N° XXIX DECEMBER 2012 Cardinal Edwin F. O’Brien visits the Holy Land THE SOLEMN ENTRY OF THE GRAND MASTER TO THE BASILICA OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE uring his first visit as Grand Master of the Eques- trian Order of the Holy Sepulchre to the Holy CARDINAL EDWIN F. O’BRIEN Land, for which he commits himself, Cardinal Ed- TAKES POSSESSION OF THE D DIACONATE OF SAINT SEBASTIAN win F. O’Brien has been the bearer of a message of soli- AT THE PALATINE III darity and peace. His visit was a great ecclesiastical event, both for the official reception for him in Jerusalem CATHOLIC CHURCH CONSECRATED and for his solemn entry to the Basilica of the Holy Sepul- IN AQABA JORDAN’S PORT AND TOURIST CAPITAL IV chre. Moreover it has been an opportunity to get in touch with the religious institutional, charitable and educational YEAR OF FAITH PILGRIMAGE realities in Israel, in the Palestinian territories and in Jor- ENROLLMENTS CLOSED dan which benefit from the Order’s constant support. Ac- RESERVATIONS CONTINUE V cordingly, he was accompanied by the Grand Prior, the NEWS ABOUT THE ORDER’S Latin Patriarch Fouad Twal, and by the Governor General EXPANSION ANNOUNCED Agostino Borromeo. AT THE GRAND MAGISTERIUM V His visit began on Monday afternoon, November 26, REVEALED AFTER THREE YEARS OF in the Holy City, at Jaffa Gate. The Patriarch with the STUDY THE SECRETS OF THE auxiliary bishops Maroun Lahham, Giacinto Boulos Mar- OLIVE TREES OF GETHSEMANE VII cuzzo and William Shomali, the Patriarch emeritus Michel Sabbah, the Nuncio and Apostolic Delegate arch- bishop Giuseppe Lazzarotto, priests of the Latin Patriar- chate, of the Franciscan Custody and of other Catholic congregations, and representatives of all the Christian communities and civil institutions were all there to wel- come the distinguished guest. Walking in procession they accompanied the cardinal to the nearby seat of the Patri- archate where the Patriarch gave a reception in his honor. GRAND MAGISTERIUM On the next day, in the morning, the Grand Master OF THE EQUESTRIAN ORDER OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE visited the Greek Orthodox and Armenian Orthodox Pa- OF JERUSALEM triarchs, leaders of the two major Christian Churches 00120 VATICAN CITY which historically share, with the Latin Church, owner- II N° XXIX - DECEMBER 2012 ship and responsibili- ties of the Basilicas of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and the Na- tivity in Bethlehem. Moreover, in the after- noon, he entered the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre in accor- dance with an ancient and solemn ritual characterized by a procession through the streets of the Old City guided by him with patriarch Twal at his side followed by The blessing of the Cardinal Grand Master in the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre. the governor general. The procession, escorted by the “kawwas”, Nazareth he celebrated Mass in the Basilica started from the Patriarchate and was joined of the Annunciation. He then reached the by bishops Marcuzzo and Kamal Hanna neighboring city of Rameh and there he inau- Bathish, priests, friars, religious men and gurated a building destined to the upper women, devotees and representatives of civil classes (its construction has been financed by authorities. At the entrance to the Basilica, the Order) enlarging the complex of the Latin the Apostolic Nuncio, representatives of oth- Patriarchate’s highly regarded School. er Christian communities and the Custodian On Friday, November 30, the Grand Mas- of the Holy Land father Pierbattista Pizzabal- ter went to Jordan. He was received by the la ofm were already waiting. The latter, near patriarchal vicar archbishop Maroun Lah- the Stone of Unction at the foot of Mount ham, then visited in the neighborhoods of Calvary, delivered a warm welcome speech Amman the Center for the disabled “Our La- for him. He said, among other things, that dy of Peace” and the parish works in the “this great Basilica is a house for all Chris- town of Zarka. In the evening he met and tians and this city a house for all believers”. had dinner with the Vicariate’s priests. The He also recalled the activities and merits car- following day, he went to the town of Mada- ried out by the Order on behalf of the ba to visit the new AUM (American Universi- Church of the Holy Land and invoked God to ty of Madaba) promoted by Patriarch Twal, “strengthen love for her, for justice and peace and the Patriarchate’s schools, which are also in the hearts”. Finally, having reached the always financed by the Order. In the Ortho- Anastasis chapel, he prayed at the empty dox church he visited the famous mosaic of tomb of the Risen Christ. the Map and finally went, as a pilgrim, to On Wednesday 28, he reached as a pil- Mount Nebo. After returning to Amman he grim the Basilica of the Nativity in Bethle- celebrated Mass in the parish Church of hem; he then visited two institutions which Hashimi. On Sunday, December 2, Cardinal benefit from the Order’s constant generosity, O’Brien and Patriarch Twal met with Jordan’s the patriarchal Seminary and the Catholic king Abdoullah II who received them cordial- University, where he also inaugurated the ly. After having left the Parish members of Education Department. The next day he con- Sweifieh, the Grand Master reached Israel to tinued his pilgrimage in Galilee, and in go back to Rome from Tel Aviv’s airport. III N° XXIX - DECEMBER 2012 THE PILGRIM SHELL CONFERRED ON THE GRAND MASTER he Patriarch of Jerusalem Fouad Twal could not fail to confer on Cardinal Edwin F. O’Brien Tthe Pilgrim Shell, the very same distinction reserved for Knights and Ladies of the Order who go on pilgrimage to Jerusalem which, he emphasized, reinforces the “unfailing bonds” be- tween the Order – of which he is the Grand Prior – and the Latin Patriarchate. Addressing the Grand Master in the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre, he said: “we are particularly grateful for the enthusiastic and generous interest that you and the Grand Magisterium, as well as the numerous Knights and Ladies of the Order throughout the world, have for the Holy Land. We accept your support and solidarity with gratitude. Be assured that we place our hope, our aspirations and our trust in you. We assure you of our prayers in the fulfilment of our common mission”. CARDINAL edwin F. o’brien TAKES POSSESSION OF THE DIACONATE OF SAINT SEBASTIAN AT THE PALATINE n October 25 the Grand Master cardi- chre of Christ, not by force of arms but by nal Edwin F. O’Brien took possession means of their constant witness of faith. He Oof the diaconiate of Saint Sebastian on urged prayers for them as well as for the suf- the Palatine during a religious ceremony fering Christians of Palestine and all the Chris- which, also from a canonical point of view, tians who face persecution with courage but marked his membership to the Clergy of also – mindful of being once chaplain and Rome. The title of Saint Sebastian on the Pala- then Military Ordinary (Archbishop in the tine (it also belonged to his predecessor, the United States for the Military Services) – for late cardinal John Patrick Foley) was assigned those men and women in uniform committed to him by pope Benedict XVI on February 18, to preserving peace. 2012. On that occasion, in Saint Peter’s Basili- Lieutenant General Giuseppe Della Torre ca, the pope “created” him cardinal. The papal del Tempio di Sanguinetto, Governor General Bull which formalized this appointment was Agostino Borromeo, several members of the read by the apostolic protonotary mons. Grand Magisterium and Lieutenant for Cen- Nicholas Henry Marie Denis Thevenin, diplo- tral Italy Saverio Petrillo also attended along mat on duty at the Secretariat of State, as an with many knights of the section of Rome en- introduction of the ceremony of taking posses- suring order. Ecclesiastical and civil personali- sion and of the Holy Mass concelebrated also ties also attended, among these cardinal by the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Fouad Tw- Bernard Francis Law, Archpriest Emeritus of al, Grand Prior of the Order, the Assessor the Papal Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore archbishop Giuseppe De Andrea and the arch- and bishop Franco Croci, Grand Prior of the bishop of Quebec Gérald Cyprien Lacroix. Lieutenancy for Central Italy. After having recalled the figure of Saint Se- During the solemn entry in the church, bastian, a soldier of the imperial Rome who which is located among the archaeological ru- was tortured for his faith, the Cardinal re- ins of the Imperial Rome, the Cardinal kissed membered in his homily that the members of the crucifix presented by rector Father Alvaro the Order, which is under his guidance, are Cacciotti OFM, who then addressed to him an the guards of honor protecting the Holy Sepul- official greeting. IV N° XXIX - DECEMBER 2012 CATHOLIC CHURCH CONSECRATED IN AQABA JORDAN’S PORT AND TOURIST CAPITAL Its construction was one of the Order’s major financial commitments ordan has been enriched with the first the Catholic Greek Melkite Bishop of Petra Catholic Church in the city of Aqaba, and Filadelfia Yasser Ayyash, and many Jwhich faces a large port and a well-devel- priests, including the parish priest, Fr. Issam oped hotel industry on the gulf of the same Zoomot and the first secretary of the Apos- name in the Red Sea. It was one of the priori- tolic Nunciature in Jordan. Present also was ties in the pastoral plan of the Latin Patriar- Governor Fawwaz Ishedat of Aqaba with oth- chate of Jerusalem because of the continuous er civil authorities and, of course, all the population growth – residents, seafarers and faithful of the parish.