Sloppy Journalism at the National Catholic Register

Which of the crusader Orders do still exist?

The only one that I am familiar with is the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem.

Care to enlighten us about religious and military orders? I’ve always been interested, but don’t even know where to begin learning about it.

Actually, there is a new group in the spirit of the original (which was suppressed) and has ecclesial approbation.
More information can be found here:
http://www.ordo-militiae-templi.org/
and here:
http://www.militiatempli.org/

Correction: In your first sentence, you say you subscribe to the National Catholic Reporter. Whatever your complaints against the Register, it should never be confused with the Reporter.

Thanks, I’ve just corrected that.

Alessandro, a number of such orders still exist. Most prominently, the Order of Malta, but also the Teutonic Order, and a number of Iberian orders such as the Orders of Calatrava, of Santiago, of Aviz, etc.

The Wanderer lost much of its gravitas some years ago when, inexplicably, it started a campaign against traditionalists (though I believe “integrists” was the favoured term of opprobrium).

Really? I missed that. It seems like a decent newspaper to me now, but I only read it every so often.

When the pope dissolved the order of the Templars, King Dinis of Portugal refused to believe the accusations against the Templars. He gave the Templars a new name- The Order of Christ.

In 1979, a group of Roman Catholic Italian noblemen restored the Order of the Temple (Militia Templi) canonically by the archdiocese of Siena. Without claiming any direct descent from the ancient Order, the Militia seeks by peaceful means to preserve the Latin cultural tradition of the Church. It is indeed regretable that some journalists publish erroneous information because of inadequate research.

One of the many things that the reporter failed to research was the masonic connection of this 19-century “Templar Orders”. This organizations tried to legitimize themselves by manipulation of historical facts, fraudulent documents, and ultimately self-proclaiming as the true descendants to the medieval Order. The Poor Fellow Soldiers of Christ and the Temple of Solomon where in fact suppressed in 1312. It is a totally different story with the Militia Templi, previously mentioned on this blog. This is a Roman Catholic lay association of diocesan right, erected in the Archdiocese of Siena, Italy ,in 1979. It was given its canonical status in 1988 and its Rule was approved in 1990 by the local Ordinary of Siena at that time. The Order, whose official name is Militia Templi-Christi Pauperum Militum Ordo DOES NOT

One of the many things that the reporter failed (and obviously Gen.Rae didn’t tell him)to research was the masonic connection of this 19-century self-styled “Templar Orders”. This organizations tried to legitimize themselves by distortion of historical facts, fraudulent documents, and ultimately self-proclaiming as the true descendants to the medieval Order. The Poor Fellow Soldiers of Christ and the Temple of Solomon where in fact suppressed in 1312.Theoretically, the Order can be restored to its full honors if the Pope,the only person that has the authority to restore it, does so. It is a totally different story with the Militia Templi, previously mentioned on this blog. This is a Roman Catholic lay association of diocesan right, erected in the Archdiocese of Siena, Italy ,in 1979. It was given its canonical status in 1988 and its Rule was approved in 1990 by the local Ordinary of Siena at that time. The Order, whose official name is Militia Templi-Christi Pauperum Militum Ordo DOES NOT claim descent from the ancient Order and holds that these claims are canonically and historically inaccurate. The Order does follow an adaptation of the Rule given to the ancient Templars by St.Bernard of Clairvaux, which is the only connection to the Templars of old. Besides the websites recommended by Fr.Fritz in this blog, you might want to check the webpage for the Archdiocese of Siena,www.arcidiocesi.siena.it,it makes reference to the Militia in the section dedicated to the different associations.

For anyone intersted in the history of the Templars, one which sets forth the facts fairly well, I recommend The Templars by Piers Paul Read. (published 1999) Larry Dengler.

I heard that the Ordo Militae Templi was problematic and has had issues with their bishop not accepting them.

Speaking of chivalry and all, I came across a new website this week about a Catholic group that looks pretty good – http://www.corpuschristianum.org

My thanks to Andrew Cusack for pointing out errors in the description of Ordo Supremus Militaris Templi Hierosolymitani.

The interview was arranged on the premise that this group was the successor to the original Knights Templar, though obviously with many differences to the original Order. I took Rae, whom I met at one of their meetings in Rome, at face value and felt that he adequately explained the differences, but of course in hindsight it would have been wise to look into the possibility of other groups purporting to be successors to the Templars.

That was an oversight on my part – one which I hope you will agree was understandable in the circumstances – and so I apologise to anyone who was misled.

On the masonic question, I asked Rae if there were any links to the masons, as well as elements of secrecy in his group. He denied both, but that part was not included in the edited interview.

There is a (german) site about knights templar groups in the 21st century:

http://www.neotempler.de/

There you can see the different fractions of the OSMTH.

The Knights Templars order is Order of the one and true Apostical church thats the Roman catholic church and its the order under the pope and no protestant can claim this because the founder of this order is St Benedict of Clarivaux who is Benedictine Monk and the Benedictine monks thats the Ancheroties or Hermites are the True Fighting Monks ,so No one can claim this Birth Wright except the Benedictine and the Order Militia Templi of the Roman catholic church sienna and its under the Dioeces so Roman approved order ,so its sad to know that this protestant clib members or so called Ecumincal can call them self as knight templar no one can Immetate the Knight Templars (The Fighting Monks)The only one who can claim is the Benedictine Oblates (Roman catholic church)

Yes its True that the Knight Templars are fighting Monks of the Benedictine order founded by St Benedict of Clarivaux ,if I am Wright St Benedict of Clarivaux is a Roman catholic saint and a monk. so From where did the other so called Denomonation can claim them self to be a Knight Templar . This is not a social club This is a Roman catholi order, so it dosent mean if this Club members Donate Money to some Roman Catholic organization can buy up the Birth Wright of the Templars . I think this people are lost in History .they should see The TV Serial of MY True Faith of Michael.The one and true Apostical church of Christ is the Roman catholic church.only the pope can Endorse who is the Templar so the wrights go to Order Militia Templi of The Archdioeces of siena.The Roman catholic Knight Templars are Not NGO.

yes u are Dr Anthony and Gregory.
The Knight Templar order is the order of the Roman catholic church and only the pope has the power to Endorse them so the Wrights go to ordermilitia templi of the Dioeces of sienna because this order has been approved by the pope and the Archdiooeces of sienna and the Benedictine Monks and the True Beneditine Oblates who follow strickly the Rule of St Benedict can only call them self the Knight templars other Denomination which is man made as no claims over the Knight Templars Because they are not Roman catholic and there is no salvation out side the Roman catholic Church because this Denomination Broke away from the True and only Church of Christ where he Build on Peter
so its sad to know some so called Ecuminical calling them self as Knight Templar .when did the Knight Templars(The Fighting Monks so their Roman catholic wrigth to this so called Ecuminicel.from when did the Knights Templars become Ecuminical . I think they are lost in History.
Knights Templars are Traditional Roman catholics they will never sell their Birth Wright to so called Ecuminecal CLubs.it dosent mean if The knight Templars go to Africa They become African so its a Joke that this Protestants and freemasons are lost in History or deperate to call them self as Knight Templar.If they want to become a templar BEcome a Roman Catholis First. when this Protestants Rebel against the Holy Father (pope) they Excummunicated them self .so why claim so things which are not Yrs . its illusion .
Gerard (Benedictine Oblate)OSB

You guys got one thing wrong up there as i was reading. It was not St Benedict of Clairvaux but St. Bernard of Clairvaux. St. Bernard wrote for the ancient order what was called

In Praise of the New knighthood

which caused the Papacy to legitimize the ancient order. Aside from that the church established the ancient order and then suppressed it and only in the church can it be brought back. I honestly do not know where these people who write these books get the idea that the ancient order would be out to destroy the church. I also do not understand how groups like the Freemasons and other Protestants, frauds and charlatans who hate the church would want to portray themselves as a Catholic order. It’s all just a case of these guys trying to rewrite history in order to turn the Templars into proto-martyrs of Martin Loser’s heretical beliefs by anticipation as well as turning them into closet heretics and blaspheming Cathars. It is also an attempt to continue to offer a backhanded slap at the church by thieving a title from it and portraying themselves as something they are not, to take a great order that defended the one true faith outside of which no one at all is either saved or a martyr or a Christian against the Mohammedans whose “God” is nothing more than the old moon god Sin with a name change and try to continually sully their name. In all seriously, I could sit down right now and create a lodge and make up a really awesome fictional history for it and all the rest of my life sit there and claim it was true and get others to continually evolve the mythology and those outside would not know and those that would belong down the years would think it was true too, that is what masonry did in the late 1700’s with Andrew Ramsay, they invented a back story for a club to gain members by making it seem more important and ancient than it really is/was after the fact and a LOT of different guys down the years have made it a point to expand upon it and add more too its mythology as they come across new things in history they invent new connections to this or that. Aside from the masons claiming descent from the Templars the masons also have degrees in the York Rite that confer upon you the title of Knight of Malta (this comes before the Templar degree as far as I understand it)and then in other branches they have Knight of the Holy Sepulchre and a masonic version of the UK’s Order of the Bath. When it all comes down to it it is all about trying to get men attracted to their club to they can get more money for degrees in multiple branches, application fees in multiple branches, dues in multiple branches, it’s all about money.I hate and resent the 3 1/2 dozen groups running around the world (a lot in France) that use some variation on the Templar name try to claim to be the Templars and are all about either being a Satanist, Occultist, worshiper of Egyptian religion and so on, like those losers who claimed to be Templars in Spain and tried to sue the pope. So when it all boils down to it the rest are frauds, it’s about money and
the Ordo Militia Templi is the real deal, not just canonically but historically as well as legally and backed by the church, maybe in a limited capacity at this time but not forever. When the Bishop of Rome one day turns this into a Papal order (and I hope it’s soon) it will through that act most assuredly kill all those groups of charlatans. Why? because of all the books and rumors and conspiracy and fantasy surrounding them today, it will make the news around the world and that will be the end of it. And the only people who will belong or join or defend those “others” will be some really self deluded mental cases.