The BULLETIN The Order of St John of Jerusalem Knights Hospitaller THE GRAND PRIORY OF AUSTRALASIA Under the Royal Charter of HM King Peter II of Yugoslavia THE PRIORY OF QUEENSLAND AND COMMANDERIES: BRISBANE, The Malta issue: GOLD COAST, WA Pilgrimage page 3 SUNSHINE COAST AND Malta’s two major sieges page 5 WESTERN AUSTRALIA Brisbane commemoration page 7 THE PRIORY OF THE Victoria’s commemoration page 10 DARLING DOWNS Sunshine Coast service and luncheon page 14 THE PRIORY OF VICTORIA NOVEMBER 2017 Vale Dr Dennis Hill KSJ 2 Pilgrimage to Malta 3 Two Great Sieges 5 Priory of Victoria news 6 Brisbane remembers Malta 7 Victoria commemorates Malta 10 Vale John Fisher KCSJ 11 Chain Reaction 12 Sunshine Coast and Malta 14 First Siege of Rhodes 15 Christmas functions 16 Priory of Victoria assembling outside St Paul’s Cathedral Story and full picture page 10 THE BULLETIN EDITORIAL COMMANDERY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA A PILGRIMAGE CHEVALIER ANTHONY HOWES KCSJ CHEVALIER CHARLES CLARK KCSJ MMSJ With the following The Editor’s desk words, Chevalier Professor Charles WA Commandery When I was an under- generation. Has technological new members, and Application Savona-Grantura, graduate engineer, I used a slide advance left some of us behind? Forms for a start, will be lodged Grand Prior of the rule, a very simple mathematical This question was pondered in the Members’ Area for privacy Order of St Lazarus of Knights of the Malta tool, easy to understand, and easy recently by a small working party reasons. the Maltese Islands, to use. Today we have expanded of the OSJ in Australia as, at the Our question is: who will use Pauline Pilgrimage to computers and “phones” to be request of the Grand Priory of such facilities? Websites and welcomed the WA used by everyone; very complex Australasia, we began work on Pilgrims to Malta: tools, understood by very few developing interactive forms advantages brought to us by These words of welcome came at with a portfolio containing details people, found by many people to which can be placed on the new computerinteractive development. files are among the “It is certainly a pleasure to the opening dinner of the six days of the Pilgrimage, tourist items – website and used by all Members. Eventually, much of the OSJ welcome you to this happy of our Pilgrimage, and were echoed and a new book, “Saul of Tarsus offered often shunned by the older Such forms, Proposal Forms for communication will be through the gathering. The Crusader Orders in the welcome to Malta given by in the Island of Melite” written be difficult to use, the advantages website and emails. Transmission of the 12th and 13th Centuries Her Excellency, the Australian by Professor Charles Savona – Vale Chevalier Dr Dennis Hill KSJ of paper documents through comprised one big family High Commissioner, Ms Julienne mailing systems will decrease. providing facets of care to needy states: … compiled on the occasion Former Toowoomba antiques Carnival of Flowers. Ventura, which, in its foreword, The Membership Roll of Honour is pilgrims: the Templars providing from commitments elsewhere, of the Pauline Pilgrimage … for the dealer Dennis Hill, a member of Chevalier Stan Klan recalls that on the website, programes, notice especiallyHince, who to flew attend back the to opening.Valetta Knights and Dames belonging to the OSJ since 1997, passed away in Chevalier Dennis Hill, together of events in Commanderies and the Hospitallers of St John The ideas, the social and Western Australian Commandery of September after a short illness. with Dame Joy Sondergeld, were Priories are on the website, and providingsafe travel hospice and financial and medical security, theological thoughts engendered the Order of St John. He was 96. prime movers in bringing pianist The Bulletin is on the website. care, the Lazarites providing by our Pilgrimage experience are This book provided background A prominent member of the David Helfgott to the Empire These are all in the Members’ care for those with leprosy. still swirling around in the minds to all that we were to see through- then Darling Downs Commandery, Theatre on 20th March 1999, Area because much is private and All, however, fought tooth of the seven Knights, the one Dame, out the course of the Pilgrimage, Dennis was invested to the Order resulting in an OSJ donation sensitive to Members. and claw against what they and our companions – all fourteen together with guidance in the of St John in Brisbane. Darling of $27,000 to the Toowoomba But – and here is the point considered a threat to their of us – and will do so for some time importance of the Pauline sites to Downs Priory member Chevalier Hospice. of concern – only 34% of our religious values. to come. Thus, I can only describe be spoken of by Professor Charles Mervyn Bond, who was invested On their retirement from Members have signed up to be able While the centuries have here the outline of our time and the other world-renowned at the same ceremony, remembers Toowoomba, Dennis and Joan Hill to access this information. Where brought about divisions and together. Pauline and Malta scholar, Dennis as an active member, moved to Murwillumbah where are the 66%, approximately 180 On arrival at the Corinthia fundraising with his wife, Joan, they continued to be active in the of our Members? Has technology the various Orders that have Palace Hotel, we were presented Tal-Hgejjeg Chapel, St Pawl Milqii, for OSJ and other organisations community and with OSJ, Dennis Professor Horatio Vella, from the left them all behind, or is there survivedsometimes to conflicts modern times,between there by opening their Prince Henry transferring to the Gold Coast some other reason? Instructions is no doubt that all the branches Heights, Toowoomba, garden. Commandery. Earlier this year, for signing up have been sent to all of all the Orders in existence Their extensive garden was the Dennis entered a nursing home Members previously. today have common targets: venue for many garden parties where he died, after a short illness, This is the last Bulletin for that of philanthropy aimed at and a highlight of the annual in September. @ 2017. Thank you to the many who ameliorating the suffering of have contributed during the year. the sick and needy; and that It is your work that makes the of promoting Christian values, ‘The Bulletin’ is the official magazine of the Order of St John of Jerusalem publication what it is. Although it particularly of ‘loving one’s Knights Hospitaller, Grand Priory of Australasia: ACN 147 338 501 is somewhat premature, this is the neighbour’. CORRESPONDENCE PRINTED BY only opportunity I have to wish The unity that exists between Chevalier Charles Clark KCSJ MMSJ HEANEYS: PERFORMERS IN PRINT you all Season’s Greetings. the various Orders is highlighted email: [email protected] 07 5539 4911 www.hpip.com.au We begin formally to think in events such as today, where EDITORIAL GROUP of the coming of the Christ Child members of different Orders Chevaliers Charles Clark, Reverend during the Advent Season in from opposite ends of the world Dr David Pitman, the Reverend Canon December. Surrounded by a get together as confreres and Emeritus Bruce Maughan (Prelate), diversity of cultures and creeds, consouers – The Grand Priory of Robin Kleinschmidt, Garry Page, Philip the Christian celebration of St Lazarus is certainly honoured Andrews, Dames Dawn Goodall and Christmas is more important to us to collaborate and participate in Donna Fraser, and Serving Sister Leith than ever before, and I trust it will your activities.” Robinson. be a Happy and Holy one for you. @ 2 THE BULLETIN NOVEMBER 2017 3 COMMANDERY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA THE TWO GREAT SIEGES OF MALTA And, when we attended the CHEVALIER VINCENT GATT KCSJ main Eucharist of the Sunday at St Paul’s Anglican Pro-Cathedral, the Cathedral’s Chancellor, the Reverend Canon Simon Godfrey, Malta: “The Unsinkable Aircraft Carrier” preached a special sermon in honour of our visit in which he The First Great Siege of Malta, 1565 spoke of our work as a direct link Lalla Mustafa Pasha, Commander to be celebrated at the forthcoming of the Ottoman Invasion Force safety; they found themselves being (at that time) Feast Day of Blessed Malta 1565, said as he wept after attackedfleet had frombeen movedthree sides. north The for Gerard of Tunc, Warden of the the fall of the Fort of St. Elmo: “If the Order’s cavalry had been stationed Hospital of St John in Jerusalem child cost us so many lives – what in the Fortress City of Mdina on and founder of the original Order price will we have to pay to take the the high ground. They swept down of the Knights. mother.” Canon Simon joined us for The “child” was Fort St. Elmo The reinforcements that just lunch in the Cathedral’s Under which fell on the 23rd June 1565, from the left flank. Croft Restaurant, which had been the day before the Feast Day of St. opened only days before by Prince John, the Patron Saint of our Order. landed were ordered by La Valette and many lost their lives trying to Charles, in Malta to commemorate All of its inhabitants were put to defendersto attack from in Fort the St. other Angelo flank and while withdraw and disengage from the the 75th Anniversary of the the sword. But it cost over 6,000 attackedLa Valette from himself the enemy’sled the remaining rear. defenders. granting of the George Cross to the Ottoman soldiers, over 2,000 of By the time the Turks had The 8th September was the day realised that the size of the the reinforcements arrived and the There is so much more one including the Second in Command, reinforcements were actually quite Turks broke engagements with the people of Malta by King George VI.