Mass, Rosary and AGM New Location

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1 Christians go to Mass to take part in the Passion and Resurrection of the Lord and then to live more as Christians: the commitment of Christian witness opens. Pope Francis NEWSLETTER MARCH 2018 Mass, Rosary and AGM New Location St Peter s Church 585 Toorak Road, Toorak 6:00pm Monday 9 April 2018 Ecclesiastical Master of Ceremonies Bishop Peter Elliott will celebrate Mass, to be followed by Rosary. Knights, Dames and guests will then adjourn to the new meeting facilities at St Peter s for supper and the AGM Please advise Knight Secretary Maurice Fanning ( ; mfanning@bigpond.net.au) of your proposed attendance or apology for the AGM Holy Sepulchre Oration 2 August The Hon Kevin Andrews MP KHS has agreed to deliver the inaugural Holy Sepulchre Oration at Newman College, Carlton on 2 August. The oration is open to the public and its sponsorship by the Order will spread awareness of the Order and its mission. The venue of Newman College is to give Catholic students an opportunity to participate and hear first hand from a Catholic community leader. Members of the Order are encouraged to attend this function and be available following the oration to speak with any who might wish to hear about the needs of Christians in the Holy Land and our work to meet those needs. Palm Sunday Mass and Procession Canberra Eight Knights and Dames made the journey to Canberra to join with our New South Wales brothers and sisters in the annual Palm Sunday Procession into St Christopher s Cathedral. With robed Knights and Dames of the Order of Malta and a large gathering from parishes of the Archdiocese the preparation and procession were very colourful and solemn. EOHSJ Australia-Victoria March 2018 Newsletter pg. 1

2 Dinner at the Commonwealth Club on the Saturday evening provided an opportunity for Knights and Dames of the two Lieutenancies to meet in a social atmosphere and develop fraternal ties. After three consecutive years the annual Palm Sunday gathering and procession have developed into a tradition that promotes our Order in the National Capital. His Grace Archbishop Prowse expressed his appreciation of our attendance and was warm in his public welcome. A pilgrimage to the Holy Land For religious, cultural or personal reasons, more and more people are setting out on pilgrimages to different places worldwide. However, the Holy Land ranks as an exceptional destination. During Lenten season, the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem, the path that hangs midway between earth and heaven, is teeming with faithful, praying and presenting their intentions. Many Christians pilgrims from different parts of the world, during their trip to the Holy Land, stop by the Latin Patriarchate building situated at Jaffa Gate in Jerusalem. Approximately, 144 groups visit the Patriarchate each year. Eagerly, they come to learn about the diocese of Jerusalem and its people, the living stones, about their presence, realities and the challenges they face. Many visitors express the lack of information about the realities of the Holy Land, as well as the need to come and see, to meet with heads of churches and locals and, finally, to view the Holy Land through their own eyes. Bishop Boulos Marcuzzo, Latin Patriarchal Vicar for Jerusalem and Palestine, welcomed one group and introduced them to the four regions that fall under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of the Latin Patriarchate, namely, Palestine, Israel, Jordan and Cyprus. He highlighted the three first regions, in which he encouraged the group to meet with the living stones, to learn about their experience of faith and to visit Jordan, for its rich historical and religious places. Visiting the land of Jesus is a discovery with various layers. One interaction with its terrain most visitors never forget is the joy of finding the images of the Bible reflected in the real places and sites, that retell the story from a different perspective. Statistics conducted by the Christian Information Centre in the Holy Land showed a steady increase in pilgrims, with record-breaking numbers for January In January 2016, 390 Catholic groups booked a mass in the sanctuaries, with the participation of 11,000 pilgrims. In 2017, in the same time period, 16 thousand pilgrims arrived in 529 groups, and in January 2018, the number of groups increased to 770, for a total of 26 thousand pilgrims. Join with Father Simon Grainger for a pilgrimage to the Holy Land from 2-15 May Details are being finalised for this pilgrimage by the Victorian Lieutenancy that will commence in Jordan before visiting Galilee, Jerusalem, Bethlehem and surrounds. A separate notice with more details of the itinerary and costs will be circulated in coming weeks. EOHSJ Australia-Victoria March 2018 Newsletter pg. 2

3 Visit of the Grand Master: 7-10 September The Grand Master, Edwin Cardinal O Brien will arrive in Melbourne on Friday 8 September. He will be accompanied by his personal secretary Fr John Bateman and the vice- Governor General for Australasia Dr Paul Bartley. The Grand Master will invest two Knight and two Dame candidates into our Order at the commencement of 11:00am Solemn Mass in St Patrick s Cathedral on Sunday 9 September. The Vigil at Arms ceremony will be on Saturday morning 8 September in the Carmelite Monastery. Following the investiture there will be luncheon with the Grand Master at GG Restaurant in East Melbourne. Please put these times in your diary and make every effort to attend, especially the Investiture Mass and luncheon with the Grand Master. Papal Knighthoods for Knights of the Order Late in 2017, Pope Francis awarded Papal Honours to distinguished members of the Archdiocese of Melbourne for their lengthy contributions to the life of the Church and the Archdiocese. At St Patrick s Cathedral East Melbourne, Archbishop Denis Hart presented the first of those awards to their honoured recipients, acknowledging their magnificent endeavours for the Archdiocese of Melbourne over many years of, as he described it, the most devoted, loyal and illustrious service. Mr Francis Xavier Moore KHS, the Executive Director, Administration, for the Archdiocese of Melbourne, was elevated as Knight Commander of the Order of St Gregory. Mr Fergus Ryan KCHS, a member of the Diocesan Finance Council, also became Knight Commander of the Order of St Gregory. We offer our congratulations to these worthy recipients. Christmas Student Fund in Al-Quds University On 8 February 2018, during a fund-raising dinner in support of the students financial aid program in Beit Jala, Al-Quds University launched the Milad Student Fund (Christmas Student Fund). The initiative stems from its students and graduates who faced challenges during their studies, one of EOHSJ Australia-Victoria March 2018 Newsletter pg. 3

4 which was financial, and recognised the importance of launching a charitable work to collect funds for Christian students. For Palestinians, sponsoring students is considered as a significant investment and is seen as a stepping stone in the life of the youth; having educational certificates that allow them to build their future. The seeds of this initiative began after Dr. Imad Abu Kishik sponsored Nicola Abu Saada on 22 December For Nicola, it was an extraordinary Christmas gift, that hinted for him and other students, the urgent need of having a reference, to support the students financially. After holding several meetings with Dr. Abu Kishik and the head of the churches, it was agreed on launching the Milad Student Fund. It was done by the efforts of the University s Ambassadors, Wajdi Al Alam, Athar Bahu, Husam Musleh and Khader Bannoura, who are the executive members, and Fr. Bashar Fawadleh, the Chair of Committee of Management, and with the blessings of Patriarch Emeritus Michel Sabbah and Archbishop Atallah Hanna. The supported initiative of Milad Student Fund by Al-Quds University and its committees shows the world that Palestine, with its Muslims and Christians, is born anew when a man stands with his fellow man, leaving behind the differences reflected Fr. Bashar. This initiative took shape after the students idea of lighting the Christmas tree on the University Campus, four years ago. Today, they are a living tree that has borne fruits of joy and cooperation, and endless solidarity and care that grows and thrives. Teachers on spiritual retreat in Galilee On 3 March, a spiritual retreat was organized by the General Administration of the Latin Patriarchate Schools, for all teachers in Galilee. The day took place at Domus Galilaeae International Center, near Mount Beatitude and the lake of Tiberias. For this occasion, more than 160 persons participated, including teachers and parish priests. The retreat started with a lecture given by Fr. Iyad Twal, General Director of the Patriarchate schools. He talked about Lent time that Christians are living currently, and more specifically how they can live during these 40 days before Easter. At the end of the lecture, a time of meditation and confession were proposed. Latin Patriarchate Seminarians The day was concluded by a lunch and a Mass presided by Fr. Hanna Kildani, Patriarchal vicar in Nazareth. On 19 March the Latin Patriarchate Seminary in Beit Jala presented Nadeem Giacaman and Wajdi Sahawneh to be instituted in the ministry of lector while Wajdi Twal received the ministry of acolyte during solemn Mass. Bishop Boulos Marcuzzo, Latin Patriarchal Vicar for Jerusalem and Palestine, EOHSJ Australia-Victoria March 2018 Newsletter pg. 4

5 presided at the Mass, which was concelebrated by Fr. Yacoub Rafidi, rector of the Latin Patriarchal Seminary and other priests in presence of the seminarians, Sisters and parents. In his homily, Bishop Marcuzzo expressed his joy upon visiting the seminary: every time I visit the seminary, I become overwhelmed with feelings of happiness as I recall the good memories I made during my studies here. The seminary always works to build a unique life for its students. The Patriarchal Vicar also spoke of the good example of St. Joseph, calling upon the students to follow his path: St. Joseph worked a lot and spoke little. The Holy Bible describes him as a righteous man, who obeys God s commandments. He respected God s plan for Virgin Mary, as well as her sanctity and purity, explained the bishop. The candidates were called by name, and each one answered, Present, and went to the bishop, before whom they made a sign of reverence. Palm Sunday in Jerusalem On Sunday, 25 March 2018, Palm Sunday, many Christians from Jerusalem and the whole world gathered to celebrate Jesus entry into Jerusalem, first in the morning with the celebration of a Pontifical Mass at the Holy Sepulchre, then in the afternoon with the traditional procession of the Palm fronds, from Bethphagé to the Church of St. Anne. The Pontifical Mass and the afternoon procession were both presided by Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Apostolic Administrator of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. In a procession around the Tomb of Christ, full of emotion, some of the worshippers were in tears even before the beginning of the Pontifical Mass. At the beginning of the afternoon, many Christians gathered at Bethphagé Church for the procession led by the Apostolic Administrator. At his side were Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli, Apostolic Nuncio to Israel and Apostolic Delegate to Jerusalem and Palestine, Bishop Giacinto Boulos Marcuzzo, Patriarchal Vicar in Jerusalem and Palestine, Very Rev. Father Francesco Patton, OFM, Custos of the Holy Land, and Archbishop Yousef Al -Ayyash, new Patriarchal Greek Catholic Melkite Vicar in Jerusalem. After climbing to the Carmel of the Pater Noster at the top of the Mount of Olives, the procession went past the Dominus Flevit Chapel, then descended to Gethsemane and up to Jerusalem, entering the Old City through the Lion s Gate. Arriving at Saint Anne, Archbishop EOHSJ Australia-Victoria March 2018 Newsletter pg. 5

6 Pizzaballa was greeted by Mr. Pierre Cochard, Consul General of France in Jerusalem. He then greeted the faithful who waited at the Church of Saint Anne. He delivered a short speech to close the procession at the closing of the day. The faithful continued to enjoy the festive atmosphere of this Sunday, following the procession of the different scout bands who departed from Saint Anne to go to the New Gate. An Invitation to Membership There are still several months during which interested Catholics can be introduced to the mission of our Order and, if interested, to prepare their applications for membership. The deadline for submitting applications to Rome for investiture during the visit of the Grand Master is early June Knights and Dames are encouraged to approach fellow Catholics with information about our Order and its mission. Welfare You are asked to keep Knights Michael Howard and David Perrin and Michael s wife Jeanette in your prayers. Both David and Jeanette are undergoing rehabilitation after serious illnesses and Michael is recovering from a major fall PROGRAM Monday 9 April: 6:00 pm Mass and Rosary followed by AGM and refreshments St Peter s, 585 Toorak Road, Toorak Sunday 3 June: 3:00pm Join with seminarians for Corpus Christi Mass and Procession 180 Drummond Street, Carlton Victoria 3053 Monday 4 June: 6:00pm Mass and Rosary followed by refreshments St Peter s Church, 585 Toorak Road, Toorak Thursday 2 August Holy Sepulchre Oration at Newman College ( Monday 6 August: 6:00pm Mass and Rosary followed by refreshments St Peter s Church, 585 Toorak Road, Toorak Saturday 8 September: 9:00am Vigil and Chapter Meeting Carmelite Monastery, 94 Stevenson Street, Kew Sunday 9 September: 11:00am Investiture Mass St Patrick s Cathedral, East Melbourne Sunday 9 September: 1:00pm Post Investiture Lunch with the Grand Master GG Restaurant, 158 Clarendon Street, East Melbourne, Fraternally in Christ, Will Kininmonth KCHS Lieutenant Australia-Victoria 2503/80 Lorimer Street Docklands, VIC w.kininmonth@gmail.com EOHSJ Australia-Victoria March 2018 Newsletter pg. 6