Knights of St. John International stage inaugural thanksgiving service in Bo

The Noble Order of the Knights of St. John International Commandery #870 has graciously held an Inaugural Thanksgiving Mass at the Spiritan Shrine of the Holy Spirit and Immaculate Heart of Mary on the Bo-Kenema Highway, Bo.  (Photo: Knights of St John International Commandery #870)

The chief celebrants were His Lordship, Most Rev. Charles A. M. Campbell (Catholic Diocese of Bo), Rev. Fr. Moses Sao Kailie (Spiritual Director), Very Rev. Fr. John Sahr Fellah (Priest-In-Charge), Hon. Paran Tarawally (Grand Chief Patron) and Brig. Gen. Assed Shallop (Grand Worthy president).

The Knights of St. John International is a Catholic organization, whose main purpose is to firstly cultivate the love among its members of the Roman Catholic Church; it’s rituals and ceremonials and the desire to advance the spiritual and material interest of the church. The Knights are also in the Catholic church to promote a more generous antelia respect for the spiritual authority of the church; and to create or foster a feeling of fraternity and fellowship among the various Commanderys to improve the moral, mental and social conditions and to assist and support members, their families and their dependents in case of sickness or death.

And lastly their purpose is to encourage and develop the spirit of love of country and appease institutions and to extend to the whole world the spirit of goodwill.

The inauguration of the Knights of St. John International Commandery #870 is the second in the seven-year history of the Spiritual Shrine, after two years ago, when the women of the church were inducted into the Ladies Auxiliary Commandery #670.

A total of twenty(20) men in the church were inducted into the Knights of St. John International and they will serve the church in that capacity wherever they find themselves in the world, after receiving certificates of international recognition and a charter from the Grand Commandery.

His Lordship, Bishop Charles A. M Campbell, described the Knights of St. John International as a “noble” organization in the Catholic Church and hoped that the induction will send an opportunity for each member to reflect on his/her motive for joining the Order, after a thorough image on their constitution.

“In our society today as we know, many people seek for temptation (flamboyant) to display and advertise their God given talents and achievements to be seen and acknowledged by humans only. So it is worth reflecting on who you are and what you are about to be, because we want the Knights of St John to perform its intended purpose in the church,” he said, adding that the Knights is not a secret or ethnic society and each of its members should be a practicing and sacramental Catholic between the ages of 16 and 55 years. Having highlighted the fundamental functions of the Knights of St. John International Commandery #870, they straight off started their official commission in the  church by pledging a sum of ten million Leones (Le 10,000,000) for the construction project of a Mission House in the Spiritan Village.

Worthy President, Martin B. Massaquoi, said the organization is aware of the basic needs of the church and they will simultaneously try to address them. He added, “We have full knowledge that the Spiritan Shrine desperately needs a Mission House, to keep our Priests here. People may want to come for confession, but the priests are not here because the church hasn’t got a Mission House. The Church needs it now and we will try to have this project completed as soon as possible.”

Grand President of the  Knights of St. John International Assed Shallop, also made a pledge of three million Leones (Le 3,000,000) towards the Mission House construction project on behalf of the Sierra Leone Grand Commandery.

The Grand and Ladies Auxiliary Commandery #670 also made pledges of one million and five hundred thousand Leones (Le 1,500,000) and one million Leones (Le 1,000,000) respectively in the same vein. Lastly, His Lordship, Most Rev. Charles A. M Campbell pledged to make the Spiritan Shrine of the Holy Spirit and Immaculate Heart of Mary a Parish immediately after the completion of the Mission House project.The twenty (20) Knights of St. John International Commandery #870 includes:

Martin B. Massaquoi [Worthy President]

Wilfred I. Nunie [1st Vice President]

Frank Jalloh [2nd Vice President]

Sylvester P.H Massaquoi [Recording & Corresponding Secretary]

Ambrose A. Koroma [Financial Secretary]

John J.B Lavalie [Treasurer]

Simeon R. Kailie [Messenger]

Tamba A. Matturi [Guard]

John B. Fabba [Sergeant at Arm]

Sydney Tucker Jr. [Board of Trustee-1]

Paul B. Demby  [Board of Trustee-2]

Emile Sandy [Board of Trustee-3]

Arthur Sevalie [Member]

Collins V.K Johnny [Member]

James B. Nyamawa [Member]

Joseph D. Musa [Member]

Lawrence S. Taylor [Member]

Charles Musa [Member]

Joseph Nabie [Member]

Paschal T.  Fellah [Member]

With Junior Francis

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