Orderof Malta
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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 April 09 Newsletter ABRUZZO EARTHQUAKE: Order medical teams assist 1,000 displaced persons Grand Master in Brussels with the President of the European Commission An Agreement with great implications n mid february (16-19), the international Cooperation agreement. groups, dissemination of international i Grand Master, fra’ Matthew a wide range of cooperation was set human rights, inter-cultural and inter- festing, made an official visit out: assistance in emergency and post- religious dialogue and sponsorship of to the european Commission in crisis situations including seminars and workshops on topics of brussels. rehabilitation and development, common interest. received by the President of the medical and social assistance to “the agreement underlines the Commission, José Manuel barroso, persons involved in migration, support strengthening of the relationship the Grand Master, together with the to local economic and social between the order and europe,” noted Grand Chancellor, Jean-Pierre development, protection of victims of the Grand Master, and President Mazery, signed an important trafficking and other vulnerable barroso affirmed: “the european Commission shares the order of Malta’s values and mission and will do the passing all it can to support its work.” the Grand Master will meet again with of the order’s President barroso, in rome, in the Cardinal Patronus Magistral villa. the busy few days also included meetings with hans-Gert Pöttering, Cardinal Pio Laghi, the Order’s President of the european Parliament Cardinal Patronus for 16 eventful Javier solana, eu foreign policy chief, years, left us on 10 January. and with nato secretary-General His last message to the Order was Jaap de hoop scheffer. a delegation of read with emotion by the Grand european MPs offered a luncheon in Master Fra’ Matthew Festing, honour of the Grand Master in the to the attendants at the Order’s Parliament building and he also met Venice Strategy Seminar which took the board and members of the order of place the following week and where Malta’s belgian association. His Eminence had planned Particularly significant was the visit to to address the participants. la fontaine, a social centre for the Instead, his touching words, dictated homeless run by the order’s belgian ■ Grand Master Fra’ Matthew Festing with European in the fading moments of his life, Commission President José Manuel Barroso association in bruxelles. ■ expressed his love for the Order and he exhorted members to continue their charitable activities INSIDE ■ Memorial Mass honours Fra’ Andrew Bertie, 78th Grand Master ■ Italian in the spirit of Christian love, Emergency Corps assist 1,000 displaced persons after Abruzzo earthquake ■ State Visit to which is at the heart of the Order’s Hungary ■ Order’s Hungarian Hospitaller Service celebrates 20 years ■ Cardinal Lajolo work. honoured by the Order ■ Ceremony on the Aventine welcomes new members ■ International (Continues p 2) Seminar in Venice ■ Grand Commander appointed ■ the passing of the order’s Cardinal Patronus Requiem Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica in the presence of the Pope (Continues from page 1) The Grand Master praised Cardinal Laghi’s work for the Order, describing him as “one of its most eminent members and a great moral and spiritual guide.” Requiem Mass was celebrated on 13 January in St. Peter’s Basilica by the Dean of the College of Cardinals, Angelo Sodano. During the ceremony Pope Benedict XVI recalled Cardinal Laghi’s long and distinguished service to the Holy See as one of the most expert Vatican diplomats, and then his appointment as Prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education in 1991. The Pontiff recalled that John Paul II also assigned him in May 1993 to “the high role of Patron of the Sovereign Order of Malta.” The funeral was attended by the Grand Master, the members of the Sovereign Council, the Prelate of the Order, Mons.Angelo Acerbi, and many members of the Order of Malta. ■ ■ Cardinal Patronus of the Order, Cardinal Pio Laghi (1922-2009) Memorial Mass honours Fra’ Andrew Bertie, 78th Grand Master An inspiring life remembered n 7th february, exactly Cardinals, at the anniversary Mass he fra’ Matthew festing, cardinals Jean o a year from the passing celebrated in the basilica of st.alessio louis tauran, renato Martino, andrea of the 78th Grand Master and st.bonifacio, on the aventine in Cordero lanza di Montezemolo, of the order of Malta, fra' andrew rome. in his homily Cardinal sodano Giovanni lajolo, members of the bertie, his life, didication and works paid tribute to fra’ andrew’s sovereign Council, the italian on behalf of the order were celebrated. dedication in his twenty years at the undersecretary of state Gianni letta, they were recalled in a moving head of the order, saying: “his entire the diplomatic Corps and many order acknowledgement by Cardinal angelo life was inspired by profound representatives and members were sodano, dean of the College of principles of faith.” the Grand Master among the assembly. ■ ■ A moment during the celebration in the Basilica of St.Alessio and St.Bonifacio the order of Malta 2 apr 09 Abruzzo earthquake: the Emergency Corps of the Order aids 1,000 displaced persons he order of Malta italian 2,000 meals per day. t emergency Corps (CisoM) two trained sniffer dogs of the is providing aid for 1,000 emergency Corps aided the national CISOM displaced persons affected by the fire department to find survivors abruzzo earthquake. With their in l’aquila, helping find 36 survivors, the italian emergency Corps medical personnel, rescue workers pulled out alive from the rubble of the order of Malta and specialised nurses, the volunteers of buildings in l’aquila. was founded in 1970 and is part of the order have been working non- on behalf of the italian Civil of the italian Civil Protection stop under the coordination of the Protection, the order’s emergency network. italian Civil Protection since early Corps will continue to manage Monday 6 april, when an earthquake the two camps for the duration of the it carries out immediate first measuring 6.3 on the richter scale hit state of emergency, which is expected aid in emergencies with 70 the town of l’aquila. the earthquake to last for at least three months, groups across the country, has so far caused 293 deaths, more as the earth continues to tremble. counting on 1,800 volunteers. than 1,600 injured and left 28,000 homeless. the order’s volunteers You can support the victims the emergency Corps aids are concentrating aid at the epicentre of the earthquake by sending your victims of natural disasters of the earthquake, Poggio di roio, contribution to: and humanitarian emergencies, where they have set up a ‘tent city’, ACISMOM as well as providing medical providing 700 beds, with another account number 000401124060 aid at major public events. 275 beds in nearby san felice d’ocre. bank: unicredit banca di roma the order’s two medical centres, iban: it 06 J 03002 03223 Website: on continuous duty, treated over 150 000401124060 www.ordinedimaltaitalia.org patients in the first tumultuous days. biC-sWift: broMitr1723 the team is currently providing over reference: terremoto abruzzo ■ ■ The Order of Malta Emergency Corps sniffer dogs look for survivors in L'Aquila the order of Malta 3 apr 09 foCus on State visit to Hungary hunGary Grand Master and Hungarian authorities celebrate a continuing commitment he Grand Master, fra’ “after the revolution of 1956 the order the hungarian authorities to work in t Matthew festing, at the of Malta was able to offer immediate numerous health and social centres invitation of the President of assistance to thousands of refugees and with the support of our embassy. the republic of hungary, lászló homeless people,” the Grand Master several programmes have been set up sólyom, visited the country in early recalled during his Press Conference to tackle these commitments, february. following his talks with the together with President sólyom. “in including the creation of a national President at the sandor Palace, 1989 the traditional friendship between network,” he said. budapest, the Grand Master and his the order and hungary – interrupted the Grand Master also met with delegation had talks with the speaker for several years – was re-established members of the order’s hungarian of the hungarian Parliament Katalin after the country regained its freedom association and the order’s hungarian szili, the Prime Minister ferenc and national independence. since then, hospitaller service (MMsZ) Gyurcsány, the Minister of foreign the order’s hungarian association and volunteers, where he was able to offer affairs Kinga Göncz, the Cardinal its hospitaller service, the MMsZ – his personal congratulations and to archbishop Peter erdő and the celebrating its 20th anniversary this thank them for their continued apostolic nuncio Juliusz Janusz. year – have accepted the invitation of dedication and commitment. ■ ■ Grand Master Festing and President Solyom during the press conference the order of Malta 4 apr 09 foCus on The MMSZ in action hunGary The Order’s hospitaller service counts 13,000 employees and volunteers oordinated by the order’s 'prevention by playing' programme The figures C association, the order’s where the aim is to prevent crimes in 2008, MMsZ distributed goods hungarian hospitaller committed out of boredom, by worth 2.5m euro to the needy. its service (MMsZ) works in healthcare promoting communities and activities services cover: and social centres throughout the for the young. institutional care: the elderly-15 country. “i am very pleased that the homes; the homeless – 22 institutions; hungarian authorities have shown The foreground the disabled - 8; child protection -20; their appreciation for the results in addition to its employee structure addicted - 7; healthcare and services – obtained,” the Grand Master fra’ of 900, MMsZ has 12,000 trained 44; a total of 10,000 people cared for in Matthew festing said after his volunteers.