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Ninety-nine new knights and ladies were invested in the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem at a Mass in St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
Cardinal Edwin F. O’Brien, a native New Yorker who is now the order’s grand master, was principal celebrant and homilist of the cathedral Mass Sept. 29.
His homily centered on the relationship that all Catholics should have with Jesus. “Jesus is alive and wants to live in the lives of his disciples every day,” Cardinal O’Brien said. “He is in the heart of the faithful.”
Cardinal O'Brien, who was ordained as a priest of the archdiocese and served as rector of St. Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie, was appointed grand master by Pope Benedict XVI in March. A month earlier, he became a cardinal at the same consistory as Cardinal Dolan.
Cardinal O’Brien, who had served as Archbishop of Baltimore before his appointment as grand master, commended those being invested and reminded them of what inspires their good deeds on behalf of those whom they assist.
“God’s breath is our breath and his heart is our heart,” he explained. “The Holy Spirit guides us and brings Christ to us through our actions. May the risen Christ continue to radiate in your lives.”
Cardinal Dolan, the grand prior of the Eastern Lieutenancy, and Cardinal Egan, the grand prior of honor, were both present at the afternoon liturgy.
During the Rite of Investiture, candidates approached the altar and Cardinal O’Brien traced the sign of the cross on their forehead. Each knight and lady then received the Jerusalem Cross, the order’s insignia.
Among those invested as priest knights were Msgr. John E. Kozar, secretary general of the Catholic Near East Welfare Association, Manhattan; and Father Brian McSweeney, pastor of Our Lady of Loretto parish, Cold Spring.
Newly invested knights from the archdiocese were Thomas A. D’Auria, Hawthorne; Samuel A. Di Piazza, Manhattan; William P. Harrington, Pound Ridge; and Alfred F. Kelly, Rye.
Newly invested ladies from the archdiocese were Stephanie J. Crocitto, Staten Island; Melody K. Di Piazza, Manhattan; Carolyn B. Harrington, Pound Ridge; Margaret P. Kelly, Rye; Janice M. Moore-Smith, Yonkers; and Marina Perna, New Rochelle.
Among those from the archdiocese who were promoted in rank were:
Priest Knight Commander: Father Christopher H. Berean, pastor, St. Mary of the Snow parish, Saugerties; Father Brian E. McWeeney, administrator of St. Michael’s parish, Manhattan, and director of adult faith formation; Msgr. James P. Sullivan, St. Martin de Porres, Poughkeepsie.
Knight Commander: Francis D. Coleman, Crestwood; Gabriele Delmonaco, Staten Island; Michael J. La Civita, Staten Island; Brian L. Quilter, Manhattan; Joseph V. Scelsa, Mount Vernon; and James J. Spach, Staten Island.
Lady Commander: Dolores A. Fraide, Manhattan, and Mary Dale Spach, Staten Island.
Knight Commander With Star: James M. Hughes, Yonkers; Richard R. Kearns, Manhattan; and Francesco Stoia, Thornwood.
Lady Commander With Star: Marcia Henderson, Manhattan, and Arlene M. Reden, Ardsley.
Knight Grand Cross: Timothy J. Murphy, Rye; Mario J. Paredes, Manhattan; and John V. Perna, New Rochelle.
Lady Grand Cross: Lucy Flemming McGrath, Manhattan, and Patricia A. Murphy, Rye.
The Mass, sponsored by the Eastern Lieutenancy of the United States was the centerpiece of several celebrations that began Friday, Sept. 28, with a conference and vigil Mass for new members at Our Saviour Church in Manhattan. Auxiliary Bishop Gerald Walsh was the principal celebrant of the Mass.
A banquet attended by 850 guests was held on Saturday evening in the Grand Ballroom of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. Lucy Flemming McGrath received the Golden Palm of Jerusalem, a medal signifying her service to the order and on behalf of Jerusalem.
The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem dates to the 11th century, when its members were charged with safeguarding the tomb of Christ and providing assistance to pilgrims. Today the order’s members aid Catholics in the Holy Land by raising funds for seminaries, schools, hospitals and orphanages. The Eastern Lieutenancy of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre was founded in 1926.
