Fra’ John Harvey Makes Final Vows

February 5, 2015 in the Immaculate Conception Church in Washington, DC, Fra’ John Collins Harvey pronounced solemn (perpetual) vows of obedience, poverty and chastity as a professed knight in the Order of Malta.  His vows were received by His Most Eminent Highness the Prince and Grand Master of the Order who came from Rome for that purpose.  It was attended by some 300 people including members of the Sovereign Council, the Presidents of the three USA Associations of the Order, as well as guests from as far away as Peru. 

As you all know, the core of the Order is its Professed Knights.  We are a religious order of the Church, but that is only because we have members who are fully professed religious.  Without the Knights of Justice, we would cease being a religious order.  Sixty years ago there were insufficient Knights of Justice to fill all the positions which require them.  Twenty years ago there were about thirty.  Today there are 54, including aspirants and novices.  So, unlike many others, our Order is growing.  But we need more vocations.

Fra’ John Harvey, who is well known to many of you, is a very vigorous 92 years young widower who has devoted his life to country, family and Church and decided in the last few years that he would become a professed religious.  As an expression of our faith and a deepening of our faith, this was a really moving ceremony.  The choir was superb and much of the ceremony was in Latin.  Fra’ John knelt before the Grand Master, was dubbed a knight, brandished his sword in accordance with tradition and spoke his vows in a clear and strong voice.

At the reception following the ceremony, the Grand Master, who was suffering from a bad cough, talked about what it means to become a Professed Knight and about the history of the rite.  The Grand Master has a wonderful sense of humor and is quite funny in his delivery.