Associate David Sellery delivered an inspiring reflection on Blessed Adrian Fortescue, a contemporary of St. Thomas More. David emphasized that saints serve as road maps—living proof that the Gospel can be embodied in every age. Through his talk, he portrayed Bl. Adrian as a Knight defined by conscience, charity, and courage, virtues that challenge us to consider what faithful knighthood looks like today. Bl. Adrian’s life invites us to ask three essential questions:

• How is my conscience being tested now?
• Where must my faith stand quietly but firmly?
• Where am I called to witness—not with swords, but with integrity?

Fr. MacNeill then offered a presentation on the purpose and spirituality of the Order of Malta, grounding his remarks in a 2014 Journal of Spirituality essay and a talk by the Order’s former Prelate, Bishop Jean Laffitte. He outlined the core elements of our charism:

• the promotion of the glory of God,
• the sanctification of our members, and
• the service of the poor and defense of the faith.

He reminded us that “we can’t give what we don’t have.” A deeply formed interior life—rooted in Jesus Christ—is essential before we can fully serve others. As Benedictine Father Henry O’Shea beautifully expresses:

“In order to defend, one must have something to defend; one must know what one is defending. In order to serve the needy, one must be aware to the extent to which one is needy oneself. To breathe the ‘supernatural breath in the midst of everyday life,’ one needs to learn how to breathe in and out that supernatural air that is the breath of God, the breath of the Holy Trinity with which we were sealed by the Holy Spirit in our baptism and confirmation in Christ.”