Knights chief to usher in age of evangelisation.
By Anthony Barich
Ballajura parishioner Peter Lewis is set to usher in a new era for the Knights of the Southern Cross focused on evengelising through a focus on the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Catholic Church.
Mr Lewis was elected Supreme Knight of the Knights of the Southern Cross at their fifth national triennial conference at Mary MacKillop Place, North Sydney from May 22-23, replacing South Australian David Huppatz.
The conference’s theme was “The New Evangelisation”, introduced by the Knights’ national chaplain Bishop Ron Mulkearns, former Bishop of Ballarat, who spoke of the Second Vatican Council’s Decree on the Ministry of Bishops; how the Council was concerned about parts of the world where the Word of God was not being proclaimed or where people had lapsed from the faith, and how Pope John Paul II addressed the present day phenomenon of secularism.
Fr Paul Hilder, Dean of St Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney, also spoke on some practical aspects of evangelisation.
Statement from the Knights said. the conference “reinforced the essential and pivotal nature of the formation program as part of each branch meeting”.
“This enables us to be better formed and informed as Knights to fulfill God’s plan for us to evangelise.”
“Evangelisation is an opportunity for us Knights to witness, promote and defend our faith. This conference recommends the development of strategic partnerships, with men’s and youth organisations, to further develop our fellowship and formation.
“Everything we do should be based on the fact that the human person is made in the image and likeness of God.”
Evangelisation, the statement said, involves the announcement of Christ, to the world, by a living witness. “Being better informed on issues that affect the Christian way of life throughout the nation enables us to promote the greater glory of God through our objects,” it said.
“Before we can evangelise the world, we as individuals and as an Order, must be formed in our faith so that what we are proclaiming is consistent with the teaching of the Church. We recognise that when we bring Christ to others we are evangelised ourselves.”
Monsignor Brian O’Loughlin, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Perth and WA chaplain of the Knights, reported from the conference that Bishop Max Davis, Bishop of the Military Ordinariate, thanked the Knights for sponsoring the Catholic Prayerbooks for defence personnel.
“A spirited presentation on development of the Order through the Faith in Action group in WA was given by Guido Vogels and Frank Colangelo, and Damien Leach of SA,” he said.
“Dr Stephen Lovell-Jones, from Sydney, spoke on the difference between talking about evangelisation and ‘doing’ evangelisation. He called members to pay close attention to the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church and provided a framework for delegates to draw-up a Statement to the members.”
He said that Rocky Mimmo from the recently formed Ambrose Centre for Religious Liberty drew members’ attention to the erosion of religious and cultural values.
Cardinal George Pell was principal celebrant of the concluding Mass of the Vigil of the Ascension in which the new national office bearers were installed.
WA State chairman Joe Palandri, Nigel Hayward, Peter Murray, Guido Vogels, Frank Colangelo, Geoff McKebery and Mgr O’Loughlin, along with Mr Lewis attended from WA.
The opening Mass for the Conference was celebrated by Archbishop Lazzarotto, the Pope’s representative in Australia, who, in his opening remarks to the conference, quoted Pope Benedict XVI’s address to the members of the Roman Curia in December.
He noted that in some parts of the world, faith is in danger of dying out, and so the Church’s mission is to make God present and that too is the mission of the Knights of the Southern Cross.