NEWSLETTER 50 JULY 2016Index

Dismissal of a grand prior

Secretary visiting Canada

Confirmation of H. E. Msgr. Bishop Emanuel Barbara Mass for the Confraternity.

History Book of the Confraternity.

Why you buy a title.

Message from the Grand Master Dear fellow knights and dames, another month has passed another month closer to the Convention in Malta. July was a very exciting month for the Confraternity with the members of the Grand Chapter of Melbourne, meeting with the President of the Republic of Malta and the news that the Secretary of the Supreme Council Dame Gail Vas and her father, Chevalier Sydney Vas are visiting the Grand Chapter of Canada in August.

On the weekend of July 16 and 17 the Grand Chapter of Melbourne attended the feast of Our Lady of Carmel in the country town of Swan

Hill. The Mass was celebrated by Bishop Paul Bird of the diocese of Ballarat.

The not so good news was that on Saturday 16 July, I decided to dismiss the grand prior of Austria Simone Mayer from the Confraternity. The former grand prior started doing things her own way without asking permission. She found excuses to the correspondence by the Grand

Chancellor Chevalier Joe Coleiro Private Secretary to the Grand Master and by the Assistant to the Vice Grand Master in Europe Chevalier Professor Lothar Gellert the Grand Prior of Germany.

She completely ignored the rules of the Confraternity and she removed the page of her chapter from face book. I took the decision to dismiss her after she made a new page on face book with a name of a new order.

My decision was supported by all the Members of the Supreme Council and the Advisory Board.

HISTORY OF THE CONFRATERNITYThe history of the Confraternity is taking shape. In the coming weeks, I will send you all a copy for your suggestions.

It was suggested to me that we should include an article on St. Peter and St. Paul.

Not include the history of the papal Order of St. Peter and St. Paul, as it might confuse the readers.

We will include space for every chapter with information of when it was established and contact address.

Confirmation of Bishop Barbara Mass in Nadur

The Archpriest of the parish of St. Peter and St. Paul of Nadur, Gozo, Malta has given permission to celebrate Mass on Saturday, 24 June, 2017 as part of our Convention in Malta.

If all goes to plan, Msgr. Bishop Emanuel Barbara OFM Cap. of the Diocese of Malindi in Kenya, will join us in Malta and he will celebrate the Mass.

Most likely the novena Mass will be dedicated to Charity Day in the parish Basilica of St. Peter and St. Paul. The Confraternity will present a donation to the mission of Msgr. Bishop Barbara.

Afterwards we go to the village of Xewkija to enjoy the festivities of St. John the Baptist.

Secretary’s visit to Canada

Dame Gail Vas Secretary of the Supreme Council and her father Chevalier Sydney Vas also a member of the Supreme Council are visit family members in Toronto Canada. While in Canada they are meeting with the knights and dames of the Grand Chapter in Cambridge.

Activities of Chapter of Cambridge

On July 23rd Gand Prior Silvio Da Silva met with Prior Bob Westhaver and Chevalier Andrew Munro to plan Cambridge activities. Secretary of the Supreme Council Dame Gail Vas and her father Chevalier Sydney Vas will be visiting the Toronto area August 13th and 14th. We decided to meet with them August 14th and we are still finalizing plans.

We are planning on having regular meetings with the entire Priory of Cambridge beginning in September or early October. We received our new medals and began distributing them at the end of July.

Prior Chev. Bob WesthaverPriory of CambridgePicture: Grand Prior Chevalier Silvio Da Silva and Prior Chevalier Bob Westhaver.

Why buy a titleRecently I have noticed that some members of the Confraternity have a new title of Earl. I was not impressed at all for the reason that they bought this title.

The title of Earl means a British nobleman ranking above a viscount and below a Marquess.

Titles are not something that you purchase, it’s something that you earn on merit.

Just a few weeks ago, I was told that a certain HRH the Duke of Wexford was selling Irish titles of Dukedom for him.

Don’t be a fool to purchase a title that you didn’t earn.

Don’t pretend to be someone who you are not.

Titles won’t take you to heaven.

Grand Chapter of Germany

Monthly Report of the Grand Chapter of Germany for July 2016

During the course of July, the Grand Chapter of Germany established contact to other orders. So the Grand Prior was offered a membership in the Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem.

Furthermore, first steps were taken to come in contact with the Order of Saint Joachim.

Since the Grand Prior endeavours to offer his Grand Chapter an appropriate and worthy place for its meetings, several castles have been visited and judged according to their suitability.

On looking closer, the “Burg Plesse” in Lower Saxony is in our interest because it is situated on the outskirts of Göttingen, a

famous and historic town known for its university. This knight’s castle stands out due to its ruins of a chapel, which was once dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul.

Besides, we have started thinking about how the investiture of the knights and dames can be arranged most worthily and envisage carrying it out in spring in 2017, maybe with a mass in the Saint Peter’s and Paul’s Church in Brochterbeck, which is a little town in the neighborhood of the Grand Prior’s home.

After the mass, the ceremonial act of dubbing is planned to take place in a festively decorated hall. Other friendly orders of knights from Germany and from abroad will be invited to this celebration.

For the report

The Grand Prior

Grand Master’s note: I am very pleased with your work.

Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Swan Hill - MelbourneOn the weekend of 16th and 17th. July, some of the knights and dames of the Grand Chapter of Melbourne, attended the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Swan Hill.

Swan Hill is a city in the northwest of Victoria with a population of about 10,000.

On Saturday, we attended the dinner dance at the Italian Club and on Sunday we took part in the Mass that was celebrated by Bishop Paul Bird of the Diocese of Ballarat.

After the Mass we took part the street procession.

The weather was at its best sunny on both days.

The knights and dames of St. Peter & St. Paul in the church.

Group photo with bishop Msgr. Paul Bird

The street procession with the statue of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

Meeting the President of MaltaOn Sunday, 10th. July, Chevalier Peter Paul Portelli Grand Master of the Confraternity was elected President of the Maltese Cultural Centre in Albion, west of Melbourne.

The new president took the opportunity to invite the President of the Republic of Malta Her Excellency Marie Louise Coleiro Preca to visit the Centre during her trip to Melbourne.

The Grand Master also took the opportunity to invite the knights and dames of Melbourne to meet with the president on Saturday 23 rd. July, 2016.

Photo: The President of Malta H.E. Marie Louise Coleiro Preca centre of the picture with husband Mr. Edgar Preca and the knights and dames of St. Peter & St. Paul.

The knights and dames in the hall of the Maltese Cultural Centre.

This is how your letterhead should look like. You can make one for your chapter or request one from here.

Last words for this monthIf we truly love the Confraternity of the knights of the great apostles Peter and Paul, the two pillars of the Holy Catholic church we should focus on our mission to help the poor and the sick.

Our Confraternity is still very young and at times the road becomes bumpy but we must focus on our journey. St. Peter and Paul had many problems in their mission. St. Paul was stoned and St. Peter was imprisoned, eventually they were both imprisoned and martyred for their Lord and God, Jesus Christ.

This is what our leaders said in regard the dismissal of Simone Mayer.

Grand Prior Chev. Silvio Da Silva - Canada

I just returned from a trip to the US and just reviewed your E-mail. When we joined we all agreed to abide by the rules of the Confraternity. The behaviour of our former colleague was inconstant with our aims and left us no other recourse. Well done Grand Master.

Grand Chancellor Chev. Joe Coleiro - MelbourneDear Grand MasterI concur; this is the outcome of a long saga that leaves us with knowledge and a clear conscience that you did not push her out but she had to face the reality of trying to run another order on the quiet and she jumped. You know I may be focused and direct, yet to good use in always trying to be your support. Your Secretary

Grand Prior Nicola Mongelli - Italy

Dear Grand Master,dear Sisters and Brothers,

The respect for the Rule of the Brotherhood is the basis of the relationship of each of us with the whole community.

Don’t respecting the principles of the Confraternity, it's equivalent to move away from the Community.Best devotees wishes.Nico Mongelli

Vice Grand Master Professor Jose M. Ferreira Coelho - Portugal

My Dear Grand Master, Peter Paul Portelli

After reading and reflecting on the question You presented me, I´m stating my total position of respect and solidarity to the " St. Peter and St Paul' s Confraternity" as Roman Catholic Apostolic Congregation, in its, basic and hight criterion, which so moving as showed in Fátima, at the Basilica , of the Holy Eucharist, in the Special Place - The Little Chapel Where Our Mother Lady of Fátima, appeared to the 3 little  shepherds.The physical presence of its Grand Master and other Knights and Dames, as well as, other beloved brothers who have just passed away (Dr. Pedro Laranjeira, and Dr. Jorge Correia), show that Portugal has always been present in the relationship of all different Catholic Apostolic Knights and Dames  all over  the World turning.The Confraternity, with Knights and Dames, also, all the people who loves St Peter and St. Paul’s Confraternity, is a model, of stronger and stronger model.My dears brothers and friends, never forgot that « Union makes strength»So that GOD and the Holy MOTHER, lead us in the well doing.

Thanks and Proud to the CONFRATERNITY OF ST, PETER AND PAUL.

Chevalier Sydney Vas – Member of the Supreme Council - Melbourne

Dear Peter   (G.M.)

Regarding Simone Mayer; it looks like she was ambitious to start her own order?   By the way did you question her about her face- book posts?  Anyway you had no option but to remove her from our Confraternity.  It’s real pity, as she showed a lot of enterprise, perhaps too much!  We need to uphold our principles and any obvious abuse of this requires swift action to maintain our values, our objectives and Rules.

Cav. Sydney Vas

Chevalier Les Tarczon – Chairman of the Supreme Council - Melbourne

Dear Grand Master, well done I totally agree with what’s been done.

Grand Prior Most Rev, H.G. Archbishop Andrew McMenamin - USA

Greetings Your Excellency,

I would believe it obvious that Simone Mayer understood the leadership structure and limit of her own authority within the Confraternity.  The by-laws are clear to our purpose and provide the guidelines by which the Priors and Confraternity operate.  Your regular correspondence supplements the Confraternity's formal expectations and provides us with a clear vision of your expectations.

I see her dismissal as very appropriate considering her actions, and I fully support your decision, as do all the Knights and Dames of the USA Grand Priory.

I continue to pray for you, and all the Knights and Dames of the Confraternity. I remain your servant.

Be Blessed, ++Andrew

Rev. Andrew J. McMenamin, DMin, OCR

Grand Prior of the USA

God bless the Confraternity of the Knights of St. Peter & St. Paul.

I hope that you enjoy reading the July newsletter.

Yours faithfully

Peter Paul Portelli

Grand master