In his recent ApostolicExhortation, Gaudete etExultate on our call to

holiness in today’s world1,Pope Francis declares at theoutset: “Jesus wants us to besaints and not to settle for abland and mediocre spiritualexistence.”

Modern saints need not tobe formally canonized, nor dothey live in “swooning andmystic rapture.” You mightknow, or even be a modernsaint! Not perfect, but tryingto be, drawing closer toChrist and imitating him insmall gestures and selflessservice to others. Saints livein trustful joy whatever thecircumstances. Theyrecognize the face of Christ intheir beatitudinal awareness

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The members of the Order mustbear witness to their commitmentto following Christ in the heart of

the cities in which they live,drawing this spiritual power fromthe celebrations that bring them

together.

“You might be a modern saint!”

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SPRING 2018 N° 50

Reflections of the Grand Master

www.oessh.va@granmagistero.oessh @GM_oessh

ordinis equestris sancti sepulchri hierosolymitani

jerusalem cross

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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

PEACE IS A GIFT: LET US INVOKE IT! IIIAN IMPORTANT ENCOUNTER TO PRAY FOR PEACE

IN THE MIDDLE EAST V

THE GRAND MASTER’S VISITS VIITHE GRAND MAGISTERIUM’S SPRING MEETING VIIITHE 2018 PROJECTS UNDERTAKEN AND

SUPPORTED AT THE REQUEST OF THE LATINPATRIARCHATE OF JERUSALEM X

AN “EVENING SCHOOL” FOR THE CHILDREN OFREFUGEES IN JORDAN XII

FROM BETHLEHEM TO PANAMA: ROSARIESFOR WYD XIII

A HEARTFELT TRIBUTE TO THE LIEUTENANCYFOR GERMANY XV

A KNIGHT CHAPLAIN IN THE ORDERFOR OVER 20 YEARS XVI

NEW NORTH AMERICAN LIEUTENANTS’ORIENTATION MEETING XVII

AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND PREPAREFOR THE GRAND MASTER’S VISIT XIX

IMPRESSUM GRAND MAGISTERIUM OFTHE EQUESTRIAN ORDER OF THE HOLY

SEPULCHRE OF JERUSALEM00120 VATICAN CITY

E-mail: comunicazione@oessh.va

and response to the poor, the weak andthose suffering persecution for His sake.

Saints will necessarily suffer in a spiritualcombat, but they can always be assured ofthe strength gained in personal prayer andfrequent sacramental life, especially theEucharist and Penance.

In a challenging statement, Pope Francissummarizes the identity of a saint: “Amission planned by the Father to reflect andembody, at a specific moment in history, acertain aspect of the Gospel.” The mission ofeveryone of us is defined in family,occupation, social contacts and personalstatus such as health, economic status, etc.

In our case, the mission of a knight ordame of the Order is additionally defined bya solemn commitment to Christ and HisChurch in the Holy Land. In this regard,note that Pope Francis insists: “Growth inholiness is a journey in community, side byside with others.” Accordingly, we canconclude that our Order “…is called tocreate a God-enlightened space in which toexperience the hidden presence of the Risen

Lord.”Does our special devotion to the Empty

Tomb enable us to experience “the hiddenpresence of the Risen Lord”?

What effect has a Pilgrimage there had inexperiencing his hidden presence – in theMass and Holy Eucharist, perhaps?

What can each of us contribute to makeour Lieutenancy “a God-enlightened space toexperience the Risen Lord’s hiddenpresence”?

I conclude with the final prayer of thePope’s document:

“Let us ask the Holy Spirit to pour outupon us a fervent longing to be saints forGod’s greater glory, and let us encourageone another in this effort. In this way, wewill share a happiness that the world willnot be able to take from us.” Amen!

Edwin, Cardinal O’Brien

1 Visit our website www.oessh.va for an in-depthanalysis on this recent Apostolic Exhortation by PopeFrancis, a document of fundamental importance forall the baptized.

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“We are distressed, today’s eventsdo not lead us towards peace,but in the exactly opposite

direction”, commented Msgr. Giacinto-Boulos Marcuzzo, patriarchal vicar forJerusalem and Palestine, in the immediateaftermath of grave clashes along the securitybarrier between Gaza and Israel on May 14last. The violence led to the deaths of dozensof Palestinians while many others (somenews agencies speak of more than 2000) areinjured.

The bishop who has held the post ofpatriarchal vicar for Israel for almost 25years and who has an in-depth knowledge ofthe situation continued: “We want to believethat a truce can be reached with the goodwill of all. This is why we ask the wholeinternational community to support thedesire of Jews and Palestinians to movetowards peace. Let us move away fromideologies and look at reality”.

Having spent 28 years in the Holy Land,�

The Order in Union with the Universal Church

Peace is a gift: let us invoke it!

“May the Spirit change heartsand situations and bring peace

to the Holy Land!”

Pope Francis says he was present both in heart and soul at the prayer vigil for peace in the Holy Landorganized on Saturday 19 May by the diocese of Jerusalem. Speaking after the Regina Coeli on the

feast of Pentecost, he said: “Last night I was spiritually united to the prayer vigil for peace that took placein that city, holy for Jews, Christians and Muslims. And today, let us continue to invoke the Holy Spirit toinspire wills and gestures of dialogue and reconciliation in the Holy Land and throughout the Middle East”.Earlier on Sunday 20 May, during Mass, he also recalled the situation in the Holy Land, citing the Acts ofthe Apostles and indicating that the Holy Spirit who “opens new paths” is capable of changing events, “asin the episode of the deacon Philip. “The Spirit drives Philip to a desert road from Jerusalem to Gaza…How heartrending that name sounds to us today! May the Spirit change hearts and situations and bringpeace to the Holy Land!”, exclaimed the Holy Father.

Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, ApostolicAdministrator of the Latin Patriarchate ofJerusalem, described the atmosphere in thisdivided land: “People’s minds are tooexacerbated, there has been too muchviolence, hate ... there is a truly profoundhatred and a very deep distrust especiallybetween the parties. So realistically I do notthink there will be changes in the shortterm, unfortunately. In the long term it isclear that the situation cannot remain as itis, it needs to be taken in hand”. TheAssembly of the Catholic Ordinaries of theHoly Land, which gathers together Latin,Melkite, Maronite, Syriac, Armenian,Chaldean leaders as well as the Custody ofthe Holy Land, described the situation inraw terms: “These casualties, or most ofthem, could have been avoided if non-lethaltools had been used by the Israeli forces. Wedo call all parties involved to avoid use ofviolence and to find ways to end siegeimposed on about two million Palestinians in

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Gaza Strip as soon as possible.”In the face of the concern caused by

growing tension and violence, ArchbishopPizzaballa called a prayer meeting for thePentecost vigil. The initiative wasimmediately supported by the Council ofEuropean Bishops’ Conferences, whichinvited “communities and individuals,including those in Europe, to join the prayer

of the Church of Jerusalem, through a timeof recollection and prayer for the peace andthe defence of life at all cost, Saturday, May19, the eve of Pentecost“.

The call to prayer is the voice that unitesthe Christians of the Holy Land who, in thisprofound conviction of the power ofrecourse to God, are sustained by the HolyFather who during the general audience ofMay 16 expressed himself with these words:“I am very concerned about the escalation oftensions in the Holy Land and in the MiddleEast, and about the spiral of violence thatdeviates ever farther from the path of peace,dialogue and negotiation. I express my greatsorrow for the victims and the woundedand, through prayer and affection; I amclose to all those who are suffering. Iemphasize again that the use of violencenever leads to peace. War begets war;violence begets violence. I invite all theparties involved and the internationalcommunity to renew their commitment sothat dialogue, justice and peace may prevail.Let us Let us invoke Mary, Queen of Peace.“Hail Mary...”. May God have mercy on us! Iaddress my cordial best wishes for themonth of Ramadan, which will begintomorrow. May this privileged time ofprayer and fasting help you to walk on thepath of God which is the way of peace.”

Let us therefore join in prayer so thatonce again the Father who is in heaven cansay: “I have heard the cry of my people” (seeExodus 3: 7) and make us the gift of peace.

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Homage to the new cardinalmembers of the Order

On Sunday 20 May 2018, Feast of Pentecost, Pope Francis announced that he will celebratea consistory in which 14 new cardinals will be created. They include two members of the

Order, Monsignor Angelo De Donatis, Vicar General of His Holiness for the diocese of Rome,and Monsignor Giuseppe Petrocchi, Archbishop of L’Aquila (Italy). In the name of the wholeOrder, the Grand Magisterium expresses the most heartfelt congratulations to the two futurecardinals and entrusts these pastors to the intercession of Mary, Mother of the Church.

The dove of peace – in the church of St. Stephenin Jerusalem – symbolized the hope of thenumerous people who came to pray following theappeal of Msgr. Pizzaballa, ApostolicAdministrator of the Latin Patriarchate, for theVigil of Pentecost.

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The Pope is motivated by the need for anew and special supplication to Godto begin to unravel the many, and

increasingly tangled knots that encompasshuman affairs in that region, paradoxicallythe cradle of the three great monotheisticreligions. This not only solicits ourexcitement and involvement, it also urges usto better understand the reasons for such animportant decision.

The first consideration certainly involvesfaith in prayer. The invitation to pray from aman who ceaselessly reminds us “not toforget” to pray for him, may seem obvious.His exhortation is based on the richness ofthe interior life that every baptized personhas the duty to cultivate by practicing theweapon of prayer, besides being nourishedby the Word of God and the sacraments. Sonot only is he in a position to be able toadore, love and invoke God the Father inTruth but also to battle Satan who “like aroaring lion”, St. Peter reminds us (1 Pt 5,8),is bent on the destruction of our spiritual lifethrough division among men and theirremoval from the immanent presence ofGod.

A divine intervention to open a pathto peace

In the Near and Middle East this verydivision is manifesting itself as ever morelacerating, inappeasable in its annihilation ofall signs of life, never satisfied with its totaldestruction, even of the smallest buds that

open to hope. The images that come to usfrom Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen ofstray and frightened refugees, victims ofsuicide bombers, camps of refugeesexhausted with resignation, survivors ofdeadly gas, buildings in rubble, skeletalpalaces, churches profaned, all testify to anendemic conflict that like a monster feedson its wickedness. And it shows no sign ofstopping given the converging resources ofpowers, some far from the area, determinedto assert their own interests, which areabove all economic and strategic (evennuclear), or their own political-religiousprimacy. The increased rivalries betweennations and peoples of the region havecomplicated and aggravated the persistentIsraeli-Palestinian tensions.

All human power seems to have faded,given the failures of the diplomatic actionand the paradoxical impotence of themilitary one, capable of taming the ruthlessstruggle for peace. Thus Pope Francis, whois passionately devoted to Mary Untier ofKnots, certainly thought of her intercessionin the peroration of divine intervention. Theonly one who can open to hope, to peace.He prepared for this with the prayer for theemblematic, beloved Syria which, on EasterSunday, he called all Catholics to pray for;then with the pilgrimage, at the beginning ofMay, to the Roman Shrine of Divine Loveand reiterating the invitation to recite, withthis intention and throughout the month, theHoly Rosary. He then called a special prayermeeting, of all Christians, from the West and

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An important encounter to prayfor peace in the Middle EastFrancis believes in prayer and believes in the divine gift of peace.

Fortified by these convictions, and inspired by the Spirit, in order toinvoke and mature peace in the Middle East, he has called for aprayer encounter on July 7 in Bari. An unusual meeting, singled

out by the choice in location which has strong ecumenicalconnotations: the Basilica of Saint Nicholas.

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the East, inviting the Patriarchs of theCatholic and Orthodox Churches of all ritesto Bari.

The Basilica of Bari, a place ofecumenical prayer facing the East

The value of Bari for this general prayermobilization certainly lies in the fact that itis the capital of a region historically seen asthe “gateway to the East” and “bridge” in theMediterranean between continental Europeand the closest Asian coasts. The peopleshave always met here, with their fruits andcultures, and through here the Christianpilgrimage for the Holy Land flowed frommany parts of Europe, under the protectionof the Gargano, just as in Normandy, of theArchangel Michael. But Bari is above all awitness to the anxiety and commitment ofChristians for the re-establishment of their

unity that has as its protagonist the holythaumaturge Nicholas of Mira. He is highlyrevered in the East as in the West, his relicskept in the splendid basilica that the city haserected in his honor, a destination ofpilgrimages and unique in Christianitywhere both Mass in the Latin rite and theDivine Liturgy in the rites of our Orthodoxbrothers, are celebrated.

Memory and circumstances make the July7 meeting extraordinary in the invocation toGod of the gift of peace by His childrenunited in His name. Jesus, after havingrevealed to us (Jn 14: 5-6) that He is the“way, the truth and the life”, has left us thisassurance, repeating it even twice (Jn 14: 13-14): “Whatever you ask in my name, I willdo it, so that the Father may be glorified inthe Son. If you anything of me in my name,I will do it.”

Graziano Motta

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This summer the Basilica of Bari – an ecumenical and spiritual place where the relics of St. Nicholas arevenerated – will host a prayer meeting for peace in the Middle East.

After the Easter celebrations and theautumn meeting of the GrandMagisterium, on April 25 Cardinal

Edwin O’Brien presided at Mass in theancient basilica of Saint Mark in PiazzaVenezia, Rome, to mark the homonymousfeast day of the evangelist known as “theinterpreter of Peter”. At the invitation of theparish priest, Fr Renzo Giuliano, manyfaithful – both parishioners and pilgrimseager to “become disciples” – gathered in theheart of the Eternal City around the GrandMaster of the Order – to pray together.

At the beginning of May, the GrandMaster went to the ancient abbey ofCasamari, in the province of Frosinone, tocelebrate the Investiture ceremony of theLazio Section of the Lieutenancy for CentralItaly and then, the following weekend, hetravelled to Lucerne to meet the members ofthe Swiss Lieutenancy and preside over theInvestiture of new members and theinstallation ceremony for the new

Lieutenant, Donata Maria Krethlow-Benziger,who succeeded Jean-Pierre Marie de Glutz-Ruchti to this vital office.

On May 17, Cardinal O’Brien took part inthe meeting of Latin American Lieutenanciesin Buenos Aires, also celebrating 130 years ofthe Argentine Lieutenancy and presiding thefollowing day at the Investiture Mass at theBasilica of Our Lady Help of Christians inBuenos Aires. His journey continued with avisit to the Brazilian Lieutenancies. Thismeeting gave him the opportunity to go on apilgrimage to the shrine of Christ theRedeemer in Rio de Janeiro, after which hecelebrated the Investiture ceremony of thenew Brazilian members in the Rio cathedral.In late May he arrived in Washington, DC, toofficiate Mass together with members of theLieutenancy USA Middle Atlantic at theshrine of St. John Paul II, where manyAmerican pilgrims venerate a relic of thisillustrious Pope.

His Eminence also presided over theimportant meeting of the Lieutenantsof North America in Toronto, fromMay 31 to June 2. Furthermore, hewelcomes new Knights and Dameswithin the Order of the HolySepulchre, celebrating an Investitureceremony in Brussels during thesecond week of June. Later, he willreturn to Rome for the meeting of theEuropean Lieutenants, on June 13and 14.

Pauline Bourgogne

The Grand Master’s visits

Proceedings of the Grand Magisterium

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Cardinal O’Brien – accompanied by theGovernor General Visconti di Modrone andthe Vice Governor General Moroni Stampa– officiated at the handing over ceremonyfor the new Lieutenant for Switzerland lastMay.

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Welcoming participants in hisopening address for the GrandMagisterium Spring meeting,

Grand Master Cardinal Edwin O’Brienasserted the importance of fostering awider and deeper understanding of themission and action of Knights andDames. This particularly in the fewmonths leading up to the importantappointment of the Consulta, whenrepresentatives of the Order from acrossthe globe gather in Rome.

He fervently encouraged the participantsto invite a reflection on the presence ofpriests in the Order for the spiritualaccompaniment of the members, a subjectthat he also dwelt upon again during themeeting. The Governor General, LeonardoVisconti di Modrone, presented the majorcurrent issues for the Order, concerning thefirst nine months of his mandate. A newdirection is emerging regarding the projects

followed by the Grand Magisterium: humanformation will be privileged over theconstruction of buildings, in particularthrough the support of the Catholic schoolsnetwork of the Patriarchate in the Holy Land,which corresponds to two thirds of thediocesan budget.

Following the agenda, ArchbishopPierbattista Pizzaballa – Administrator of theLatin Patriarchate – updated the members ofthe Grand Magisterium about the situation inhis diocese, especially on a pastoral level. Herejoiced that the influx of pilgrims has beenonce again reconfirmed this year, especiallyfrom Latin America and Asia, despite a rathertense political context on the ground. Asregards the activity of the Patriarchate, theArchbishop emphasized the desire for bettercoordination of the schools, thanks to thecreation of a “central office”, insisting on theimportance of catechesis. “We are not anNGO. What is important to us is first of all

The Grand Magisterium’sSpring Meeting

Morning Mass presided by Msgr. Pierbattista Pizzaballa in the Palazzo della Rovere, seat of the Order ofthe Holy Sepulchre in Rome, on the occasion of the Grand Magisterium’s Spring meeting.

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pastoral in nature, it is a question of formingfuture generations in a Christian way”, heremarked in essence, thanking the Order foroffering him the means to continue in thisdirection.

An overview of the financial managementof the Order also shows that, thanks to thereserves, the contributions sent to the HolyLand remain at the same level as the previousyear, despite a reduction in donationsreceived by the Grand Magisterium (about14.5 million euro in 2017, compared to thehistorical record of over 16 million euro in2016). The Lieutenancies of Germany andItaly are always on the front lines in theirgenerosity, after those of the United States.During a debateconcerning operationalexpenses, the ViceGovernor for NorthAmerica Patrick Powersconsidered the need toboost the Order’spossibilities by increasingits visibility so that itsvocation to serve theMother Church inJerusalem may be better known and attractnew members.

Subsequently, Sami El-Yousef, chiefexecutive officer of the Latin Patriarchate,presented the budget for the year 2017,explaining the rationalization under way for aclear and precise control of management,especially for the 41 schools and 34kindergartens that – with almost 20,000students and 1,500 employees – constitutethe diocese’s greatest financial involvement.He thanked the Grand Magisterium for thecontinuous contribution provided in thisregard, as well as for the coverage ofinstitutional expenses, especially relating tothe formation of future priests.

Following the items on the agenda, thePresident of the Holy Land Commission ofthe Grand Magisterium, Thomas McKiernan,commented on the help given to thePatriarchate for evangelization activities,

emphasizing that in addition to the majorprojects in 2018 (the school and thepresbytery of Jaffa of Nazareth, in Israel; thekindergarten in Hashimi in Jordan; thechurch of Jubeiha in Jordan; the renovationof the parish house in Anjara in Jordan; aswell as the raise in teachers’ salaries), some“small projects” will be favored on a humanscale, allowing to diversify the motivation ofKnights and Dames. These small projects2018 – proposed by the Patriarchate –amount to little more than 300,000 eurosand can be consulted by the Lieutenants ona dedicated section of the GrandMagisterium’s administration website.

These themes together with the roleplayed by theLieutenants will bereflected upon during thegeneral assembly of theOrder, the Consulta,scheduled in Rome fromNovember 13 to 16.Lieutenant GeneralAgostino Borromeospoke about it,underlining that he is

currently cooperating with a preparatorycommission for the Instrumentum Laboris,which will guide the work. This event willalso be an opportunity to develop theOrder’s communications, as was pointed outby Chancellor Bastianelli, who alsoascertained the need for a renewal andrejuvenation of the membership, the numberof which remains stable (about 29,000). Thenumber of deaths increased by 12% in 2017compared to 2016, highlighting the essentialneed for measures in favor of recruitment.North America is still leading with 15,000members, followed by Europe with 12,000 (a5% decrease is observed in Europe, whilethe trend is on the upside in other regions);then follows Oceania, Latin America –revitalized thanks to the restoration of theMexican Lieutenancy – and finally Asia,together with Southern Africa.

François Vayne

The Lieutenanciesfor Germany and Italy

are always at theforefront of generosity,

after those for theUnited States.

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In 2018 the Order’s commitment to theprojects proposed by the LatinPatriarchate of Jerusalem focuses

primarily on the conclusion of projectsalready underway.

One example is the Jubeiha church. InJubeiha, Jordan, there is a growing Christiancommunity. The first phase of the projectwas the basement floor, which wascompleted before Christmas 2017, enablingthe parish to host Christmas celebrationsthere and to use the basement floor as atemporary church. The project continues in2018 with the construction and completionof the church itself and the bell tower. “Wehope to finish it by Easter 2019”, stated SamiEl-Yousef during the Grand Magisteriummeeting of April 2018.

Another ongoing project concerns thekindergarten in Jaffa of Nazareth,serving an important parish in North Israel.This structure will have 6 classrooms aswell as a multipurpose hall on the top floorof the building. The project is expected tobe completed in Summer 2018 so thathopefully with the start of the new schoolyear in September 2018, the newkindergarten will be opened. This is the sitewhere the Governor General placed thecornerstone during his first official visit tothe Holy Land.

The third ongoing project is thekindergarten in Hashimi, Jordan.According to Ministry of Educationregulations, a kindergarten cannot be onthree levels but only on one level for

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The 2018 projects undertakenand supported at the request

of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem

The GrandMagisterium of theOrder has chosen todirect moreeconomic aidgranted to the HolyLand to supporteducation,especially in termsof the salaries ofteachers in theschools of the LatinPatriarchate ofJerusalem.

Sami El-Yousef, chief executive officer of the LatinPatriarchate of Jerusalem, shared with us some important

details about the projects the Grand Magisterium will supportduring 2018 in agreement with the Latin Patriarchate.

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children’s safety so a new building has to beconstructed next to the school. The chiefexecutive officer of the Latin Patriarchateinforms us that “the project has alreadystarted and digging has begun. Like Jaffa ofNazareth, it is estimated to be completed bySummer 2018 to be ready to welcomestudents for new school year.”

Giving priority to completion of alreadyongoing projects, only one new big projecthas been added: the renovation of aresidence for priests in Anjara wherepriests were very busy in developing thenew building for the care of children butwere not taking care of their own needs.“When I visited the premises a few monthsago – states Sami – I found the place wherethey live in a bad shape. A project was thenprepared and submitted to the Order whoaccepted to support it so that in a short spanof time, the priests will have renovatedpremises to live in.” In addition, the Orderis continuing to fund the salary increasefor teachers. 1,500 employees work in the45 schools of the Patriarchate and their

salaries are really below the standard of thelocal cost of living both in Palestine andJordan. Talking about this action that theGrand Magisterium decided to support,Sami underlines that “it is particularlyimportant because there are 1,500 familieswhose sustenance is guaranteed by theemployment opportunity created by theschools and this is a contribution to keepChristian families in the Holy Land andprovide them with a dignified life.”

Finally, this year the Order has agreed tofund some small projects totalling around300,000 $ to provide support for a numberof initiatives which will not exceed 30,000 $each. Those types of projects will be able toinvest in capacity building projects,infrastructure development, equipmentprojects for schools, centres, parishes. Atotal of 18 projects have been approved andthese will support civil and mechanicalworks (60%), human resources anddevelopment (20%) and pastoral care (20%).

Elena Dini

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The Order and the Holy Land

In August 2014, hundreds of Iraqirefugees fleeing Daesh poured into theMarka-Hashemi neighbourhood, one of

the poorest in Amman, near the Latin parishof Marka (Jordan). Father Khalil Jaar hasopened a free “evening school” for all thosechildren who could not find a placeelsewhere and who are awaiting – alongwith their family – a visa to reach a hostcountry.

An immense courtyard is filled withpupils in grey and red uniforms. Suddenly, abell is heard: Abuna Jaar sounds the hour of

prayer. Students line up in front of thechaplain and sing a powerful song. This isthe Our Father in Aramaic, the language ofChrist, which young pupils also call the“language of Christians” ... that language inwhich they were accustomed to praying inIraq. In order not to forget their roots,Father Jaar instituted this daily Our Father,learning it himself by heart.

In August 2014, the relentless parishpriest of Marka parish had to face the arrivalof over 800 Iraqi Christian families, drivenout by Daesh. The priest tells: “At the

An “evening school” for thechildren of refugees in Jordan

The Order of the Holy Sepulchre participates in the reception ofrefugees on the territory of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem.As a concrete example of this solidarity, we propose one of the

many experiences unfolding within Jordan’s parishes.

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Daily prayer inAramaic – the

language of Christ– with refugee

children, duringthe activities of the

evening schoolorganized in a

Jordanian parish.

beginning, everyone was sleeping here. Wehad to turn the school into a giantdormitory. It was hard, there were manysick people. Then, little by little, we wereable to rent some apartments into which twoor three families moved”. In February 2015,once the “humanitarian crisis” had receded,an “evening school” was born. Today, itwelcomes 200 children completely free ofcharge in the evening, in addition to the 100students integrated in classes withJordanians in the morning. Within a fewmonths, the institute has become a pillar inthe lives of many families, a community inwhich they find shelter.

In order to bring this project to life,Father Jaar skilfully juggled the Iraqi

community, the parishioners and some localMuslims employed in the school: a difficultbut successful gamble. “The Iraqis havegiven new impetus to the Christiancommunity of Marka,” the religiouscommented. The priest, originally fromBethlehem and ordained in Iraq before theDaesh tragedy, lives his apostolate as aradical call. “When these families arrived, Irealized that the Good Lord had sent mehere to take care of them ... They aremartyrs. I have a phrase of the Gospel in myhead that says ‘they will persecute youbecause of your faith’. It is precisely whatthey have experienced! Yes, I care for thesaints of the twenty-first century ...”

Claire Guigou (from Amman)

“Praying for peace, especially forJerusalem and the Middle East” isPope Francis’ special prayer

request for WYD 2019 in Panama. Thisappeal has given rise to the beautiful project“AveJmj”: “Ave” for the prayer to Mary, while“Jmj” (acronym in Spanish) stands for theWorld Youth Day, but also for “Jesus, Mary,Joseph”. Next January, young participantsfrom around theworld will beunited in prayer tothe Christians ofthe Holy Landthanks to theRosaries that willbe distributed tothem, olive wood

Rosaries crafted by the inhabitants ofBethlehem. Promoted by Bishop PierreBürcher of Iceland and Swiss author DanielPittet, the “AveJmj” project provides for themanufacture and shipment of 1.5 millionRosaries from the port of Ashdod (Israel) toPanama. The associations ‘Saint Jean-MarieVianney’ Lausanne and Caritas Jerusalemsupport the initiative, raising funds and

managing theoperating sector.The Order of theHoly Sepulchrestrongly supportsthis project ofsolidarity with theChristians of theHoly Land.

From Bethlehem to Panama:Rosaries for WYD

The “AveJmj” project mobilizes Bethlehem’s young workers toproduce thousands of Rosaries that will be gifted to everyone

attending the WYD 2019. The Order of the Holy Sepulchre, onthe initiative of the Grand Master, wished to financially support

this generous project.

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Between Beit Sahour,Beit Jala and Bethlehem,eleven workshops ofartisans areenthusiastically dedicatedto producing the rosaries.Each one is specialized in aparticular aspect ofproduction: the beads, thecrosses, the engravings ...Groups of women werehired for the finalassembly of the various pieces. Thanks tothis project, hundreds of inhabitants havefound work. For example, it is a real“blessing” for Ibrahim – owner of one of thelaboratories – who could buy newmachinery and hire other people. In fact,according to Harout Bedrossian from theCaritas Jerusalem ‘fundraising’ office,recruitment pursues the specific purpose of“involving the poor and the needy, so thatthey can work and live in dignity”. “AveJmj”is an initiative that unites young peopleespecially in prayer during WYD, but alsoyoung people from the Holy Land. Through

this operation, CaritasJerusalem has chosen tovalue the young workersof the Holy Land.

Basel and Kamel havebeen appointedoperational coordinatorsof the meticulous qualitycontrol to be carried outin each laboratory. Theartisan mastery of theinhabitants of the Holy

Land is brought to light by this world-wideproject. Ihab – owner of the laser centre thatengraves the words “Bethlehem” and “JMJ2019” on each cross – expresses great joy inseeing his work “sent all over the world!” InPanama, each young person will receivethree rosaries: one for himself, one to give toanother participant and one to bring to aperson from their country of origin. Spreadaround the four corners of the globe, thesesmall beads of olive wood will help to createa strong bond of prayer, the first steptowards a unity that generates peace.

Pauline Bourgogne

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The rosaries of the next World YouthDay (WYD) are being produced inBethlehem: an initiative supportedfinancially by the Order of the Holy

Sepulchre.

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On May 5, 2018, the Investiture of nineDames and thirteen Knights of theLieutenancy for Germany took place

in Würzburg, Bavaria, presided over byCardinal Reinhard Marx, Archbishop ofMunich and Grand Prior of the Lieutenancy.On this occasion, the Governor General,Ambassador Leonardo Visconti di Modrone,gave a historic speech in which he wished tothank “one of the most importantLieutenancies of the Order of the HolySepulchre”.

Stressing in particular the cultural andemotional ties between Italy and Bavaria –whose Minister of the Interior, member of theOrder, was present at the event – theGovernor General spoke about the dream of aunited Europe, in the spirit of the FoundingFathers, De Gasperi, Adenauer andSchumann. “A dream that still today is a hopefor men and women fleeing war, persecutionand suffering,” he noted, in light of hisexperience as a diplomat of the Italian

Republic, having dedicated more than fortyyears of his professional life to the realizationof this dream with his German friends andcolleagues.

Speaking of his mission alongside theGrand Master of the Order, the GovernorGeneral recalled that “the needs of the HolyLand are endless”. “The Christian presenceand resources in the places where Our Lord

was born, lived, died are underconstant threat. The conditions inwhich the refugees live aredramatic. Our presence is meantto be a testimony to the values ofour faith and a teaching of theprinciples of coexistence andpeace, especially for futuregenerations”, he continued.Visconti di Modrone concludedby expressing his gratitude andthe gratitude of the GrandMagisterium to the 1500members of this Lieutenancy fortheir work, Germany beingsecond with Italy only to theUnited States for the generosityof its donations.

A heartfelt tribute tothe Lieutenancy for Germany

The Life of the Lieutenancies

In his speech tothe Lieutenancy

for Germany, theGovernor

General praisedthe generosity of

the Germanmembers: their

donations are themost substantial,along with thosefrom the UnitedStates and Italy.

Members of the Lieutenancy for Germany together with CardinalMarx and the Governor General Visconti di Modrone.

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Father Adrian Farrelly has a longhistory within the Order. For 21 yearshe has held the post of Ecclesiastical

Master of Ceremonies of the QueenslandLieutenancy. Father Adrian recalls how hisengagement with the Order began: “When Iwas invested by Cardinal Furno in 1997 Iknew very littleabout the Order.ArchbishopBathersby, then thearchbishop ofBrisbane, asked meif I would considerbeing spiritualdirector to this newgroup which wasestablishing itself inthe archdiocese.”

Father Adrianwas ready to acceptthe task and sincethen he has takencare of the variousspiritual needs ofKnights and Dames:“I support the localKnights and Dames

by participating in the monthly meetings ofthe executive council, and assisting in theliturgies for the Investiture and for ourannual Jerusalem day. This day, usually heldin April, is marked by morning prayer andmeditation, guest speakers, lunch, and theannual general meeting.” Another important

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A knight chaplainin the Order for over 20 years

Grand Master, Cardinal Edwin O’Brien, has recently insistedagain on the role of priests within the Order. They are a great

resource and, by serving as chaplains, they can spiritually supportthe members of our Pontifical Institution, who are mainly laypeople. In the coming months we aim to give space to some of

them so as to listen more closely to their experiences.

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Father Farrelly withmembers of the Order

during “Jerusalem Day”,organized in theArchdiocese of

Brisbane.

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moment of the year is the Investiture,preceded by the Vigil.

A real highlight of the Order’s experienceis the pilgrimage to the Holy Land. FatherAdrian ponders these changing life momentsand the importance of meeting the livingstones in the land of Jesus: “Over the courseof these 21 years we have made 4pilgrimages to the Holy Land. On eachpilgrimage we have stayed with theChristian community in Taybeh and enjoyedthe hospitality of the people as well ascelebrating the Eucharist with them. Visitingthe tomb in the church of the HolySepulchre is special but meeting and talkingto the local Christians is the highlight forme.” The pilgrimage experience is notsomething intended to remain in the pastsince one’s own approach to Scriptures isenlightened by what one lives and sees inthe Holy Land: “The experience you gain ona pilgrimage brings Scripture to life, offeringa different understanding to what may be

attained through devotional reading orstudy.”

As a knight chaplain, Father Adrian lovesto talk about the relationship he hasestablished with the members of the Order.Having served the Order for more than 20years, he has gotten to know and hasworked closely with four Lieutenants in theLieutenancy for Australia Queensland. Thepresent Lieutenant, Monica Thomson, is thefirst woman Lieutenant in Australia. Prayingtogether and gathering informally to get toknow each other better is part of whatmakes a Lieutenancy a more fraternal andvibrant community and Father Adrian trulyenjoys this aspect of the Order: “Some yearsback we adopted the custom of gathering inSt Patrick’s Church, Fortitude Valley, forEucharist on the first Sunday of each month.After Eucharist those attending sharebrunch at a nearby eatery. This regularcontact enables stronger friendships todevelop.” E. D.

The Order of the Holy Sepulchreconducted its ’first-ever Lieutenants’Orientation Meeting in Washington,

DC, on Saturday, 24 February 2018. Thepurpose of the Orientation Meeting was toprovide four new North AmericanLieutenants with essential information onhow to function and effectively carry outtheir duties and responsibilities. Usingfeedback from four seasoned members ofthe Grand Magisterium, the Orientationprovided many benefits and practical input.

The Vice-Governor General PatrickPowers, travelled from Los Angeles toconduct the meeting. The two-dayorientation meeting was held in the Rectoryof Saint Ann Church in NorthwestWashington, DC. The new Lieutenants

participating in the Orientation Meetingwere: José Frontera (Lieutenancy of PuertoRico), Valencia Yvonne Camp (MiddleAtlantic USA Lieutenancy), Mark Rodi(Southeastern USA Lieutenancy) and GeraldFoley (Northeastern USA Lieutenancy).Joining Vice-Governor General Powers werethree members of the Grand Magisterium;Professor Thomas McKiernan (Archdioceseof Cincinnati), John Carmen Piunno(Archdiocese of Washington), and MaryCurrivan O’Brien (Archdiocese of SanFrancisco). Monsignor James D. Watkins,Pastor of Saint Ann Church, graciouslyprovided the meeting space and welcomedthe attendees at the Saturday morningsession.

The first day’s work was divided up into

New North American Lieutenants’Orientation Meeting

�

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four parts and focused on the fundamentalsof the Order; the Order’s History,Constitution, Statutes, General Regulations,the Government of the Order, and the role ofthe Lieutenant. Following a working lunch,the second part of the day was dedicated tothe Nomination Process, Admissions,Promotions, Accounting and Finance, and aLieutenancy’s Annual Report.

After a full day of work, the groupattended the Saturday evening Vigil Masswith parishioners at Saint Ann Church,where Monsignor James D. Watkins was theprincipal celebrant and homilist. After HolyMass and a brief repose in the rectory, thegroup headed to nearby Chevy Chase,Maryland, where discussions of the day’stopics continued over dinner.

On Sunday morning the group reconvenedaddressing the previous day’s business.Following some brief remarks by Vice-Governor General Powers, Professor ThomasJ. McKiernan, President of the Holy LandCommission, gave a comprehensivepresentation on the work of the Commission.

Professor McKiernanexplained to the newLieutenants theimportance of theCommission’s work andhow and why itfunctions. The HolyLand Commission isresponsible forexamining, assessingand recommending allproposals for thefunding of projects bythe Order, and formonitoring andreporting on theexecution of theapproved and fundedprojects. ProfessorMcKiernan gave asynopsis of theCommission’s 2017 sitevisit to the Holy Land

with the Governor General LeonardoVisconti di Modrone that focused oneducation, humanitarian aid, and pastoralcare. He concluded his presentation byproviding an update on the projectscurrently underway and some insight intothe planned 2018 programs.

Closing discussions focused on the LegacyProgram, recruitment efforts, organizingpilgrimages, member formation andpersonal spirituality, the upcoming NorthAmerican Lieutenants’ Meeting in Toronto,and the November Consulta in Rome.

The Lieutenants’ Orientation Meetingconcluded with an open forum discussion inwhich ideas, observations, and questions,were exchanged among the participants.Everyone agreed that the advantages of asystematic orientation are of inestimablevalue for any in-coming Lieutenant. Themeeting closed with Vice-Governor GeneralPowers thanking everyone present formaking the first-ever Lieutenant’sOrientation Meeting a success.

John Carmen Piunno

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The new Lieutenants of North America together with the Americanmembers of the Grand Magisterium, gathered for an important formationday.

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The five Australian Lieutenants(Queensland, New South Wales,Victoria, South Australia and Western

Australia) as well as the New ZealandMagistral Delegate met on April 28 in Perthfor their regional meeting. Thismeeting was hosted by Jack Gardner,Lieutenant for Western Australia andled by the Vice Governor General PaulBartley.

At the beginning of the meeting thenotes of the previous regional meetingthat was held in Sydney in 2017 wereread. The main topic on the agendawas the visit of the Grand Master,Cardinal Edwin O’Brien, who will bein Australia and New Zealand betweenAugust 31 and September 20, 2018taking advantage of these days to visit all ofthe Lieutenancies (His Eminence will be inPerth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney,Auckland and Brisbane during his trip)where he will celebrate Investitures.

During the meeting the Vice GovernorGeneral gave an overview of the situationregarding the projects of the Order, alsoexplaining the Latin Patriarchate ofJerusalem’s new proposal to support smallerprojects in addition to the continuation ofthose projects already underway. One issuethat closely affects the AustralianLieutenancies is the possibility of having atax deduction for the entire sum of theircontributions. The possibility, which is still adistant one, is under study.

The selection procedure for newLieutenants was another important topic ofdiscussion. The participants decided toinvite some members of the various councils(treasurers and chancellors) to take part inthe next meetings, to get to know possiblefuture candidates for the role of Lieutenantof the other Lieutenancies.

Other issues on the agenda regardedfuture events: the pilgrimage to the HolyLand from October 18, 2018 for 18 dayswhich already has several dozen memberstaking part, the appointment for the 2018

Consulta in Rome in November and theAustralian national retreat in May 2019 inBrisbane, which will be preceded by ameeting of the Lieutenants. Lieutenantsfrom region that extends from South Africato Taiwan will also be invited to thegathering.

The meeting ended with a Masscelebrated by Msgr. Kevin Long in thechurch of St. Joseph in Subiaco with thelocal community and 32 members of theWestern Australia Lieutenancy. Ending theday in a sign of fraternity, Jack and JanetGardner invited the group to have dinner attheir home.

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Australia and New Zealand preparefor the Grand Master’s visit

AustralianLieutenants have

gathered togetherwith Vice-Governor

General PaulBartley, pending theGrand Master’s visit

to Australia and NewZealand, scheduled

for late summer2018.

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The Consulta, the five-year general assembly of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre, will takeplace from November 13 to 16, 2018 in Rome. The Lieutenants, who come from across theglobe, will gather around the Grand Master and the highest authorities of the Order. A logo

was created for the event: it symbolizes the shrine of the Holy Sepulchre, the tomb ofChrist, surmounted by the sign of the Order that recalls the five wounds of the Savior, with

the basilica of Saint Peter offering the picture of together. This logo indicates that themission of Knights and Dames – to serve our brothers and sisters of the Holy Land – is

received from the Holy Father and involves the commitment to witness to the presence ofthe Risen One in daily life.

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XX N° 50 - SPRING 2018NewsletterJERUSALEM CROSS