Archdiocese of The Military Services, USA | Message to The Holy See

[Odinson]

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ARCHDIOCESE OF THE MILITARY SERVICES, USA​

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PRIVATE MESSAGE​

TO: His Beatitude Regional Patriarch Michael Bawdenl ( Ender )
FROM: Anthony Bernard Nightingale, Archbishop of The Archdiocese of The Military Services, USA

Your Beatitude,

I am writing to you with a highly unusual request, but I pray that you will grant it. For reasons I will be more than willing to explain in person, I humbly ask for an audience with Your Beatitude as soon as possible. This meeting has to do with the letter I sent you some months ago, which had specific instructions for it to not be opened until we meet in person - I hope that request was honored as well. Please understand that I will come to Baltimore at whatever time suits Your Beatitude best, day or night.

Please pray for me.​

Faithfully,

Anthony B. Nightingale
Archbishop of The Archdiocese of The Military Services, USA
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[Ender]

Private Message​

To: Archbishop Anthony Bernard Nightengale C.S.C. S.T.D., Archbishop for the Military Services, USA (Odinson)
From: Patriarch Michael Bawden
RE: Visit

Blessings,

Well We must say that We were quite surprised when We received your mysterious missive. Though We have followed your instructions, and left it unopened. You may make your way to Baltimore at your earliest convenience, as We are most intrigued by this rather unorthodox situation. We grant you dispensation to leave your See immediately to come to Us to discuss what ever matter is so pressing upon you.

You have our prayers and blessings,

<signed>
Michael
Regional Patriarch of North America

 

[Odinson]

Private​

A letter had indeed been sent to Patriarch Bawden some months ago. It was folded and pressed with the seal of Archbishop Nightengale. Another letter, which was not sealed, was sent with it. It also had the letterhead, signature, and seal of the Archbishop (but the seal was stamped on the letter itself, next to the signature). The second letter had carefully, and respectfully, instructed the Patriarch to not open the second letter until the meet at an undisclosed time in early 2003. That letter assured the Patriarch that this was a matter of serious and grave importance. Both of these letters were dated, with the same date, in early October of 2002.

While the Archbishop was a man of status himself, he only accepted enough formality to satisfy those around him that he was, indeed, someone worthy of looking up to. This was sometimes difficult, especially within the Church, because he was likely the youngest living Archbishop in the world - perhaps the youngest in modern history. At only 33 years old, Anthony had a distinguished background. He was directly descended from nobility in Europe on his mother and father's side. At the age of 12 he received his Confirmation in the Roman Catholic Church and chose Michael The Archangel as his patron saint. At age 17, he was admitted into the U.S. Air Force Academy where he earned a bachelor's degree in Military History. He graduated when he was 20 years old. As an officer he went through intense training to join one of the Air Force's Tier 1 special forces unit, the 24th Special Tactics Squadron. He had a bright career ahead of him, but he was given an honorable discharge at the age of 23 due to an injury.

Anthony had never let hardship hold him back. He was accepted to the University of Notre Dame to earn a Master of Divinity. He graduated at the age of 26. At the same time he was at Notre Dame, he was attending seminar at the Congregation of The Holy Cross to become a priest, which he also achieved shortly after graduating. He was then accepted to the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome where he earned a Doctorate in Sacred Theology in just two years. He graduated at the age of 28. His grades throughout school were nearly perfect and he was fluent and literate in both English and Latin (he also had a very good grasp of Italian and French). Through sheer coincidence he met Pope John Paul II as he began his doctorate. While the Pope was exceptionally busy, they met and prayed together normally twice a month. The Pope had seen something in Anthony and knew that he would be important for Christendom. While this background makes Anthony sound exceptional - and he was exceptional - he was human and had his flaws like almost every other man that had walked the Earth.

Anthony was a priest from the age of 26 to 29 - less than four years total. In January of 2001, shortly before Anthony's 30th birthday, Pope John Paul II made Anthony the Archbishop of The Archdiocese of The Military Services, USA. It took special dispensation from the Pope to do this before Anthony had been a priest for five years, not to mention his relatively young age. Only a handful of months later, the Pope would be dead. Anthony was now 33 years old, and he was on an important mission.

Ender

 

[Ender]

Michael had made sure that the mysterious letter was kept safely in his office, as he went about his daily routines. He wasn’t sure what the schedules of the other Regional Patriarchs were, but his had been mostly TV appearances and dealing with the Inquisition to route out the much more pervasive than he had ever imagined Sexual Abuse Crisis. Though he also had spent some time reassuring the American Conference of Catholic Bishops that he wasn’t there to take away all their power. Dealing with the American Clergy was also far more difficult than he suspected it was for the other Patriarchs, as the American’s were so self-indulgent and possessed of a need for Personal Freedom. He had lost nearly 10% of the Clergy that were their when he had arrived, due to their chaffing under the rules he implemented. But the seminaries were full to bursting from the reports he was getting. For Traditionalism though it was forced underground by the mainstream church in America, was actually a rather large portion of the Catholic population. He had successfully made inroads with most of the independent and schismatic Catholic sects after the changes made by Pope Hadrian VII, and indeed most of the Societies of Saint Pius X and Saint Pius V had already been readmitted to the body of the Church, which had drastically lessened the impact of the loss of the more liberal… or as he preferred to call them Hippy Priest. He had left orders with the guards and his staff that when Archbishop Nightengale arrived, no matter the hour, he was to be admitted to see him without delay and that his schedule was to be immediately cleared. This morning he was still sipping his morning tea and going over the personnel file he had made on the Archbishop. It was all rather enlightening if a bit unbelievable, as the young man had accomplished so much to be so young. But he had read of stranger things, for Michael was quite a scholar of Church History. As such he was rather looking forward to meeting the young man, and most intrigued by what this mysterious letter contained.

(Odinson)

 

[Odinson]

Private​

Anthony arrived at the Baltimore Basilica. His driver did not have to take him far from Washington D.C. to get him there. It would be no secret, at least among those that knew Anthony, that he was conservative. He believed strongly in tradition, obedience to God, and prayer. He was also deeply fascinated by Christian Mysticism and more peculiar concepts like Muscular Christianity. The 33 year old, former special forces operator had short blonde hair that was neatly combed to one side (it was even shorter when he was in the military). He had striking blue eyes, a muscular building, and he stood just below six feet tall. He was dressed in the appropriate vestments for an archbishop of his stature. He arrived at the Basilica and his presence was made known to the appropriate authorities so that the Patriarch could be made aware. Anthony patiently waited to be escorted into the basilica, or the residence, or the offices wherever they may be. In his right pocket, Anthony squeezed a Chaplet of Saint Michael in his right pocket as he waited. He calmed himself with prayer.

Ender

 

[Ender]

A young and skinny (almost emaciated) monk made his way toward the new arrival. He stopped before the Archbishop and bent over his hand to kiss his ring, in the most traditional form of obeisance to a Bishop.

"Your Excellency, I am Brother Gabriel, His Beatitudes personal secretary, if you'll come with me please. I have orders to show you into his office without delay. I pray that your trip was uneventful."

(Odinson)

 

[Odinson]

Private​

Anthony allowed the monk to kiss his ring, even though it was something that he secretly did not like.

"Thank you, Brother Gabriel. I would be happy to come with you," Anthony said. The Archbishop's driver stayed with his car while Anthony walked with the monk to the Patriarch's office. He had with him a thin briefcase that contained some paperwork and personal effects that would be used, assuming that things went well today. He patiently waited outside of the door of the Patriarch so that Brother Gabriel could introduce him. For the past month, it felt like his mind was always racing. It had been racing for so long that now, finally, Anthony felt at ease. He had been so stressed for so long that he was numb to it. He had achieved some kind of clarity and resolve that he hadn't felt since his special forces training.

Ender

 

[Ender]

Patriarch Michael was seated in his office when he got the call informing him that Archbishop Anthony Nightingale had arrived. He stood up and ensured that his robes were straight, if a little threadbare and plain compared to the other Regional Patriarchs and made his way to the fireplace where a comfortable seating area was set up before the crackling fire. Being early March the air was still often cool in Baltimore, and the fire made things more comfortable. He arranged both letters from the young Archbishop on the coffee table, one of them still unopened and took his preferred of the two chairs.

*****
Gabriel escorted the man through the labyrinthian halls of the historic building and finally to a set of sliding intricately carved Oak Doors. He rapt on them thrice, and then slide them open and announced the visitor.

"His Excellency, Anthony Nightingale, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Military Services."

Patriarch Michael stood up from the chair and graciously awaited his guest.

Odinson

 

[Odinson]

Archbishop Nightingale entered into the Patriarch's office. He would immediately approach Patriarch Michael and say, "Your Beatitude," before kissing his ring. Anthony was not a political person, neither spiritually nor temporally. However, Patriarch Michael knew that the Archbishop was reliably in the conservative camp compared to the other bishops in North America. The 33 year old Archbishop stood respectfully and waited for an offer to sit, or to just be told to explain himself. He was ready for either approach, but he knew that he needed to be where he was right now, and he trusted that Patriarch Michael would be the member of clergy to help him in his mission.

Ender

 

[Ender]

Once the Archbishop had made his obeisance Patriarch Michael brought his hand up and made the sign of the cross in blessing of the younger man.



“Please have a seat, as you can see I have brought your original missive and have left the other unopened in anticipation of this visit.” Once Nightingale would take his seat, Michael would sit as well, and ring a small silver bell, his assistant returned and bowed.



“Coffee please, and would you like anything Archbishop?” Michael offered amicably.

Odinson

 

[Odinson]

"No, Your Beatitude, I am fine. Thank you," Nightingale said as he sat up with notably good posture. Once coffee was brought to the Patriarch, and they were alone, Anthony breathed in and then exhaled sharply as he kept eye contact with the Patriarch.

"Please open the sealed letter, and read it," Anthony said to Patriarch Michael. If the Patriarch opened it, this is what the letter would look like and say. It had the letterhead, signature, and seal of the Archbishop, and it was hand-written. Anthony's handwriting was immaculate.

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ARCHDIOCESE OF THE MILITARY SERVICES, USA​

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TO: His Beatitude Regional Patriarch Michael Bawdenl ( Ender )
FROM: Anthony Bernard Nightingale, Archbishop of The Archdiocese of The Military Services, USA

Your Beatitude,

I will be frank in this letter as I think it is what this situation calls for. I am either insane, or I have experienced a miracle and I am on a holy mission. I will not know until November 2nd. If I am ill, please see to it that I am well taken care of.

I was preparing to go to sleep and, as I do every night, I knelt before my bed and prayed to the Lord. I told him that I felt lost, that I felt like I was not where I should be even though I had worked so hard to get here. I asked him to grant me clarity or give me a sign to set me on the right path. There was then a flash of light in my room, and there was an angel at the foot of my bed. He told me not to be afraid, and that he was Saint Michael, The Archangel. He told me that someone will try to assassinate President Gore on November 2nd, and he instructed me to not tell anyone or to try to stop it. He told me that he gave me this prophecy so that you, and His Holiness, would believe that he came to me.

He instructed me to write this letter to you and to meet with you in early 2003. He said that the world is a much more dangerous place than it was ten years ago, and that things will continue to be difficult for the nations of the world, and Christendom, for the foreseeable future. He instructed me to contact you so that you could arrange for me to have a private audience with His Holiness at the Vatican before the end of this year.

The reason behind all of this, is that Saint Michael has given me the mission of restoring the ancient military order, The Knights Templar. But before I can do that, I must prove to His Holiness and the world that the Templars were innocent of their alleged crimes and exonerated by the Church. The ultimate blame for the destruction of the order is on King Phillip IV of France. It has been revealed to me where a lost document is in the Vatican Secret Archives, and how I can find it. I am only to communicate this directly to His Holiness, in person, in Rome.

After this document, and any associated ones, are found and made known to the Holy Father, I am to ask the Holy Father that I be allowed to restore the Knights Templar, as a sovereign military order, and that the Holy Father publicly issues a papal bull outlining the Order's rights, privileges, and duties. I am to specifically discuss these things with His Holiness. Saint Michael instructed me to reestablish the Knights Templar as a military order, as they once were, along with some other missions, duties, and sovereign rights.

Finally, Saint Michael strictly told me that this miracle is to remain secret among only a few, including you, myself, and His Holiness. The document that I find in the Vatican Secret Archives should be more than enough to exonerate the Knights Templar, and an instruction from one of the Archangels should be more than enough to justify the reestablishment of the Order. Finally, if I am to serve as Grand Master of the order, I will need to be released of my duties as Archbishop of The Archdiocese of The Military Services.​

Faithfully,

Anthony B. Nightingale
Archbishop of The Archdiocese of The Military Services, USA
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*****

Anthony knew it was a lot to take in, so he continued to watch the Patriarch and breathed in sharply as he waited for his response.