Following the completion of the new Chapter house at St Donard's Priory, Ireland, the first dedicated Templar chapel in more than 700 years is being readied for its inaugural service.
The new HQ administration hub is complete and had its electricity supply connected. The garden area has been completely cleared of builders’ waste. It all adds up to terrific progress at the St. Donard’s Priory complex here at Templar HQ.
The St. Mary Magdalene Chapel is finally structurally complete, with the last old window space filled with a simply stunning red cross set out in glass blocks. The craftsman who laid the ancient, reclaimed floor slabs has finished his work and pointed them up. The heavy door is in place, just waiting for its lock and old-style cast iron latch. The Sanctuary Light and the main central light fitting stand out high against the magnificent blue and gold ceiling panels.
Thanks to the most recent generosity of our brethren and loyal supporters, the modern technology needed to broadcast our services to the world is being installed right now. Indeed, all the cabling, the down and uplighters, switches and sockets, and the computer and sound equipment are all in, tested and working perfectly.
Every one of the tradesmen and visitors who has walked through the door has stood in stunned amazement as they’ve seen the realisation of this visionary project. What has been achieved with your unstinting support is truly remarkable. It’s a credit to the Order and a hymn of praise to the Lord in solemn and enduring stone. Thank you, each and every one!
The far wall of the Chapel is also the back wall of the newly constructed Hub and Crypto Den. This two-room extension is built to the highest standards, well insulated, clean, dry and secure. Just like the Lower Chapter House, it still has to be rendered on the outside, but in Northern Ireland that’s a job better left until high summer, and we can paint the inside and move in without having to wait for that.
The crypto room has a professional security door to safeguard our mining rigs. Next door, the storage and dispatch room is big enough to take all the racking units and packing desks we need to fully professionalise that whole side of our operation.
Together with the Upper and Lower Chapter House which we completed last year, his new facility will also allow us to clear the rooms of the main Priory building. That means we can now move straight on to the renovation and upgrading of the accommodation, kitchen and dining facilities, Knights club room and the lecture and training room.
This third phase of the whole development is likely to take another full year, and it will involve some more very substantial costs. But, for now, we can all be very pleased and satisfied with the tremendous amount that – together – we have already achieved.
Because this Knights Templar headquarters complex is yours, ours collectively. It’s a bricks and mortar reality. With even more potential yet to be unlocked, this St. Donard’s Priory is already something unique in the English-speaking world. Literally no other lay-Christian, traditionalist campaigning organisation has anything like this.
All this has only been achieved thanks to the faith and generosity of so many Knights, Dames, affiliates and supporters.
Thank you for continuing to support the St Donard Templar Priory Project! Deus Vult!