MARSHALLANS, WHO WE ARE, WHAT WE STAND FOR, WHAT WE DO AND WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO
SIR KT. TONY N.N. BAFFOUR
PSK, SC, PRGK, PGA
MARSHALLANS, WHO WE ARE, WHAT WE STAND FOR, WHAT WE DO AND WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO
The Noble Order of the Knights and Ladies of Marshall is a Catholic Fraternal Organisation which aims at bringing Catholics together in the practice of Unity, Charity, Fraternity and service. It was founded on the lines of the Order of the Knights of Columbus of the United States of America. The Society operates in Ghana, Togo, Benin Liberia, United Kingdom and Sierra Leone. The Headquarters of the society called the Supreme Council is in Sekondi, and that of the Grand Court is in Kumasi, both in Ghana.
We describe the society as a friendly society because we believe that through our collective effort, through the unity of members and purpose we are able to fraternize among ourselves, share ideas and opinion that will enhance our growth spiritually and physically, do charity and offer service to our God and country.
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF ITS FORMATION
The history of the Society, initially for Catholic men, called the knights, dates back to 1925 when some 13 young men of St. Paul’s Catholic Church, Sekondi, or came together to form a society for the purpose of bringing together Catholic men for effective lay apostolate and Catholic action. (They sought to get the laity highly involved in the spreading of the word of God and the execution of the role and objectives of the Catholic Church (a step ahead of Vatican Two). The society was also meant to provide a forum for Catholic men, who otherwise would have joined non – Catholic secret societies like the Freemasons and the ODD fellows which were springing up in the cities of the Gold Coast and whose teachings were against the Catholic doctrine and teachings.
Aware of their goal, these 13 young men made enquiries as regards the history of the “Knights of Columbus” a fraternal catholic society of influence in the United States. They found out that whilst the “Knights of Columbus” exists as a fraternal organization, it also immortalizes the name of a layman, Christopher Columbus, the discoverer of America.
Inspired by a similar spirit, the young men, namely Bro. Joseph Brookman-Amissah and Bro. Joseph Ankunam kwesi-Aaba decided to set up a fraternal society that would immortalize the memory of Sir James Marshall, who championed the re-establishment of the Catholic Church in the Gold Coast (Ghana) by Fr.Auguste Moreau and Fr. Eugene Murat (SMA Fathers from France) nearly 250 years after the first attempt by the Portuguese in 1482. The pioneer priest arrived at Elmina, Gold Coast (Ghana) on May 18, 1880
It was to immortalize the name of such a great soul that the founders named the Society after Sir James Marshall; hence the name “Knights of Marshall”.
THE JUNIOR ORDER OF KNIGHTS OF MARSHALL
The junior order is not an adult council so it has its own special rituals, uniforms and practices carved for them by the adults to suit their purposes.
I hope that you are all aware of the quotation from (Matthew 18 vrs 6) which reads and I quote “whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him that a huge millstone should be hung around his neck, and that he should be sunk in the depth of the sea”. I wouldn’t want to suffer the weight of the millstone and the agony of being confined to the bottom of the sea, so I will put in my best to ensure that the Junior Order succeeds in its functions
“proverbs 22 vrs 6 reads “ train up a child the way he should go and he will not depart from it when he grows”
So if we the adults, want the Catholic youth to be our future and carry on the aims and objectives of the adult order and the church, then we need to nurture our younger ones along a defined line, guidance and direction; thus the need for a Junior Order.
How a man or woman ends up in life is very often influenced by the experiences of their youthful days
BRIEF HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE JUNIOR ORDER:
After the consecration of the first Council of the Knight of Marshallan in 1926 at Sekondi, a society called Subordinate Council was instituted in 1930 by the supreme Council to attract Catholic School Leavers who were to be trained to become future Adult Knights.
Unfortunately, in 1932 this first Subordinate Council was closed down when the thirteen (13) Founding members broke away from Council one (1) Sekondi and constituted themselves into a body called Supreme Council. Members of the first Subordinate Council were prematurely transferred en bloc to COUNCIL ONE, SEKONDI to strengthen that Council.
It is again recalled that during the mid 1970’s, the members of the Standing Committee of the Supreme Council and Grand Court became worried about the youth waywardness at the time, the massive drug abuse, lack of Christian meaning of sex behavior and other bad traits by the youth in the Catholic Church. These prompted them to rethink about the formation of a movement (society) which would be able to gather the Catholic youth to address the inherent problems of the day.
In 1975 however, the Supreme Council again decided to re-introduce the Subordinate Council to help form, nurture and groom our Catholic children who would eventually transfer to the Adult Council. This again was to accomplish the vision of the founding fathers.
Accordingly, a committee of five (5) members was then appointed to study, plan and work out details for the formation of the Subordinate Council with the following mandate:
a) To prepare Catholic children for entry into the Adult Order as practicing Catholics to ensure the certainty of perpetual existence of the Noble Order.
b) To make efforts to guide and teach the children to understand the principles of the Marshallan Order because all these principles embrace the many problems which continue to plague the youth of the world.
The committee worked and submitted its report which was accepted by the Supreme Council and accordingly approved the opening of the First Subordinate Council and Court “Queen of the Apostles” NO. 1 J, Cape Coast, on Friday 25th August 1978. Presently there are 73 junior orders in the Marshallan world.
In the year 1984, the name “Subordinate Council/Court” was changed to Junior Order (Council/Court).
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE ADULT COUNCIL AND COURT AND THE JUNIOR ORDER
As every growing child needs the support and guidance of a parent or guardian so is the junior order. The adult Council and court have the mandate and responsibility to ensure that their junior councils and courts are financially sound and fully supported in their activities both spiritually and otherwise
The senior order must budget annually to supplement the upkeep of the junior order.
The Grand knight and noble lady must visit the meetings of the Junior Order at least thrice a year and attend the regional Congress to offer them the needed support.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: To be qualified for the membership of the Junior Order
a) A new applicant must be a catholic literate,
b) Communicant
c) Not married
d) Be of good conduct
e) Be between the ages of 9 to 16 years on initiation and up to 25 when you are to compulsorily retire and join the adult Council or court
MOTTO: Service to God and man. (Service to God and man through unity)
Aims of the Junior Order: the junior order aims to ensure
a) Unity and friendship among Catholic children
b) Service to mankind and help to the distressed
c) To interest children in Religious Vocations
d) To ensure proper use of leisure in properly structured and programmed social activities
e) Preparation (morally and spiritually) for entry into the Adult order as practicing catholic to aid in the march of attaining the overall aims and objectives of the Noble Order
Hope these few words explain who the Marshallans are?
We are catholic men, women and youth who are communicants and of good character and behavior; we are ready to fight and defend church and we use the tools of unity and fraternity to do charity and offer service to God and country. We finally support ourselves and the distressed and deprived in the community.
The supreme aim of the Adult Order encompasses all that the Noble Order (knights, Ladies and Juniors) stand for and does and are enshrined in the motto, aims and objectives of the Noble Order!
So, what do we do as Marshallans?
CENTRAL TENETS – MOTTO
1) The fundamental principles or motto of the Noble Order are Unity, Charity, Fraternity and Service. 2) The society pledges unqualified loyalty to the Holy Mother the Catholic Church, and to Support and defend the Church under all circumstances.
Our motto, unity, charity, fraternity and service is expected to gingers and catalyze our collective effort to attain the aims and objectives of our order;
We inculcate into the members, loyalty and fidelity to the State and the Church.
- We work to honor , defend, promote and live the Catholic faith (The fight is not only for the adult)
- To promote and enhance fraternal Catholic spirit, both by personal and group action in all phases of life. (we are all over the place, the adults are at their work places the children are at their schools, our lifestyles should shine and by our examples win souls for Christ
- To promote Catholic education. In the years gone past most schools were owned and managed by the various churches so they were able to offer Christians tailored education for the youth who are the future leaders
- To maintain a fraternal order of Catholic lay leadership
- To prepare the members of the order for apostolate of the church (through the various roles we play in our churches as councilors, choristers altar boys etc, we have the opportunity to make Christians appreciate the doctrine and social teaching of the church thus stop the drift of the youth to the mushrooming churches.
- To help individual members to develop spiritually
- To render assistance to its members and their families in periods of emergency and need (Marshallan centre of fraternal relations, bereavement, sickness etc.
- To undertake any business of financial and economic nature towards the achievement of these ends.
WHY DO WE DO WHAT WE DO
We are a Christian society so our ritual is Christ-like and is of God. (all we do is for God and man)
We are Christians governed by commandments of God so we work to keep the commandments
We are Catholics governed by the rules and obligations of the church
We are friends and a family so we are to support ourselves both in happiness and tears
We are Christians and Catholics so we need to defend our faith
We are to ensure the sustenance of the church; we are to support formations and vocations
We need to practice the command of Jesus; love your God and neighbor as yourself
We are obliged to do charity (a biblical command and a requirement of a white ritual)
My brothers and sisters I believe you now know who we are, what we stand for, what we do and why we do what we do.
Now, my brothers and sisters go and preach the word and let your light (conduct) so shine before the world, so many more will see the beauty of the Noble Order and join the happy Marshallan family.