THE RITE OF OBEDIENCE
THE SOVEREIGN MILITARY HOSPITALLER ORDER OF SAINT JOHN OF JERUSALEM OF RHODES AND OF MALTA
CATHEDRAL BASILICA NOTRE-DAME
OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA
MAY 13, 2000
On May 13, 2000, at the Cathedral Basilica Notre-Dame in Ottawa, Vincent Shaun Redmond underwent The Rite of Obedience in The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta. The Order is a "Holy Religion" being the fourth oldest Religious Order of the Roman Catholic Church.
His Most Eminent Highness, Fra' Andrew Bertie, The Prince and Grand Master appointed, as his Delegate, Knight Grand Cross of Grace and Devotion "in Obedience", Robert Pichette, to receive the Promise of Obedience and admit Shaun to the Second Class of the Order.
The main Celebrant, who presided at the Investiture Mass, was His Grace the Most Reverend Marcel A. Gervais, Archbishop of Ottawa, in the presence of His Grace the Most Reverend Paolo Romeo, Apostolic Nuncio in Canada and His Grace the Most Reverend Joseph-Aurele Plourde, Archbishop Emeritus of Ottawa.
THE CEREMONY
THE RITE OF OBEDIENCE IN THE SOVEREIGN MILITARY ORDER OF MALTA
After the Homily, the following Rite of Obedience is carried out by the interrogation and investiture of the Candidate.
From the back of the Church the Candidate, accompanied by his two witnesses, proceed to the Santuary, where they are met by Robert Pichette, GCM, Delegate of the Prince and Grand Master along with H.E. Ted Arcand, President of the Canadian Association and Louis-Philippe Couture, Chancellor. The Candidate carries a lit candle in his left hand. When given a sign the Candidate kneels and replies to questions of the Delegate.
Robert Pichette, GCM, Delegate of His Most Emenent Highness, Fra' Andrew Bertie, The Prince and Grand Master, receives the Promise of Obedience of Vincent Shaun Redmond
Procurator Magister Magnus:
"Quid petis"?
Candidatus:
"Miscricordiam Dei et habitum fratrum militum obedientie Sacrae Domus Hospitalis Sancti Joannis in Jerusalem"
Procurator Magister Magnus:
"Desidcrium tuum grave est et magni momenti. Perfectionem christianam consequi vis et oboedientiam praestare legitimis tuis superioribus , sicut regula militum oboedientiae praescribit. Ideo rogo te: legisti regulam quam suscepturus es"?
Candidatus:
"Legi"
Procurator Magister Magnus:
"es igitur paratus in nomine Domini, ad promissionem"?
Candidatus:
"In nomine Domini, ego Vincent Shaun Redmond, paratus sum".
Procurator Magister Magnus:
"Ad emittendam promissionem accede"
Candidatus:
"Ego, Vincent Shaun Redmond, nomen Dei invocans promitto: observantiam, in fidelitate christiana quae militem decet legum Supremi Militaris Ordinis Hospitalis Joannis in Jerusalem, Rhodiensis vel Melitensis nuncupati institutionem vitae meae secundum regulam, praesertim adimplendo obligationes militis oboedientiae, ut sic christianam perfectionem consequar; oboedientiam debitam Sancae Matri Ecclesiae, Eminentissimo Principi et magno Magistro, et eius legitimis successoribus, fideliter et diligenter adimplendo superiorum mandata. Sic me Deus adiuvet, et Sanctissima Virgo de Philermo, et Sanctus Joannes Baptista, patronus nostre, et omnes Sancti Ordinis nostri, Ego Vincent Shaun Redmond, haec omnia promitto".
The documents are signed and witnessed.
Reverend Msgr. Roger Morin, PA, Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Ottawa and Lieut. Colonel Jacques Wilson Ostiguy, DSO, CStJ, CD, Knight Grand Cross of Magistral Grace, Witness the signature of the documents.
The aspirant rises and with his two witnesses proceeds to a table to sign the promise of obedience. The Candidate places the candle on the table. The documents are signed and witnessed. Returning to the front of the Sanctuary with the signed documents, the Candidate kneels and presents the documents to the Delegate. The signed documents are placed on the alter, where they remain until the end of Mass. The Candidate rises and the Delegate asks:
Procurator Magister Magnus:
"Quid ultra quaeritis"?
Candidatus:
"Quacro togam scapularem".
With the help of the President of the Canadian Association, the Delegate of the Grand Master imposes the scapular and says:
Procurator Magister Magnus:
"In nomine Sanctae et Individuae Trinitatis, in nomine Beatissimae Marae Virginis, in nomine Sancti Joannis Baptistae, accipe hoc signum in defensionem nominis Christi, in propagationem fidei; in servitium pauperum. Ad hunc finem damus tibi, Frater, hanc Crucem ut eam diligas ac defendas. Si contingat, ut in certamine pro Christo et Ecclesia eam desers, Sacrum Signum a te auferetur et tu ipse tamquam indignus ex Ordine nostra dimitteris".
After he receives the scapular, Shaun walks down the Nave holding a Crucifix aloft in his two hands.
The Chancellor then hands the crucifix to the Delegate of the Prince and Grand Master, who in turn presents it to the Candidate, for adoration, saying:
Procurator Magister Magnus:
"In nomine Sanctae et Individuae Trinitis, iubeo vos hanc crucem ostendere testibus promissionis tuae. Ita hoc signum tibi est gestandum" "ut virtutes adnuntietis eius qui de tenebris te te vocavit in admirabile lumen summ". (l petr. 2,9).
The new Magistral Knight in Obedience receives the crucifix and, holding it aloft with his two hands walks down the nave. Returning to his place in front of the Delegate of the Grand Master he hands the crucifix back to the Delegate, who in turn hands it to the Chancellor. The Delegate gives the new Magistral Knight in Obedience the kiss of peace and presents him with the Cross of Obedience. The new Magistral Knight in Obedience then receives the kiss of peace from the Archbishop of Ottawa, the Archbishop Emeritis and the Apostolic Nuncio.
The new Magistral Knight in Obedience returns to his place in the first pew. After the CREDO and Prayers of the Faithful the Mass continues with the LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST.
The New Magistral Knight in Obedience and the Delegate
THE ARMORIAL ACHIEVEMENTS OF VINCENT SHAUN REDMOND
THE ARMORIAL ACHIEVEMENTS OF ROBERT PICHETTE
OBLIGATIONS AND SPIRITUAL DUTIES OF A KNIGHT IN OBEDIENCE
By virtue of the Promise, members of the Second Class (in Obedience) oblige themselves to strive for the perfection of Christian life in conformity with the obligation of their state, in the spirit of the Order. All members of the Order are called upon to conduct their lives in an exemplary manner in conformity with the teachings and precepts of the Church and to devote themselves to the charitable activities of the Order.
Knights and Dames in Obedience are further tasked to:
a) collaborate with fellow members in prayer and works and to this end is bound to recite daily the Credo and one Pater, Ave and Gloria.
b) attend Holy Mass frequently, diligently approach the Sacraments of Penance and the Eucharist according to the advice of their own spiritual director, and participate in parochial life;
c) take part each year in a course of spiritual exercises of a least three full days in an approved place, and take part in courses and meetings for formation and instruction called by the Superiors;
d) follow the spiritual rules of life approved by the Grand Master, with the deliberative vote of the Sovereign Council.
THE ORIGIN, NATURE AND PURPOSE OF THE SOVEREIGN MILITARY ORDER OF MALTA
The Sovereign Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes, and of Malta, arose from a group of hositallers of the Hospice of Saint John of Jerusalem who had been called upon by circumstances to augment their original charitable enterprise with military service for the defence of pilgrims to the Holy Land and of Christian civilization in the East, which in time became sovereign on the islands of Rhodes and latter of Malta.
The purpose of the Order is the promotion of the glory of God through the sanctification of its members, service to the faith and to the Holy Father, and assistance to one's neighbour, in accordance with its ancient traditions. True to the divine precepts and to the admonitions of our Lord Jesus Christ, guided by the teachings of the Church, the Order affirms and propagates the Christian virtues of charity and brotherhood. The Order carries out its charitable works for the sick, the needy and refugees without distinction of religion, race, origin and age. The Order fulfils its institutional tasks especially by carrying out hospitaller works, including social and health assistance, as well as aiding victims of exceptional disasters and of war, attending also to their spiritual well-being and the strengthening of their faith in God.
