italy Sicily

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By the Communications Office of the Grand Magisterium

PRAYINGwith the

GRAND MASTER

ORDO EQUESTRISSANCTI SEPULCHRI HIEROSOLYMITANI

The Life of the Lieutenancies

A compass for Knightsand Dames

The booklet “Praying with the Grand Master”

Iread Pope Francis’ apostolic exhortationGaudete et Exsultate on the call toholiness in the contemporary world with

great pleasure. The exhortation waspublished at the right time: now more thanever the lay faithful need to feel an integralpart of the Catholic Church and to knowthat holiness is accessible to all.

Therefore, it is highly desirable that theCroatian Knights and Dames read thisdocument, the content of which will now beincluded in the formation process of futuremembers.

For a Christian, responding to the call to

holiness is inseparable from his or her faith.It is true that this spiritual journey appearslong and full of obstacles. The Lord offersKnights and Dames of the Holy Sepulchrevarious tools for the journey. Not just shieldand sword, but love of God and neighbor,constant prayer, audacity and fervor to makethe message of the Gospel triumph. PopeFrancis invites us to follow the Beatitudes,the DNA of every Christian, in the mannerof the saints. Living the Beatitudes requiresa daily dynamic of conversion and it ispossible only through the grace of the HolySpirit that nourishes the Word of Christ.

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Commitment in the Orderis a path towards holiness

Cardinal Edwin O’Brien in meditation in front of the reliquary of Blessed Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac, amember of the Order, during an Investiture ceremony in Croatia.

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The testimony of Claude Grbesa, Magistral Delegate for Croatia

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As suggested by the Holy Father, we mustfirst start with small everyday gestures:within the family, at work and with ourfriends. Our existence is made of simple joysthat we give or that others give us.

The double mission of the Knight orDame of the Holy Sepulchre – called todeepen and constantly strengthen his faith,as well as to support the Christian presencein the Holy Land – creates a favorablecontext for achieving holiness. The prayerand action evoked in the apostolicexhortation as a primordial symbiosis aretherefore well present in this mission.

This spiritual growth would beimpoverished if it were not carried outwithin a vast community of the faithful, inthis case that of the Knights and Dames ofthe Holy Sepulchre, which constitute a largefamily. “Sanctification is a communityjourney,” emphasizes the Holy Father.

In the post-synodal apostolic exhortationChristifideles laici of 1988 on the vocationand mission of the laity in the Church andin the world, St. John Paul II outlines aseries of “criteria of ecclesiality” to recognizethe associations of lay faithful. The firstcriterion is exactly “the primacy of the

vocation of every Christian to holiness.” Inthis sense, any association of lay believers iscalled to increasingly represent aninstrument of sanctification of the Churchitself.

One can engage in following Christ,taking inspiration from the lives of the greatsaints. As for me, Blessed Cardinal AlojzijeStepinac – Archbishop of Zagreb, martyr andKnight of the Holy Sepulchre – accompaniesme every day in my role as MagistralDelegate. He is a point of reference to whichI turn for inspiration and support in difficulttimes.

However, around us there are closersaints still, as Pope Francis recalls: withinthe family, in the parish, or among friendsand acquaintances. We cannot then forgetour Christian brothers in the Holy Land andthe Middle East, who – althoughgeographically distant – live in the depths ofour hearts. They too are living saints whostay firm in their faith facing difficulties andpersecutions.

Ultimately, each one is called to follow“the unique and specific path” that the Lordwants for him, with the Word of God as acompass.

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Western Australians, throughfamilial, study, business and travelinteract with South East Asians,

particularly Indonesia, Malaysia andSingapore. You may be aware that Malaysiais a Muslim majority country. Most of itsChristians do not live in Peninsular Malaysia– of which Penang Diocese is part andwhere Christians are a small minority, ofmostly Chinese etnicity – but in the States ofSabah and Sarawak, on the Island of Borneo.

Lieutenant of Honour for WesternAustralia Bob Peters, an Australianimmigrant from Burma worked withMonsignor Michael Cheah of Penang to finda way that faithful Malaysian Catholicscould join the Order. Their efforts weremade in Penang Diocese, and we are not todate in touch with any Catholic jurisdictionsoutside of the Penang Diocese.

Early in 2014 the Bishop of Penang agreed

that Catholics from the Diocese couldbecome members of the Order under certainconditions – they could only be members ofthe Australia – Western Lieutenancy andonly if their parish priest agreed. There is apolitical balance in Malaysia that is wary ofthe Church and exposure to an Order ofKnights should be discreet. We only havemembers from the Penang Diocese. We arecareful to contain the wearing of Regalia toliturgical events.

With a suitable letter from the Diocese ofPenang, the Grand Magisterium approvedthe arrangement, accepting the firstMalaysians as non-domiciled members ofthe Western Australian Lieutenancy.

All of this developed before ViceGovernor General, Paul Bartley, assumedresponsibility for the Order’s growth in theregion.

In September 2014 an initial 13

The Lieutenancy for WesternAustralia and its Malaysian

domiciled MembersIn February 2019, the Grand Master approved the establishment of a

Malaysian Section of the Order belonging to the Lieutenancy for WesternAustralia. Lieutenant Jack Gardner tells us the story that led to the birth

of this new presence of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre in Asia.

The creation of asection of the Order in

Malaysia – a countrywhere Islam is the

state religion –represents an

important milestone: itis a transitional stage

towards a MagistralDelegation and

perhaps in the future aMalaysian

Lieutenancy, asexplained in this article

by AustralianLieutenant Jack

Gardner.

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Candidates from the Diocese of Penang wereinvested in Perth. This included MonsignorMichael Cheah, KCHS. It also includedAndrew Khoo, KHS who is now studying forthe priesthood at “Our Lady of Sheshan”Major House of Formation, Institute of theIncarnate Word, at San Celestino, Lipa Cityin the Philippines.

After the Perth 2018 Investiture we have26 Malaysian members of the Lieutenancy.Eleven are women. Each year since 2014,our Malaysian members, includingMonsignor Michael, have been wellrepresented in Perth at the annualInvestiture, supporting their new membersand sharing with the broader membership.

I was pleased to announce in February2019 that His Eminence the Grand Masterhad approved our request for the formationof a Section for our Malaysian domiciledmembers. The Section has appointed itscommittee and has held it first formalmeeting. Creation of this Section is an

important milestone, for our Malaysiandomiciled members. It is for them, aprecursor for transition in time to aMagistral Delegation, and eventually wehope to a Malaysian Lieutenancy.

Our Malaysian members impress withtwo virtues: charity to the poor and love ofpilgrimage to the Holy Land. Governmentrestraint on visas for Israel makes the HolyLand difficult for them to visit; they tend toorganise their own short visits months aheadof departure.

We endeavour to visit Penang annually,where the Council conducts aretreat/workshop for members andprospective candidates. We have alsoattended the pilgrimage centre of St Anne’sChurch and Shrine in Bukit Mertajam,where a mass for 3,000 to 5,000 attendees isnot unusual. This exposes us to Catholicsfrom all of Peninsular Malaysia.

Jack GardnerLieutenant for Australia Western

The joy of touching the Land of Christfor Malaysian domiciled members

During the Investiture in Perth, Australia, celebratedby cardinal Edwin O’Brien, Malaysian members of

the Lieutenancy for Western Australia spoke of howimportant their pilgrimage to the Holy Land was forthem, not only as members of the Order, but asCatholics. They all spoke, first, of how difficult it is forthem to even make the pilgrimage. The Malaysiangovernment makes it difficult for them to get a visa totravel to Israel, as their country has no officialdiplomatic relations with the State of Israel. They areonly allowed to be in Israel for 7 days (shorter thanthey all would like). So even to get permission totravel is the first obstacle – but no good pilgrimage iswithout its obstacles and the difficulties theyexperience makes their pilgrimage all the moremeaningful, a “Pilgrimage of a lifetime”.

“A pilgrimage to the Holy Land makes me holier” Anna said. “To go to the grounds where Jesus walkedand where Mother Mary lived” is a remarkable experience. “The Bible comes alive,” said Vincent. They allcommented that visiting the Holy Land makes them all the more intent to work on their own lives of faith.Several mentioned that it was because of a pilgrimage to the Holy Land that they joined the Order.

The Order supports so many importantand life-giving ministries in the HolyLand. In 2015, under the aegis of

Lieutenant Michael Scott Feeley, theWestern USA Lieutenancy began aninitiative at our Annual Meeting to raise

awareness among our membership of themyriad ministries that the Lieutenancyfunds in the Holy Land. Spearheaded by SirSteve and Lady Kristin Luchetta of OrangeCounty, the purpose of our Ministry Fair isto showcase these efforts, provide

information to membersabout ongoing projects wesupport, and explain howthese ministries helpChristians in the Holy Land.

At each Annual Meeting, adozen tables are set up in acentral area through whichmembers must pass toregister and attend events.The Ministry Fair remainsopen all day Friday as well asSaturday afternoon duringthe Annual Meeting. Staffedby volunteer members whoare familiar with the specificministry, each table has a flatscreen monitor where videosof the ministry and powerpoint presentationscontinuously run. Trifoldpamphlets explaining eachministry are given out ateach table along with otherwritten materials andpictures are displayed. Themembers running the tableengage members inconversation and providefirst hand perspectives on theparticular work being

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An initiative by the Western USALieutenancy: the Ministry Fair

The Western USA Lieutenancy presents the projects carried out inthe Holy Land on the annual Lieutenancy meeting, arousing greatinterest and generosity.

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How to make our members more aware about our action in theHoly Land? This is an oft-asked question. In this article, theWestern USA Lieutenancy tells more about the Ministry Fairthey have organized during the Annual Meeting since 2015.

showcased. It is a convivial atmosphere withmembers mingling together and enjoyingsnacks and drinks.

The Western USA Lieutenancy MinistryFair includes presentations on St. Vincent’sHome, Hogar Niño Dios, Kerak ItalianHospital, Patriarchal Seminary at Beit Jala,Bethlehem University, the Holy ChildProgram, Society of St. Yves Center forHuman Rights, the Holy Land EconomicDevelopment Program (microloans forChristian small businesses through CaritasJerusalem), Our Lady of Peace Center inAmman, Beit Afram Home for the Elderly,

and the parochial schools in Zarqa, Jordan.In addition, we have tables dedicated to ourLegacy Society, pilgrimage opportunities,and Justice & Peace efforts.

The Western USA Lieutenancy MinistryFair is an effective and enjoyable way ofinforming our members of the ministriestheir contributions support and making theexperience personal through member tomember interaction. The initiative inspireszeal for the ministries and has resulted ingreater appreciation for the projects andincreased financial support. It draws uscloser to the people of the Holy Land.

The Magistral Delegation of the Orderof the Holy Sepulchre in NewZealand has taken part in a successful

project to resettle a Chaldean Catholicrefugee family in New Zealand.

The project was initiated by twomembers of the Order, Pat and SuzieMcCarthy who have led several pilgrimagesto the Holy Land. Their desire to help Iraqirefugees arose from meetings in Jordan withrefugees who had fled ISIS militants.

Back in New Zealand, the McCarthysmade contact with the Iraqi ChaldeanCatholic Community of St. Addai inAuckland, whose pastor, Fr. Douglas Al-Bazi, had been imprisoned and tortured byISIS. After a series of meetings apartnership was formed between theMagistral Delegation of the Order in NewZealand and the St. Addai Community toexplore options for refugee resettlement.

With the backing of the New ZealandCatholic Bishops Conference, thepartnership was placed under the

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A solidarity expressed beyondthe Holy Land

The Order acts in the local dioceses to support Christiansfrom the Middle East

Thanks to two members of the Order, Pat andSuzie McCarthy, the Magistral Delegation forNew Zealand has committed itself to servingIraqi refugees, particularly supporting a familynow settled in the city of Hamilton.

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leadership of Caritas Aotearoa NewZealand, the local affiliate of CaritasInternationalis.

A benefactor was attracted by thehumanitarian nature of the project andprovided the necessary guarantee offunding. Funding required the name of anorganisation, not an individual and thebenefactor allowed his funding to be in thename of the Order (New Zeland). Fundingwas also guaranteed by various groupswithin the Chaldean Catholic community.

At the beginning of 2018 there was aflurry of communications with contacts ofthe McCarthys and Fr. Al-Bazi in Jordan andLebanon to find an Iraqi Chaldean Catholicfamily who met the New ZealandGovernment criteria and who wished to

resettle in New Zealand. Several familiescontacted did not meet the criteria. Justbefore the deadline, a refugee family waschosen – husband, wife and four-year-olddaughter, with another child on the way.

The family was welcomed to NewZealand at the end of May 2018 and is nowestablished in a fully-furnished, newly-builthome in the city of Hamilton. The secondchild, a boy, was born in August.

The family is receiving support from thelocal Chaldean Catholic community and theCatholic Diocese of Hamilton. They alsohave all the social and financial benefits ofNew Zealand residents. The McCarthyskeep in regular touch with the family andreport on their progress to the members ofthe Magistral Delegation.

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A convivial moment organized in honour of the Iraqi refugees supported by the Order of the HolySepulchre received by Msgr. Steve Lowe, bishop of Hamilton.

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annales ordinis equestris sancti sepulcHri hierosolymitani

jerusalem cross2018-2019

With the Christiansof the Holy Landfor encounterand peace

Browse the annual magazineof the Order of the Holy Sepulchrenow available online on our official

website in five languages:www.oessh.va