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Home , Grand master (order), Matthew Festing

PUBLISHED BY THE GRAND MAGISTRY OF THE SOVEREIGN MILITARY HOSPITALLER OF ST. JOHN OF OF RHODES AND OF the Orderof Malta December 08 Newsletter

Anew Grand Master communications in 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 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 , 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 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 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 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 of the Order

is Eminence Cardinal H Theodore Adrien Sarr, of Dakar, was appointed Bailiff 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 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 . 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 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 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 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, 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 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. In the coming cyclone in early May, for which the problematic,” Hansen continues. “This weeks and months, Malteser official death toll now stands at is the reason why an uncontaminated International will help the people 100,000, with over 1.5 million water supply especially in very remote living in the disaster region to prepare homeless. The Order of Malta was the areas remains one of our main focus for future catastrophes better by point of reference for channelling points.” Another is the rehabilitation developing emergency plans and international Catholic aid. Six months of the social infrastructure. In and building cyclone-proof evacuation after cyclone Nargis devastated large around the badly destroyed coastal centres with water supplies and parts of Myanmar, Malteser Interna- city of Labutta, and on Middle Island, latrines. tional considers and evaluates the Malteser International is rebuilding has already provided medical supplies success of its work so far. “We have health centres and schools as and safe drinking water as well as been successful in the prevention of well as latrines in order to avoid the relief items such as soap, blankets, communicable diseases, especially in spread of diseases. The organisation is cooking equipment and mosquito nets the severely affected Irrawaddy Delta. also rehabilitating ponds and wells to more than 100,000 people. And in general people are finding and constructing rain water collection And their work is ongoing. I

I Malteser International field workers secure tents, Irawaddy Delta

The Shield 5 Dec 08 Grand Master meets

Order of Malta Italian Emergency shipwrecked immigrants Corps in action with the Italian coastguard at Lampedusa

he Grand Master went 2500 cases. Problems included their personal stories. At midnight T to Lampedusa island dehydration and malnutrition, he was at the port of Lampedusa (220 km South of Sicily) chemical burns, sunstroke, injuries to attend the disembarking 12-13 October, boarding the Italian from falls and cuts and grazes, of 25 immigrants who, after five Coastguard patrol boats to see at first but there were also many cases days at sea in an unprotected rubber hand the Order of Malta’s Italian of scabies. Among those most at risk: dinghy, had been saved in the Straits Emergency Corps’ volunteer doctors, the children, including newborns, of Sicily by the coastguard nurses and helpers in action. and numerous pregnant women, and treated by the Order’s Emergency Lampedusa has made international who in many dramatic cases were Corps doctors. news as a prime transit site for illegal at serious risk of giving birth on board. Sunday, the Grand Master attended immigrants hoping to enter Europe On Saturday morning Fra’ Matthew Mass in the Reception Centre together from Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Festing went aboard coastguard vessel with Order personnel and the latest For the last six months the Corps CP 407 ‘Lolini’ and visited the immigrant arrivals and afterwards, on has been providing medical assistance immigrants’ Reception Centre board a coastguard ship, participated to immigrants, now numbering over on the island, asking them to tell in the operations at sea. I

Order of Malta’s Italian Emergency Corps

In 2007, Fausto Solaro del Borgo, President of the Order’s Italian Association, to which the Corps belongs, signed the Agreement for integrated social solidarity projects with the Coastguard in Chief, Admiral Luciano Dassatti. The joint activity on Lampedusa was launched on 27 April 2008. Founded in 1970, the Emergency Corps focuses on relief and assistance to populations hit by natural disasters. It comprises some 2000 volunteers (doctors, paramedics and helpers) in the three northern, central and southern areas.

I Meeting immigrants at the Reception Centre, Lampedusa

The Shield 6 Dec 08 Cooperation in social, humanitarian and healthcare agreed Fra’ Matthew Festing on official visit in Latvia

rand Master Fra’ Matthew G Festing was welcomed to Riga Castle by the President of the Republic of Latvia, Valdis Zatlers, on his official visit to Latvia, 28 to 31 October. Key topics in the discussions between the two leaders were the Order of Malta’s bilateral relations with Latvia and the development of cooperation in the social and health sectors. President Zatlers noted with gratitude the Order of Malta’s prompt contribution after Latvia regained independence in 1991. The meeting was followed by a wreath-laying ceremony at the Freedom Monument.

The Grand Master and his delegation I Talks between Grand Master and President Zatlers (first on left) also met with Minister of Welfare Purne, Minister of Health Eglitis,- Minister of Welfare was a programme took the Grand Master to

Deputy Speaker Petersone,- Cardinal Memorandum to foster cooperation important sites in the capital city, ^ Archbishop of Riga Pujats, Apostolic between the Order of Malta and including the Pauls Stradins, in Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia in the fields of social, humani- University Hospital Clinic, the Latvia Zurbriggen, Archbishop of the tarian and healthcare assistance. Museum of the Occupation in Riga and Lutheran Evangelic Church Vanags, The document included a framework lastly, the church of St. Peter and St. and the accredited Diplomatic Corps. and guidelines for further devel- Paul in Saldus, which had been built Signed during the meeting with the opment of relations. The four-day with the help of the Order. I

Visit of the President of the Italian Senate Italian Republic’s second highest-ranking official at the Magistral Palace

ra’ Matthew Festing President Schifani noted F received the President in his reply that the Order’s work of the Italian Senate, is greatly appreciated in Italy, Renato Schifani, at the Magistral “representing as it does an example Palace on 8 October. He thanked the of proximity to and solidarity Senator for “the support given during with those who suffer, carrying out the debate for the parliamentary its mission with faith and great ratification of the Agreement on commitment, sometimes even Health Relations between Italy and making the supreme sacrifice, the Order of Malta”. to help so many.” I I With President Schifani

The Shield 7 Dec 08 NEW AMBASSADORS Dominican Republic GERMAN ASSOCIATION YOUTH GROUP The Cuban Association WINS WESTPHALIAN PEACE Macedonia, Serbia, Equador, October: Twenty-eight members of the Guatemala Order of Malta’s Cuban Association In October, the youth group of the The Grand Master Fra’ Matthew visit the Dominican Republic from 9 to German Association of the Order of Festing received in separate audiences, 13 October to provide health services Malta were awarded the prestigious for the presentation of their letters of to the residents of one of the poorest Westphalian Peace Prize in recognition credence as new ambassadors of: regions in the country. Over 2,500 of their altruistic help for young people - Macedonia, H.E. Ljupco Tozija men, women, elderly and children are with handicaps in areas of war and (5 November 2008) examined during these four days and a crisis. The group run summer holiday - Serbia, H.E. Vladeta Jankovic 6-month supply of medicines (to the camps for disadvantaged children and (5 November 2008) value of US$140,000) distributed. The young people in homes and - Equador, H.E. Fausto Cordovez Order’s Cuban Association organizes orphanages in the Lebanon. Since Chiriboga (7 November 2008) six-monthly expeditions in the 1998, more than 300 young volunteers - Guatemala, H.E. Acisclo Valladares Dominican Republic. I have spent their summer in Lebanon Molina (7 November 2008). I helping these disabled young - over Action in Africa, 150 a week come to the camp during treatment in Monaco the summer period. “Our charges look HIGHLIGHTS FROM CURRENT The Order’s Ambassador to the Princi- forward to this holiday with joyous ACTIONS AROUND THE WORLD pality of Monaco, Peter K.Murphy, is anticipation every year,” say the congratulated November 20 by HSH Sisters at the ‘Mission de Vie’ at Congo Albert II of Monaco, in recog- Antelias, near Beirut. The adult award Malteser International, the Order’s nition of his coordination of the Order went to Kofi Annan, former United worldwide relief service of Malta’s work in locating children Nations Secretary General, for his November: Malteser International suffering from severe heart steadfastness in ‘holding to his vision expands its programme of malfunction, throughout Africa and of a more peaceful world in spite of psychological assistance in the region the Middle East. With the assistance political disappointments and personal of Minova, Congo, where numerous of the Order, these children are criticism.’ He told the volunteers of his internally displaced persons (IDPs) identified and brought to the Princi- pride in “sharing the prize with you, in have arrived during recent pality to undergo medical treatment at recognition of your tremendous work weeks – among them many girls the world renowned Centre Cardio- helping young people in and women who have suffered Thoracique de Monaco. I Lebanon and the Middle East.” I rape and other abuse. I

France The French Association November – April 2009: every Sunday the Orderof Malta morning groups of young volunteers Newsletter of the French Association take turns The email newsletter of Editorial www.orderofmalta.org at Notre Cathedral in Paris the Sovereign Military Order of Malta [email protected] Hospitaller Order of Communications Office to prepare hot breakfasts St. John of Jerusalem Via Condotti 68 Design & DTP of Rhodes and of Malta 00187 Rome Italy Vertigo Design for the homeless. I

The Shield 8 Dec 08