Good Sir Knights of the New Mexico Division!
This month holds a special place with my family as it celebrates St. Patrick’s Day. My aunt, prior to her passing, was
able to trace our family lineage back to the 1200’s in Scotland around the Isle of Argyle. It seems some of our family
fled Scotland, under suspicious circumstances, moving to England and to France. The French sect changed their
name to LaMonte, while the English sect changed their name to Lamb. Now, if you talk to my father, there was
some Irish influence in there as well. That being said, maybe a little of me is Irish and celebrates this traditional
holiday. As I always tell people just before playing “America” on the bagpipes during St. Partick’s Day celebrations,
“We are all a little Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, but no matter what, we are all 100% American”.
I would like all Sir Knights to try to attend the New Mexico Grand Lodge Sessions this month in Ruidoso. I would
also like to invite all Sir Knights to the 75 th Annual Assembly which will begin on Thursday, April 11, 2024. Our
formal activities will take place at the Ballut Abyad Shrine Center, located at 6600 Zuni Road SE, in Albuquerque.
The registration link is: Annual Sessions – New Mexico Grand York Rite Bodies (nmyorkrite.org)
The 124th Annual Conclave of the Grand Commandery of Knights Templar of New Mexico will convene on Friday
April 12 th at 9:00am followed by the reception of distinguished members, guests, and visitors to our Grand
Commandery. Lunch will be at 12:00pm. The afternoon session to finish all remaining business will start at 1:00pm.
Installation of the Grand Commandery Officers elected and appointed to serve for the ensuing year will take place
at 2:00pm.
Friday will begin at 7:00am with a meeting of the Past Commander’s Association. The Memorial / Vesper Service
will start at 5:45p on Friday evening (just prior to the Social Hour). A Holy Land Pilgrimage Dinner will be held Thursday evening at the Ballut Abyad Shrine Center Ballroom, with all the revenues exceeding expenses generated going directly to help send ministers from New Mexico on the trip of a lifetime to the Holy Land. A Social Hour before dinner will start at 6:00pm followed by dinner at 7:00pm. Appropriate dress for the Holy Land Pilgrimage Dinner is business casual or Commandery uniform.
I leave you with this historical take on the Irish Templars:
The Knights Templar had a considerable presence in Ireland and at one stage were the owners of Clontarf Castle. In
spite of their vows of poverty, the Knights Templar became extremely wealthy, owning a large number of properties throughout Europe.
In Ireland, the trial of the Templars was less of a spectacle than in mainland Europe as the Irish Templars were
spared the torture endured by their European counterparts. They were arrested on February 2nd 1308. All Templar
property was seized by King Eward II. The men were held in Dublin Castle where they waited for an entire year
before their jurors arrived to decide their fate. The inquisitors were a group of five men made up of Dominicans
and Franciscans, chosen for their loyalty to the Pope. The trial took place in St Patrick’s Cathedral which would then
have been on the outskirts of Dublin city and lasted for four months. With no solid evidence of any charges, the
Templars were convicted and all of their possessions and lands were given to the Knights of St John of Jerusalem,
known today as the Order of Malta. Though the Templars in France were burned at the stake, it seems that the
Irish Templars were spared such a fate and allowed instead to enter into monastic life to serve their penance.
Be well! In service of Christ,
James D. Lamb, REGC