An interview with His Eminence, Cardinal Mungo Kerr,
Grandmaster Emeritus of the Ordo Equestris Sancti Sepulcri Hierosolymitan.
The Equestrian
Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem.
Ah, my son. You are incorrect. I’m not
the Grandmaster of the Order. I’m Grandmaster Emeritus of the Inner Equestrian
Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. It is a circle inside the wider
group. While we share the same routes, our group has other tasks. We are very
small. Normally there are twenty of us, but at the moment there are merely ten.
A crusty group of older fellows. Not very interesting. I’m semi-retired these
days.
Are you a morning person or a night
person?
I have arrived at the juncture in my
life where one is merely an extension of the other. I require very little
sleep. Four hours at a maximum. Sometimes I break it into a couple of two hour
rests. My life is usually one of study and quiet contemplation. I often snooze
in the afternoons when the world is at its noisiest. The hustle and bustle of
the afternoon is a frustration to me.
Where do you dream of traveling to and
why?
There is not one part of the world I
have not seen in my years. Except the Polar reaches, of course. I’ve had no
reason to go there, and now I’m far too old for that sort of nonsense. No. I
prefer to roam as little as possible. These days I spend my time at the Vatican
and I’m often in England to study at the Bodleian Library. Such an extensive
collection of books. They have no idea what they have.
As a child, what did you want to be
when you grew up?
Like all little boys of my time, I
dreamed of being a soldier. And I was for a time. I spent seven years as an
officer of the British Army before God called me to his service. Perhaps it
made me a better leader for my order. Discipline is very important.
What do you do to unwind and relax?
There is a place I like to visit in
Rome. The Castel Sant’Angelo. It’s very important to my order. We’ve a— meeting
room of sorts— in the Castel. I like to go there and pray. Sometimes I work.
But the work there is of such deep and lasting gratification to me. It soothes
the weariness in my soul. It is my— what do you children say these days? Yes.
It is my oasis. The place where I am most at peace. But my studies often call
me away and a man cannot drink of the beautiful cup of pleasure too often lest
he become drunk upon it.
What is your opinion on the state of
the Catholic Church today?
Far more modern than when I was a lad.
I must say I’m a pre Vatican II sort of a clergyman. But look at all the
changes? Our new, modern, Oriental Pontiff? Pope Leo XIV quite sets the cat
amongst the pigeons. Many changes coming. Who am I to say that perhaps too many
traditions are being erased. Perhaps it is because His Holiness is so—- well
foreign to the ways things have been done. Being a Cardinal on the far side of
the world might not have prepared him as well as others for his tasks. But, of
course it must be God’s will for us to have this man on the Throne of St. Peter
and I will serve him to the outset of my abilities.
What is something people would be
surprised to know about you?
Oh I can think of a few things they might
like to know about me, but I’m not at liberty to say. I’ve lived many lives. I’ve
saved many souls.
Do you have any special routines or
rituals?
Some new ones have come with age. I’m
increasingly focused on this great blue and green jewel we live upon. This
planet, this Earth, has so much power. I only discovered how magical it was in
later life. Yes. You could call me a form of Environmentalist. We must harness
the power of this planet and use it in concert with the Will of God. The
blessings of God’s grace in concert with the magnificence of the planet is the
true path. Yes. We must use it more.
What was the scariest moment of your
life?
Ah, yes. When I came home from seven
years of war and found that my dearest sister had been murdered. When I saw her
wee grave and knew she had been savaged by a monster. More than any sieges or
bombardments, I became a man on that day. So great was my fear and despair that
I turned to the balm of God’s grace. I’ve been His truest son ever since.
Go in Peace, my child.
M. Kerr
The Raveners
Book 1
LD Towers
Genre: Paranormal Thriller
Publisher: BadBird Publications
Date of Publication: September 20, 2016
Word Count: 100k
Cover Artist: Pranav Lohani
Photo by Blackbird Photography
Book Description:
On 26 May 1897, Bram Stoker brought us the story of Dracula; an undead creature who terrorised the living by drinking their blood. He based his creature on the legends of Ireland and Eastern Europe, bringing it to life with all the pomp of Victorian literature. What if his concept was correct, but the execution was not? What if there was not one creature, but a band of twenty-four? Crusader knights who committed such a terrible act that the Pope of Rome and the Rabbis of Jerusalem joined together in petitioning God to bring a terrible curse upon them.Sentenced to eternal life as punishment for their crimes, yet hounded by both the clerical and the secular as they struggle to live them. The Jews called them Ga’ashekelah: the Raveners. To the Catholic Church, they are the Accursed Ones. Feasting on the bodies of the living to maintain their power.
What starts as a simple trip on the Eurostar to the buried trenches of World War One in Northern France is going to take Imperial War Museum expert Dr. Alexandra Horne on a journey she could never have conceived. From the bustling streets of Paris to the azure waters of Collioure and the very Vatican itself, Lexa will discover the Raveners and those who have sworn to hunt them down.
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About the Author:
LD Towers travels the world like a rootless vagabond! A military historian, she searches out places of conflict to find a deeper insight to the things she writes about. Presently enjoying the warm weather and azure seas of Central America, she has lived all over Western Europe, including 5.5 years in the incomparable Berlin.
Primarily working in Historical and Military Fiction, LD sometimes sneaks in the odd Dystopian or Modern Thriller piece. In fact, her new book is a complete redo on the vampire concept. Look for The Raveners; coming September 20, 2016.
https://ldtowers.net
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Thank you so much for hosting me! :)
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