By
Christie L. Chicoine
CS&T Staff Writer
PHILADELPHIA — Father Hans A. L. Brouwers has been named assistant
to Cardinal John Foley, grand master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy
Sepulchre of Jerusalem in Rome, effective June 16.
Father Gregory J. Fairbanks has been named to the service of the Holy
See as an official in the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity,
effective June 1.
Cardinal Justin Rigali recently announced both appointments. In addition,
Cardinal Foley has named Father Brouwers vice chancellor of the Equestrian
Order.
Father Brouwers, 55, is currently pastor of Our Lady of the Rosary Parish
in Coatesville. Father Fairbanks, 44, is currently the director of the
archdiocesan Office for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs and a Church
history instructor at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Wynnewood.
Both consider their appointments an honor.
“Cardinal Foley and I have been longtime friends, and I’m
looking forward to working with him,” Father Brouwers said.
In June 2007, Pope Benedict XVI named then-Archbishop Foley pro-grand
master of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre, a fraternal organization
dedicated to supporting the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and to responding
to the needs of Christians in the Holy Land.
Father Brouwers said Cardinal Foley’s new post “is one that
intrigues me greatly,” particularly during the season of Lent, in
preparation for Easter.
“We are reminded again of how important the Holy Land is —
that’s where our Lord Jesus, was born, raised, died and rose from
the dead,” Father Brouwers said. “We need to make sure that
there is a vibrant Christian presence in the Holy Land.”
Unfortunately, that is not currently the case, Father Brouwers continued.
“Only 1.4 percent of the population is Christian. His work is to
support those Christians who are there — especially through supporting
parishes and schools and hospitals, and then raising awareness of their
situation and the need to support them around the world.”
Father Brouwers was ordained in 1978 at the Cathedral Basilica of SS.
Peter and Paul by Cardinal John Krol.
He has served as director of the archdiocesan Society for the Propagation
of the Faith and Family Life Office, and in parish assignments.
Though he was born in Indonesia, Father Brouwers said he’s always
felt at home in the Philadelphia Archdiocese. “I’ve felt privileged
to serve here. It’s so easy to be a priest here because of the Catholic
culture and the strong-lived faith here.”
He said it has been a pleasure to have his pastorate at Our Lady of the
Rosary Parish, where he worked with other Chester County parishes to build
a regional school, Pope John Paul II Regional Catholic Elementary School
in West Brandywine.
Father Brouwers said he will be receiving a residence assignment in the
Archdiocese as a place to hang his hat when he’s home. “I
expect to be coming back on a regular basis.”
Father Fairbanks said he is honored by the confidence placed in him by
the Holy See and Cardinal Rigali.
“An integral part of the Church’s work is ecumenism,”
Father Fairbanks said. “I’m very much looking forward to working
on ecumenism in Rome with the Pontifical Council, promoting Christian
unity.”
Father Fairbanks said his main responsibility will be strengthening relations
with Calvinist churches, such as Baptists and other reformed churches,
as well as Anabaptists, including Mennonites.
He said his experience in the Philadelphia Archdiocese working with religious
leaders and laity of various faith backgrounds — other Christians,
as well as those of other faith traditions, such as Judaism and Islam
— will be assets for his work in Rome.
“The ability to dialogue with people of faith, in trying to seek
the common truth that we all share, and to try to articulate them in ways
that seek to build unity have been lessons I’ve learned here.”
A native of St. Petersburg, Fla., Father Fairbanks was ordained in 1990
at the Cathedral by Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua. His assignments have
included faculty at at St. Charles Seminary where he currently resides,
chaplain of Temple University’s Newman Center in Philadelphia, auditor
in the Office of the Metropolitan Tribunal and parish assignments.
“I very much appreciate the support and the prayers the people of
the Archdiocese have given me over the years,” he said. “I
will continue to pray for them and look forward to the day that I will
return here to the Archdiocese.”
CS&T Staff Writer Christie L. Chicoine can be reached at (215)
587-2468 or cchicoin@adphila.org.
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