On Thursday, the 31st of July, National President, John Murphy, joined with members to celebrate the promotion of the Order of Malta’s Chief Chaplain, Archbishop Mark Coleridge DD to Conventional Chaplain Grand Cross ad Honorem. The presentation took place at the Chapel of St Stephen’s Cathedral in Brisbane.

Following Mass, the membership hosted His Grace to a celebratory dinner where Emeritus President, the Honourable James Douglas, KGCHD KC, delivered a vote of thanks for the service to the Order during the Archbishop’s 22 years as a chaplain. Confrere James highlighted the deep understanding of the spirituality and history of the Order of Malta Archbishop Mark was able to instruct the membership in during many Biennial Conferences and Masses. He remembered one such instruction about how the hospitaller nature is why the Order of Malta did not falter compared to the “monks of war” of other Orders.

Archbishop Mark has been a chaplain of the Order of Malta Australia since June 2003. During this time, he has been a constant supporter of and participant in the activities of the Order in Australia. This is especially true in the regions where he has ministered as a bishop (Melbourne) and Archbishop (Canberra/Goulburn and Brisbane).

Photos courtesy of Alan Edgecombe