Friday 18 December 2020

Our Grand Master's Christmas Message & a Happy Feast of St Lazarus to all


A Blessed Feast Day to all our Brothers and Sisters.

Don't forget, you can support the work of our Grand Priory by watching our 
Virtual Carol Concert and donating.
Just click on the link below.



CHRISTMAS MESSAGE FROM THE GRAND MASTER

This Christmas may be like no other we have experienced. We come to the end of a year when so many have endured so much suffering in so many ways brought on by the Covid 19 pandemic. Let us pray for all those who have died. Let us stand with those who have been bereaved. Let us recall that we have all suffered emotional and mental distress through fear and through being kept apart from our loved ones and friends. Let us stand together with those who have found their incomes disappear or their businesses struggle. 

Perhaps what we will remember most is the necessity of being apart. Not least, that for the most part we have not been able to gather together in the Order, either nationally or internationally. 

Our Order is called after St Lazarus and it's founding charism that of caring for those suffering from leprosy. We know from the Scriptures and we know it remains true today, that those suffering from it are often excluded from society. The warmth of the embrace of family and friends, one of the most basic of human needs, denied to them. This year, we have all shared in that feeling. But our Order began precisely to combat that; to find ways to give them that comfort of care. So likewise, we must do so today with courage and dignity in the face of that which afflicts us. 

The precautions we live under are a sacrifice for the greater good, so that more of us may live to see another day. Let us be inspired to find new ways to reach out and care for one another. When we cannot hold hands we can still hold one another in prayer as we gather in spirit with the Holy Family this Christmas. 

The new life we celebrate each Christmas is the renewal of that which God has given each of us - His life that courses through our world, which re-invigorates our faith. The many tragedies of Covid 19 have also been the cause of so many acts of kindness and generosity that give us hope. 

I pray that this Christmas will bring each of us new hope as we look to the future year with the strength of God's grace within us. 

S.E. Count Dobrzensky z Dobrzenicz 
50th Grand Master

Saturday 12 December 2020

Christmas Christmas Carol Concert 2020


This week would have been our much loved Carol Concert held at St Catherine's Church but sadly, with Covid 19 restrictions, it has not been possible to go ahead with it this year. However, the Octavius Choir have put together an online performance, which you can watch and also donate: 

What we raise is being divided between:

1. St Catherine’s Hospice in Leyland and to SUROL - those suffering from leprosy in Sri Lanka. This year aimed particularly at providing fresh water there.

We don’t expect that it will enable us to support them in the usual way this Christmas but please do have a look online and share it as widely as you can, so that we can send SUROL in Sri Lanka and St Catherine's Hospice something this Christmas. 
Thank you!

To find it the 30 minute online concert on Youtube and donate as well, please go to 



AND this is the link for scanning from a phone: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/oslj-christmas-2020/qrcode 


Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, the Archbishop of Colombo and Patron of SUROL wrote to us: 

“My sincere thanks to all those who continue to support SUROL, especially the Order of St Lazarus in Great Britain, enabling SUROL to bring a ray of happiness to these people, who sometimes feel estranged from society.”





Friday 11 December 2020

An Invitation to Christmas Mass from H.R.H. Prince Charles-Philippe d’Orléans, duc d’Anjou


I hope you, your families and loved ones are well, all in good health despite the global health situation we are going through.

This Sunday, December 13th, to celebrate Saint Lazarus together, we invite you to follow Mass from the Abbey of Maredsous, in Belgium, which will be broadcast at 5 p.m. (Belgian time, UTC + 1) on the internet.

The Holy Mass will be held in French and English. Father Abbot of Maredsous will also deliver a closing word in Dutch and Italian. The organist and the choir of the Grand Priory of Belgium will also participate to this mass. Finally, at the end of the Mass, you will be able to follow the Christmas messages of the Grand Master and the heads of Jurisdiction.

You can follow the mass by clicking on the following link 
(it will be active and unblocked on Sunday just before the broadcast)https://vimeo.com/488873489

This initiative was launched and organized by the Grand Priory of Belgium, we thank them wholeheartedly.

I wish you all a wonderful Saint Lazarus day, in union of prayer and in the peace of Christ,

H.R.H. Prince Charles-Philippe d’Orléans, duc d’Anjou
President of the Governing Council, Grand Prior of France

The Abbey of Maredsous

Monday 30 November 2020

Feastday of Saint Andrew


A Blessed St Andrew's Day to everyone.

A reminder to members that St Andrew's day is the moment each year when we should have paid over our Oblations. 
For anyone who has forgotten, the Treasurer awaits!

Sadly, with all the Covid restrictions, we, like many others, have not had the opportunity to meet this year. Apart from the sadness of not renewing our comradeship, it has also severely limited opportunities for fundraising and for attracting new members.

That being said, we are in the process of sending £10,000 to SUROL in Sri Lanka 
to assist them in these difficult times. 
Many thanks to our benefactors and fundraisers who have made this possible.


Hampers being distributed by SUROL in Jaffna area in the war-torn Northern part of Sri Lanka.

Friday 30 October 2020

Mass on All Souls Day for deceased members and friends of the Order


On Thursday morning at the Basilica of Our Lady at Nice in southern France, there was a terrible attack on those attending Mass. Three people, the sacristan, Vincent, who was 55 years old and a father of two daughters, who had served the basilica as sacristan for 10 years, and two women Mass goers, one 44, the other 60 years old. It appears to have been a terrorist attack and the murders targeted those going to Mass - a clear case of their deaths being “in odium fidei”, which is to say, carried out in hatred of the faith. This is one of the attributes of a death that carries with it the idea of martyrdom and is one of the conditions accepted in the beatification process.

On All Saints Day this Sunday we celebrate all those who are in the presence of God whose names we do not know. We only know for certain those in Heaven, when they are raised to the altar at canonization. But surely we can have a strong hope that these three people are among those we celebrate today and give praise to God for.

We praise thee, O God: we acknowledge thee to be the Lord.
The noble army of Martyrs praise thee.
The holy Church throughout all the world doth acknowledge thee.

This Monday 2nd November is the Feast of All Souls - the Commemoration of all the faithful departed. The soul of a person who dies can go to one of three places. The first is heaven, where a person who dies in a state of perfect grace and communion with God goes. The second is hell, where those who die in a state of mortal sin are naturally condemned by their choice. The third option is purgatory, which is where most people, free of mortal sin, but still in a state of lesser (venial) sin, must go.

Purgatory is necessary so that souls can be cleansed and perfected before they enter into heaven. Made fir to see God face to face. There is scriptural basis for this belief. The primary reference is in 2 Maccabees, 12:26 and 12:32. "Turning to supplication, they prayed that the sinful deed might be fully blotted out... Thus made atonement for the dead that they might be free from sin."

There will be a Missa Cantata at 7pm at the Church of St Catherine Labouré, Leyland, for deceased members and friends of the Order for any members who can make it. If you have any special intentions, please contact Fr Simon, who will add them to those who are remembered.

We pray that like St Lazarus, Our Lord will raise them up to new life.




Sunday 5 April 2020

Message from Prince Charles-Philippe d’Orléans, duc d’Anjou


We hope that you, your family and loved ones are well and in good health.

In the midst of the extraordinary situation caused by Coronavirus around the world, the Grand Master and I wanted to speak personally to you, members of our dear Order of Saint Lazarus.

We are going through an unprecedented period with considerable consequences, from both a health and an economic point of view.
 
Our Grand Priories around the world have temporarily suspended all planned events in accordance with the containment measures and restrictions. Today more than ever, it is essential to maintain contact with one another so as to ensure that no one is alone during this pandemic. We are counting on you to receive regular updates, to response to calls, messages or emails and to take any necessary action.
 
We must also unite our strength and prayers for those who are suffering around us. We encourage every action which will SERVE those who need it. There is a lot to do on the battlefield: this is our vocation.
 
On this eve of Holy Week, during which we prepare to live the mystery of the passion and death of Our Lord Jesus Christ, we know that He will succeed through the Resurrection on Easter morning. We pray that the light of this morning of hope will illuminate us and bring us both the joy of meeting Christ and harmony in our lives.
 
Take care of yourself, your families, your loved ones, and stay healthy.
 
In prayer,

Prince Charles-Philippe d’Orléans, duc d’Anjou
President of the Governing Council
Grand Prior of France

Saturday 29 February 2020

Fundraising for February

Our Piper, Bob, prepares to pipe the guests in.

Our Grand Prior, HE Anthony Dickinson, hosted the annual Burns' Night Supper recently,
once again in Lancashire.

 Greeting the guests.

With tickets and donations, 
the evening raised £1,500 for the Order's charities,
including donations from three members, 
uniting themselves with our charitable efforts, 
even though they were unable to attend.
  
First course was the traditional Scotch Broth.


 We had a great turnout this year, with many members and friends.
Here's a few of them enjoying the evening.





 









Awaiting the Haggis.

The Haggis is carried in to the accompaniment of the scurl of the pipes by one of our Esquires,
all the way from Reading University.

 
The Address to the Haggis was given by Fr Mark Lawler
- well, you need a Scot to do it properly!

 

His knife see rustic Labour dight,
An cut you up wi ready slight,
Trenching your gushing entrails bright,
Like onie ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sight,
War-reekin, rich!

All the Haggis for the evening was donated by one of our Scottish members.
Thank you!

The size of the Haggis that got away!

 
The food was prepared and served by two of our members and one friend of the Order,
foregoing the pleasures of the evening for a few hours in the kitchen.
Many thanks.

The Grand Prior in festive mood.

We were also entertained in with music by songs both old and new.
Thanks to the talented pianists, violin players and singers who came along.

 

 Auld lang syne!







Thursday 23 January 2020

Burns' Night Supper 2020

 
As you can see, our Grand Prior, HE Anthony Dickinson, 
strongly encourages you to attend our  
Burns' Night Supper Celebration

We will gather in the Pope John Paul Room at 
St Catherine's Church, Stanifield Lane, Leyland. PR25 4QG on 

Friday 21st February
at 7.30pm

Later than the actual Burns' Night but no less heartily celebrated.

All the usual trimmings and a great evening
raising money for the
Order of St Lazarus’ charities,
including St Catherine’s Hospice & those affected by leprosy in Sri Lanka.

Please book your place as soon as possible by contacting The Grand Prior or Fr Simon.
Just £25 per person including...

Cocktail on arrival
Three course traditional Burns’ Night Dinner
Served with wine
Whisky for the toasts to the Lads and Lassies.
A full evening of entertainment with bagpipes, song and laughter.


 To quote the bard...

"I love drinking now and then. It defecates the standing pool of thought. A man perpetually in the paroxysm and fears of inebriety is like a half-drowned stupid wretch condemned to labor unceasingly in water; but a now-and-then tribute to Bacchus is like the cold bath, bracing and invigorating." ~ 

Robert Burns