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CONTENTS |
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THE PROFESSION OF FRA JAMES MICHAEL V. STROEBEL AS A KNIGHT OF JUSTICE IN SOLEMN VOWS
Cathedral of St Matthew, Washington, DC, December 2nd, 1999
Following celebration of the Eucharist, the Rite of Profession continued. The Grand master and Frà John, together with the Knight and his witnesses come to the middle of the Sanctuary:
[GM] "What do you ask?"
[JMS] "I ask, Your Highness, that I may be counted worthy to enter the Order of Brothers of Holy Religion named after the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem."
[GM] "We reply to your that what you ask is indeed of great moment and high importance, this favor is by custom granted only to men of many virtues, as you have recently heard. This is no obstacle to you because we know that in love you are willing to perform works of mercy and that in charity you are willing to serve the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem. This Order has been honored and rewarded by many Supreme Pontiffs and Christian Princes with countless favors and privileges. We have, by our own labors, worked for the defense of the Holy Catholic faith against the infidel and against the enemies of the Christian religion. The Order had also fulfilled its obligation in service to the sick, the poor, the afflicted, the dispossessed, and the orphaned. Finally, if you live in accordance with this rule of life to earn the reward of life everlasting, it will most certainly be granted to you. You must keep the precepts of the Lord our God, our Holy Mother the Church of Rome and our Order of Religion. As time passes, you will find easier the practice of self-denial and the mortification of the flesh. If you remember that you have chosen chastity for the service of Religion, it will never be difficult or painful for you to resist any temptation. Tell me, then, in particular, whether you are ready to obey any superior who may in the future be appointed over you by the Grand Master and by this Holy Order of Religion. You should have no regard for the personal status of the superior even if he is your inferior in his state of life. Tell me whether you are willing thus to give up your liberty."
[JMS] "I am willing, Your Highness, to give up liberty in this sense."
[GM] "You shall now inform me whether in the past you have been bound by vow to any religious Order. You shall answer me sincerely and truthfully. Are you a professed member of any religious Order?"
[JMS] "No, Your Highness."
[GM] "Have you any matrimonial obligations?"
[JMS] "No, Your Highness."
[GM] "Have you any obligations to other men, either of personal security or of significant debt?"
The Grand Master places his hand on the shoulder of Frà James Michael
[GM] "Take heed, sir Knight! If anything you have denied in our presence is later proved to the contrary, then with great shame your Habit will be stripped from you and you will be expelled from our Order in disgrace. Assuming the truth of your declarations and in accordance with the form of our Constitution we accept you as a member of our Order."
The solemn promises: (Left to right) Count Elie de Comminges, H.M.Em.H. Frà Andrew Bertie, Frà James Michael and Marquess Gian Luca Chiavari