Orderof Malta December 08 Newsletter
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PUBLISHED BY THE GRAND MAGISTRY OF THE SOVEREIGN MILITARY HOSPITALLER ORDER OF ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM OF RHODES AND OF MALTA the Orderof Malta December 08 Newsletter Anew Grand Master communications in official visit to President tool, an important link with you of the Italian Republic The visit confirms the solidity of the bilateral relationships, rooted in age-old ties and in an exemplary cooperation This is the first edition of the email newsletter of the Grand Magistry, the most recent of our communica- I look with admiration at Health Agreement for collaboration tions tools. the initiatives carried out by with the Italian Health Authorities, The newsletter joins the information the Order of Malta in the and recently, with the Italian Coast flow we provide regularly to our most“ tormented areas of our planet.” Guard, where the Order’s doctors confreres worldwide: the Activity Thus the President of the Italian embark on the patron boats at Report, the Annuaire, our many Republic, Giorgio Napolitano, Lampedusa. “Together with Italy we international conferences, and the welcomed Grand Master are engaged in a framework of website which reflects our latest Fra’ Matthew Festing to the cooperation which I do not hesitate activities and events. Quirinale Palace, 6 November. to define as an excellent model,” the Over coming issues we will bring Fra’ Matthew Festing valued “the Grand Master said. President you information on the activities of fruitful collaboration between Italy Napolitano paid homage to the the Grand Master and of the and the Order of Malta” and Italy’s sacrifices made by Order members, Government of the Order of Malta, generous hosting of the Order since volunteers and personnel: “They set as well as notices on current and 1834. He noted the bilateral 2003 inspiring examples,” he said. I forthcoming events and special works of the Order in different countries. All Order organisations are invited to submit articles and photographs for inclusion. This edition covers major engage- ments undertaken by the Grand Master this autumn, a special award to young German members for their work in Lebanon, and selected Order global news cuttings. I am very pleased to introduce to you this latest communications tool - another important link with all our I Military honours for Grand Master at the Quirinale Palace members, volunteers and donors everywhere. INSIDE I Senegal Cardinal at the Grand Magistry I Postal convention with the Vatican City State I Forthcoming seminar, Venice I Bible reading on Italian television I Myanmar six Jean-Pierre Mazery months on I Meeting immigrants at Lampedusa I State visit to Latvia I Visit of the President Grand Chancellor Italian Senate I New Ambassadors I Current actions around the world I Cardinal Sarr receives Senegal's Cardinal - the Order’s highest honour from Grand Master Festing new Bailiff of the Order is Eminence Cardinal H Theodore Adrien Sarr, Archbishop of Dakar, was appointed Bailiff Grand Cross of Honour and Devotion by Grand Master Fra’ Matthew Festing at the Magistral Palace, 4 November in the presence of the Sovereign Council, Order representatives and guests, and the President of the Order of Malta National Committee of Senegal, Aloyse: Raymond Ndiaye. Cardinal Sarr spoke movingly of his reactions: “After the Holy Father’s decision to raise me to the rank of Cardinal in the Church I felt a new appeal from the Lord to respond even more to His love, to serve Him better, to serve the Church better, and to serve better my brothers and sisters! This promotion from the Sovereign Order of Malta reinforces these appeals, to love and serve always more. Through receiving the position of Chaplain Conventual Grand Cross ad honorem on 27 April 2007, which your prestigious Order bestowed on me, you introduced me to this great family that the Church has always honoured, from its birth in Jerusalem up to our own I New Bailiff congratulated by Grand Master Festing times, and across epochs of success but also of suffering, in Rhodes, in Malta, and spiritual support as did the Son of and now in Rome. God made man, who crossed the I wish to express with all my heart my villages and cities of Palestine to cure Théodore-Adrien deep and sincere gratitude to His Most the sick, to free them from evil, to Cardinal Sarr Eminent Highness and to the teach them faith in God the Father, Sovereign Council for the honour and the Son and the Holy Spirit, to invite Archbishop of Dakar, Senegal, trust shown to my humble person. them to the conversation and the is the African country’s second With my brothers, the Knights of communion with this God of Love. cardinal. Born in Fadiouth, Senegal, with all the Authorities of the I wish to express my best wishes for Senegal 71 years ago, Cardinal Order and its members throughout the the continuation of the actions of the Sarr oversees more than 340,000 world, I wish to raise attention to the Order of Malta in the world, for an Catholics in the Dakar area, needy, and to the sufferings of my always greater development of its about 10% of the population. brothers and sisters in the world, witness to the Christian faith and its doing my best to give practical, moral humanitarian actions.” I The Shield 2 Dec 08 Postal convention Order of Malta stamps The first stamp issued by the with the Vatican City State Grand Magistry Post Office is dated November 15, 1966. Stamps were issued in the commemorative stamp issued Order’s historical monetary A by the Order on 13 November units – scudos. This first series followed the signing of a consisted of nine stamps of vary- Postal Convention between Vatican ing values, illustrated with the City and the Order of Malta on 24 Order’s symbols and images. June by Cardinal Giovanni Lajolo, Since this first set, stamps have President of the Governorate of featured the Order’s history, its Vatican City State and Jean-Pierre charitable and humanitarian Mazery, Grand Chancellor of the Order works, its artistic heritage, and of Malta. The Convention, which gives religious themes. Mail stamped full validity to correspondence with Sovereign Order of Malta stamped with the respective stamps is, stamps can be sent to 53 in its sphere, another element in the countries when posted at the wish to extend the relationships Magistral Post Office, Via Bocca between the Order of Malta and the di Leone 68, Rome. Vatican. The commemorative stamp is triangular and reproduces I The joint issue: available from November the coat of arms of the Order 13th 2008 I The Grand Chancellor Jean-Pierre Mazery of Malta together with those of and Cardinal Giovanni Lajolo sign the Postal the State of Vatican City. I convention The Shield 3 Dec 08 Perspectives and the Order Order of Malta international seminar, Venice 2009 ten years from now he International Strategy Christian living, vocations to the the further development of the Order’s T Seminar for members to professed religious life, and the Order’s mission over the coming ten years and review and consider the look to the future in both its spiritual beyond. Special meetings for the Order’s strategy in continuing to carry and humanitarian aspects. The Seminar professed knights, for the presidents of out its ancient mission will take place will be presided over by HMEH the the National Associations, for the in Venice from 15 – 18 January 2009. Grand Master. Over 400 delegates from hospitallers and for the diplomatic The meeting follows on from the Order organisations across the world corps are scheduled. The seminar will Seminar held in Malta in 2004. Topics have already enrolled and will partic- culminate in a solemn High Mass to be will include examination of the ipate in the key discussions, together celebrated in the Basilica of St.Mark spiritual formation of members, the with the members of the Sovereign by the Patriarch of Venice, Cardinal Order’s religious inspiration, the Order Council (the Order’s government). A Angelo Scola, Bailiff of the Order of as a community setting examples of series of working groups will consider Malta, on the closing day. I The Bible Day and Night Grand Master joins representatives from all religious and social groups in Italy in historic reading talian television (RAI) staged seven nights. The reading by the Benedict XVI. Later readers included I a unique event in October, Grand Master, Fra’ Matthew Festing, university professors, politicians, entitled The Bible Day and from the Gospel According to Matthew, actors, sports men and women, Night, the longest ever live broadcast took place in the Basilica di Santa ordinary people, and representatives by the Italian public television channel Croce in Gerusalemme in Rome. from the Catholic and Orthodox - a continuous reading, without The 139 hours of uninterrupted Churches, as well as from comments, from Genesis to the collective prayer started with the first the Protestant, Jewish and Apocalypse, lasting seven days and verses being read by His Holiness Muslim faiths. I I The Grand Master gives his Bible reading The Shield 4 Dec 08 The Order’s worldwide relief service, Malteser Myanmar: Six months International, on the ground in the devastated region on from cyclone Nargis resent since 2001 in their way back towards a normal life tanks. In addition, specially trained P Myanmar, the Order of again,” reports Roland Hansen, Head voluntary counsellors offer psycho- Malta’s worldwide relief of the Asia Desk at Malteser social care to the survivors, helping service was among the first to assist International. “Nevertheless, the them to cope with their grief for lost the victims of the devastating Nargis provision of safe drinking water is still relatives and friends.