British Activities
& Events
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Delegation Christmas Reception held at the Moroccan Ambassador’s Residence. London – December 2006.
The 2006 Christmas Reception of Grand Magistral Delegation for Inter-Religious Relations and the British and Irish Delegation was hosted by the Moroccan Ambassador to the Court of St James’s, HE Mr Mohammed Belmahi, at his London residence. Grand Magistral Delegate HE Anthony Bailey and British & Irish Delegate Lord Brennan of Bibury attended the event held to raise charitable funds for Catholic charities in Morocco.
Over 100 knights, dames and their guests attended including leaders of the faith communities in Britain, Ambassadors and other diplomats accredited to the Court of St James’s as well as members of the House of Lords and House of Commons. The Southend Boys Choir sang Christmas carols throughout the two hour event.
Among the 100 guests attending were the Ambassadors and Charge d’Affaires of Andorra Bulgaria, Ireland, Syria, the Political Director of the Commonwealth Secretariat, HE Matthew Neuhaus, Sir Sigmund and Lady Sternberg, Lady Brennan, Mrs Mavis Badawi, Sir Michael Craig-Cooper, Sir David and Lady Durie, The Venerable William Noblett, Chaplain General to HM Prisons, Fr Michael Seed, Canon Flora Winfield, Deacon Meliton Richard Oakes, Joseph Gaggero and British actor Christopher Lee.
In a speech the Grand Magistral Delegate for Inter-Religious Relations Relations HE Anthony Bailey said, “For some it might seem a little odd that the Ambassador of the King of Morocco is hosting here on Moroccan soil an event to mark the great Christian feast of Christmas together with members of a Roman Catholic Order, coupled with an Anglican choir, and surrounded tonight by the followers of all the Abrahamic faiths.
Yet as a Catholic, I cannot help but remember that it was His late Majesty, King Hassan II, who was the first Arab leader to invite the late Pope John Paul II to not only visit Morocco, but also to celebrate an open air mass. “
“It is also worth noting that several of Your Excellency’s predecessors as Ambassadors to the Court of St James’s since the reign of Elizabeth I have been Jewish. And in 2007, thanks to the active support and high patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, a major exhibition of Bibles, Torahs and Korans will be shown at the British Library.
“History shows us countless examples of how religious belief endures far longer than national or ethnic allegiances, and is therefore crucial in helping to unite different groups within any one society.
“When we work together, by forging and deepening our common bonds our influence and our effects are much greater, and society as a whole benefits as a result irrespective of our individual faith or the seemingly growing secular world around us”.
Constantinian Knights attend celebration of 350 years of British-Jewish Life. London – November 2006.
To mark three and a half centuries of British-Jewish Life, Knights and Dames of the British & Irish Delegation of the Constantinian Order and the Royal Order of Francis I attended a two hour celebration at the West London Synagogue in central London.
The moving ceremony was jointly hosted by Sir Sigmund Sternberg, President of the Movement for Reform Judaism, and Mr Morris Bentata, President of the West London Synagogue. Rabbi Mark Winer, Senior Rabbi and The Rt Rev Richard Chartres, Bishop of London, were among those who addressed the audience of prominent religious, governmental, parliamentary, civil and diplomatic representatives present.
The Order’s Delegation was led by the Grand Magistral Delegate for Inter-Religious Relations, HE Mr Anthony Bailey, in addition to Lady Sternberg and Mr Leo Simmonds, Secretary of the Association of Papal Orders in Great Britain.
Delegation Knights & Dames attend diplomatic reception in honour of the National Day of Oman. London – November 2006.
At the kind invitation of His Excellency Mr Hussain Ali Abdullatif, Ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman to the Court of St James’s, a number of Delegation kngihts and dames attended the National Day reception at a reception held in central London. Among those attending were HE Mr Anthony Bailey, Mr Nadhmi Auchi, Mrs Ibitsam Auchi and HE Mohammed Belmahi.
Former Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Carey of Clifton is decreed into the Royal Order of Francis I. London – November 2006.
The Grand Master of the Royal Order of Francis I, HRH The Duke of Castro, has today decreed that the former Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, The Right Reverend and Right Honourable Lord Carey of Clifton, be admitted to the rank of Knight Grand Cross – the highest honour which the Grand Master can bestow on a non-Catholic.
The award is being made in recognition of Lord Carey’s longstanding contribution to inter-religious and community relations initiatives in the United Kingdom and the Middle East. The award will be presented to him by the Grand Magistral Delegate for Inter-Religious Relations Relations, HE Mr Anthony Bailey in early 2007.
The Duke of Calabria attends 2006 Royal Gala Dinner. London – November 2006.
The Grand Prefect of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George, His Royal Highness The Duke of Calabria, attended the annual Royal Gala Dinner at the Gladstone Library in London’s Whitehall.
The dinner was jointly hosted by outgoing British and Irish Delegate HE Mr Anthony Bailey, and the incoming Delegate for Great Britain and Ireland, The Rt Hon Lord Brennan of Bibury, QC. Anthony Bailey served as Delegate from 2003 until 2006 until his promotion to the position of Grand Magisterial Delegate for Inter-Religious Relations Relations. Lord Brennan will serve as Delegate for the period 2006-2009.
The gala dinner was attended by over 200 knights and dames and their friends from across the United Kingdom and Ireland. Order knights and dames from Italy, Canada, The Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Poland and Austria also attended.
The Guest Speaker was General Lord Ramsbotham, formerly Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons who delivered a very thought provoking speech on the important issue of prison reform and prisoner rehabilitation.
A vote of thanks was offered by Constantinian Dame, The Rt Hon Baroness Scotland of Asthal, QC, Home Office Minister with responsibility for the criminal justice system and offender management. Baroness Scotland who is also Minister of Prisons paid tribute to the work of the Constantinian Order in bringing together all faiths under one roof and congratulated the Order on its charitable and inter-religious work.
Toasts were proposed for The Queen (by the Vice Lord Lieutenant for Great London, Sir Michael Craig-Cooper), The President of Ireland (by newly appointed Vice Delegate Judge Patrick Clyne) and other Heads of State represented at the dinner (by HE Mohamed Belmahi, Ambassador of HM The King of Morocco to the Court of St James’s).
Among the guests were the Ambassadors and Charge d’affaires of Andorra, Bulgaria, Colombia, Croatia, Holy See, Iraq, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia. TI & RH Archduke and Archduchess Konrad von Habsburg, HRH Princess Katarina of Yugoslavia and HSH Princess Marie-Therese von Hohenberg also attended.
The Bishop of HM Armed Forces, The Rt Rev Tom Burns, a chaplain to the Delegation offered the opening prayer. Among other Delegation clerics attending were His Eminence Archbishop Gregorios of Thyateira and Great Britain, The Very Rev Mgr Vladimir Felzmann, The Rev Mgr Vincent Brady, The Rev Mgr Mark Langham, The Rev Fr Christopher Tuckwell, The Rev Fr Edmund Eggleston, The Rev Fr Michael Seed, The Rev Fr John Fordham, The Rev Canon Jonathan Gough and The Rev Canon Flora Winfield.
The Delegation was also honoured by the presence of Mrs Mavis Badawi, widow of the late Sheikh Zaki Badawi, KBE, Principal of the Muslim College of Britain, who sadly passed away in January 2006.
The Chancellor of the Irish Association of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, Mr John Igoe and the Vice Chancellor of the British Association, Mr Duncan Gallie attended together with HE Mr John Kennedy, Grand Chancellor of the Order of Danilo I of Montenegro.
Among other principal guests were The Dowager Marchioness of Salisbury, Lord Alderdice of Knock, Lord Denman, Lieutenant General Sir Michael Willcocks, Alderman Sir Gavyn Arthur, Dame Angela Rumbold, Senator Donal Lydon, Dr Alberto Laplaine Guimarãis, Air Vice-Marshal David Hawkins-Leth, Lady Ramsbotham, Lady Craig-Cooper, Mr Bradley Jones, Mr Andrew Keen-Downs, Mr & Mrs Wilfried Steffen and Mr Alidade Khayami.
The Regimental Band of Coldstream Guards performed a trumpet fanfare on the arrival of the principal guests which was followed by music with a British, Irish and Italian theme.
The concluding prayer was offered by The Rev Mgr Malachy Keegan, Principal Roman Catholic Chaplain to Prisons.
Delegation observes minute silence for deceased knights and dames. London – November 2006.
At both the annual investiture ceremony at Westminster Cathedral and at the start of Royal Gala Dinner a one silence was observed following the last month’s death of the Cardinal Grand Prior of the Order, His late Eminence Mario Francesco Cardinal Pompedda.
Also remembered were other knights and dames of both the Constantinian Order and the Royal Order of Francis I who past away during the past year. These included His late Eminence Giuseppe, Cardinal Caprio, HE Frà Carlo Arditi di Castelvetere, Major General Viscount Monckton of Brenchley, HE Sheikh Zaki Badawi, HE Mr David Garrison, Captain Gerard Salvin, Mr Nicola Vecchione, and Mr John Brooke-Little.
Westminster Cathedral hosts 2006 Investiture ceremony of new Constantinian Order knights and dames. London – November 2006.
The Duke of Calabria, as Grand Prefect of the Constantinian Order of Saint George and the Royal Order of Francis I, presided over the 2006 annual investiture ceremony which took place at Westminster Cathedral in central London. Over two hundred and fifty knights, dames, medalists and their guests attended including representatives of many embassies and high commissions in the United Kingdom a members ofboth the House of Commons and the House of Lords including Lord Alton of Liverpool and Rudi Viz, MP.
The event was hosted by the Delegate for Great Britain and Ireland, Lord Brennan of Bibury, QC, and the Grand Magistral Delegate for Inter-Churchand Inter-Faith Relations and former British and Irish Delegate Mr Anthony Bailey.
The Chief Celebrant was The Right Reverend Thomas Burns, Bishop in Ordinary to 
Her Majesty’s ArmedForces who was assisted by several priests in attendance including Father Michael Seed, Ecumenical Secretary to the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster.
Among those honoured by the Constantinian Order were:
To the honour and dignity of Knight Commander of Justice: Frà Frederick Crichton-Stuart, Chancellor of the Grand Priory of England of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.
To the honour and dignity of Knight of Justice: Nobile Vincenzo Patrizio dei Baroni Gallo Zugaro and Nobile Giancarlo dei Marchesi Doria dei Conti Montaldeo.
To the honour and dignity of Ecclesiastical Knight Commander of Grace: The Rt Rev Thomas Burns, Roman Catholic Bishop to Her Majesty’s Armed Forces.
To the honour and dignity of Ecclesiastical Knight Commander of Grace: The Rev Fr Edmund Eggleston.
To the honour and dignity of Knight Grand Cross of Merit: HE Dr Paul van Hanswijck de Jonge, Delegate of the Constantinian Order in The Netherlands.
To the honour and dignity of Knight Commander of Merit with Star: General Sir Michael Willcocks, - Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod, HE Señor Alfonso Lopez-Caballero, Ambassador of Republic of Colombia to the Court of St James’s, Dr Alberto Laplaine Guimarãis, Chief of Staff of the Mayor of Lisbon and former Secretary of the Council of State of the Portuguese Republic, and HE Mr Francis O’Donnell, KM, Ambassador of the United Nations to the Republic of Ukraine.
To the honour and dignity of Knight of Merit with Star: Mr James Dobbin, MP, - Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Pro Life Group, Mr Leo Simmonds, KCSG, KCHS, Secretary of the Papal Knights Association in Great Britain, John Thomas Kennedy, Esq., CBE, KSG, DL, Deputy Lord Lieutenant for Greater Manchester and Dr Martin Vorderwülbecke.
To the honour of dignity of Dame of Merit with Star: Mrs Maria Rosa Picard de Francis, Charge d’affaires of the Principality of Andorra to the Court of St James’s.
To the honour of dignity of Knight of Merit: The Hon Alexander Brennan, The Hon Patrick Brennan and Mr Franck Galland.
To the honour of dignity of Dame of Merit: Dr Sorca Conroy.
Duke of Castro awards Gold Benemerenti Medals to General Lord Ramsbotham and Inter-Faith Delegate Anthony Bailey.
The Grand Master of the Constantinian Order, HRH The Duke of Castro, has awarded its highest medal, the Gold Benemerenti Medal, to General The Rt Hon Lord Ramsbotham, formerly Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons in the United Kingdom. The award was made in recognition of Lord Ramsbotham’s contribution to prison reform.
HE Mr Anthony Bailey, recently appointed Grand Magisterial Delegate for Inter-Faith and Inter-Church Relations of the Constantinian Order was awarded the same gold medal in recognition of his contribution to inter-religious dialogue and understanding at home and abroad.
The two awards were presented by the Grand Prefect of the Constantinian Order, HRH The Duke of Calabria, at a private ceremony in London.
Grand Master promotes Delegation knights and dames. London – November 2006.
HRH The Duke of Castro, Grand Master of the Constantinian Order and Royal Order of Francis I, has decreed the following promotions within the dynastic orders. The Grand Prefect of the Orders, HRH The Duke of Calabria, presented these awards during the 2006 Westminster Cathedral investiture ceremony.
CONSTANTINIAN ORDER
To the honour of dignity of Knight Commander of Merit: Prof Richard Conroy.
To the honour of dignity of Knight of Merit with Star: Mr Gerard Lawler, Mr John King and Mr Santo Volpe.
To the honour of dignity of Dame of Merit with Star: Mrs Allyson Volpe.
ROYAL ORDER OF FRANCIS I
To the honour and dignity of Knight Grand Cross: Mr Mahmoud Khayami.
To the honour and dignity of Knight Commander: Mr Norman Gooding.
Inter-faith, diplomatic and civil leaders among those honoured with the Royal Order of Francis I. London – November 2006.
To the honour and dignity of Knight Commander: Alderman Sir Gavyn Arthur, former Lord Mayor of London, Sir Michael Craig-Cooper, CBE, TD, DL, Vice-Lord Lieutenant of Greater London, Air Vice-Marshal David Hawkins-Leth, CB, MBE, DL, HE Dr Lachezar Matev, Ambassador of Bulgaria to the Court of St James’s and HE Matthew Neuhaus, Director of Political Affairs, Commonwealth Secretariat.
To the honour and dignity of Dame Commander: The Rt Hon Dame Angela Rumbold, DBE, and The Dowager Marchioness of Salisbury.
To the honour and dignity of Knight First Class: Mr Sidney Shipton, OBE, Three Faith Forum, Mr Alexander Creswell, Mr Peter Schaad, Col Tom S Ogilvie-Graham, MBE, RAVC, The Very Rev Mgr Vladimir Felzmann, KHS, KGCO, and Mr Ahmed Suleiman, MBE.
To the honour and dignity of Dame First Class: The Rev Canon Flora Winfield, Lady Hazel Sternberg, DSS, Miss Annie Austin and Miss Xuelin Black.
Delegation Prior Cardinal Cormac-Murphy-O’Connor celebrates Golden Jubilee of Priesthood. London – October 2006.
Knights and Dames of the Constantinian Order and the Royal Order of Francis I attended Holy Mass at Westminster Cathedral in London on Sunday 29 October 2006 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the ordination of His Eminence Cormac, Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor, Archbishop of Westminster.
The Cardinal, who is the Prior of the British and Irish Delegation of the Constantinian Order sent a message to the Delegation thanked them for “their congratulations, good wishes and prayers”.
Constantinian Knights attend Chief Minister of Gibraltar’s reception. London – October 2006.
The Grand Magistral Delegate for Inter-Religious Relations Relations attended a reception to mark Gibraltar Day at the Royal Courts of Justice in central London. The reception was hosted by the Chief Minister of Gibraltar, Peter Caruana, QC, and a Knight Grand Cross of Merit of the Constantinian Order.
Among other Delegation knights attending were The Rt Rev Charles Caruana, Bishop of Gibraltar, Lord Alton of Liverpool, Jim Dobbin, MP, and The Rev Fr Michael Seed.
Longstanding Constantinian Knight Captain Gerard Salvin dies. Durham – November 2006.
The Chancery regrets to announce the death of 2 November 2006 of Captain Gerard Salvin, a Knight of Justice of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George. Captain Salvin was invested into the Order in London on 30 June 1988.
Captain Salvin was an officer in the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards. He was also a landowner in County Durham. Gerard was born Gerard Roberts, the son of ML Roberts in County Durham. Gerard Salvin married Rosemary Green on 24 September 1955 at Ampleforth Abbey. Captain Salvin was also a Knight of Malta.
Order’s Cardinal Grand Prior and papal Ecclesiatical Counsellor, Cardinal Mario Francesco Pompedda dies. Vatican City – October 2006.
The Grand Master of the Constantinian Order and the Royal Order of Francis I, HRH The Duke of Castro, has today with profound sadness and deep sorrow informed the British and Irish Chancery of the death of the Order’s Grand Prior, His Eminence Mario Francesco, Cardinal Pompedda. The late Cardinal was appointed in November 2003 as Ecclesiatical Counsellor to Order by appointment of His Holiness The Pope.
His late Eminence passed away on Wednesday 18 October 2006 in Rome having some months earlier sufferred a stroke. He was 77 years old. His funeral will be conducted by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI in the Vatican City on Friday 20 October 2006.
The Grand Master asks all knights, dames and medallists as well as the many supporters of the Order and its charitbale and inter-faith work to pray for the respose of the soul of His Eminence. Cardinal Pompedda was a great supporter of the charitbale and interfaith work of the British and Irish Delegation and was the Delegation’s guest of honour in London in November 2002 and in Dublin in May 2004.
His Eminence Mario Francesco, Cardinal Pompedda was born in Ozieri in the province of Sassari in Sardinia in 1929 and later studied to become a priest at the Capranica College in Rome.
Cardinal Pompedda was ordained priest in December 1951. In January 1998 His Eminence was consecrated Archbishop at St Peter’s in the Vatican City by His Holiness Pope John Paul II. In February 2001 His Eminence was promoted to the rank of Cardinal and assigned to the Deaconate of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Via Ardeatina, Rome. His Eminence was also appointed as Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Segnatura and President of the Court of Cassation of the Vatican City State.
In May 2001, during a ceremony at the Church of Saint George of Velabro in central Rome, His Eminence was appointed by HRH The Duke of Castro as Grand Prior of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George.
In November 2003, Cardinal Pompedda was officially appointed Ecclesiastical Counsellor of His Holiness Pope John Paul II to the Constantinian Order of St George – a position His late Eminence maintained under the new pontificate of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI.
One month later, the Order's Grand Master, HRH The Duke of Castro, promoted His Eminence to the degree of Bailiff Grand Cross of Justice with Collar of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St. George. In addition Cardinal Pompedda was appointed as a Knight of the Distinguished Royal Order of Saint Januarius, the highest award which the Royal House of Bourbon Two Sicilies can bestow and held the rank of Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Francis I.
Abbot Cuthbert Johnson celebrates mass on the Feast of the Triumph of the Holy Cross. Isle of Wight – September 2006.
Abbot Cuthbert Johnson, OSB, of Quarr Abbey celebrated Mass on the occasion of the Feast of the Triumph of the Holy Cross on 14 September 2006 at Quarr Abbey, Isle of Wight.
Mr Peter Jennings, a Knight of Merit with Star of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St George, represented the British and Irish Delegation on the occasion.
After Mass, Abbot Cuthbert Johnson, who worked as an official in the Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments, from 1983 until he was elected Abbot of Quarr in August 1996, said: “The celebration of this Feast unites the Church of the East and the West in honouring the sign of our salvation”.
“The decline in the love of the Cross is the cause of a loss of direction among many Christians. To embrace the Cross and follow our Lord Jesus Christ involves renunciation of self. St Paul has told us that the lack of the spirit of mortification leads to living ‘as enemies of the cross of Christ’ with ‘minds set on earthly things’ rather than having the courage to ‘glory in the Cross of Christ’.
“It is sad today that many Christian homes do not have the crucifix in a place of honour. We should take great care to make the sign of the Cross with devotion.”
Constantinian Order Delegates attend The Queen’s Garden Party. London – July 2006.
HE The Delegate for Great Britain and Ireland of the Constantinian Order, HE The Lord Brennan of Bibury, QC, together with the Order’s Grand Magistral Delegate for Inter-Religious Relations Relations, HE Mr Anthony Bailey attended The Queen’s Garden Party hosted by the Sovereign at Buckingham Palace in London on 18 July 2006. Lady Brennan and Miss Branimira Nacheva, Secretary to the Delegation, also attended.
The President of Germany awards Delegation Knight Sir Sigmund Sternberg with one of Germany’s highest distinctions. London – July 2006.
The British and Irish Delegation extends its congratulations to Sir Sigmund Sternberg, a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Francis I, on receiving from HE President Horst Kohler of Germany the Knight Commander’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.
The award was made is recognition of his outstanding role in promoting tolerance and inter-faith dialogue on an international level as well as his significant contribution to Anglo-German relations. The award ceremony took place at the German Ambassador’s Residence in central London.
Delegate for Inter-Religiuos Relations attend Inter-Faith Reception at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office. London – June 2006.
The Delegate for Inter-Religious Relations, HE Mr Anthony Bailey, attended a reception for religious leaders hosted by The Rt Hon Lord Triesman of Tottenham, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. The event was held at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office in London and among other Delegation knights attending were HE The Ambassador of HM The King of Morocco to the Court of St James’s, His Eminence Archbishop Gregorios of Thyateira and Great Britain and Sir Sigmund Sternberg.
British & Irish Delegation Knights attends Apostolic Nunciature Reception to mark the Pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI. London – June 2006.
The Delegate for Great Britain and Ireland, HE The Lord Brennan of Bibury, QC, together with the Grand Magistral Delegate for Inter-Religious Relations Relations, HE Mr Anthony Bailey, attended a reception hosted by HE The Apostolic Nuncio to the Court of St James’s at Archbishop’s House to mark the first anniversary of the Pontificate of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI. The Prior of the British and Irish Delegation of the Constantinian Order, His Eminence Cormac, Cardinal Murphy O’Connor, Archbishop of Westminster and the Delegation’s Vice-Delegate, Bishop George Stack, also attended.
British & Irish Delegation make £2000 donation to the MacMillan Cancer Support charity. London – June 2006.
Through the personal generosity of a Constantinian Knight, a donation of £2,000.00 has been made in the name of the Constantinian Order to the MacMillan Cancer Support charity. The charity provides practical, medical, emotional and financial support to suffers and pushes for better cancer care. For more information please visit www.macmillan.org.uk
British and Irish Delegation represented at a Reception to mark the National Day of Slovenia. London – June 2006.
The Delegate for Inter-Religious Relations Relations, HE Mr Anthony Bailey, attended a reception hosted by HE The Ambassador of the Republic of Slovenia to the Court of St James’s at the Institute of Directors to mark the country’s National Day.
British and Irish Delegation Chaplain represents the British & Irish Delegation at The Queen’s Birthday Celebration. Vatican City – June 2006.
The Reverend Father Michael Seed, SA, represented the British and Irish Delegation at a Reception to mark HM The Queen’s Official Birthday which was hosted by Her Britannic Majesty’s Ambassador to the Holy See, HE Mr Francis Campbell, at Villa Drusiana in Rome.
Delegate for Inter-Religious Relations attends Three Faith Forum event at Lambeth Palace. London – June 2006.
The Delegate for Inter-Religious Relations, HE Mr Anthony Bailey, spoke at a Three Faith Forum gathering entitled “The International Inter-Faith Agenda” which was held at Lambeth Palace in London. The event was hosted by Sir Sigmund Sternberg, Founder of the Three Faith Forum and a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Francis I within British and Irish Delegation.
British & Irish Delegation Knights attends Italian National Day Reception. London – June 2006.
The Delegate for Great Britain and Ireland, HE The Lord Brennan of Bibury, QC, together with the Grand Magistral Delegate for Inter-Religious Relations Relations, HE Mr Anthony Bailey, attended a reception hosted by HE The Ambassador of the Italian Republic to the Court of St James’s at his London residence to mark the Italian National Day.
Longstanding Constantinian Knight, Major-General Viscount Monckton of Brenchley dies. London – June 2006.
It is with much sadness that the Chancery of the Delegation announces the death of longstanding delegation member, Major-General The Right Honourable Viscount Monckton of Brenchley, CB, OBE, MC, KStJ, KM, GCJCO, GCFO, DL, a Bailiff Knight Grand Cross of Justice of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St George and Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Francis I. Viscount Monckton was born in 1915 and was first invested in the Order in 1975.
Viscount Monckton graduated from Harrow and Trinity College in Cambridge in 1939 and was commissioned into the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards with which he joined the British Expeditionary Force in France. In 1940 Viscount Monckton was awarded the Military Cross. Later he was a Brigade Major of an armoured brigade in England and joined the 3rd King’s Own Hussars in 1944 in Palestine. He went with it to Italy and serve there until the end of the Italian Campaign when he returned to his own regiment in Germany.
Viscount Monckton commanded A Squadron of the “Skins” in Korea between 1951-1952 and was promoted lieutenant–colonel to join the military operations branch in the War Office in 1953. During his subsequent 2 years in Whitehall he was a member of the British delegation to the Geneva Conference on French Indo-China and Korea and was appointed by HM The Queen as an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his services in 1956. He was then appointed to command the 12th Royal Lancers with the British Army of the Rhine and was later promoted to Commander of the Royal Armoured Corps units in the 3rd Division and elsewhere in the UK. Viscount Monckton who was appointed by HM The Queen as a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1966 before leaving the British Army in 1967 two years after assuming the viscountcy. He was appointed High Sheriff of Kent in 1981.
Viscount Monckton had been a very supportive member of the British and Irish delegation of the Constantinian Order and its charitable activities and in recognition of this and in addition to holding one of the highest ranks within the Constantinian Order was appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Francis I in 2006.
Viscount Monckton was also a Knight of the Venerable Order of St John and Chairman of the Council of the Order of St John for Kent between1969–1975. Viscount Monckton converted to the Roman Catholic faith and later became President of the British Association of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta from 1974 to 1983. V He was invested as a Bailiff Grand Cross of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta in the rank of Grand Cross of Obedience. He was responsible for the formation of the Order of Malta Volunteers (OMV) that encouraged young Catholics to work together, by accompanying pilgrimages to Lourdes and helping the destitute.
He was Colonel of the 9th/12th Royal Lancers between 1967-1973, Honorary Colonel of the Kent and Sharpshooters Yeomanry Squadron, 1974-1979, President of the Anglo-Belgian Union 1973-1983, ( he was decorated by HM The King of the Belgians as a Commander of the Order of the Crown and a Grand Officer of the Order of Leopold II), the Medway Production Association, 1968-1972, the Kent Archaeological Society, 1968-1975 and the Kent Association of Boy’s Clubs, 1965-1978.
A Requiem Mass for Viscount Monckton will be held at St Mary’s Cadogan Street, London SW1 on Tuesday 11 July 2006 at 11:30am.
British & Irish Delegation Constantinian Order knights participate in turf cutting ceremonies of two new Academies in Yorkshire. Sheffield – June 2006.
Work is now well underway on the new multi-million pound Sheffield Springs and Sheffield Park Academies, which will replace Myrtle Springs School and Waltheof School respectively. Both Academies are sponsored by the United Learning Trust (ULT), through the generosity of its benefactor, The Khayami Foundation, who was introduced to the scheme by a senior representative of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George.
The two new Sheffield Academies will open intheir existing schools in September 2006, before 
transferring to new state-of-the-art accommodation, which is currently under construction on the East Bank Road and Beaumont Close sites. Among the new facilities will be ICT learning resource centres, multi-purpose halls and dance and drama studios, facilities for digital arts and textiles and extensive indoor and outdoor sporting facilities. A special emphasis of both Academies will be Inter-Religious Relations relations.
To help celebrate the start of works, special ‘turf cutting’ ceremonies were held at both sites on Wednesday 14 June 2006, and conducted by Mr Mahmoud Khayami, Founder of The Khayami Foundation and a Knight Commander of the Royal Order of Francis I within the British & Irish Delegation.
Sheffield City Council’s new cabinet member for Children’s Services, Cllr Harry Harpham, ULT Chief Executive Sir Ewan Harper, HE Mr Anthony Bailey,Delegate for Inter-Religious Relations Relations of the Constantinian Order and ULT Board Member, andformer Minister of Schools Mr Stephen Twigg also participated.
Commenting on the Academy project, Cllr Harpham said: "This £56million expenditure is a welcome investment into the education and support of our young people, in some of the neighbourhoods that need it most. It's right that Sheffield children have access to a top quality learning environment. Sheffield children deserve the best and this opportunity is the best”.
Commenting on the start of works, David Lewis said: “With the Sheffield Academies, we have a real opportunity to create and develop new schools which are ideally placed to answer the needs of their communities and develop young adults with the skills, qualifications and the enthusiasm for the regeneration of this area. In the coming months, we will be focusing on creating an environment in which both Academies can flourish.
”I am delighted also that the benefactor of both the Sheffield ULT academies, Mr Mahmoud Khayami and senior representatives of the Constantinian Order has been able to attend the turf cutting ceremony. Their commitment to inter-religious dialogue and understanding among the followers of all faiths as well Mr Khayami’s historic contribution to industry and education at home and abroad are well known”.
Sir Ewan Harper also said, how “profoundly grateful” the United Learning Trust was to HE Mr Anthony Bailey, Constantinian Delegate, and to the Order as a whole, for their considerable hands-on support and commitment to the project over the past year and a half.
Academies are all-ability inclusive schools, offering high quality education with state-of-the-art facilities, strong community involvement and a broad and balanced curriculum that is enhanced by a chosen specialism. Like other mainstream schools, Academies are expected to admit students with special educational needs and disabilities as appropriate and are required to comply with admissions law and the admissions Code of Practice. They are free of charge to all students and open to students of all faiths or none.
"A King from Canada". London - June 2006.
The Chancery of the British and Irish Delegation is pleased to announce the publication of the autobiography written by our longstanding Council member, Sir Conrad Swan. The book illustrates the family life, carrier and work as a herald and ultimately Garter Principal King of Arms of Sir Conrad. A King from Canada outlines the important contributions made to the development of the expressions of sovereignty in various Commonwealth states by the former Garter Principal King of Arms and senior officer at the College of Arms.
The book discovers how during more than three decades as a herald Sir Conrad’s roles were considerable in the founding of the Orders of Knighthood of several Commonwealth countries, including the Orders of Canada and the Orders of Australia, as well as in the establishment of both the National Flag of Canada and of the Canadian Heraldic Authority L’Aurorité héraldique du Canada.
Sir Conrad Swan was the first herald for several centuries to accompany from England the Sovreign, when proceeding abroad and he recounts these times with fondness.
Contained within the book are intricate genealogical charts, as well as the now superseded, but historic, Introduction Ceremony into the House of Lords for a new Peer, illustrated with complete floor plan movements.
This publication is available from The Memoir Club, Stanhope Old Hall, Stanhope, County Durham DL13 2PF, Tel +44 (0) 1388 527215 at UK£22 including postage and packing. For international postage please add UK£2 for Europe or £5.75 for rest of the world.
Longstanding Constantinian Knight, Nicola Vecchione, KSG, dies. Ruislip – June 2006.
The Chancery regrets to announce the death of longstanding delegation member, Nicola Vecchione, KSG, - a Knight Commander of Merit with Star of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St George, within the British and Irish Delegation.
Mr Vecchione was first invested in the Order in 1989 and was knighted by the His late Holiness Pope John Paul II as a Knight of the Pontifical Order of St Gregory the Great in recognition of his contribution to the Catholic community in Great Britain.
Mr Vecchione was also honoured by the Polish Government-in-Exile shortly before the restoration of democracy in the Central European nation. He was also a member of the Education Commission of the Archdiocese of Westminster and a prominent businessman.
Yorkshire Museum hosts major exhibition on Emperor Constantine on the occasion of the 1700th anniversary of the York proclamation of Constantine as Roman Emperor. York – June 2006.
To celebrate the 1700th anniversary of the proclamation in York ofConstantinie the Great as RomanEmperor, the Yorkshire Museum is hosting until 29 October 2006 a major international exhibtion showcasingexhibits from across Britain andEurope including many treasures from the time of theEmperor.
Included in the exhibition are silverware, sculpture, mosaics, jewellery and textiles which offer a rich array of the wealth and magificence of the age.
Ruling for more that 30 years Emperor Constantine the Great was responsible for religious tolerance and promoting Christianity and is closely associated with the ancient history of the Constantinian Order.
British and Irish Delegation welcomes the defeat of the Lord Joffe’s Assisted Dying Bill. London June – 2006.
The All Party Pro-Life Group within the British Parliament has for a number of years been an adopted charity of the British and Irish Delegation having received in recent years over £13,000 (€19,000 euros).
In a letter to Lord Brennan, the new Delegate for Great Britain and Ireland, the Group’s chairman Jim Dobbin, MP, (left) said: “As you will no doubt be aware, the group’s members and staff were heavily involved in assisting our pro-life colleagues in the House of Lords in their campaign against Lord Joffe’s Assisted Dying Bill. Whilst we are certain that the bill will return in the next session of parliament, the recent campaign was extremely successful in promoting the United Kingdom’s world lead in palliative care and using this to counter the pro-euthanasia agenda.
“We also have a ten-minute rule bill on palliative care due to have its second reading on 20 October 2006, and we hope that this bill will find favour with the Government who have recently made some very promising statements on the extension and provision of palliative care for all those with a terminal illness.
“We are committed to increasing our activities further and I wanted to write to you for you to know that the All-Party Group is extremely grateful for the financial support which the Constantinian Order in Britain and Ireland has given, and continues to give, to this worthy cause. We are also delighted that your former Delegate in Great Britain and Ireland, and now appointed as worldwide Delegate for inter-religious affairs, HE Mr Anthony Bailey, has agreed to continue as Patron of this Group”.
Order’s Delegate for Inter-Religious Relations meets with the new Prime Minister of Lebanon. London – May 2006.
The Constantinian Order’s newly appointed Delegate for Inter-Religious Relations, HE Mr Anthony Bailey, met with His Excellency Fuad Siniora, President of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Lebanon, on the occasion of his Official Visit to the United Kingdom. The meeting took place at the Lebanese Ambassador’s Residence in central London.
The Lebanese Head of Government expressed his delight to meet with senior representatives of the Constantinian Order, especially knowing of its successful inter-religious mission to Beirut and region as a whole in 2004. Mr Siniora urged the Constantinian Order to continue its support for inter-religious dialogue and humanitarian projects in Lebanon.
The 2004 mission to Lebanon was headed by the Order’s Grand Prefect, HRH The Duke of Calabria, during which The President of the Republic of Lebanon, His Excellency Emile Lahoud, was invested as a Knight Grand Cross with Gold Star within the Special Category of the Constantinian Order. In April 2005 the Lebanese Head of State was promoted to the rank of the Collar decoration in a ceremony which took place in Rome.
“It was a very constructive and useful discussion with an international leader who is clearly deeply committed to fostering greater dialogue and understanding between the respective religious communities at home and abroad. Despite all the troubles inflicted on the Lebanese people during the civil war, the speed with which the nation has come together following this tragedy, and subsequent tragedies, is an important example to the rest of region, and indeed the world, when such tolerance breaks down”.
Among other Constantinian Knights attending was The Reverend Father Dr Shafiq Abouzayd, Official Representative in the United Kingdom of His Beatitude Patriarch Gregorios III of Antioch & all of the East, of Alexandria and of Jerusalem. The Patriarch, who is a Constantinian Knight, was Guest of Honour at the British and Irish Delegation’s 2004 Annual Royal Gala Dinner.
Saint George the Great Martyr. A Constantinian Knight’s reflection on St George’s Day. Gibraltar – April 2006.
To mark St George’s Day 2006, longstanding Constantinian Order chaplain, The Rt Rev Monsignor Canon Coronato Grima offers this relfection on the Order’s Patron Saint.
The Martyr: supreme embodiment of victory: Tropaiphoros. St George is presented as the quintessential Easter Saint. His is a victory over self, the world and Satan, achieved by becoming one with the Only One, Christ.
Becoming one with Christ is the fundamental vocation of the Church herself as the Bride. St George embodies this fundamental vocation and also is its realisation. He becomes the altar Christus by re-living the redemptive suffering and the humiliating death of Our Lord, the Great Witness, thus acceding to His glorification. By voluntarily laying down his life, he proves that the undermost powerlessness is a function of the uppermost power. This is indeed, perhaps, the major paradox which itself constitutes the Gospel, the Good News: the way down is the only way up; the way of self-denial is the only way to self-realisation; the way to death is the only way to life; the way to the cross is the only way to resurrection; the way to humiliation is the only way to glorification.
The city on a hill and the light on the lampstead materialise only if the grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, and the yeast disappears into the flower. Only in this way can the disciple/community of the disciples become the conspicuous, unavoidable and effective signpost they are called to be and meant to be. Indeed the grain of wheat was unceremoniously thrown into the ground and meant to be. The earth opened up to receive the life-giving death and the city on the hill glowed with unsurpassed glory; the light shown with renewed intensity, the virgin mother gave birth and the woman triumphed over the beast (Apoc. 8). At the core of this seemingly physical impossibility lays total obedience to the Father’s will. Luke formulates this simple truth at the outset of his version of the Good News, when the messenger of God declares, what must have been in his own personal experience, “nothing is impossible to God” (1, 37), prompting Mary’s self-definition as the humble slave of the Lord who abides by His will.
Obedience to the Father, the liberating and ennobling attitude, is considered by Paul as “being in Christ” and no longer a mere “following” of the Master. It is a passing from the sequela Christi to the imitatio Christi as testified by the life and the death of the martyr. This “being-in-the-Master” is in fact a “being-surrounded by His infinite love and being grasped by his love to me” (2 Cor. 5, 14). It is from this high point that everything needs be considered. This high point is personified in the fearless stand taken by St George.
Vital Office equipment donated to The Passage Homeless Centre. London – April 2006.
Following an urgent request for help from one of the Delegation’s longstanding adopted charities, The Passage Homeless Centre, three up-to-date computers and six office chairs were donated to the Centre in the name of the British and Irish Delegation.
In a letter to newly appointed Delegate Lord Brennan of Bibury, Sister Ellen Flynn, Director of the Centre said “I am writing to thank you as Delegate for the donations of computers and chairs which your predecessor Mr Anthony Bailey, and now Delegate for Inter-Religious Relations relations, personally donated to us last week.
“Homes were found very quickly for the chairs and the computers are a very welcome and vital addition to our equipment needs. Please pass on our thanks to Mr Bailey for his and the Order’s continued kindness and support of our work”. Sister Ellen said.
Lord Brennan of Bibury, QC, appointed new Delegate for Great Britain and Ireland. Rome – April 2006.
The Grand Master of the Constantinian Order and Head of the Royal House of Bourbon Two Sicilies, HRH The Duke of Castro, has today appointed The Right Honourable Lord Brennan of Bibury, QC, as Delegate for Great Britain and Ireland for the statutory three year period from 23 April 2006 to 22 April 2009.
Lord Brennan will assume his post on the retirement of outgoing Delegate, HE Mr Anthony Bailey which is scheduled for St George’s Day – 23 April 2006. The formal handover of office will take place during the Delegation’s forthcoming investiture scheduled for late May 2006.
Lord Brennan was appointed to the Council of the British and Irish Delegation in 2003 and holds the rank of Knight Commander of Merit with Star of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George.
Born in 1942, Lord Brennan graduated from Manchester University with a Bachelor of Law where subsequently he was honoured with a Doctorate. In 1968 he married Spanish national, Pilar Sanchez Moya by whom he has four sons. Lady Brennan is also a Dame of Merit with Star of the Constantinian Order.
Lord Brennan’s career began when he was called to the Bar at Gray’s Inn in 1967. Consequently, he was appointed Recorder of the Crown Court (1982) and has been a Queen’s Counsel since 1985 and since 1994 sits regularly as a Deputy High Court Judge. In 1999 Lord Brennan was elected Chairman of the Bar of England and Wales. He is also a member of the bars of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. In 2000 British lawyers voted Lord Brennan Barrister of the year.
Lord Brennan is a keen contributor in the globalisation of the legal profession and a key figure in the international legal relations. He has been actively involved in a number of international arbitrations (in particular for South America and South-East Asia). Lord Brennan is on a panel of Consultants to the World Bank for Latin America and South East Asia. He has co-operated with a number of Latin American states on development of judicial independence and training, law reforms and the role of lawyers in modern society. He is also a member of the London Court of International Arbitration, of the American Law Institute, Patron of the Peru Support Group and an Assessor to the British Home Secretary on Compensation for Victims of Miscarriages of Justice.
In 2000, on the advice of Prime Minister Tony Blair, HM The Queen elevated Lord Brennan to the Peerage and the House of Lords. He is an active parliamentarian and sits on numerous Parliamentary committees. Among them are the Select Committee on the European Union, the Sub-Committee on European Law and Institutions and the British-Latin American Parliamentary Group.
Lord Brennan is very active in Roman Catholic affairs. In 2001 the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster appointed him as President of the influential Catholic Union of Great Britain. Lord Brennan is also the Patron of Consortium for Street Children UK, which works throughout the developing world.
Lord Brennan is also a frequent contributor to legal and medical journals. He was the General Editor of the 14th edition of Bullen and Leake on Pleadings, 2001.
His honours include Cruz de Honor de la Orden de San Raimondo de Renyafort (Spain), the Gold Medal of the Supreme Court of Mexico. He is also an Honorary Doctor of Law of the Universities of Manchester and Nottingham-Trent.
Message from His Royal Highness The Duke of Calabria on the appointment of Lord Brennan as Delegate for Great Britain and Ireland. Rome – April 2006.
His Royal Highness The Duke of Calabria, as Grand Prefect of the Constantinian Order and the Royal Order of Francis I has on behalf of the Grand Master formally appointed Lord Brennan as the Delegate for Great Britain and Ireland.
In a letter to the Delegate-designate, Lord Brennan, The Duke of Calabria said “I have the honour to inform you that the Grand Master, HRH Prince Ferdinando of Bourbon Two Sicilies, Duke of Castro and Head of the Royal House of Bourbon Two Sicilies, has today consented to your appointment as Delegate for Great Britain and Ireland of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George and the Royal Order of Francis I.
“This appointment, which has been today ratified by the Royal Deputation, will be for a statutory three year period commencing from 23 April 2006 until 22 April 2009.
“May I join HRH The Grand Master in extending to you my own warm congratulations on your appointment. I very much look forward to working with you as we develop the Delegation in Great Britain and Ireland even further across the religious, charitable, humanitarian, hospitaller and interfaith activities established by your delegation over recent years”. The Duke of Calabria said.
Outgoing British and Irish Delegate Anthony Bailey welcomes the appointment of Lord Brennan. London – April 2006.
Outgoing British and Irish Delegate Anthony Bailey issued the following statement on the Grand Master’s decision to appoint Lord Brennan as his successor as Delegate for Great Britain and Ireland “I am absolutely delighted that Lord Brennan of Bibury’s nomination has been accepted by the Grand Magistry especially knowing of his lifetime commitment to Roman Catholic causes as well as inter-religious dialogue.
Outgoing British and Irish Delegate Anthony Bailey is promoted ahead of his forthcoming retirement from office and congratulated by the Grand Master. Rome – April 2006.
In a letter to the British and Irish delegation members, the Grand Prefect of the Constantinian Order and Royal Order of Francis I, His Royal Highness The Duke of Calabria said “I am writing at the request of HRH The Grand Master to inform you of some important changes which will shortly affect the British and Irish Delegation of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St George and the Royal Order of Francis I.
“HRH The Grand Master has decided to appoint and promote HE Mr Anthony Bailey to the post of Delegate for Inter-religious relations for our worldwide brotherhood based within the Grand Magistry in Rome. Mr Bailey will take up this post at the conclusion of his statutory three year term as Delegate in Great Britain and Ireland which will occur on or around St George’s Day 2006.
“From 2003-2006 as Delegate, and from 2000-2003 as Vice-Delegate and Chancellor, Anthony Bailey has played a very significant and commanding role in the growth of membership of the British and Irish Delegation which has in turn resulted through your help, in a huge increase in the religious, charitable, humanitarian and hospitaller activities.
“Anthony Bailey has also successfully spearheaded our Order’s significant and prominent participation in inter-religious dialogue activities at home and abroad. For all these reasons, HRH The Grand Master has decided to promote him to take charge of this important brief and in recognition of his major contribution to your Delegation has decided to bestow on him the high honour and dignity of Knight Commander of Merit with Star of the Constantinian Order.
“I hope you will all join me in extending to Anthony Bailey our sincere congratulations and appreciation for all he has done”. His Royal Highness The Duke of Calabria concluded.
Outgoing Delegate for Great Britain and Ireland said “I am deeply touched by the kind words of the Grand Master and the Grand Prefect. It has been an honour to serve the Grand Master and his world-wide brotherhood during the past six years here in Great Britain and Ireland and I look forward to supporting in the future the Delegation in any which way I can”.
Delegation for Inter-Religious Relations relations established within the Grand Magistry to be headed by Anthony Bailey. Rome – April 2006.
The Grand Master of the Constantinian Order, HRH The Duke of Castro, has today announced the creation of a worldwide Delegation for Inter-Religious Relations relations. This delegation, which will be headed by outgoing British and Irish Delegate, HE Mr Anthony Bailey, will be based within the Grand Magistry in Rome and report directly to the Grand Master and the Royal Deputation.
established by thedynastic orders through itsparticipation in inter-religious dialogue initiatives at home and abroad. At its core will be activities aimed at fostering greater understanding with other Christian denominations as well as with other religions such as the Muslim and Jewish faith communities.
Judge Patrick Clyne appointed new Vice Delegate for Great Britain and Ireland. Rome – April 2006.
The Grand Prefect of the Constantinian Order, His Royal Highness The Duke of Calabria has appointed Judge Patrick Clyne, KM, to the post of Vice Delegate for a statutory three year term commencing on 23 April 2006 until 22 April 2009. Judge Clyne was invested as Knight of Merit with Star of the Constantinian Order in 2003 and is a well known Irish lawyer before being appointed last year as a member of the Irish judiciary. Judge Clyne is also a longstanding officer of the Irish Association of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.
Post of Chancellor of the British and Irish Delegation is abolished. London – April 2006.
So as to bring the British and Irish Delegation into line with all other existing delegations, the Grand Magistry has decided to abolish the post of Chancellor within the British and Irish Delegation and merge its functions with the role of Vice-Delegate.
Grand Prefect expresses his thanks to outgoing Vice-Delegate and Chancellor Senator Donal Lydon. Rome – April 2006.
In a letter addressed to the British and Irish Delegation, the Grand Prefect of the Constantinian Order, His Royal Highness The Duke of Calabria, expressed his thanks to outgoing Vice-Delegate and Chancellor, Senator Donal Lydon, for his contribution to furthering the mission of the Constantinian Order in Britain and Ireland during his three term.
The Duke of Calabria stated “I join HRH The Grand Master in thanking Senator Donal Lydon for the services he has rendered to our Delegation in Ireland”.
Senator Lydon was appointed a Knight Commander of Merit with Star of the Constantinian Order in 2000 and a Knight Commander of the Royal Order of Francis I in 2004.
British and Irish Chancery moves office. London – March 2006.
Due to the expansion of the British and Irish Delegation, the Chancery has moved with immediate effect to 12 Queen’s Gate Gardens, London SW7 5LY. All telephone and facsimile details remain the same.
Longstanding Constantinian Knight, John Brooke-Little, CVO, dies. London – February 2006.
The Chancery regrets to announce the death of longstanding delegation member, John Brooke-Little, CVO, - a Knight Grand Cross of Grace of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St George.
Mr Brooke-Little was first invested in the Order in 1975 and had been a supportive member of the British and Irish delegation and its charitable activities even though his period of long illness.
Mr Brooke-Little joined the College of Arms in 1957 and held the posts of Norroy & Ulster King of Arms from 1980 to 1995 and Clarenceux King of Arms from 1995 until his retirement in 1997. He founded the Heraldry Society in 1950 and became its President in 1997 as well as edited its magazine "Coat of Arms".
A renowned author and editor of numerous books and publications on the subject of heraldry, Mr Brooke-Little was also the Director of the Heralds' Museum at the Tower of London.
HM The Queen appointed him a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in 1984. Mr Brooke-Little also served as Chancellor of the British Association of the SovereignMilitary Order of Malta from 1973-1977 and eventually held the rank of
Knight Grand Cross of Grace and Devotion. Among numerous other awards were those of Knight of Justice of the Most Venerable Order of St John of Jerusalem and the Cruz Distinguida (1st class) de San Raimundo de Penafort (Spain).
British & Irish Delegate invited to join the Advisory Council of the Foundation for Reconciliation in the Middle East. London – January 2006.
The Rt Rev and Rt Hon Lord Carey of Clifton, former Archbishop of Canterbury, and Chairman of the Advisory Council of the London-based Foundation of Reconciliation in the Middle East, (FRME) has invited the British and Irish Delegate of the Constantinian Order, Mr Anthony Bailey, to join its Advisory Council.
FRME seeks to promote conflict resolution and reconciliation, particularly in areas where religion risks becoming a vehicle of incitement and exclusivity, rather than as a medium for tolerance and understanding.
“I am delighted to join a body undertaking such vital work across the Middle 
East. Membership of the Advisory Council will also allow for the Order and the FRME to develop mutually beneficial projects in the region aimed at fostering greater understanding and tolerance among its various religious groups”. Anthony Bailey said.
For more information please visit www.frme.org.uk
British and Irish Delegation mourns the passing of US Delegate David Garrison. London – January 2006.
The Chancery was greatly saddened to learn of the death of His Excellency David Garrison, Delegate for the United States of America of the Constantinian Order and Royal Order of Francis I, in Houston, Texas, on 25 January 2006.
David Garrison, who had been ill for some time, served with distinction as Delegate for some sixteen years having been first invested into the Order in 1985. He held some of the highest honours of our Catholic brotherhood in recognition of his faithful service to its religious mission as well in appreciation of the countless humanitarian, hospitaller and interfaith activities he successfully launched over many years. This included the honour and dignity of Knight Grand Cross with Gold Star with the Collar Decoration of the Constantinian Order and Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Francis I.
David Garrison had earlier been honoured by the late Pope John Paul II as a Knight Commander of the Pontificial Order of St Gregory the Great and was a Knight of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta and a Knight of the Venerable Order of St John.
“David Garrison’s death is a truly a great loss to our worldwide brotherhood and many within the British and Irish delegation will mourn him especially in light of his tremendous efforts to broaden the cope of charitable activity and membership of the dynastic orders across the USA. In particular David was a ardent supporter of the activities of the British and Irish Delegation especially so in the field of interfaith activities. I therefore extend to his family and all the knights and dames in the United States my sincerest condolences, thoughts and prayers at this time”. Anthony Bailey, Delegate for Great Britain and Ireland said.
Acclaimed Muslim scholar and interfaith leader Sheikh Zaki Badawi, KBE, dies. London – January 2006.
It is with profound sadness that the Chancery of the British & Irish Delegation notes the sudden death on 24 January 2006 aged 84, of our longstanding supporter, Muslim scholar, interfaith leader, and confrere, Sheikh Zaki Badawi, KBE.
Sheikh Zaki, who was decreed a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Francis I in 2005, was one of the principal driving forces behind the inter-religious activities of the Constantinian Order and the Royal Order of Francis I in Britain and Ireland as well as across the Arab and Muslim world. Sheikh Zaki, who was awarded an honorary knighthood in 2004 by HM The Queen, was Principal of the Muslim College of Great Britain and Co-Founder of the Three Faith Forum which he created together with longstanding Delegation member, Sir Sigmund Sternberg.
Sheikh Zaki attended many of the events of the Delegation and also spoke at our 2003 Annual Dinner held in the presence of the Delegation’s prior, His Eminence Cormac, Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor, Archbishop of Westminster.
British and Irish Delegate Anthony Bailey said “Zaki’s passing has come as a great shock to me personally and undoubtedly to the many in our dynastic orders who worked with him on developing our Order’s interfaith projects at home and abroad. He was a true giant among men and represented the very best of not only his Muslim faith but also of the Christian and Jewish faiths. Zaki is truly irreplaceable and the country and the world has lost, and will greatly mourn, a great man devoted to peace and harmony among God’s people”.
Over €7000 donated to Delegation charities in Great Britain and Ireland. London - January 2006.
The following charitable and religious organisations have received donations raised through the annual subscription of members of the Constantinian Order and Royal Order of Francis I in Great Britain and Ireland.
The charities in receipt of Delegation funds include: De Paul Trust of Ireland €2,000.00, The Passage Homeless Centre £1,600.00, The All-Party Pro-Life Group within the British Parliament, £1,000.00, The Tyburn Covent and Shrine £500.00, St Thomas Fund £500.00 and £150.00 to the Cardinal Hume Centre.
In acknowledgement letters, the Chairman of the All Party Pro-Life Group, Jim Dobbin, MP, said “I am extremely grateful for this generous donation which as you are aware is vitally important to the All Party Pro-Life Group. I should like to thank you and the sponsors and assure you that the money will be put to good use. The members of the Group are indebted to you for your continuing interest in this worthy cause”. Mother Simeon, Prioress of the Tyburn Convent said “Thank you very much for the donation from your Order. We will pray for the five donors”. Sister Ellen Flynn, Director of The Passage, “The Passage is once again indebted to the Constantinian Order for its continued support of our work”.
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