PUBLISHED BY THE GRAND MAGISTRY OF THE SOVEREIGN MILITARY HOSPITALLER ORDER OF ST. J OHN OF OF RHODES AND OF the Orde rof Malta February 2011 Newsletter

Haiti: the Order’s Grand Master’s Message emergency relief continues From disaster to epidemic: front line relief camps in Port-au-Prince, surgical interventions in Milot Dear Members and Friends of the Order, Over these cold months it has been alteser International, the provision of healthcare services for the sobering to remember those for M worldwide relief service of people of Northern Haiti, the hospital whom the winter snows brought the Order of Malta, treated over 1,000 seriously injured only further hardship, or those continues its work around the clock in and their families, performed over 800 for whom this time of year is Haiti. For the past year, focus has been surgeries on earthquake victims and the loneliest. on emergency aid and early hosted over 1,500 volunteers in the The Order of Malta reconstruction projects in the area first ten months of 2010. With the reaches out to those in great need, around Port-au-Prince. Now in the cholera outbreak, and fear it brought to and our work in disaster-struck fight against the spread of cholera the the population prompting violence, Haiti and , as well as our team has put special relief measures in CRUDEM staff calmed local unrest programmes for the homeless in place to improve the hygiene standards and treated hundreds of patients. , stand out with special of the camps in Port-au-Prince to Cases are now being treated earlier, concern at this time. prevent the disease from spreading lessening fears of epidemic. We are proud to acknowledge that further. According to early February the Order of Malta is there for the United Nations official statements, Staving off a further long term, caring for the sufferers over 4,000 people have died from the humanitarian disaster long after a catastrophe has disease, with over 215,000 infected. ’s hygiene destroyed their world, helping In the north, at the Hôpital Sacré measures include sending out mobile them to rebuild what they once Coeur (CRUDEM), Milot, the Order health units which are disinfecting had, and reconstructing their lives. has been providing assistance for over sanitation facilities and water tanks On an optimistic note, that care 15 years. In addition to the regular (Continues p. 3) can often improve their former conditions. For the homeless, the Order’s support services can bring the recognition that they are not alone, that we are there to help.

Members and volunteers of all ages, I am proud of all we do in Christ’s name to alleviate suffering, proud of your dedication and attainments as we work together to help the poor and the sick.

Fra’

■ Malteser International health worker tends a small patient in Haiti Order of Malta is committed Grand Master addresses the diplomatic corps to aid for the long term

We, the Order of Malta, are Villa in , Fra’ Matthew Festing there for the long term,” emphasised that the Order’s diversity declared Grand Master Fra’ of projects has led to a build-up of In 2010, Cooperation Agreements M“atthew Festing in his annual address expertise in specialised areas – between the Order of Malta to the Ambassadors accredited to the expertise being put to great use as and other States to pursue Sovereign Order of Malta on 11 work proceeds. As well as the long humanitarian programmes were January . Fra’ Matthew Festing opened stages of reconstruction, he noted in signed with: Czech Republic, , his remarks by thanking the Dean of particular the training of civilians in , Community of the Ambassadors, HE Alejandro crisis prevention, the extensive Portuguese Language Countries, Valladares Lanza of the Honduras, for projects for hygiene instruction in the Russian Federation. his courteous words on behalf of the third world, and the latest diplomatic corps. The Grand Master developments in the care of dementia made a strong appeal for the end to sufferers. Fra’ Matthew Festing violence against Christians around the emphasised the value in applying world. knowledge gained from past activities In choosing to describe the Order’s around the world to future projects. work in Haiti and in Pakistan from His Highness thanked the among many projects, His Highness ambassadors for the support and underlined the need for consistency in confident relations the Order of Malta support teams: after the emergency enjoys with their countries. ■ phase, the rebuilding of broken societies is a vital process which takes time. For the full text, see: Speaking from the Order’s Magistral www.orderofmalta.org

■ Santa Maria in Aventino during the Audience. Above: the Grand Master greets the Dean of Ambassadors

The Order of Malta 2 Feb 2011 Joy as the Order’s Patron becomes Cardinal

n a moving ceremony at the interests of the Order and its members I Basilica of St.Peter’s on 20 and its relations with the . November 2010, Pope His Eminence is also a Bailiff Grand Benedict XVI created as Cardinal Cross of Honour and Devotion of the

Archbishop Paolo Sardi, Patron of the Order of Malta. ■ Sovereign Military Order of Malta. His Eminence was appointed Patron of the Order in 2009, on the death of Cardinal , who had served the Order in this role for many years. Ordained a priest on 29 June 1958, after a licentiate in theology, His Eminence graduated in canon law and jurisprudence at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan. He taught moral theology in Turin until 1976, when he was called to the Vatican to work in the Secretariat of State. Cardinal Sardi is the Vice Chamberlain of the Holy Roman Church, and since 1996 has been Apostolic with special responsibilities - and now also Cardinal Patronus of the Order. He has the task of promoting the spiritual ■ Pope Benedict XVI creates Paolo Sardi as Cardinal. Above: Cardinal Sardi with Fra’ Matthew Festing

(Continues from p. 1) with chlorine solutions, cleaning and rehabilitating the waste water systems, and distributing water treatment tabs. Additionally, the teams are providing early detection and referrals. Early diagnoses mean the possibility of rapid transfers to specialised hospitals. The disease can kill in as short a time as four hours, so delays in getting patients to treatment centres are fatal. Grand Hospitaller emphasises the Order’s commitment to helping these most disadvantaged people: “We do not waver,” he told participants at the Order’s Conference on Haiti in 2010. ■ The Prosthetics Workshop at the Sacré Coeur Hospital, rehabilitates earthquake victims

The Order of Malta 3 Feb 2011 Visits abroad: challenging works reveal ever greater need for health care

Each year the Grand Master visits works of the Order in many countries and makes a number of official visits to different States. 2010 was no exception.

n February, in official visits I to the Democratic Republic of Congo and , Fra’ Matthew Festing met with senior government figures and saw many projects the Order runs in these countries. A special focus: his visit to the border to inspect social- health activities run since 1996 by Malteser International, the Order’s international relief service, and learn of the living conditions of the population who have suffered repeated aggression in recent years and whose security is threatened daily. The Grand Master also inaugurated the renovated ■ In Portugal with President Cavaco Silva wing of the general hospital on Idjwj, the world’s largest lake island. Its the establishment of official relations population of 200,000 has great between Canada and the Order of difficulty gaining access to health care Malta in June 2008. It was an occasion services. The work was implemented to exchange views with Canadian by the Order of Malta’s Belgian officials on international development Association with the contribution of issues. In October in Poland, Fra’ the Belgian government. Matthew Festing visited a number of In Nairobi, after talks with President charitable projects run by the Polish Kibaki and government members, Fra’ Association. Matthew Festing visited the city’s November: the Grand Master visited shanty towns, where 600,000 people the Malteser-Hospitaldienst ■ In the Democratic Republic of the Congo live in poor sanitary conditions and centre in Vienna. He was also where teams from Malteser welcomed by President Heinz Fischer, (CPLP) the CPLP Executive Secretary International offer diagnosis and who recalled his State visit to the Domingos Simoes Pereira and the treatment of TB and HIV/AIDS. The Order in 2006 and thanked the Order Grand Chancellor Jean-Pierre Mazery aid programme trains local staff in the for the many aid activities they signed a Cooperation Agreement to health centres, sets up laboratories undertake in Austria. train medical personnel and provide and provides hygiene information for On his November State visit to medical and emergency aid in the slum dwellers. Through Malteser Portugal the Grand Master Fra’ poorest areas of Portuguese speaking International, headquartered in Matthew Festing was received in countries. Nairobi, the Order has medical and Lisbon by the President of the Fra’ Matthew Festing inaugurated a humanitarian programmes in Kenya, Republic, Anibal Cavaco Silva, and new outpatients’ unit, run by the Darfur, Southern Sudan, East Congo met in talks with the country’s political Portuguese Association, in the Ordem and Uganda. and religious leaders. At the Terceira de S. San Francisco da Cicade In midyear, the Grand Master made headquarters of the Community of Hospital and inspected the childrens’ his first official visit to Canada since Portuguese Language Countries centre, Centro Social Menino de Deus. ■

The Order of Malta 4 Feb 2011 Caring for the homeless Society’s big issue: millions are without permanent shelter or sociomedical care in and Belgium

ncreasingly, the Order of On the margins of society the margins of society and the edges of I Malta is providing support and the edges of hope hope. services for homeless people In both countries, there is a mix of The Order currently has projects for in Europe. In Belgium, two centres run nationalities and a wide variety of the homeless running in 10 European by the Belgian Association, in Liege personal stories and hardships. countries, 15 in the rest of the world. and Brussels, care for over 18,000 Medical and psychological assistance The predicament of the homeless people every year, providing primary are both on hand. In both countries, continues to grow in Western Europe healthcare, clean clothes, haircuts, food Order members and volunteers offer and thus the Order’s work in this and a congenial environment. At the care and respect to these who live on sphere is also increasing. ■ heart of the La Fontaine centres is the “Babelcot”, an area set out as a canteen, where visitors can warm up over hot soup with bread, or tea, coffee and snacks. Slowly, they start to make contact with other visitors and soon the room is full of chatter. These meetings are literally lifesavers, as the plight of homeless people leaves them not only cold and in many senses abandoned, but without a ‘copain’, a friend. The encounters in the Babelcot mean that a visitor is not alone, that the feeling of isolation can be overcome. A third centre is now projected to be opened in Ghent. Ordre de Malte France has two barges moored on the Seine in central Paris which provide overnight accommodation for homeless men, and give them a ■ Ordre de Malte France is active in France through its 116 delegations chance to shower and wash their clothes, and a sustaining meal. The atmosphere is welcoming and warm. They are given a comfortable bed for the night and a generous supper. Here too, it is the camaraderie that lights a spark, and the care and kindness provided by the Order’s volunteers who work on weekly rosters to keep the barges running efficiently. Visitors are afforded a breathing space from their daily problems, and at least 10% subsequently find work or attend training programmes. Le Fleuron St Jean operates every day of the year, and last year, with 10 staff and 150 regular volunteers, covered an overall night occupancy of almost 17,000. ■ Dinner on Le Fleuron St. Jean, Paris

The Order of Malta 5 Feb 2011 Trend: growing involvement of young people in Order activities for the handicapped

he Grand Hospitaller of the experience. The camp is a huge been set up: Caravan. It is a seven- T Order of Malta, Albrecht von challenge - learning to live together, month programme of service to Boeselager, noted in a recent cooperate, and work as a team despite handicapped children in Lebanon, speech the growing involvement of any cultural or linguistic barrier.” combined with studies in the history of young people in the Order’s activities The Order of Malta runs annual camps the and Christians in the for the handicapped, especially young in Europe at national level – in Austria, region, Islam and Arabic – a unique handicapped. “Based on their Hungary, Romania, Switzerland and experience for young people.” experiences at the traditional France, as well as many other countries International Youth Summer Camps around the world. Great Britain hosts for the first time over 27 years (most recently: 2007 Referring to the camps in Lebanon Great Britain hosted the International Switzerland, 2008 Austria, 2009 Spain, which for ten years have been run each Youth Summer Camp for the first time 2010 Great Britain) the young have summer by the Lebanese and German in 2010, organising a full programme of devised many local activities,” he said. Associations, the Grand Hospitaller activities, cultural events, sight-seeing, “These camps and activities provide a described their special significance: an internet café, a disco, and giving splendid occasion, a unique bonding “From these camps a new project has guests the chance to greet old friends and meet new ones in a relaxed environment where nationalities and languages mixed happily together. The fiercely fought Christopher Cup croquet competition was won by Spain, with the Grand Master presenting the trophy. Camp 2010 motto: “All you need is love”. The Camp’s sponsors included a special grant from the European Union Youth Programme, awarded for the third year running to the Order.

Italy in 2011 This year, the 28th Camp will be held in Italy in Lignano Sabbiadoro (Udine), July 23 to 30 – the fourth time Italy is host. As at all Order Summer Camps, this one too will offer young handicapped (aged between 18 and 30) – in all 450 guests and helpers - the opportunity to try out sports and leisure activities normally not accessible to most of them. Camp 2011, organised by 70 Order of Malta volunteers, will promote the traditions and customs of the Italian people. Camp2011 motto: “You are the

light of the world.” ■ ■ The Order of Malta has a wide range of programmes around the world for the disabled

The Order of Malta 6 Feb 2011 En bref: Activities around the world

THE ORDER’S YOUNG MEMBERS IN BETHLEHEM: THE HOLY FAMILY HUNGARY: THE HUNGARIAN ORDER ROME RETREAT HOSPITAL’S 50,000TH NEWBORN OF MALTA CHARITY SERVICE (MMSZ) AIDS FAMILIES MADE HOMELESS November saw the Fifth International Aisha, a healthy little girl, was the BY TOXIC SPILLAGE Spirituality Meeting of the Order of 50,000 birth at the Order of Malta Holy Malta’s young members, held in Rome. Family Hospital, Bethlehem, in A toxic spill of red sludge cascaded Fifty participants from 20 countries October 2010, 20 years after the Order’s through dozens of villages in Hungary followed a busy agenda of discussions, work there began, just 500 yards from in October, killing seven, injuring formation, meditation and religious the traditional birthplace of Jesus. scores and forcing families from ceremonies. Operational responsibilities are under their homes. In meeting participants, Grand Master the French Association. Hundreds of people suffered burns Fra’ Matthew Festing stressed the The Hospital also runs a mobile from the sludge – with prolonged importance of these engagements to outreach medical team. It performs contact the top layer of the skin is deepen knowledge of the Order and prenatal, paediatric and gynaecological lifted off. “stimulate you to play an ever greater examinations, laboratory tests, The red mire is a by-product of the part in the Order’s life and mission”. educates mothers on hygiene and early stage of aluminium production, He especially thanked those who “have childcare, and checks on living which leaked from storage reservoirs. made the long journey from Singapore, conditions. On an average stop, the The Order’s MMSZ stepped in with , Bolivia, the and team examines 30 expectant mothers, rented flats for the families from the Lebanon to share these three days of all in desperate need of prenatal care. towns of Devecser and Kolontár for personal and spiritual formation with “Due to lack of well-trained nurses and at least six months, so that they can their brothers from Europe.” The lively doctors in Palestine, our neonatal team plan their futures and assess how to discussions included a question and is overloaded,” Dr. Jacques Keutgen, re-establish themselves. The Service answer session with the participation General Manager, reports. “All the has overseen the coordination of of the Grand Chancellor, Jean-Pierre difficult cases from the Bethlehem moving the families, and is closely Mazery. district, Hebron, sometimes Ramallah, involved in disaster management One of the most significant moments are sent here.” activities in the stricken area. was the Saturday Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica celebrated by the Order’s For more information: For more information: Prelate Archbishop Angelo Acerbi. www.holyfamilyhospital-bethlehem.org www.maltai.hu

The Order of Malta 7 Feb 2011 Haiti: without coordination little can be achieved

Malteser International’s Ingo Radtke explains why

anuary 2011: In a hard- J hitting interview on the French television channel, Public Sénat, Secretary General of Malteser International, the Order of Malta’s worldwide relief service, Ingo Radtke, joined Marc-Antoine Pérouse de Montclos, analyst and researcher at the Institute of Development Research in Paris, to discuss ‘Haiti – a year later and the effects of competition in humanitarian aid’.

Background to the discussion: after the ■ Images captured from the transmission earthquake, now a year old, in spite of the support promised as well as the too quickly,” he said. “Rehabilitation the slogan just posted on the Malteser support on the ground, the situation in cannot be effected in a few short International website: Combat cholera the country remains dire. Why? months. It takes years. And in Haiti, – donate for latrines! “It may not sound Mr Pérouse noted that everyone reconstruction has barely started.” like a marketing slogan,” he agreed, wanted his own flag to be seen flying M.Perouse pointed out that donors do “but it is already pulling in donors.” ■ there, with the organistions in not like to give to unpopular causes, competition with one another, in a and cited the problem of cholera in For more in information on Malteser kind of marketing exercise. This Haiti, and the need to publicise the International’s work in Haiti and how reduced their effectiveness in the importance of clean water and personal to donate: essential humanitarian aim. hygiene. Ingo Radtke drew attention to www.malteser-international.org Rehabilitation cannot be effected in a few short months. Ingo Radtke said that the important Publishing May 2011: point was to get these organisations – The Order of Malta: A Portrait “and there are lots and lots of them” – This monograph offers a global to coordinate their efforts. He explained panorama of the Order's works that different organisations have and activities. different philosophies, but to be Through compelling photo-reportage Ed.V.Horsler. effective they must work together. from the front line, the book brings Edition: Third Millenium Information Malteser International’s strategy is to the day-to-day commitment of the Ltd., London, 220 pp with many form partnerships: an absolutely Order's members and volunteers photographs. necessary step to give coordinated, vividly to life as well as portraying For more information: effective aid. A year on, he related, the humanity of those they serve. www.orderofmaltabook.com there is still an extremely difficult situation on the ground, and having meetings with 200 aid organisations the Orde rof Malta Newsletter but no coordination is challenging. The country has no government to The email newsletter of Editorial www.orderofmalta.org the Sovereign Military Order of Malta info @orderofmalta.org Hosp italler Order of Communications Office speak of, no infrastructure, enormous St. John of Jerusalem Via Condotti 68 Design & DTP health problems. “People expect results of Rhodes and of Malta 00187 Rome Italy Vertigo Design

The Order of Malta 8 Feb 2011