Leon Gautier's "Chivalry" in English

Leon Gautier "le Chartiste," a 19th century French specialist on medieval cartularies, is widely considered to be one of the leading authorities on the medieval Knight and on the institution of Chivalry in general. His seminal book "La Chevalerie" has always been required reading for novices within the Militia Sanctae Mariae. Indeed, it is in part the reading of this book which inspired Dom Gerard-Marie Lafond, OSB, Founder of the MSM, to create a "new chivalry" for a new time.

This text, long unavailable in the English language, may now be procured in the tongue of Shakespeare (translated by Henry Frith in 2007) at Amazon, as a Hardcover Book, for about US$40.00 (http://www.amazon.com/Chivalry-Leon-Gautier/dp/0548169861).

Needless to say, the MSM highly recommends this book to anyone interested in understanding the true lifestyle, practices, devotions and outlook the of the Knight.

MSM UK Preceptory August 2012 Chapter Minutes

Preceptory of Great Britain

August 2012 Fontaine-Simon Pilgrimage and Chapter

14 August 2012, Fontaine-Simon and La Commanderie de l’Immaculée, Montireau         Diocese of Chartres, France

 

Pilgrimage to Fontaine-Simon: At the recommendation of the Preceptor, the members of the UK Preceptory present in Montireau for the XXXI^st Chapter General of the Order began the day with a pilgrimage to Fontaine-Simon, from 9:30am-11:30am. The name "Fons-Simonis" is attested from the eleventh century, perhaps linked to the worship of water. The "Fontaine Saint Anne" is considered miraculous shrine. It is dedicated to Saint Anne, patroness of the village. Each year, Fontaine-Simon holds a pilgrimage in honor of St. Anne, on the last Sunday of July. People have been making this pilgrimage since the twelfth century to implore the graces of the Saint.

The members of the Preceptory recited the Glorious Mysteries at the shrine and offered prayers for the successful outcome of the French Prioral elections, the Middle-East, and other intentions. They then returned to the Commanderie in order to attend to their assigned duties in the context of the Chapter General.
 

Opening of the Preceptoral Chapter and Presentation of the Agenda: The Chapter was opened at 7:32pm with a Prayer to the Holy Spirit.

In attendance were: Chev. Stephen de la Bédoyère (Preceptor); Chev. Martin Blake (Treasurer); Chev. Andrew Cesana; Chev. Jean-Paul Gauthier; and Ian and Maureen Gordon (Friends of Our Lady).

The Preceptor indicated that he wished to discuss the three following topics:

1)    The Preceptor’s Report to the Chapter General

2)    Upcoming Activities

3)    Preceptory Plans for the Year of Faith

Discussion of the Preceptor’s Report to the Chapter General: The Preceptor asked members for input and comments on his planned triennial presentation on the State of the Preceptory. Input was duly provided and taken into account, and subsequently presented in what turned out to be perhaps the most organised of the national presentations on the State of the Order.

It bears noting that, in response to the Report and a query from the Preceptory, the following was clarified during the Chapter General regarding the reading of the Office:

(1) It is clear, from Dom Lafond himself, successive Masters and the tradition of the MSM, that we should use by preference Dom Lafond’s beautiful Office of Our Lady;

(2) In Chapter, it should be read in Latin, as it was the will of Dom Lafond that the MSM should behave as a depository of “Treasures of the Church” and this is the community in which we chose to enter;

(3) Owing to the lack of familiarity with the Latin language and culture in the English-speaking world among our Servants of Our Lady and Prayer Friends, in 1995 Master Dubois accepted the use of the 3 Major Hours of the Roman Office in English, “topping and tailing” in Latin;

(4) Until a Latin-English version of Dom Lafond’s Office is produced, members may, at home, read the Office (preferably the Little Office of the BVM) in English;

(5) Master Pellabeuf and the General Chaplain additionally requested that all members try to say the 3 Gospel Canticles in Latin habitually, and to learn certain major prayers such as the Magnificat in Latin as well.

[The Chapter was suspended from 7:45pm-8:30pm for communal dinner with the other members of the Order in attendance of the Chapter General.]

Upcoming Activities: The scheduling conflict of October 13^th 2012 was discussed and it was resolved that the Preceptor and Chev. Cesana would represent the Order at the Rosary Crusade for Reparation while Chev. Gauthier would represent the Preceptory at the IIFC Congress, in order to ensure maximum Preceptory exposure and participation, in spite of limited members.

Maureen Gordon reiterated her suggestion of July that the Preceptory consider supporting the ministry of “the Guild of Our Lady of Ransom”. She noted that the sodality focused on the following: (1) A “Prayer Guild for England” in order to bring England back to Catholicism; (2) taking up collections for poor parishes; (3) pilgrimages to Barcelona and Walsingham. She concluded by noting that Mgr. Stark, the Guild’s 4^th Master since its foundation (in 1897), was now retired and that the sodality was now in the charge of a lay committee.

Year of Faith: The Preceptor asked the members what they wished be done in the Preceptory for the Year of Faith. The Gordons indicated that they would be studying the documents of Vatican II and would share the results of their studies with the rest of the Preceptory.

[It was subsequently learned, during the Chapter General that the Priory of France planned to study the new “Porta Fidei” Motu Propriu in this Year of Faith. This too could form a valuable, alternative activity for members of the Preceptory preferring this course of study.]

Closing of the Chapter: The Chapter was concluded with the Memorare prayer at 8:48pm. Special intentions included: The Leclerc family, Peter Sibley (health issues), Bro-at-arms Stefan Stenke (professional opportunities), and the Preceptory (vocations, a successful Preceptoral year).

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; and Bishop Alan Hopes and his intentions.

MSM UK Preceptory July 2012 Chapter Minutes

MSM Preceptory of Great Britain

Chapter and Day of Pilgrimage of 16^th July 2012, Feast of Our Lady of Mt Carmel                        (Patroness of the Preceptory), Aylesford, Kent

Pilgrimage: The Pilgrimage began with mass at 12:00, at the Choir Chapel.

Following mass, the Glorious (Joyous) mysteries of the Rosary were recited, at the Cloister (Infant of Prague) Chapel, at 12:45.

At 1:30pm, bread was broken together in the Pilgrims’ Hall. The lunch break also provided an opportunity for those who had not yet been on pilgrimage to Aylesford to pray before the Relic of St. Simon Stock.

Opening of the Chapter Meeting: Chapter was opened at 2:25pm.

Attendance: In attendance were: Stephen de la Bédoyère (Preceptor); Andrew Cesana and Jean-Paul Gauthier (Knights); ; Mary Remnant (Servant of Our Lady); and Ian and Maureen Gordon, John Walker  (Friends of Our Lady).

Reading from the Rule: Chapter XIV, regarding the Delicacy to be shown toward Our Lady.

Commentary on the Rule by the Preceptor: The Preceptor began by noting that the Aylesford’s Carmelite Order (a Marian Order) was founded at Mt-Carmel, which is a small and discreet little corner of Creation, just as many of us and our works are. He then recalled the Rule’s requirement regarding the wearing of the Miraculous medal, a sacramental which he compared to the widespread practice of wearing the Brown Scapular in England. He reminded the Preceptory members how the use of the Scapular had been prescribed by various popes and saints. He however admonished the members of the Preceptory to beware of the danger of coming to view such sacramentals as some sort of “catholic magic”, reminding them that their use functions merely an aid to grace and adjunct to “hard work”.

Adoption of Minutes: S.O.L. Mary Remnant reviewed the minutes of the previous chapter meeting and confirmed to the Preceptor that they were accurate. With two members agreeing on the point, they were deemed adopted –a point raising no objections from the membership in attendance.

Agenda of the Chapter meeting:

New Preceptory regulation regarding tithes for those over 80 and other financial matters:

The possibility of receiving Pierre as a Servant of Our Lady, ideally in January 2013, was discussed. He noted Pierre’s stated concerns that he could not afford to pay the Order’s tithes or pay for such expenses as the Pilgrimage to Aylesford. He asked Chev. Gauthier to point out to him that those over 80 would no longer, in the UK Preceptory, be required to pay tithes.
 

Chev. Gauthier noted that he had himself brought along his annual tithes to the Preceptory, as well as a contribution of GBP 10.00 from David Sainty toward the gift the Order was offering to Lanherne Convent on behalf of Fr. Rupert McHardy for officiating at his Reception Ceremony. He further noted that the Master had asked him to paid half of his tithes (i.e. 1% of his net annual income) directly to the Magisterium of the Order, given his particular dual status as a member of the Preceptory and Magisterial Delegate for North America.

Annual MSM Open Day on 29^th September 2012:

The Preceptor began the discussion of this item by stressing the importance of the Open Day.

He noted that a notice would be published in the Brompton Oratory Magazine, and that they could additionally be published in such catholic papers as the Catholic Herald and The Tablet.

He then noted that invitations needed to be sent out on lists compiled by Mary Remant, Jeffrey Monk and himself, and asked for some assistance in cleaning up the lists. Chev. Gauthier offered to spend a couple of hours verifying whether or not the printed lists (from Jeffrey) could easily be digitised but indicated that he was sanguine about this prospect.

Maureen Gordon suggested that she could inform the Association of Catholic Women, of which she is a member, both through Josephine Robinson and Joanne Bogle who are in its leadership, and (nearer to the date) at its AGM on September 26^th 2012.

Maureen Gordon also suggested that the “Friends of Westminster Cathedral” might be informed, through Fr. Tuckwell, as well as the ESBVM.

MSM Outreach Efforts:
It was agreed that the Preceptor and Chev. Gauthier would reach out to and jointly meet Archbishop Smith of the Diocese of Southwark.
 

It was then noted by Chev. Cesana that he knows Auxiliary Bishop Hine, from his organ work in West Malling, and that he could jointly meet him with Chev. Gauthier.

The Preceptor indicated that he would reach out to Fr. Julian Large, Provost of the Brompton Oratory, regarding his possible interest in becoming a chaplain and the possibility of the designation of the Oratory as the Capitular Seat of the Order in the UK.

It was agreed that Chev. Gauthier should reach out to the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham group in Mongeham in East Kent, following the Preceptor’s meeting with Mgr. Newton, and that he would also meet with Fr. Marcus Holden, of St-Augustine’s Shrine in Ramsgate.

Ian and Maureen Gordon indicated that they would send an e-mail to Fr. Pinsent in Oxford, an expert on the subject of the relationship between science and religion –to establish a contact with him on behalf of the MSM which could subsequently be followed up by Chev. Gauthier.

It was finally agreed that members of the Preceptory should keep their ears open regarding any possibility of outreach to the FSSP.

Preceptory Apostolates:

Life: The request by John Smeaton for a SPUC Liaison within the MSM was raised and discussed, with  Maureen Gordon agreeing to act as the MSM point of contact for SPUC, and to report back to the MSM on its initiatives as well as on matters relating to Life in general. It was further agreed that this John Smeaton could be informally of this decision.
 

OLAF: The membership agreed in principle with the idea of a KSh 4000 donation for a Srathmore College Business Training Course tuition bursary. The Preceptor wondered whether OLAF  could be become a Registered Charity, in order to facilitate receiving and distributing gift aid for such projects.

CAFOD: It was agreed that the membership would keep an eye out for advertisements in the Catholic papers for requests for donations of GBP 15.00 or less, earmarked for the purchase of an item such as a bicycle or pigs for a family in the developing world, and consider the possibility of making such donations as they are identified.

World Apostolate of Fatima (WAF): It was agreed that the Preceptory would ask S.O.L Donal Foley what the MSM and WAF could do to be of further assistance to one another. It was noted that there would be a collection at Donal's Talk on the Open Day for W.A.F.

Days with Mary: In discussing whether any formal MSM association with the Days with Mary beyond Chev. Cesana’s individual actions might be possible, it was recalled that they had in fact been initiated by two MSM members; Chev. Martin Blake and  S.O.L. ( now lapsed )Claudio Lo Sterzo.

Our Lady of Ransom: It was pointed out, by Maureen Gordon, that this apostolate was in need of assistance and indeed leadership by willing Catholics.

Aylesford: As per MSM discussions with Prelates such as Bishop Hopes earlier this year, the possibility of the MSM somehow associating itself to an Aylesford Priory initiative was raised for discussion.

General Discussion: At the suggestion of the Preceptor, it was agreed that the MSM should not embark upon any new “Preceptory activities” unless at least 2 members could commit to working on it –lest they be done poorly.

Closing of the Chapter: The Chapter Meeting was closed at 4:05pm to enable members to catch their return trains to London.

Prayer intentions: Permanently on our Prayer List: Pope Benedict and his intentions, Vocations to the MSM and IFCI, OLAF and the children we are supporting, Foyer 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.

MSM UK Preceptory June 2012 Chapter Minutes

MILITIA SANCTAE MARIAE

Knights of Our Lady

G.B. Preceptory,

Tuesday, 19^th June, 2012, at the Brompton Oratory

Present: Stephen (Preceptor ), Kt; Richard C. Kt (N/A); Mary Remant, S.O.L. Pierre Vallerie, Ian Gordon, F.O.L.; Apologies: Jean-Paul Gauthier, Kt.

We recall the recent death (3^rd June) of our brother John Wrigley, Kt. In the words of his daughter Celia he died surrounded by the prayers of his children. Let us, too, pray for the repose of his soul. 

Reading from our Rule: Ch. II, Sections 7,9,10 by Richard.

Reading from the Master’s Directive for 2012: Today we arrive at the final part of the Master’s Directive, on STUDIES:

‘Programmes of formation, which vary in each country, are balanced and in conformity with our foundational documents. The French example is interesting because it goes beyond a simple intellectual formation and aims at including the other areas where a novice needs to perfect himself. Just as my predecessors, I am fond of repeating that the formation of a member of the MSM is never complete, and we need to progress ceaselessly in the relevant areas of knowledge. In fact, our Rule points this out in its ‘Summary of the Observances of the Rule’: During the Year: study necessary for doctrinal formation. Furthermore I am planning to organise in France during the summer of 2012 – year of our General Chapter – an international session for the formation of our novices. I am seeking your advice about the substance and form that this gathering could take.’

COMMENTARY: Recently, we received here at the Oratory an Australian Brother at Arms and wife as a Sister of the Order, David and Camelia Sainty. This is of great joy for us, and his sponsor is and will be Jean-Paul. The topic of studies in the MSM is very relevant. Chapter II of the Rule, in Section 9 states that ‘it is of our wisdom, not of our science, that the world has need’. I believe that many Catholic theologians went off the tracks during the last century because they inverted that truth, so when we talk about formative studies in the MSM we are talking about prayer first of all, and communicating Divine Truth (the Doctrine of the Catholic Church).

Sadly, scepticism and agnosticism have a subtle way of insinuating themselves into our thought patterns, and never more so than this age in which scientific theory claims infallibility in the media! This morning on the radio, I heard a scientist claim that computers can now compose music. Actually, listening to him, it turned out that the computer makes a noise and many, many listeners decide what to retain and what to delete… thus it is they, not the computer, who are composing the music!

Père Bernard Pellabeuf recently wrote a fascinating article called ‘Some Cultural Components of the New Evangelisation’ on his Pageliasse blog (you can find it in English by googling that name). He tears apart many of the assumptions on which contemporary thought is based. I can summarise what the MSM’s chaplain wrote in words I read many years ago as a teacher training student in a manual of the different philosophies of education current in 1970. Archbishop Beck of Liverpool was writing then about the Thomist view of education and started by saying: ‘It is true that in the modern world, we concentrate more on the adjectival than the substantive view of man!’ Well, the ongoing formation given in the MSM is definitely required to be substantive, as is the New Evangelisation, and the formation given to David and any other brother at arms who comes our way needs to be the foundation of the programme to be followed in the future in our Preceptory.

EXHORTATION: Please note the Master’s words that ‘our formation is never complete.’ We should have a regular habit of spiritual and theological reading, in accordance with the priorities of the MSM and seeking advice, if necessary, from prudent guides.

NEWS OF THE PRECEPTORY:

1. We were overjoyed to receive a new brother at arms on 2^nd June, but saddened on the 3^rd by the death of Knight John Wrigley, at the age of 85. Jean-Paul, Richard and I were able to participate in his funeral in Folkestone in a very full church (John’s thirty or so descendants and many parishioners!). Martin has prepared an obituary notice, which I am editing and will send out with this Chapter summary. John was Martin’s first recruit when the Preceptory started, resulting from an article that Martin wrote in the Catholic Herald.

2. I should like to finalise Commandery dates, and arrange to buy tickets a.s.a.p. I now have dates:  Martin, Andrew and Stephen will arrive on Monday 13^th August for the evening meal by train, while the Gordons will arrive at the same time by car. Similarly, we will depart after breakfast on Friday, 17^th August.

3. I rang S.O.L. Harry Gibson today in Ferryhill. He is now very weak and stays in bed all the time. I believe strongly in his prayers for the MSM.

4. Don’t forget our picnic pilgrimage to Aylesford on 16^th July. Mass at Midday, followed by a picnic and a brief Chapter and Office.

5. S.O.L. Donal Foley has kindly agreed to give the keynote talk on our Open Day on 29^th September: It will be entitled ‘From Heaven to earth: the Marian Movements in the XXth Century’. You may duplicate the invitation and distribute… and pray!

INTERNATIONAL FAMILIARIS CONSORTIO INSTITUTE: The Preceptor was able, on Friday, 8^th June, to attend Mass and Adoration at St Paul’s Church, Tintagel, for family life. He emphasises the importance of regular prayer for families throughout the Church and the world. This is much desired by the Pope and bishops, and by families themselves, often in great spiritual and material need. On Tuesday, 3^rd July, the Preceptor attended the memorial solemn Mass in Westminster Cathedral at 5:30 pm for the late Phyllis Bowman, the tireless pro-life activist who was behind the foundation of SPUC and Right to Life.

OLAF: Our friend Bernard Wanjala needs some financing for his postgraduate studies in Philosophy, and I told him that we will do what we can. He needs around £850 and we have in the coffers £550. I hope to meet 2/3 friends at the end of July, who have expressed an interest in developing the Fund. Prayers, please.

STEPHEN’S NEWS: Stephen had a break at Quarr from 31^st  July to 10^th August. His retreat at Chilworth will be from 25^th to 27^th August. Observants are reminded about our duty to make an annual retreat.

MARTIN’S NEWS: He attended the AGM of the Friends of the Holy Father (as did Mary ).

ANDREW’S NEWS: Andrew attended the D. w. M. at Westminster Cathedral. Fr Gabriele gave a couple of sermons, dealing with self-sacrifice and the Holy Spirit. Further D.s w. M. include: Balham on 14^th July and Spanish Place on 18^th August

JEAN-PAUL’S NEWS:

1. Jean-Paul attended the inauguration of St Augustine’s Shrine at Ramsgate, and related activities, including D. w. M. with Andrew.
2. Initial contact with Archbishop Smith and his secretary.
3. Various networking contacts: Fr Lindlar of the Ordinariate, Fr Marcus Holden of the Shrine, and Andrew Sharp of the ‘Friends of St Augustine.’
4. Initiated Bro. David’s formational programme, and sent Ian Gordon formational documents.
5. Is helping to prepare the ‘St Henry’ formational seminars that will precede the Chapters at the Commandery in August
6. Brief trip with Kofo to Paris, where he met the Master et al.
7. Is developing the content and usefulness of Blog and Linkedin sites.
8. Has visited Botswana for professional reasons.

RICHARD’S NEWS:

1. Richard has spent time in the West Country attending Mass at St James’ Winchcombe (The local Anglican church has Santiago connections) and in Bishop’s Cleeve (formerly the house of a Catholic convert).
2. He attended an important meeting of the LMS at Regent Hall in London, with a distinguished list of speakers; Fr Tim Finigan made the connection between the extraordinary liturgy and the pro-life movement.

MARY’S NEWS:

1. Attended the Sistine Choir choral concert was at Westminster Cathedral.
2. She has not been in touch with  Fr McGurk of Belmont Abbey.

PETER’S NEWS: Peter attended a talk to the ESBVM about the statue of ‘The English Lady’, now in Mondonyedo (N.W. Spain) by bishop Chartres of London, and is in correspondence with our Br. Guillermo Rolland. The idea is to develop interest in it in England.

PIERRE’s NEWS: He recently attended the silver jubilee of ordination of a Chinese priest at Notre Dame de France, and continues his etymological studies of sacred texts.

IAN’s NEWS: He gave us an interesting outline of his and Maureen’s Holy Land pilgrimage, concerned about the increasing Moslem influence in Bethlehem. He made mention of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre. They were able to attend the magnificent High Mass at Westminster Cathedral, to celebrate the Queen’s Jubilee, and a seminar at Heythrop College.

FEASTS and ANNIVERSARIES:

11^th July, St Benedict, patron of MSM, co-patron of Europe
16^th July, Our Lady of Carmel, co-patron of GB Preceptory
26^th July, SS. Joachim and Anne, parents of Our Lady
6^th August, Transfiguration 72^nd birthday of MSM
15^th August, ASSUMPTION of Our Lady, Solemn feast of MSM
20^th August, St Bernard, patron of the MSM
22^nd August, Our Lady, Queen
8^th September, Birthday of Our Lady
15^th September, Sorrows of Our Lady
22^nd September: Novena to Ste Therese for vocations to MSM starts today
24^th September, Our Lady of Ransom
29^th September: ST MICHAEL ARCHANGEL, Grand Master of MSM: Quarterly Chapter and Annual Open Day of GB Preceptory (Talk by Donal on Marian Movements)

PRAYER INTENTIONS:

1. The Dead: We think of all those who have died recently: John Wrigley, Hugh Mountney, Dame Phyllis Bowman, Bernard Cullen.

2. Sick: Peter Sibley, Harry Gibson, Mrs Cesana, Joyce Palmer, Stratford Caldecott, Fr. Norman Brown. We also pray for F.O.L. Joyce Palmer, a devout Anglican, now 92, nearly blind and deaf with mobility problems, and suffering from loneliness and an increasing need for personal care.

3. For continual prayers:  The Wrigley family, Nicholas Lane, Archbishop Mennini

4. Permanently on our Prayer List: Pope Benedict and his intentions, Vocations to the MSM and IFCI, OLAF and the children we are supporting, Foyer 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.

A.O.B. We need to consider how to observe the Year of Faith beginning in October.

Concluding prayers: Prayer to Our Lady of Chivalry, Chapter of Faults, SME Compline and Inviolata.

Invitation to Talk on new Marian Movements, on 29 September 2012

The Preceptor of the Knights of Our Lady in England cordially invites you to our 9th

Annual Michaelmas Open Day on Saturday, 29th

September, the Feast of St Michael theArchangel, Grand Master of the Militia Sanctae Mariae, which includes a Chapter and a Talk by Donal Foley. The meeting will take place at the Brompton Oratory from 1:00pm to 4:30 pm, in St Michael’s (scout) Hall, beyond the garden, and all are invited.

The Chapter will be from 1 o’clock to 2: 45. The talk will be from 3 o’clock, with time

for questions.

In the Year of Faith, we wish to enhance the role of Our Blessed Lady in the work of

salvation, and have asked our member Donal Foley, secretary of the World Apostolate

of Fatima in England and Wales. and a Catholic author who has written books on

Marian apparitions, to speak on the development of Marian spirituality in the last

century, in the light of apparitions of Our Blessed Lady, specially at Fatima. The Talk

will be entitled:

FROM HEAVEN TO EARTH: MARIAN MOVEMENTS IN THE XXTH CENTURY

There will be a collection for the work of W.A.F.

The Oratory House is next to the Victoria and Albert Museum, a short walk from South

Join the MSM's Shahbaz Bhatti Circle

[In a previous Blog, readers were informed of the MSM's Shahbaz Bhatti Circle for religious freedom (SCB), named in honor of the assassinated Catholic Minister from Pakistan. Should any readers wish to join the Circle, they may do so through by printing, signing and sending in the below form (either in scanned e-mail or hardcopy format):]

Chev. JOHN WRIGLEY, MSM

Martin Blake writes:

I became a Brother-at-Arms in the M.S.M. in 1969 at Notre Dame de Valere in Sion near Lausanne, Switzerland, and was dubbed a knight in August 1975 in Chartres Cathedral by Bishop Michon.

Not long after I had an article in the Catholic Herald that invited interested parties to get in touch with me, and the first to reply was John Wrigley from Folkestone.   After suitable preparation, he and his wife Dorothy came over to Worth Abbey, where I taught French in the school, and in about 1979 were received into the Order by Dom Hugh O'Neil OSB, a monk who supported my cause.

John was a committed Catholic who worked for a firm that restored motor coaches and whose military service at the end of the War involved Singapore and the Military Police, was a leader in the Trades Union movement, and a local Justice of the Peace.   One of his close Catholic associates was Mgr John Jukes O.Cap., the auxiliary Bishop in Kent, who lived at West Malling. Another early member of our Order was Pat Lonergan who also lived at West Malling, and who sadly died of cancer shortly before being ordained a Permanent Deacon.   We three, and others, used to meet for Chapters at Aylesford Priory near Maidstone, whose refounder, Fr Malachy Lynch O. Carm, encouraged me to translate and publish the Rule of the Order in 1977. John and Dorothy came with me to Chartres and he was dubbed a knight in 1985, by the Bishop (Primate of the MSM). Thereafter he was my closest associate in the early years in England.

John and Dorothy Wrigley

From my retirement (in 1987) in Somerset I visited Kent a number of times, and usually managed to meet John; but as his health declined after Dorothy's death (in 2000) I saw him less frequently. For several years he was the Treasurer of the Preceptory, and a few years ago I was able to relieve him of this chore.   In his retirement he received the papal honour of the Benemerenti Medal.   He and Dorothy brought up a fine family of eight children.

Stephen de la Bedoyere adds:  the 8 surviving children have now become 17 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren! John was my sponsor when I was dubbed in 1997. For me, Chaucer’s description of ‘the verray parfit gentil knight’ in the Canterbury Tales fits John admirably! May he rest in peace.

John was buried in his knightly habit from the Church of Our Lady Help of Christians in Folkestone on Monday 18^th June 2012. Present at the Funeral Mass were brothers Stephen de la Bédoyère, Jean-Paul Gauthier (both in habit) and Richard Coles.