If you have been at a diocesan-wide Mass or some other important religious celebration, you may have wondered about men dressed in white capes and black berets and women wearing black capes and veils who process together just before the bishop. They are members of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, an ancient order that dates back to the First Crusade.
These men and women have joined the Order to serve the Catholic Church, show absolute fidelity to the pope, and carry out acts of charity that help maintain the Christian presence in the Holy Land. The Order aims to support the preservation and propagation of the faith in those lands, and promote interest not only among Catholics scattered throughout the world, but also among all other Christians. Its members provide the contributions which are the patriarchate's main source of funding.
For example, since the end of the 19th century, the Order has financed the construction of 40 patriarchal schools in Israel, Palestine and Jordan and it now has a commitment to fund their running costs. Today around 19,000 pupils and students attend these schools, from nursery classes through elementary, middle and upper school, as well as a number of technical schools. Thanks to the generosity of active members of the Order, those schools are sustained and the needs of the Latin Patriarchate are met and supported.
In the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, 27 individuals are members of the Order. Those members include Bishop Thomas John Paprocki, vicar general Msgr. Carl Kemme and several other priests, a deacon and a number of lay men and women. Gerald and Mary Glaus, members of Our Saviour Parish in Jacksonville, are co-Section representatives for both the Springfield and Belleville dioceses.
Many husbands and wives join the Order as a couple, says Gerald Glaus. "That's what my wife and I have done," he says. "We joined together and we have advanced together. That is one of the things that is nice about the Order."
Glaus adds that Bishop Paprocki joined the Order in the late 1980s and is interested in having more people from the Springfield diocese involved. "He has been a member longer than anyone in the Springfield diocese. He would like to see our numbers grow." Joining the Order means taking on a commitment for life, he says.
Usually, a candidate is recommended and put forward by an existing member of the Order. They are interviewed and if his or her attributes are generally considered to meet the requirements of the Order, then the candidate begins a period of training.
Late last fall, the Glauses and Msgr. Kemme made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, where they were awarded the pilgrim shell — known as the Sea Shell of Santiago de Compostela. Other pilgrims from their group came to the ceremony, Glaus says. "It was very nice for the people with us to see what it was all about."
The pilgrim shell, which is a patch that is awarded to members of the Equestrian Order, testifies that the Knight or Lady has seen the results of his or her charity and knows the importance of the mission of the Order and the fulfillment of the apostolate. It is the most coveted award to be earned by a member of the Order. Other than the pilgrim shell, Knights and Ladies wear no other insignia of rank or other decorations on the outside of the cape.
This September, 28,000 members of the Order have been invited to make a pilgrimage to Rome during the Year of Faith, which began on Nov. 11, 2012 and ends on Nov. 23. Glaus says he and his wife are planning on accepting the Vatican's invitation and consider it a special honor.
Lay people, deacons or priests who are interested in learning more about the Equestrian Order should contact Gerald or Mary Glaus at (217) 371-0921.