Today we commemorate the death of Prince-Abbot Joseph III on 1 July 1929, the Feast of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus. We give thanks for his tireless missionary zeal and his dedication to the cause of Traditionalist evangelism. We stand alongside the other communities founded or led by him – the Eglise Gallicane, the American Orthodox Church, the African Orthodox Church – in acclaiming this great forefather of the Church, opposed in life and death by many, but whose work has survived all attempts to destroy it.

The dedication of the Prince-Abbot to the Most Precious Blood included his building and foundation in 1886 of the Church of the Precious Blood of Jesus at Gardner, Wisconsin, USA. On the Feast of the Most Precious Blood, 1 July 1887, he together with Marcel Pelletier and Jean-Baptiste Gauthier founded the Society of the Precious Blood of Jesus.

We congratulate our Royal Patron, H.M. the Omukama of Bunyoro-Kitara, on the 21st anniversary of his accession to the throne in 1994.

H.M. the Omukama is the grandson of H.M. Omukama Chwa II Kabalega, who in 1885 conferred the title of Mukungu upon the then-Prince-Abbot of San Luigi and granted land for the restoration of the Abbey-Principality of San Luigi in Bunyoro.

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Hoima- The prime minister of Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom, Mr Norman Lukumu, has launched the reconstruction of Karuziika Palace, the official royal headquarters of the King of Bunyoro.

“The palace reconstruction is one of the activities that have started in the run- up to the Omukama’s 21st coronation anniversary celebrations,” Lukumu said on Wednesday while launching the exercise.

The Omukama of Bunyoro, Dr Solomon Gafabusa Iguru I, who ascended the throne on June 11 1994, will mark his 21st coronation anniversary this Thursday.

“Besides the reconstruction of the palace, we have also started the Omuganda fundraising drive. We shall not keep lamenting about the challenges we are facing. This is one of the efforts we have started to revive our past glory,” he said.

The Omuganda drive is a voluntary contribution of funds or logistical support towards the kingdom’s development programmes.

Bunyoro Spirit
“We can do many things as Banyoro. Historically, we would team up, pull resources to undertake magnificent development projects. That is the spirit we are reviving,” Mr Lukumu said, adding that the kingdom will also work on a mindset of her people who seem to be contended with the little they have.

He said the funds to be realised out of the fundraising drive, will be used in kick starting key infrastructural and livelihood improvement projects.

Some of the proceeds will also be used to set up health centres and a hospital to compliment Government’s delivery of health services. “We also plan to support household income enhancement of our people so that we uplift their economic status,” he said.

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The Metropolitan Alvares Julius Research Project has published an article on Dr. P.M. Lisboa Pinto (1857-98), who was an early Patron of the Order of the Crown of Thorns. The article describes Dr Lisboa Pinto as “a beacon star in the history of the Latin Rite believers ((Independent Catholic Mission Church of Ceylon Goa and India) of the Indian Malankara Orthodox Church.”

Dr Lisboa Pinto was present at the episcopal consecration of Metropolitan Mar Timotheus (Joseph René Vilatte, who would in 1899 become Prince-Abbot Joseph III of San Luigi) in 1892, and his signature is clearly visible on the Instrument of Consecration reproduced below.

The Prince-Abbot has received several Polish awards recently.

He has been awarded the Cross of Merit of the Polish Society of War Veterans and Former Political Prisoners (Związek Kombatantów RP i Byłych Więźniów Politycznych). The ZKRPiBWP is an official Polish Veterans association and the largest such, with 43 regional chapters across Poland as well as 2364 clubs. Membership may be granted to any Polish citizen who was an active duty member of the Polish military (including partisan, self-defence units, and Polish Underground State) in or during the war, campaign, or conflict, as well as to all survivors of German concentration camps and pro-Soviet political imprisonment in the communist era. The constitution also requires members to have not been discharged under any conditions other than honourable.

In addition he has received two awards of the Union of the Polish Monarchists Association (Unia Polskich Ugrupowań Monarchistycznych):

Firstly, the Jerusalem Cross of the UPUM. This award was established by resolution of the Council of Regency UPUM No. 4/08 of 5 June 2008 to honour charitable work. This is one of the highest honours of the Union of the Polish Monarchists Association. It is a distinction for UPUM members, for members of the Collegium Heraldicum Concordiae, and for other people from friendly organizations who have promoted the common good in an extraordinary way. The Jerusalem Cross of the UPUM is in one class with a neck decoration and a certificate accompanies the award.

Secondly, the Medal of the Regent of the UPUM. This medal was established by resolution of the Council of Regency UPUM No. 15/010 November 11, 2010. The medal is awarded to long-serving members of UPUM for their great loyalty to the Union and to other persons who are active in fostering awareness of monarchist ideas in society.

The Marchese Adriano Colucci-Vespucci, member of the Order of the Crown of Thorns and President of the Italian Collegio Araldico (Heraldic College). A Doctor of Jurisprudence and an authority on chivalric and heraldic matters, he was a member of Parliament and adviser on heraldry to to H.M. the King of Italy. Editor of “La Nobilta della Stirpe”, he included the history of the Order of the Crown of Thorns in that journal.

From the archive of the Abbey-Principality comes this signed photograph of our former Vice-Chancellor and the first Prince of Vilna, Archbishop Frederick C. King (1917-85). Archbishop King’s cassock and several other items owned by him are also preserved in the Archive.

The Prince-Abbot has been honoured by our Royal Patron, Prince Kermit Poling de Gniezno, with the Order of Merit of Leszek II. This award was initiated by the Dynastic House Polanie-Patrikios  as a reward for merit. Leszek II (Leszko II) was Duke of the Polanes between 804 and 810 and is an ancestor of Prince Kermit, who is 37th in descent from him. Leszek II is mentioned in the Chronica Polonorum by Wincenty Kadłubek (1190-1208).