The Order has a well-defined hierarchy, and is led by the Cardinal Grand Master who is appointed directly by the Holy Father, to lead and govern the Order. In 1949, Pius XII established that the Grand Master of the Order must be a Cardinal, assigning to the Patriarch of Jerusalem the prerogative of the Grand Prior. Currently this important role at the head of the Order is filled by Cardinal Fernando Filoni.
The Grand Magisterium is a body convened and chaired by the Cardinal Grand Master to assist and support him in the government of the Order. It meets twice a year and prepares and programs the activities of the Order in the various countries in which the Order is present and, in particular, in the Holy Land. It also approves the specific projects of solidarity that the Order carries out in the Holy Land each year, in addition to approving the entire institution’s budget.
His Eminence Cardinal Fernando Filoni’s book, The House was Filled with the Fragrance of the Perfume: A Spirituality of the Order of the Holy Sepluchre, has been a great blessing! It is a reminder that the primary purpose of Membership in the Order is deepening our personal relationship with Our Lord.
Through a grant from a generous Member, Mrs. Shirley J. Drury, DGCHS, and the generous donation of time and talent of Sir Matthew Bunson, Ph.D., KCHS and Sir Timothy Milner, KC*HS, we were able to convert the book into an Audiobook.
This is a wonderful development, and we are happy to report that the English version of the Audiobook is available to download, free of charge.
One can access the Audiobook via the North America EOHSJ website at: www.eohsjnorthamerica.org or go directly to the Audiobook (with directions on how to download it on various devices) at: www.eohsjnorthamerica.org/?page_id=2738. The Audiobook will be available soon on the Order’s website.
His Eminence’s book is profound. Many priests and Lieutenancies have been using the book for homilies and meditations. A Shakespearian actor in London was hired to record the reading. By incorporating the 187 footnotes, the reader was able to bring this profound text even more alive. The Audiobook will enhance the opportunity for each Member to deepen his or her Spirituality and reaffirm why we are Members of this wonderful Order.
Please use both the book and the Audiobook for recruiting new members and informing the Catholic community about the Order.
As a reminder, the printed English version of the book, published and marketed by EWTN Publishing and Sophia Institute Press, can be ordered for as little as $3.00 per copy when bought in bulk. Please see the following website for ordering details: https://www.sophiainstitute.com/products/item/the-house-was-filled-with-the-fragrance-of-the-perfume-case-of-80
The plan is to offer the Audiobook in other languages. We are working through the steps that will make this possible.
P. Thomas Pogge, KGCHS
Vice Governor General for North America
(September 2023)
