Joshua Bennett
While there may not be any Catholic military groups akin to the Knights Templar or the Knights of Saint John left, there are still Catholic knightly orders that exist today. These include the Sovereign Military Order of Malta and the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, both of which are recognized by the Vatican and are dedicated to protecting Christians and fighting tyranny. In addition, the International Alliance of Catholic Knights (IACK) is a non-governmental organization comprising fifteen Roman Catholic fraternal orders from 27 countries on six continents. The IACK was founded in Glasgow in 1979 and is currently an associate member of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family, and Life, a dicastery of the Roman Curia.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of modern-day Catholic military groups | Many |
| Nature of modern-day Catholic military groups | Non-violent |
| Examples of modern-day Catholic military groups | The Sovereign Military Order of Malta, The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem |
| Nature of The Sovereign Military Order of Malta and The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem | Recognized by the Vatican, spiritual, material |
| Nature of spiritual and material support | Prayer, funding for churches, schools, hospitals, scholarships, pilgrimages |
| Example of a non-governmental Catholic knights organization | International Alliance of Catholic Knights (IACK) |
| Number of Fraternal Orders that founded the IACK | 15 |
| Number of countries the Fraternal Orders that founded the IACK are from | 27 |
| Number of continents the Fraternal Orders that founded the IACK are from | 6 |
| Date of founding of the IACK | October 12, 1979 |
| Location of founding of the IACK | Glasgow |
| Headquarters of the IACK | Hampshire, U.K. |
| Example of a dicastery of the Roman Curia that the IACK is an associate member of | Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life |
| Date of creation of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life | September 1, 2016 |
| Example of a responsibility of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life | Promotion of the life and apostolate of the lay faithful |
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What You'll Learn
The Sovereign Military Order of Malta
The Order of Malta is one of the oldest institutions of Western and Christian civilization, having been a religious order since 1113 when it was recognized by Pope Paschal II. It is linked to the Holy See but is also independent as a sovereign subject of international law. The Order is one of the largest landowners in Italy, and its properties are exempted from certain Italian fiscal jurisdictions. It has formal diplomatic relations with 114 states, including the Holy See, and permanent observer status at the United Nations.
The SMOM has a long history of providing medical support, dating back to 1876 when the Association of the Italian Knights of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta (ACISMOM) reformed the Order's military to a modern military unit. This unit provided medical support to the Italian Army, and in 1909 it officially became a special auxiliary volunteer corps of the Italian Army, known as the Army Military Corps of the ACISMOM. Since then, the Military Corps has continued to operate with the Italian Army in both wartime and peacetime, providing medical and paramedical support as well as ceremonial functions for the Order.
Today, the Sovereign Military Order of Malta continues to be actively involved in medical, social, and humanitarian projects in 130 countries, caring for people in need. The Order's diplomatic relations facilitate its medical and humanitarian activities, and it collaborates with other mutually-recognized Orders of Saint John. For example, the SMOM is a major donor to the St. John Eye Hospital in Jerusalem, which is primarily operated by the Most Venerable Order of Saint John.
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The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem
The order's mandate dates back to the time of the crusader knights, who were responsible for protecting Christian pilgrims travelling to sacred sites. Today, the order's members continue to aid the Church in the Holy Land and strengthen the practice of Christian life among its members. They do not function as an armed military group, but they do protect Christians and fight tyranny through spiritual and material means. Spiritually, they offer prayer, and materially, they provide funding for churches, schools, hospitals, scholarships, and pilgrimages.
The order is comprised of knights and dames who are united in their faith and their mission to serve and protect the Christian communities in the Holy Land. They stand as witnesses to the Christian faith and work to strengthen the practice of Christian life, carrying on the legacy of the crusader knights in a modern context.
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International Alliance of Catholic Knights (IACK)
The International Alliance of Catholic Knights (IACK) was founded in Glasgow, Scotland, on October 12, 1979, during a meeting of the leaders of several Catholic knightly orders, including the Knights of Columbus, Knights of Saint Columbanus, Knights of the Southern Cross Australia, Knights of the Southern Cross New Zealand, and the Knights of Saint Columba. The purpose of this alliance was to work together for the mutual benefit of the individual member orders and to promote Catholic Knighthood worldwide.
The IACK was officially recognized by the Vatican as an International Catholic Association of the Faithful in 1992, in accordance with the Code of Canon Law. The organization is dedicated to advancing the Christian way of life and eliminating injustice from society. The IACK also aims to extend the vision of Father Michael J. McGivney, the founder of the Knights of Columbus, by assisting the growth of existing member orders and promoting the establishment of new ones.
The IACK is governed by an International Council, composed of the Supreme Knight or National President of each member order. This council meets biennially to discuss matters of common concern and plan the organization's development. The founding members of the International Council included Supreme Knight Tony Rouse of the Knights of Saint Columba, Supreme Knight Virgil C. Dechant of the Knights of Columbus, and Supreme Knight James J. Eccles of the Knights of Saint Columbanus.
While the IACK does not engage in armed combat, it continues to protect Christians and combat tyranny through spiritual and material means. This includes prayer, funding for churches, schools, and hospitals, and providing scholarships and pilgrimages. The organization also works with other Catholic international organizations and the Pontifical Council for the Laity to further its goals.
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Knights Templar
The Knights Templar, officially known as the Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon, was a military order of the Catholic faith. The order was founded in 1118 by the French knight Hugues de Payens to defend pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem. The knights were headquartered on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, in the captured Al-Aqsa Mosque, and were endorsed by the Catholic Church. They were among the most skilled fighting units of the Crusades, often serving as the advance shock troops in key battles. Their distinctive dress was a white mantle with a red cross.
The Templars were prominent in Christian finance, with non-combatant members, who made up about 90% of their members, managing a large economic infrastructure throughout Christendom. They received money, land, businesses, and noble-born sons from families who were eager to help with the fight in the Holy Land. The Templars swore an oath of poverty, chastity, and obedience and renounced the world.
The Templars' prominence and growing wealth, however, provoked opposition from rival orders, and they were falsely accused of blasphemy and blamed for Crusader failures in the Holy Land. In 1307, King Philip IV of France had many of the order's members in France arrested, tortured into giving false confessions, and then burned at the stake. Under pressure, Pope Clement V disbanded the order in 1312. Despite this abrupt disappearance, a number of Templar knights, properties, and other assets were absorbed within the Portuguese Order of Christ and the Spanish Order of Montesa.
Today, there are groups that claim to be modern-day Templars, but they do not engage in actual combat. The Sovereign Military Order of Malta and The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem are two orders that trace back to the crusades and are still recognized by the Vatican. These orders no longer function as armed military groups but continue to protect Christians and fight tyranny through spiritual and material means.
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Knights of Saint John
The Knights of St. John International is a Roman Catholic men's fraternal organization that was incorporated in 1886 under patron St. John the Baptist. The organization is committed to serving the Catholic Church, their communities, and their fraternal brotherhood. The Knights of St. John are most recognizable by their distinctive uniforms and regalia, which blend traditional chivalry elements with U.S. Army uniforms from the 1880s. The uniform consists of a double-breasted frock coat and trousers in black cloth, with shoulder knots or rank-bearing shoulder boards, sword belts, and swords. They also maintain a more modern marching uniform with a double-breasted suit coat and a Pershing cap.
The Knights of St. John International has a military-style rank and position structure, with districts, grand commanderies, supreme subordinate commanderies, and the Supreme Commandery, which is responsible for the organization worldwide. The organization is heavily parish-based, with individual commanderies established within parishes to focus on serving the needs of that parish, its members, and the broader community.
The Knights of St. John exemplify the Roman Catholic theological virtues of Faith, Hope, and Charity under a banner of Fraternity. They pledge their honor to manifest the Word and Truth of Jesus Christ through their actions and examples as Roman Catholic gentlemen. The organization is represented in nine countries, including the United States, Canada, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Togo, England, and Germany.
While the Knights of St. John International is a modern organization, there are also orders that trace back to the Crusades, such as The Sovereign Military Order of Malta and The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, which are still recognized by the Vatican today. These orders do not function as armed military groups but continue to protect Christians and fight tyranny through spiritual and material means.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, there are two orders that trace back to the crusades and are still recognized by the Vatican: The Sovereign Military Order of Malta and The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem.
No, they do not engage in armed combat but they do protect Christians and fight tyranny.
They do so spiritually through prayer and materially through funding for churches, schools, hospitals, scholarships, pilgrimages, etc.
Yes, there is the International Alliance of Catholic Knights (IACK), a non-governmental organization made up of fifteen Roman Catholic fraternal orders from 27 countries on six continents.
The purpose of the IACK is to work together for the mutual advantage of the individual member orders and the extension of Catholic Knighthood throughout the world. They also hold their members to bring the message of Christ to all people, give loyalty and support to the Pope and all religious leaders worldwide, and eliminate injustice from society.
