TABLE OF CONTENTS

Knights of Justice and Professed Conventual Chaplains
Knights and Dames in Obedience
Knights and Dames of Honor and Grace, Honorary Chaplains and Donates of Justice

Knights of Justice and Professed Conventual Chaplains

The Knights of Justice or Professed Knights are those members who have taken the traditional monastic vows. They are the direct continuation of the monastic knights who have comprised and governed the Order since its beginnings.

The Knights of Justice are required to take solemn vows of poverty, chastity (celibacy) and obedience and are referred to as Fra' (meaning brother) upon taking permanent vows (e.g., Fra' Andrew Bertie, the current Grand Master of the Order). In this regard, the Knights of Justice were traditionally required to live for at least two years in the Order's Convent, but this requirement has been relaxed in recent years.

In addition, upon becoming a Knight of Justice, the Knight must make a complete disposition of his estate. Any property that the Knight later inherits is presumed to be for the benefit of the Order unless it is specifically excluded. Because of the seriousness of the vows, a Knight of Justice will serve several years under simple or temporary vows. Simple vows generally need to be renewed annually until a Knight makes a permanent profession of the vows. This occurs two to nine years after making the simple vows.

The Knights of Justice have traditionally been required to make strict noble proofs, but recent changes have allowed Knights of Magistral Grace (the fifth rank in the third class) to become Knights of Justice, which opens up the possibility of such Knights to the highest offices in the Order, except for that of Grand Master and Grand Commander. In addition to being subject to the Order, Knights of Justice are also subject to the Congregation for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life as regards their religious life.

Also included within this first class are the Conventual Chaplains. Conventual Chaplains are ordained priests who have devoted their lives to the Order.


Knights and Dames in Obedience

Knights and Dames who desire to enter the second class are required to make a special promise to live a life leading to Christian perfection and must diligently observe the Church´s teaching and laws. The Knights and Dames in Obedience must undertake to utilize temporal goods according to the spirit of the Gospel.

Members wishing to enter into the second class must pass through a probationary year showing the Knight's devotion to the Order and Church. The Knight must be thoroughly familiar with the history, Constitution, and Code of the Order as well as participating in a spiritual retreat of at least five days in a religious house. Finally, the decision to allow a Member into the second class must be approved by the Sovereign Council and have obtained the nullo obstat of the Prelate of the Order.

Although traditionally only Knights of the first and third ranks of the third class (Knights of Honour and Devotion and Knights of Grace and Devotion) were allowed into the second class, recent changes in the Constitution of the Order allows both Knights of the fifth rank (Knights of Magistral Grace) and Dames of all ranks to enter into the second class. Henceforth, such members are referred to as Knights or Dames of Honor and Devotion in Obedience, of Grace and Devotion in Obedience, or of Magistral Grace in Obedience.


Knights and Dames of Honor and Grace, Honorary Chaplain and Donates of Justice

The third class is comprised of lay members who do not make vows or make the special promise and honorary chaplains. The third class, which is the largest of the Order, is divided into six ranks: (i) Knights and Dames of Honor and Devotion, (ii) Conventual Chaplains ad honorem, (iii) Knights and Dames of Grace and Devotion, (iv) Magistral Chaplains, (v) Knights and Dames of Magistral Grace and (vi) Donates of Justice. The principal requirements to enter the Order are: (i) a strong commitment to the Roman Catholic religion and (ii) having achieved distinction in civil society.

Currently, over one-half of the members of the Order are Knights or Dames of Magistal Grace. In order to enter as a Knight or Dame of Magistral Grace an individual must present a certificate of baptism, of majority, of marital status, and of being a practicing Catholic. No proof of nobility is required. In each case a right of passage must be paid to the Grand Magistry in Rome as well as a donation to the national association into which the Knight is entering (this money is to be used to finance the association’s charitable projects). The payment of this right of passage is a legacy of the time when Knights were expected to provide armor and equipment on joining the Order.

In addition to the requirements set forth for Magistral Grace, a candidate seeking admission to the ranks of Knight or Dame of Honor and Devotion or of Grace and Devotion must present proof of nobility, with the proofs for Honor and Devotion being more extensive than that of Grace and Devotion. Currently the Order has established a project to study a revision of the elements of nobility necessary to enter the first and third ranks so as to open such ranks to individuals from countries which have historically not established a nobility, yet descend from families which have distinguished themselves through the generations by service to society.

Entry into either the second or fourth ranks of the third class (Conventual Chaplains ad honorem and Magistral Chaplains) is reserved for the ordained priesthood and does not require proof of nobility. The second rank of Conventual Chaplain is usually conferred on bishops and other prelates, while cardinals who join the Order are generally invested as Bailiffs Grand Cross of Honour and Devotion.