The tri-annual General Chapter for members of the worldwide Order took place in Warsaw, Poland, last week. Members representing 23 countries and 15 national jurisdictions gathered together to take stock of our achievements and to plan for the future in the spiritual, charitable and administrative aspects of the Order's work.
We began with an all-day meeting of the Governing Council at the Gromada Hotel in Warsaw,
representing heads of jurisdictions and other committees.
Our new Grand Prior from Great Britain, H E Anthony Dickinson gave his first report of our activities, including our on-going work with Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith's charity SUROL in Sri Lanka, supporting those suffering from leprosy plus various other local charities here in England. As well as our recognition by Archbishop Malcolm McMahon of the Order as an Association of the Faithful in the Archdiocese of Liverpool. This continuing spread of recognition is important to re-establish the Order as the branch recognised by the Catholic Church after several splits over the years (long ago and more recently) means that there are several organisations bearing the name and the mark of the green cross with. We differentiate ourselves as a Catholic organisation, which accepts Christians from the various mainstream denominations, rather than by just the epithet "ecumenical".
In the evening member gathered for the Vigil Service for those to be admitted to the Order.
Here Grand Prior of Great Britain lines up for the procession.
The Vigil took place in the church of St Joseph of the Visitationists
(it houses a community of enclosed nuns
and is famed for Chopin playing the organ there).
The High Altar is adorned with a painting of St Elizabeth greeting Our Lady
with Zachariah and St Joseph seemingly chatting in the background!
The postulants make their promises.
Chaplain to the Governing Council, Fr Simon Henry
and American Chaplain Dom. Gregory Pilcher
in choir in front of the enclosed Sisters behind the grill.
Grand Secretary and member of the Grand Priory of Great Britain, H E Matthew Jackson.
Following the Service members made their way to the Café Zamek in the Royal Castle for dinner.
Here filing past a statue of Servant of God, Cardinal Stefan Wysznski, Primate of Poland from 1948 to 1981, considered in Poland a national hero for his strong stance against the forces of Communism (for which he spent three years in prison).
A few of the British members at dinner.
On Saturday we gathered for the Chapter in the presence of the 50th Grand Master of the Order,
H E Jan Count Dobrzensky z Dobrzencz
The Grand Master addressing the Chapter.
Some of the Heads of the national jurisdictions.
The Investiture and Mass took place in the Archcathedral of St John.
Although dating back to the fourteenth century, it was almost completely destroyed during World War II, the Nazis driving a tank packed with explosives into its interior and blowing it up before they left.
The Archbishop of Warsaw greeting the Grand Master and Prince Charles-Phillipe d'Orléans outside the cathedral.
Bishop Jan Tyrawa, a prelate of the Order in Poland,
gave the sermon.
New members receiving a blessing.
A contingent of ten from Great Britain was present for the Chapter.
Here a few of them gathered outside the Cathedral.
As ever, there were several varieties of uniform on display from military members of various jurisdictions.
Following the Investiture a Gala Dinner was held in the splendid setting of the
Ballroom of the Royal Castle.
Chaplain General in Great Britain pictured with member from the Czech Republic Marianna Stranzka.
Our Chaplain pictured with friends from the American Grand Priory.
And finally, Our Grand Prior with friends from the Czech Republic.