We congratulate the San Luigi Grand Prior for Continental Europe, H.E. Dr. Norbert Wójtowicz, and his wife on the birth of their first child, a son, Stanislaus.

On 10 October, San Luigi member Dr William Clark KOCT, KLJ-G, KStJH(G) was an invited guest of the Commandery of New South Wales of the Military and Hospitaller Order of St Lazarus at the Australian Club. During the fundraising dinner, former Prime Minister of Australia the Hon. John Howard OM, AC, addressed the assembled company.

Dr Clark, who is a Knight Officer of the Order of the Crown of Thorns as well as a member of the Protectorate of San Luigi of the Military and Hospitaller Order of St Lazarus of Jerusalem and the Protectorate of San Luigi of the Orthodox Order of the Knights Hospitaller of St John of Jerusalem, is seen to the left in the photograph below. Pictured with him are the Rt Revd Richard W. Hurford OAM, CStJ, ChLJ, former Anglican Bishop of Bathurst, and Mrs Hurford.

Among the greatest of the treasures in the archive of the Abbey-Principality of San Luigi is the bronze statue known by us as the Vilatte Madonna. This statue is Indian, twenty-four inches high, and was presented to Prince-Abbot Joseph III (Archbishop Joseph-René Vilatte) by the Malankara Indian Orthodox Church under Mar Julius I Alvarez, which body was responsible for his episcopal consecration in 1892. It was recently donated to the Abbey-Principality as a gesture of friendship and support by its prior custodians in the United States of America.

The Metropolitan Alvares Julius Research Project (MARP) has published an important article concerning the Cathedral of Our Lady of Good Death (Boa Morte), Colombo, Sri Lanka. This was the Cathedral and headquarters of the Latin Rite (Independent Catholics of Ceylon) of the Indian Orthodox Malankara Church under the headship of Metropolitan Julius I Alvares.

The article details the community established by Metropolitan Julius I Alvares and its role as the location for the consecration of Metropolitan Joseph René Vilatte in 1892 (who would become Prince-Abbot Joseph III of San Luigi in 1899). Metropolitan Julius I Alvares was the principal consecrator of Prince-Abbot Joseph III and was also one of the first Patrons of the Order of the Crown of Thorns.

As the article recounts, the vicissitudes of the Latin Rite Orthodox community were such that the Cathedral eventually passed into the hands of the Roman Catholic Church, and that church still maintains the Cathedral today.

The article can be read in full at this link: http://theorthodoxchurch.info/alvares/the-cathedral-of-metropolitan-alvares-julius-in-colombo-the-story-of-sinhalese-orthodox-christians/

Edmund Gerald “Pat” Brown (1905-96) was the 32nd Governor of California, serving between 1959 and 1967. He was admitted to membership of the Order of the Lion and the Black Cross by Prince-Abbot Edmond II.

Brown graduated from San Francisco Law School in 1927 and passed the Bar the following year. He ran as Republican Party candidate for the State Assembly in 1928 but was unsuccessful. In 1932 he joined the Democratic Party and in 1939 contested the post of District Attorney of San Francisco, again unsuccessfully. However, he ran again in 1943 and this time was successful, serving for seven years and making his name in standing against underground abortion providers and bookmakers.

In 1946, he was the Democratic nominee for Attorney-General of California, but lost. In 1950 he contested the position again and was successful, winning re-election in 1954. He won the nomination for Governor in 1958 and defeated William F. Knowland (also a member of the San Luigi Orders) in the resulting contest. In 1962 he was re-elected, this time defeating Richard M. Nixon. His gubernatorial service was marked by a notable expansion of higher education in California, with the Donahoe Higher Education Act of 1960 its keystone. Water resources were developed, with the new California Aqueduct being named for him. He also established the state economic development commission and consumers’ council, and oversaw fair employment legislation.

In 1964, Brown was under consideration as Lyndon B. Johnson’s running mate, but lost out to Hubert Humphrey. Towards the end of his term, the Watts Riots and demonstrations at UC Berkeley against the Vietnam War adversely affected his popularity. In 1966, he resolved to seek a third term, which he had earlier said he would not do, and faced a tough primary battle against Sam Yorty, who polled 38% against Brown’s 52%. Coming through this, Brown’s campaign seemed to be closely poised, but in the event, his Republican opponent, Ronald Reagan, won a landslide victory.

Brown and his wife Bernice Layne had four children, of whom one son, Jerry Brown, is the current Governor of California.

The death has recently been announced of James A. Sjolund (1932-2014), former State Supervisor of Music for the State of Washington. Sjolund was awarded the Grand Prix Humanitaire de France et des Colonies (the Cross of Merit of the Order of the Crown of Thorns), by Prince-Abbot Edmond II on 28 January 1977, at a champagne reception in honor of Distinguished Humanitarians at the residence of Lady Patte Barham in Los Angeles.

Sjolund received his San Luigi award for his work in helping to establish and guide the National Committee, Arts for the Handicapped, which had been the result of a year spent in Washington, D.C. writing grants. He received his master’s degree at Western Washington State College and saw service in the Korean War. After several years of teaching music in the Shoreline School District he became State Supervisor of Music. During a year’s assignment on Orcas Island he administered the Arts for the Rural School District program.

A man of wide interests, he enjoyed an active retirement and is survived by his wife of 59 years, three children and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren, to whom the Abbey-Principality extends its condolences.

This photograph, dated 25 December 1961, depicts Prince-Abbot Edmond II (then the  heir-designate to San Luigi).