NEWSLETTER 51 AUGUST 2016Index

Earthquake in Central Italy

Grand Chapter of Germany

Future priest of the Byzantine church

Maria Vamvakinou MP

Grand chapter of Gambia

Grand chapter of Canada

Message from the Grand MasterAugust was very quite month for the Confraternity as it is always at this time of the year but we were shocked by the news of the terrible earthquake in central Italy.

It happened as we were having a meeting to discuss the fund raising luncheon that we had planned on the 25 September, Soon as we heard the news of the earthquake disaster, our attention was diverted how we are going to help the victims of Pescara del Tronto and Ascoli.

Donations started coming in from our knights in Melbourne and business people started donation goods towards the luncheon to help raise funds for the appeal.

I hope that we raise quite a sum of money to send to bishop S.E. Mons. Giovanni D`Ercole.Vescovado, Piazza Arringo 10/c, 63100 Ascoli Piceno,  Italia.

Bishop S.E. Mons. Giovanni D`Ercole in the disaster area.

Future priest of the Byzantine churchThe Grand Prior of Malta Chevalier Dennis Mifsud will be ordained sub deacon on the 4th. December for the parish of the byzantine church in Valletta.

On the 8 of December, 2016, Grand Prior Chevalier Dennis Mifsud will have his feast in the basilica of Nadur .

The knights of St. Peter & St. Paul will be present for the celebration with their medal.

It is planned that in June next year, he will be invested deacon by the Archbishop of Malta.

I can only hope and pray that this happens during our convention so we all can take part in his celebration.

Later in the year he will be ordained priest.

We congratulate Grand Prior Dennis Mifsud and we pray that he will continue to serve God in his mission and honour our Confraternity.

Grand Prior Chev. Dennis Mifsud in black suit on the left of the picture

Grand Chapter of GermanyThe Confraternity of the Knights of St. Peter & St. Paul is warmly welcomed and fully accepted among the other German and Austrian Chivalric Orders

Chevalier Professor Lothar Gellert – Grand Prior

Due to the holiday season, activities of the German Grand-Chapter of the Confraternity of the Knights of St. Peter & St. Paul were a bit limited in the month of August.

Nevertheless, we have built up contact on the internet to a Catholic order – the Knights of Columbus - , of which one of our members, the Dame of Grace Brigitte Gellert, has known a grand knight privately for more than 20 years. This confraternity has its origin and head office in the USA, where it is widespread, but it is active all over the world. The Knights of Columbus concentrate on projects and activities similar to those of our Confraternity.

On August 28th, the Grand Prior of the German Chapter and two of his friends entertained the inhabitants of an old people’s home with their music on the occasion of their summer festival. The old and often handicapped people took great pleasure in the songs of the ‘60s and folk songs, which the Grand Prior and his friends – known as the band “Wellenreiter” – played and sang for them. In brilliant sunshine, the guests of this garden party could enjoy a cheerful atmosphere, to which the Grand Prior and his friends made an important contribution. They took no money for their three-hour program and set another good example of charitable activity.

The Grand Prior in action

The musicians of the band „Wellenreiter”

On September 3rd, we go to Görlitz with a few members of our Confraternity to attend the admission festivities of the Order of the Knights of St. Michael, Germany, into the parent organization of the German orders of knights, the Deutscher Ritterbund.

Furthermore, we have got an invitation from the order of St. Michael, Vienna, to celebrate the day of their patron Saint Michael on October 1st with them. We plan to go there with as many members as possible.

The invitation to both events is a great honor for our Confraternity since it shows that we are accepted among the Chivalric Orders in Germany and Austria.

Unfortunately, there is as well some sad news to report.

Together with the members of the order of St. Michael, we mourn their Grand Chancellor Werner Hartmann, who died on August 15th, and for whom we will pray in the church service.

Our Confrere Werner Hartmann acted as the Deputy Grand Prior within our German Grand Chapter.

In the name of the German Grand Chapter we sent a wreath on the day of the funeral to express our sympathy.

However, we are glad that our Confrere Dr. Gerhard Ficker expressed his willingness to take over the position as Deputy Grand Prior of our Grand Chapter.

The Grand Prior

Maria Vamvakinou MP Federal Member for Calwell

Melbourne. Australia.

I am very pleased to support the Luncheon to raise funds for the Earthquake victims of Central Italy. Thank-you to the members of Confraternity of the Knights of St Peter and St Paul for their compassion and generosity, in organising this terrific luncheon.

In the words of the Prime Minister of Italy,  Matteo Renzi,  it was ” a day for tears”

The Honourable Member Maria Vamvakinou MP is meeting with the Grand Master Chevalier Peter Paul Portelli in September, to talk about the charitable work of the Confraternity.

Convention in Malta 2017During our week long convention in Malta, we will visit the Basilica of Our Lady of Ta’ Pinu, where the Virgin Mary spoke to a local farm girl Carmela Grima.

Over the years, many miracles were attributed to the intercession of Our Lady of Ta' Pinu.

It was the 22nd of June in 1883, when Carmela Grima was passing by the chapel on her way home. She suddenly heard a woman’s voice say: “Come, come.”

At first, Carmela was frightened as she couldn’t see anyone in the vicinity. When she heard the voice for the second time, she realized that it was coming from inside the chapel. Carmela went into the chapel and started to pray.

A voice coming from the image of the Virgin Mary told her to recite 3 Ave Maria in honour of the 3 days that the Madonna’s body remained in the tomb before her Assumption to Heaven.

Carmela did as she was asked. After more than a year from when the incident happened, Carmela confided in her friend Francesco Portelli and revealed her secret.

Surprisingly, Francesco told her that at roughly the same time, he too had heard a woman’s voice from inside the chapel asking him to pray. Shortly after this incident, Francesco’s mother was miraculously healed.

When word spread that a woman heard a message from the Virgin Mary on the site, many islanders began to make pilgrimages to the chapel. The number of pilgrims continued to increase and it was felt that a much larger church was needed. As its popularity increased, the Ta' Pinu

Basilica eventually became one of the most sought after Gozo churches.

Pope St. John Paul 11 celebrated Mass in front of the basilica on the 26 of May, 1990.

Pope St. John Paul 11

Dispatches of the Priory of CambridgeActivities of the Chapter of Cambridge

On August 14th Gand Prior Silvio Da Silva and Prior Bob Westhaver met with Secretary of the Supreme Council Dame Gail Vas and her father Chevalier Sydney Vas at Gail’s uncle and aunt’s family home in Hamilton. We were joined by many of Gail’s family and friends. Dame Gail Vas  presented Gand Prior Silvio Da Silva and Prior Bob Westhaver with certificates from Grand Master Peter Paul Portelli commemerating the visit. Grand Prior Silvio Da Silva then presented Dame Gail Vas and Chevalier Sydney Vas with Cambridge Fire

Department Challenge Coins. We discussed some of our initiatives happening in both Canada and Australia.

Gand Prior Silvio Da Silva and Prior Bob Westhaver have communicated several times in August regarding formalizing the Canadian Priories into a legal foundation. We have also been discussing an event for the Cambridge Priory to take place in the Fall.

Prior Chev. Bob Westhaver

Priory of Cambridge

Grand Chapter of the GambiaDear Your Excellency Grand Master Chevalier Peter Paul Portelli 

May I seize this opportunity to introduce our Supreme Knight, Brother Simon Cole, who now carries the mantle of leadership for the Fraternal order of the Knights of Saints Peter and Paul in the Gambia. Please find attached a group picture with the Nuncio, Bishop Ellison  with Simon (Flag bearer) and some members of the Fraternal Order. Because of the commonalities in our endeavor to work for the Church as soldiers of Jesus Christ, I trust that you and Brother Simon would strengthen the fraternal linkages and therefore continue to share and learn from each other through sustained

networking and exchange. May I also convey to the Confraternity through you, our fraternal appreciation for keeping us abreast of all your undertakings by way of the newsletters you send out regularly. We are very much encouraged by the commitment with which you steer the affairs of the Confraternity. We pray that the Good Lord in his loving kindness will continue to guide and sustain the energy in you to work in his vineyard.   God Bless.Fraternally yoursBrother LawrenceFormer Supreme Knight.

Group picture with the Nuncio, Bishop Ellison with Simon (Flag bearer) and some members of the Fraternal Order.

Convention in Malta 23-30 June, 2017The Convention is now 9 months away and it is wise if you speak to your travel agent and discuss your hotel booking.The Grand Hotel in Mgarr, Gozo is the meeting point, if you prefer to book somewhere else.

This is the website link of the Grand Hotel: www.grandhotel.com.mt.

This is an opportunity of a lifetime to meet with other knights and dames of our most respected knighthood.

During our Convention on Monday, 26 June, we discuss issues that you the knights and dames place on the agenda. Your ideas can assist in the development of the Confraternity.

Editor for the bookWe are still looking for someone to help in editing the book that we wish to publish for the convention, next June.

Your input about your chapter will be greatly appreciated.

CELEBRATION OF THE APPARITION OUR LADY OF FATIMA

The Grand Chapter of Melbourne is celebrating the Apparition of Fatima on Sunday, 16 October, 2016, at the Maltese Cultural Centre in Albion. Rosary start at 3.00 pm. Mass follows at 3.30 pm.

The members of Melbourne are requested to attend with the mantle and the medal.

Please spread the word around.

This is all I have for now. As always, I hope that you enjoy reading the newsletter.

God Bless.

Yours faithfully in Christ Jesus the Lord.

Peter Paul Portelli

Grand Master