15 May 2012 (UN Day
of the Family), Brompton Oratory, London
Please note that David Sainty, accompanied by his
wife Camelia, will be received as Brother-at-arms and Sister of the Order, on
Saturday 2nd June, 2012, at 4:00 pm in St Wilfrid's Chapel at the Brompton
Oratory, in the presence of Fr Rupert McHardy, Cong. Orat. If you are a member
or friend of our Preceptory, please make every effort to be present.
Present:
Stephen de la Bédoyère (Preceptor); Jean-Paul Gauthier, Andrew Cesana (Kts.);
Richard Coles (Kt. n/a); Mary Remnant, S.O.L.; and Pierre Vallérie, F.O.L.
Apologies:
Ian and Maureen Gordon, Fs.O.L. (Holy Land pilgrimage), Dom Benet Watt, OSB (S.O.L.)Chapter began at 7:00pm, following 6:00pm Mass & Adoration at the Oratory
OPENING RITUAL
READING FROM THE RULE: Chap. 1 (“The Objects of the Order of the Knights of Our Lady”), Arts. 4 in fine & 5 (Read by Jean-Paul Gauthier, Kt.)
READING FROM THE MASTER’s 2012 DIRECTIVE:
Item 5: “New Evangelization” in Magisterial Directive No. 3 of 2012, by Master Jacques Pellabeuf (Translated & Read by Preceptor Stephen de la Bédoyère)
“ ‘The new evangelisation (…) is not
a response to the time of crisis in which we are living. When we talk of the
new evangelisation we mean the renewal within ourselves of that missionary
spirit which should live within every Christian. It is a procedure which is
rooted in the full continuity of that first evangelisation by which Our Lord
Jesus wished into being the Church, and entrusted to Her this mission: to go
and encounter every person and bring per the GOSPEL’ (Mgr. Fisichella, quoted
in Zenit -ZF101206)
This
leitmotiv, which is taken up – as in numerous other lay movements – in how we
present ourselves to the outside, should lead us to listen to the Church’s
teaching on how to bring the Good News to our contemporaries, be they from the
older Christian nations or from new lands opening to Christian culture. Having made
such a study, we have to ask ourselves how to turn this teaching into
procedures within the MSM to give flesh and blood to the New Evangelisation. The pedagogy
of the new Dicastery, created by the Holy Father, will help to guide our
choices.”
COMMENTARY ON THE
READINGS:
The
Preceptor stressed that “the MSM means business” on New Evangelization. He
stressed that, in so doing, the Order will follow the guidance and directives
in this area provided by the Apostolic See’s new Dycastery [Pontifical Council
for New Evangelization, presided by Mgr. Fisichella], as has been determined by
the Master. The Preceptor noted the value of following the daily activities and
statements of the Apostolic See (including those of the Pontifical Council for
New Evangelization) by subscribing (for free) to the daily dispatches of the
Vatican-watch news agency Zenit, through: www.zenit.org. He also stressed
that a relationship exists between the Rule and this guidance, and that the
members of the Order are indeed living according to the Rule. He noted his
satisfaction for instance that, in keeping with Chap. 1 Article 5 of the Rule,
which states that “the education of young people” is a “social work conducive
to the aims of the Order”, there were three British Preceptory members that
were teachers around the table at this Chapter meeting alone. In the Preceptor’s words: “We have the words of the Prefect of the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelisation, as well as those of the Master, alongside the text of our Rule regarding the mission of the MSM, and we need to absorb them as part of our attitude towards our vocation. We don’t want to validate Chesterton’s humorous remark: ‘It’s not that Christianity has been tried and failed… it’s never been tried!’ God is calling us to extend the frontiers of His Kingdom AS Knights and Servants of Our Lady. This is the role for which the MSM seeks recognition in this country.”
EXHORTATION:
The Preceptor’s exhortation for the month, on the theme proposed by the readings (New Evangelization), was to meditate on the 6th Station of the Cross: St-Veronica’s wiping of Our Lord’s face with a cloth. The Preceptor exhorted the members of the Preceptory to follow St-Veronica’s example of doing apparently “small” (yet in fact important) things to evangelize, in small ways, all of the time. He recalled G.K. Chesterton's remark: 'The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried.'
NEWS OF THE ORDER:
IFCI (International Familiaris Consortio Institute): The dates for the 2012 International Congress in Paris have been changed to October 13th and 14th. The Preceptor presented the program for the Congress. It was noted that the Congress conflicts with the October 13th 2012 Crusade for Reparation March and Stephen proposed that knights stagger their attendance at the Congress to ensure that several knights be present in London for the March as well, given the Order’s prominence at the event and its value for the Order’s visibility in the UK.
OLAF (Our Lady’s African Fund): The Preceptor has been in touch with several people who have volunteered to assist OLAF, including Donal Foley and Ben Kobus. We need to pray to see the future of the Fund.
2012 Chapter General: The Preceptor reminded the Preceptory members of the 2012 Chapter General dates and asked that they please inform him of whether or not they intend to attend, so that he might inform the Hospitalier in France. He reminded members that attendance is compulsory for the Observantia ( i.e. a dispensation from Preceptor if absolutely impossible to attend ). All knights in attendance at the Chapter (including the Preceptor, Andrew Cesana, and Jean-Paul Gauthier) expected to attend –with Jean-Paul expecting to attend the Formation Workshops for Brothers-at-Arms in the days leading up to the Chapter General as well.
NEWS OF THE PRECEPTORY:
Queen’s Jubilee: The Preceptor will send a congratulatory letter to Her Majesty on the occasion of the 60th year of her reign, on behalf of the Preceptory.
Aylesford Pilgrimage: Mass will be held at the Aylesford Priory on July 16th at noon. A show of hands indicated that the following members of the Preceptory expected to participate: Stephen de la Bédoyère; Andrew Cesana; Jean-Paul Gauthier; Mary Remnant; Richard Coles; and Pierre Vallerie (everyone in attendance at the Chapter meeting!). Those coming from London were reminded to change trains at Strood. The Retreat Room has been cancelled in order to save funds, and a picnic was likewise suggested instead of lunch at the Aylesford Canteen.
MSM Blog: The MSM English-language Blog now has had 1,893 page-views, with slightly more US reads (590) than UK reads (462). Australia has had 113. Almost inexplicably, Russia and the Ukraine have had 191.
MSM LinkedIn Group: An MSM LinkedIn Group was launched and currently has 10 launched discussions and 10 members, including 4 distinguished members who are not from the MSM (Bart Servaes, Pierre Lefebvre, Daniel Corrin and David McBee). This could be a helpful new information and recruitment tool!
PRECEPTORY MEMBERS’ NEWS
Stephen’s News: Stephen will be attending a “ Mass (10:00 am ) and Eucharistic Adoration for the Catholic Family” in Tintagel, Cornwall, on June 8th 2012. He invited other members of the Preceptory to join him if possible.
He expressed concern at the continuation of the 'Soho' Masses, where overtly homosexual couples attend Mass and receive Holy Communion regularly, seeing this as publicly abusive of the Blessed Sacrament.
David Sainty’s News: David and his wife Camelia, Australians who remarkably found us by researching the true origins of the schismatic branch of the MSM, are to be received into the Order during o the 2nd of June, at 4pm, at the Little Oratory in London, by Fr. Rupert McHardy. The Preceptor asks at many members to attend as possible.
Andrew’s News: Andrew has been unable to attend the “Days with Mary” die to his mother’s health. He informed the Preceptory of the latest available news on the struggles of Lanherne Convent and St-Augustine’s Abbey.
Richard’s News: Richard this month met with a friend, Anthony Johnson, and said a Rosary for the Order.
Mary’s News: Mary went to a religious choral concert at the Sistine Chapel. She also attended the Tyburn Lecture, where she spoke to Mgr. Newton. She intends to follow up with a letter to him, mentioning her connections with Walsingham, and to take that opportunity to point out her belonging to the Order as well. She is supportive of the idea of a MSM pilgrimage to Walsingham. Fr. Simon McGurke of Belmont Abbey informed her that a By-pass project is placing the Abbey under the threat of the exercise of Eminent Domain rights by the Government. She was asked to help the Abbey in an awareness/fund-raising lecture/recital aimed at preventing this from occurring, and will keep the Preceptory appraised of her actions in this regard.
Jean-Paul’s News:
• Met and corresponded with Fr. Rodger Hunter-Hall, in Washington DC, regarding his possible interest in the MSM / Sent him various MSM materials
• Continued correspondence with David & Camelia Sainty, and the Order’s Chancellor & Drapière, regarding administrative and other details of the formers’ reception
• Posted Chapter minutes, the IFCI announcement, as well as a story on the FCEA and Dungu Church on the MSM Blog
• Created a MSM LinkedIn Group and posted various MSM notices & Blog story links on it
• Wrote to Fr. Duncan Lourensz, PP of St-Thomas of Canterbury Parish in Deal, Kent, re. MSM –Awaiting feedback
• Wrote to Aux. Bishop Hine, of Southwark, re. MSM –Awaiting feedback
• Sent IFCI “Vita” Magazine to various Friends of the MSM & MSM candidates
• Discussed (unsuccessfully) the possibility of translating the MSM Office into a Latin-English version with Professor Webb of Northbourne Park Prepartory School, a teacher of Latin. Confirmed that the Latin is that of the 19th Century Neo-Vulgate
John Walker’s News: John has cardiac
problems and asks for the Preceptory’s prayers.
Pierre’s News: Pierre shared with
the Preceptory that his research on Islam had revealed, through his reading of
Islamic religious texts, that Mary is considered a Patroness of Islam, and that
Muslims also call her “Our Lady” (in Arabic: “Sayida T’huna”).
HORARIUM:
No change in the Horarium at this time. The Preceptor announced a plan he was developing, under which the Preceptory should be able to move to saying the full 7 liturgical hours of the Office during the course of the week, rather than the current practice of saying the 3 major hours. He indicated that it required 7 people who regularly read the Office to participate, which he stated that the Preceptory had. He however wanted to make sure that all 7 concerned members of the Preceptory had either a copy of the MSM Office (in Latin) or the Little Office of the BVM (in English) prior to inaugurating the proposed new horarium. He is looking for copies of the Little Office BVM (by a Master of Novices).
UPCOMING FEAST DAYS & ANNIVERSARIES
• Sun., 20th May: The Ascension
• Sun., 27th May: Whitsunday
• Wed.,30th May: St Joan of Arc, Patroness of the Order [Also Jean-Paul’s birthday]
• Thurs., 31st May: Visitation
• Sun.,3rd June: Trinity Sunday
• Tues.,5th June: Fr Michael Clifton’s birthday (Chaplain of Devotion)
• Sun.,10th June: Corpus Christi
• Fri., 15th June: Sacred Heart
• Sat.,16th June: Immaculate Heart of Mary
PRAYER INTENTIONS
The Dead: Patsy Spencer-Silva; Richard Atkin’s mother Margaret; Mary’s cousin John Powell; Phyllis Bowman, Co-founder of SPUC
The Sick:
John Walker; Mrs Cesana
Permanently
on our Prayer List: Pope Benedict and his intentions; Vocations to the MSM and
IFCI; OLAF and the children we are supporting; Foyers de Charité movement; Days
with Mary; Friends of the Holy Family; Confraternity of St James; Carmelite
Nuns in Finland and Nairobi; Society of Pewe; WAF; ESBVM; Billings family Life
Centre; Fathers and Parishes of the Oratory and St Mary Magdalen’s; Elderly and
sick clergy whom we visit; Vocations to the priesthood, religious life and
marriage; Bishop Paul Hendricks and his intentions; Mgr Newton and the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham;
Bishop Echeverria and the Prelature of Opus Dei; Bishop Alan Hopes and his
intentions.We add to these: Nicholas Lane, the Orphans of the “Nazareth Home for God’s Children” in Ghana & their caregiver Sister Stan Terese Munumi (Marian Sisters of Eucharistic Love); community at Lanherne Priory
CHAPTER OF FAULTS
Members of the Observantia retired to acknowledge their various failings regarding their ability to live up to the Rule, prior to returning to the fuller Chapter meeting.
CLOSING PRAYERS
Following Closing Prayers, Chapter ended at 8:30pm
(We omitted the prayer to Our Lady of Chivalry; 'Mea culpa', Preceptor)
MARIAN HYMN
“Hail,
Queen of Heaven”COMPLINE
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