In one week, on April 22 at 7:00 PM, we will have the inaugural meeting of the Cathedral Chapter of the Order of the Knights of St. Michael. All men interested in the Order are invited to attend. Members of St. Vincent’s Cathedral will be the prospective members of the Cathedral Chapter. Men from other churches are welcome to attend, especially if they think they would be interested in establishing a Chapter at their church. We will have water and tea to drink, but no food. The address is 1300 Forest Ridge Dr. Bedford.
We will begin with Evening Prayer. The easiest way to access the offices is online at https://www.dailyoffice2019.com, and iOS and Android apps are linked at the bottom of the page. My wife and I say Morning Prayer together every morning, unless there is an occasional interruption from the children and the grandchildren. We have been doing this for years, and it is the best way for us to start the day. I encourage all men to lead their wives and families in at least one of the offices every day.
This will lead to a discussion of the Rule of Life. I have written those words several times which should tell you how important this is. We will look at some books that will help us in this regard.
We will also talk about the purpose of the Order. I have listed what I think are goals we should have. We will promote:
Our Bishop and Chief Pastor
The Parish Church and its Priests
Biblical Manhood
Pro Life Causes
Prayer, Study, and Service
Catholic Faith and Order
Devotion to Our Lady
Consecration to St. Joseph
The first goal is to support our Bishop. His role of shepherding our Diocese is one of immense pressure. We priests are responsible for the souls in our parishes. Our Bishop is responsible for all of his clergy, and all of the souls in the Diocese as well. We are bound together in fellowship and sacrifice that Christ modeled for us on Maundy Thursday. The Bishop is also very involved in the affairs of the Province. He needs our prayers and support in his ministry.
Our Priests have the responsibility for the souls of the Parish or Mission Church. No one sees all of the ministry of a Priest. Most do not see him at hospital visits. Most don’t realize how many of his people he visits at their homes. The Parish Priest shares in your joys and your sorrows, your triumphs and your losses. He is the Father of his people. We will support the ministry of the Priests, the Deacons, and the Parishes.
We will promote Biblical Manhood. Men are called to be fathers, providers, and protectors. We are called to raise children with our wives, if it is the Lord’s will. Too often we men have been accused of toxic masculinity by feminists who want to destroy the institution of the family. There are some predatory men in this world, and it makes me wonder what kind of fathers they had, if they had one at all. A friend of mine wrote about the link between atheism and the absence of a strong father. Biblical Manhood is being a good father and the protector of the family.
ACNA Canon 8, Section 3 states: “God, and not man, is the creator of human life. The unjustified taking of life is sinful. Therefore, all members and clergy are called to promote and respect the sanctity of every human life from conception to natural death.” We are Pro Life, and we will support causes that advance this belief. Anglicans For Life has the resources we can use to support life.
We will discuss these and more at our meeting. I look forward to seeing you there!
Fr. John Munson
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