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Our Lady of Palestine – Meditations from the Grandmaster: No 3 (of 3)

In this last meditation before tomorrow’s feast, the Grandmaster reminds us of the important mission our Blessed Mother continues to perform in the history of salvation.

The Gibraltar Lieutenancy will be celebrating the feat of Our Lady of Palestine tomorrow (25th October, 2021) at the Cathedral of St Mary the Crowned. Our Grand Prior, Bishop Carmel Zammit, KC*HS, will preside.

You can access the Grandmaster’s podcast on this link:

http://www.oessh.va/content/ordineequestresantosepolcro/en/podcast/3–la-tua-nuova-esperienza-di-vita.html

Or read it here:

“Your procession, God, has come into view,
    the procession of my God and King into the sanctuary.” (Ps 68:25 NIV).

This is the vision in Psalm 67.

It is not just any procession! It is royal! Immediately, there is a great curiosity:  who is in this procession?

The imaginary is confused with reality. And the reality is a fascinating woman: Mary, dressed as a Queen of the East.

In the Holy Land they still call her “Our Lady of Palestine”.

She is not holding a child in her arms, but the model of Jerusalem, or better the simulacrum of the entire Holy Land, of which she was a daughter and then mother of that new Jerusalem, born at Pentecost, which is the Church.

In October, John Paul II established her liturgical memory and the Christian population has perceived that Mary still has a special mission, which is inexhaustible.

The procession is festive, but only for those who join it and allow themselves to be led by it. So Mary is journeying and she accompanies you who love her, you who believe, and you who stand aside, critical, tired and a little resigned.

She lowers her gaze without reproach, full of consolation and prayer.

Hello there! If you want, please join the procession! It will be a new life experience.
 

Fernando Cardinal Filoni

(October 2021)

End of Quote

Deus lo Vult

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Our Lady of Palestine – Meditations from the Grandmaster: No 2 (of 3)

Today the Grandmaster reminds us to be vigilant and temperate and to look to Mother Mary as a great example on how to live life. You can access the pod cast on this link:

http://www.oessh.va/content/ordineequestresantosepolcro/en/podcast/2–una-compagna-per-tutta-la-vita.html

Or you can read the message here:

If you are seeking something, pause for a moment.

Restlessness brings no rewards.  I have something to tell you that may interest you: “Be temperate, be vigilant!”. The Apostle Peter (1 Peter 5:8) said this to the recipients of one of his letters, he who was a restless disciple of Jesus, so much so that in the Garden of Olives he resorted to the sword, which Christ made him put away.

I would also like to repeat this to you, my friend who is listening to me!

Confucius said that even small excesses can ruin great plans. Be temperate! Drugs bring no rewards! Violence brings no rewards! Selfishness brings no rewards!

The Catechism of the Catholic church lists it among the cardinal virtues, and its synonyms are frugality, moderation, sobriety, order and balance. What can we say? The world loves excess; the media rewards it headlines.

And yet, we are all convinced that consumerism, even though we cannot help ourselves, brings no rewards: nature rebels, social crises increase, life is ruined!

Gide – a tormented French writer – had reinvented the parable of the prodigal son, believing that really living lay in the willingness to have every experience; then he confessed that he had not found happiness in that either.

Temperance… It is temperance that teaches you the pursuit of good, your own and that of others, and it is vested in charity.  Noble charity! The  charity has a link with God, that gives us a hand to descend the steps in the dark moments of life.

It is not a virtue for the weak.  Mary made it her lifelong companion.

You should try it too!
 

Fernando Cardinal Filoni

(October 2021)

End of quote

Deus lo Vult

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Our Lady of Palestine – Meditations from the Grandmaster: No 1 (of 3)

As we prepare for the feast of Our Lady of Palestine, on October 25th, our Grandmaster, Fernando Cardinal Filoni, invites us to meditate further on the passion of God in our hearts.

The Grandmaster has released a series of Podcasts that can be listened to on the Order’s website. The first pod cast can be found on the following link:

http://www.oessh.va/content/ordineequestresantosepolcro/en/podcast/La-passione-di-dio-nel-tuo-cuore.html

The text is also available below:

“You must carry God’s passion in your heart; for it is man’s greatest consolation!”, was what one medieval mystic reminded those who visited him; and another commented that “nothing can help or serve you except God’s martyrdom and His bitter suffering”.

Passion is not a feeling proper to God. It is human, deeply human.

That is why God had no other option other than become human himself and take on that feeling as a burden. Those who experience passion know that it has a strong carnal involvement and the heart truly feels great consolation. Lovers, who carry within themselves the asceticism of their relationship, know this well.

Mary knew it too, as the prototype of every human being touched by God’s passion, of that God who wanted to give form to Christ’s humanity. She bore the sign of it through her own motherhood, and she did not shrink from sharing in God’s ‘martyrdom and suffering’.

I will say no more! Although every day there is a demon that sows doubt in your heart, takes away your breath and plots to lessen God’s passion in your heart. The restlessness that runs through the spirit, if it burns the passion leaves only ashes, but there is always an appeal to mercy, which is a divine predicate or attribute.

The old medieval mystic is right; Just think about it!

If you do not carry the passion of God in your heart, you cannot experience the greatest consolation!

Fernando Cardinal Filoni

(October 2021)

End of quote.

Deus lo Vult.

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Grandmaster’s Lenten Message 2021

“Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem” (Mt 20:18)

(For the full articles please press the links in the following images)

Click image for the link to the Grand Master’s Lenten Message

The Grand Master, Cardinal Filoni, has urged all Knights and Dames to read the Lenten Message, published by the Holy Father (see image below).

In his message, Cardinal Filoni also states the importance of direction in our lives and how aiming for Christ can help us. He invites us to journey towards conversion, to believe the Gospel, exercise charity and get to Christ through prayer.

Click image for the link to the Holy Father’s Lenten Message

His Holiness’ Lenten Message can be accessed by clicking on his picture. A link will take you to the Vatican Website where you can read his message in English.

Please join the Gibraltar Lieutenancy, this Lent, by praying for the Holy Land, The Magisterium, the Latin Patriarchate, His Holiness the Pope, the Church, people of other faiths and the rest of the world. We hope that the pandemic that has kept us in a ‘Lenten state,’ this past year, will soon pass so that we can celebrate the empty tomb this Easter. And celebrate by returning to our churches for the Easter Vigil and our Paschal song.

Deus Lo Vult

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Grandmaster Speaks: Youth Presence in Order

  • Fernando Cardinal Filoni

In a recent publication, on OESSH.VA, the Grandmaster, HE, Fernando Cardinal Filoni, spoke about the presence of young people in the Order. He has called on Lieutenancies to share their experiences of different youth programmes. It is hoped that this will inform possible ways forward to involve the youth in more activities.

For the full article please press the link on the Jerusalem Cross:

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New Jerusalem Cross Edition

Click on the link to go view the magazine.

The new Jerusalem Cross is out! The image link above will take you to the latest edition of our Order’s magazine. In it you will be able to read the latest information on the EOHSJ. Plus, you will be able to get to know more about our new Grandmaster.

Deus lo vult.

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European Lieutenants Meet in Rome

Photo from OESSH.VA

Last week the European Lieutenants met in Rome to discuss issues pertaining to the Order. Our very own Lieutenant, HE J Gaggero, KC*HS, was present at the European conference and took part in plenary sessions alongside fellow lieutenants from neighbouring territories. On speaking to the website team about the short trip to our Rome Headquaters, HE J Gaggero was significantly positive and expressed great enthusiasm about the whole experience. He is looking forward to sharing what he learned in Rome with the local Council and using the information also gained at the Consulta last year to help develop the Gibraltar Lieutenancy further.

Photo from EOSSH.VA (Twitter)

A focal point of the meetings (a week ago in Rome) dealt with membership and the role of the Order in the Holy Land. At the heart of the mission of the Order is the spiritual and material support of the Latin Patriarchate. This is something that the members attending the pilgrimage later this year (October/November) will get to see first hand.

Photo from OESSH.VA (Twitter)

On a related note, it was announced that the Grand Master’s Secretary, Fr J Bateman, is coming to the end of his tenure. Fr J Bateman was given a surprise promotion to the rank of Knight Commander. Many of the local Knights and Dames will remember meeting Fr Bateman in Gibraltar two years ago when he accompanied HE Cardinal O’Brien to the Rock for our last installation of Knights and Dames. We wish Fr Bateman the very best for his next appointment and hope that we will see him again soon at one of the Order’s events. Fr J Bateman, KCHS, will be replaced by Father Maxim Baz, Lebanese this July.

Finally, we also wish the Governor General, Ambassador Leonardo Visconti di Modrone, a speedy recovery.

Deus lo vult!

The EOHSJGibraltar Team

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A Message from the Grand Master

Message from the Grand Master

This message can be found on the Order’s Website. We have reprinted it here due to its importance and for member’s ease of reference. We join the Grand Master in prayer as we dig in to face these difficult times together, united with Christ Jesus and His Church.

To the members of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre:

Many of you recall the book and movie The Perfect Storm – when several weather patterns meet at once – they clash and create terrible damage.

Our Catholic Church is in the midst of a perfect storm – a perfect demonic storm: Chile, Ireland, the Netherlands, Australia, the United States – and how many more to come?!  The revolting, profoundly shameful double life of a Cardinal of the Church.  The almost pornographic 900-page report of the Pennsylvania Grand Jury – unspeakable depravities of priests against the young and vulnerable.  A former Vatican Nuncio’s accusations against the Church’s highest authorities.

It has been called “A DIABOLICAL MASTERPIECE”!

Satan’s powers at work seeking to undermine the very foundations of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church – and from within!

We are at a moment of serious crisis, probably the greatest crisis our Church has faced in many centuries.

Today, as throughout Church history, the faithful – you – are offered a choice:

  • There’s the temptation to flee, to abandon the Church – Satan has won a victory.
  • Or we can dig in. Our Faith is not rooted in human beings, but in Jesus Christ.  Knights of the Holy Sepulchre have never deserted.  They have stood their ground in defense of the Church in times of greatest crises.

I would urge all our members to dig in: double-down – return to the God-given resources of our Faith: prayer, the Mass, Eucharistic Devotion, penance and fasting.

  • Participate in parish and diocesan sponsored liturgies and assemblies of prayer in reparation for the deplorable sacrileges by those in Holy Orders against the helpless innocent.  Scandalous betrayals of trust by those sworn to be other Christs.
  • Support the vast majority of good priests in your midst – your priests, struggling daily to be Christ for you.  They are suffering greatly.
  • Meanwhile, I have joined with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in requesting a Vatican sponsored investigation involving laypeople with special skills to determine responsibility for Archbishop McCarrick’s promotions within the hierarchy.

Throughout history, God has shown he can bring about good from the worst of evils.  Just look at a crucifix!

Pray that this nightmare will eventually bring about the purification of our Church and a restoration of trust in her leadership.

Recognize that Jesus Christ is the Lord of Resurrection who turned the ugly moment of a disgraceful death into a moment of salvation.

And pray together with our Holy Father, Pope Francis, that Our Lady, who once held the broken crucified Body of her Son in her arms, will do so again – in these days, hold the suffering, battered and bloody body – his Body, the Church, close to her heart, and in prayer for healing.

Thanks to all of you for your steadfast loyalty and faithfulness.

In the Lord,

Edwin Cardinal O’Brien

(September 8, 2018)