Our History
1848
The first known member of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem in New Zealand was Bishop Jean Baptiste Francois Pompallier, the first Catholic Bishop of New Zealand. He was a Knight of the Order, having been received into the EOHSJ on October 6, in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem.
(Reproduction of the portrait of Pompallier painted by Marzocchi in Paris in 1848)
1994
Our recent history began when Father Dr Anthony Malone OFM, was appointed as the Commissary of the Holy Land for New Zealand. Father Malone met in Jerusalem with other commissaries and with fellow Franciscans and lay Catholics who were members of the EOHSJ. Hearing for the first time about the aims and work of the EOHSJ, Father Malone thought that having a branch of this organisation in New Zealand would serve to alert Catholics in New Zealand to the need for supporting not only the Christian shrines but also the Catholics of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem.
1995
On his return to New Zealand, Father Malone contacted His Eminence Thomas Cardinal Williams who encouraged him to further develop matters. With the encouragement of the Bishop of Auckland, Most Rev Patrick Dunn, Father Malone privately contacted people in Auckland whom he thought might be interested in joining a branch of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem.
1997
On his second visit to Jerusalem, he received further encouragement and more printed material about the Order.
1998
Father Malone was elected as the Superior of the Franciscan Order in New Zealand and as required by the Constitution of the Franciscans, resigned his office as New Zealand
Commissary. Father Malone served as the Franciscan superior in New Zealand for the next nine years.
2010
James Bickford, KHS a recent arrival from England
approached the Bishop of Auckland to enquire about the possibility of
establishing the EOHSJ in Auckland. Bishop Dunn referred Bickford to Father Malone OFM. H.E. John Secker KGCHS, the Lieutenant of the New South Wales Lieutenancy of the EOHSJ paid a visit to New Zealand and met with Mr James Bickford KHS, Father Anthony Malone OFM and Mr. Philip Sherry who had earlier made enquires about membership at the headquarters in Rome.
As a result of that meeting in October, James Bickford KHS, Mr. Philip Sherry, Fr. Anthony Malone OFM and Right Rev. Msgr. Kevin Hackett (recommended by Bishop Dunn of Auckland) travelled to Sydney, Australia. On October 10 Mr Philip Sherry was invested as a Knight at the annual investiture ceremony conducted by His Eminence George Cardinal Pell, the Prior of EOHSJ for New South Wales, Australia. At that same investiture ceremony Msgr. Hackett and Fr. Malone OFM were invested as Knight-chaplains of the Order and James Bickford was promoted to Knight Commander KCHS.
2011
James Bickford KCHS became the Inaugural president of the New Zealand section of the EOHSJ as the Order then became a section of the New South Wales Lieutenancy. In 2011 six people confirmed their interest in becoming members of the Order and these six aspirants were led through a programme of education and formation in the history, spirituality, and charitable work of the Order.
2015
With the increase in numbers, the Order became a Magistral Delegation. During the Vigil held at St John the Baptist Church, Parnell on November 20, Lieutenant John Secker KGCHS of New South Wales, Australian Lieutenancy presented the Decree of Establishment of the Magistral Delegation and appointments of the Grand Prior, Bishop Patrick Dunn KCHS, and the Magistral Delegate John (Jack) Gibbs KCHS, who then appointed a Council in agreement with the Grand Prior and with the approval of the Governor General of the Grand Magisterium in Rome.
Over the years membership has grown further with the appointment of Carleen Blucher DCHS as the Second Magistral Delegate of New Zealand.
2022
On January 10, Bishop Patrick Dunn KCHS resigned as the Grand Prior of the EOHSJ in New Zealand. The Grand Master of the EOHSJ Fernando Cardinal Filoni conferred the title of “Grand Prior of Honour’ to Bishop Emeritus Patrick James Dunn in appreciation for the outstanding work he has performed as spiritual leader of the Magistral Delegation in New Zealand and for the engagement he always demonstrated on behalf of the Holy Land.
On January 17, the Grand Master of the EOHSJ Fernando Cardinal Filoni appointed Bishop Stephen Marmion Lowe KC*HS as the new Grand Prior of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre in New Zealand.