Dear Sisters and Brothers:
Grace, peace, the love of God and fellowship of the Holy Sophia be with all of you.
On this day, the Feast of the Martyrdom of the Holy Templars, it is our pleasure to announce a change in the status of one of our local bodies in the Apostolic Johannite Church.
As of today, Mission Hugues de Payens in Chesterton IN has been elevated to that status of a Narthex under the new name St Bernard of Clairvaux. The new Narthex will function under the rectorship of Rev Mr Matthew Backus. We wish to congratulate Rev Mr Backus on his new responsibilities, and thank Deacon John DiGilio for all of his hard work and service in overseeing the Chesterton community in its infancy. Thanks to Rev Mr Backus, Deacon DiGilio, and all of the members of the Chicago and Chesterton communities, the mission has grown and thrived.
Bernard of Clairvaux was a Cistercian abbot and was instrumental in the writing of the Rule of Life for the Knights Templar at the Council of Troyes in 1128. He was tireless in zeal to heal the wounds of schism in the church, and stands to this day as model of monastic discipline.
Rev Mr Backus was confirmed in the Holy Gnostic Church on the feast of St Michael the Archangel by Rev Bray Weaver and was received into Minor Orders within the AJC at the last Conclave in Chicago. He currently serves as Preceptor of the Indiana CIRCES Temple in Chesterton and will be installed Worshipful Master of Garfield Lodge in December. He has served as the Presiding Officer of all three of Hammond York Rite Bodies as well as the Tall Cedars of Lebanon. Rev. Mr. Matthew is a hair stylist by trade and will be married in June of 2015 to Stephanie, his fiancé, whom he has been dating since 2011.
We are grateful for and proud of all of the work done by Deacon DiGilio and Rev Mr Backus. We wish them all success in bringing the work of the AJC to new members and ministering to their existing congregations. They remain constantly in our prayers and we extend our Apostolic Blessing upon these new bodies and upon all the members, clergy, and laity of the Apostolic Johannite Church throughout the world. We remain
your devoted brother and servant before the Sacred Flame
His Grace, William, Mar +Thomas
Archbishop of Wisconsin
Primate for the United States of America
Given at the Oratory of St. Athanasius, Kenosha, WI
13 October, 2014, the Feast of the Martyrdom of the Holy Templars