On Thursday morning at the Basilica of Our Lady at Nice in southern France, there was a terrible attack on those attending Mass. I pray that this Christmas will bring each of us new hope as we look to the future year with the strength of God's grace within us. The many tragedies of Covid 19 have also been the cause of so many acts of kindness and generosity that give us hope. The new life we celebrate each Christmas is the renewal of that which God has given each of us - His life that courses through our world, which re-invigorates our faith. When we cannot hold hands we can still hold one another in prayer as we gather in spirit with the Holy Family this Christmas. Let us be inspired to find new ways to reach out and care for one another. The precautions we live under are a sacrifice for the greater good, so that more of us may live to see another day. So likewise, we must do so today with courage and dignity in the face of that which afflicts us. But our Order began precisely to combat that to find ways to give them that comfort of care. This year, we have all shared in that feeling. The warmth of the embrace of family and friends, one of the most basic of human needs, denied to them. We know from the Scriptures and we know it remains true today, that those suffering from it are often excluded from society. Our Order is called after St Lazarus and it's founding charism that of caring for those suffering from leprosy. Not least, that for the most part we have not been able to gather together in the Order, either nationally or internationally. Perhaps what we will remember most is the necessity of being apart. Let us stand together with those who have found their incomes disappear or their businesses struggle. Let us recall that we have all suffered emotional and mental distress through fear and through being kept apart from our loved ones and friends. Let us stand with those who have been bereaved. We come to the end of a year when so many have endured so much suffering in so many ways brought on by the Covid 19 pandemic. This Christmas may be like no other we have experienced. We congratulate His Eminence and accompany him in prayer. His appointment is a reinforcement primarily for the missionary and charitable part of our order operating in Africa. At the same time, he also works in the Congregation for the Evangelization of Nations and the Congregation for Catholic Education. On October 25, 2020, Pope Francis named him a cardinal. In 2013, he was appointed resident bishop in Kibungu, and five years later, archbishop in Kigali. In 1994, his entire family was murdered as part of the Rwandan genocide. He then continued his studies in Rome, where he obtained a doctorate in theology. After his studies, he was ordained a priest on Septemby Pope John Paul II. Lazarus of Jerusalem, His Eminence Antoine Cardinal Kambanda, Archbishop of Kigali in Rwanda.Ĭardinal Kambanda was born on November 10, 1958. The Order of Saint Lazarus works daily for a better world.His Excellency Jan Count Dobrzenský z Dobrzenic appointed the new Spiritual Protector and Chaplain General of the Military and Hospital Order of St. Thanks to its members and volunteers, the Order of Saint Lazarus engages in charity work around the world, helping thousands of sick, suffering and needy. As a truly ecumenical order of chivalry, membership in the Order of Saint Lazarus is open, through sponsorship, to Christian men and women, who respect the values of Christianity, who hold an ardent desire to help others and work for Christian unity. The Order has retained its traditional moral values such as the spirit of service, sacrifice and discipline which still characterizes the Knights today.īattles are no longer with the sword the modern battle is fought in the struggle against disease, poverty, exclusion and intolerance and by promoting and defending the faith.Īll members of the Order, whether clergy or laity, are devoted to the values of Christian charity striving for spiritual perfection by working for the good of others. As Christians, they are inhabited by a ‘nobility of spirit’ which is illustrated in their conduct and self-sacrifice. As an order of chivalry, the Order of Saint Lazarus has retained the virtues of nobility but today its members are drawn from across the social spectrum. The Order of Saint Lazarus is the only Catholic Order in the world which admits non-Catholic members. Private Association of the Faithful - 501-C3 Non Profit Organization
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