.....North Carolina, USA

MEMBERS of the Knights of St. John International (KSJI) and Ladies Auxiliary, a Religious, semi-military and social organization in the Catholic Church, held their 78th International and 52nd Biennial Supreme Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA with the Supreme Commandery Board of Trustees approving the proposal to expand the three existing Grand Commanderies and Ladies Auxiliaries in Ghana to seven. These new Grand Commanderies will come into effect from July 2013. Subsequently, the corresponding Cadet Commanderies and Junior Auxiliaries are also part of the new structure.

With this approval, the Tamale Grand will now have two Grand Commanderies and Ladies Auxiliary namely, Tamale Grand Commandery and Ladies Auxiliary and Wa Grand Commandery and Ladies Auxiliary; while the Cape Coast Grand will also have two Grand Commanderies. Thus, Cape Coast Grand Commandery and Ladies Auxiliary and Kumasi Grand Commandery and Ladies Auxiliary.

The Accra Grand will however have three Grand Commanderies. They are Accra East Grand Commandery and Ladies Auxiliary to include Local Commanderies and Ladies Auxiliaries in Osu Deanery, Madina Deanery and Tema-Battor Deanery; Accra West Grand Commandery and Ladies Auxiliary will be composed of Local Commanderies and Ladies Auxiliaries in the Mamprobi Deanery, Kaneshie Deanery and Kpehe Deanery; and Koforidua-Ho Grand Commandery and Ladies Auxiliary will include Local Commanderies and Ladies Auxiliaries in Koforidua Diocese, Donkorkrom Vicariate, Ho Diocese, Keta-Akatsi Diocese and Jasikan Diocese.

The motto of the KSJI is “For God and Country” with the aim of defending the Church’s doctrines and precepts, showing love for one’s country and neighbours. Members use specially designed military uniform and paraphernalia to signify their semi-military nature. They perform military foot and sword drills. They also embark upon charities as one of the tenets of the Order.

The Noble Order of KSJI has been in existence in Ghana since 1937 through a Catholic gentleman by name Emmanuel Raphael Quansah and his son Anthony Quansah with the establishment of St. John the Baptist Commandery #346 in Saltpond with the assistance of the then the Archbishop of Cape Cost Archdiocese, Archbishop William Thomas Porter. The Order is celebrating its 75th anniversary of existence in Ghana this year with various activities.

Knights and Ladies Auxiliaries from 27 Grand Commanderies in 11 countries including the United States of America, Canada, the United Kingdom, Trinidad and Tobago, Ghana, Togo, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Germany and Panama attended this year’s Convention, which hosted about 700 delegates and observers.

The Convention programme began on Sunday, July 8, 2012 and ended on Saturday, July 14, 2012. Events line-up included: a memorial Mass for deceased members. In all, 486 brothers and 377 sisters have passed on to eternity since the last Convention in Michigan, USA in July 2010. The Con-celebrants at the memorial Mass included Rev. Fr. Lt. Mathias Kotoka Amuzu and Rev. Fr. Anthony Davis, both from Ghana and are members of the Order, as well as other Priests from Nigeria.

The out-gone Supreme President of the Knights, General Timothy Hoerst, in his biennial report, expressed gratitude to delegates and observers for their interest in the Order. He further reminded all present to continue to build relations with Bishops of the Church and let them know what KSJI is in the various Dioceses and Parishes. According to him, majority of the membership growth is found in West Africa.

A thanksgiving Mass for a successful Convention took place at St. Gabriel’s Catholic Church in Charlotte on Saturday, July 14, 2012 at 6.30 p.m. after the business meetings came to an end. Most Rev. Peter J. Jugis, Bishop of Charlotte, presided over the Mass with other Con-celebrants. In his homily, the Bishop stressed on the letter of St. Paul to the Ephesians where the latter suggested three times that human beings are made in the praise of God’s glory and that there is the need for humanity to continue to do the good works and evangelize in teams so as to achieve good results.

Most Rev. Jugis prayed that the good Lord continue to bless the Knights of St. John International and Ladies Auxiliaries and make them effective witnesses of the love of Christ to the entire world.

In a Resolution read by the out-gone Supreme President after the thanksgiving Mass, the Order condemned same sex marriage, encouraged all members to attend Mass regularly, support the Church in their communities, support the Beatification of Blessed John-Paul II and also pray for his Canonization.

The next Supreme Convention will be held from the 20th to the 26th of July 2014 in Columbus, Ohio, USA.