FEAST OF OUR MOTHER CHURCH

As Cardinal Mercier said : "When prudence is everywhere, courage is nowhere." From Cardinal Sarah : "In order to avoid hearing God's music, we have chosen to use all the devices of this world. But heaven's instruments will not stop playing just because some people are deaf." Saint John-Paul II wrote: "The fact that one can die for the faith shows that other demands of the faith can also be met." Cardinal Müller says, “For the real danger to today’s humanity is the greenhouse gases of sin and the global warming of unbelief and the decay of morality when no one knows and teaches the difference between good and evil.” St Catherine of Siena said, “We've had enough exhortations to be silent. Cry out with a thousand tongues - I see the world is rotten because of silence.” Chesterton said, “The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult; and left untried.” Brethren, Wake up!

FEAST OF OUR MOTHER CHURCH

Today is the feast of the Dedication of our Mother Church in Valetta. It is also kept here in London as the feast of our own Conventual Church of Saint John Jerusalem, as it was of our former eponymous church in Clerkenwell. This is the first Order feast of the calendar year, and we hope that you have entered the others in your diaries, it is the privilege and duty of all members of the Order to give thanks for, and to ask the intercession of, our Patrons.

THE COLLECT OF THE MASS

O GOD, who year by year renew for us the day when this your holy temple was consecrated, hear the prayers of your people and grant that in this place for you there may always be pure worship, and for us fullness of redemption. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

PRAYER OF THE ORDER OF MALTA

Lord Jesus, Thou hast seen fit to enlist me for Thy service among the Knights of St John of Jerusalem. I humbly entreat Thee through the intercession of the most holy Virgin of Philermo, of St John the Baptist, Blessed Gerard and all the Saints, to keep me faithful to the traditions of our Order. Be it mine to practise and defend the Catholic, the Apostolic, the Roman faith against the enemies of religion: be it mine to practise charity towards my neighbours, especially the poor and the sick; Give me the strength I need to carry out this my resolve, forgetful of myself, learning ever from Thy holy Gospel a spirit of deep and generous Christian devotion, striving ever to promote God’s glory, the world’s peace, and all that may benefit the Order of St John of Jerusalem. AMEN