Published by the Grand MaGistry of the sovereiGn Military hosPitaller order of st. J ohn of JerusaleM of rhodes and of Malta the Orde rof Malta July 09 Newsletter Grand Master Fra’ Matthew archbishop sardi, new order Festing and the Sovereign Council Patron received by Pope Benedict XVI Centuries old bond reinforced in annual audience Pope Benedict XVI has appointed Archbishop Paolo Sardi Pro-Patron of the Sovereign Military Order n the traditional audience lebanon; and, closer to home, the help of Malta. Italian, Vice Chamberlain i granted every year, on this 25 still provided by the order’s italian of the Holy Roman Church, since June the Grand Master emergency Corps in the abruzzo 1996 Archbishop Sardi has been referred to the spiritual, humanitarian following the recent earthquakes. Apostolic Nuncio with special and diplomatic activities of the order, the holy father, in his reply, praised responsibilities. He succeeds highlighting the strategies for the next the order’s continuing activities Cardinal Pio Laghi who died ten years, elaborated at the order’s to help the poor and the sick, in January. international strategy seminar in exemplifying their Christian faith Born in 1934 in Ricaldone, province venice in January; the ecumenical and charity. following the audience, of Alessandria, Archbishop Sardi dialogue developed between the order the Grand Master and the members has, since the pontificate of John and the Patriachs of Moscow and of the sovereign Council also met with Paul II, coordinated the Vatican Minsk; special medical and social the vatican secretary of state, office which edits the Pope’s texts assistance in the holy land and in Cardinal tarcisio bertone. ■ and addresses. Ordained 29 June 1958, he graduated in canon law and jurisprudence, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan and taught moral theology in Turin until 1976, when he was called to the Vatican Secretariat of State. In 1996 he was appointed Apostolic Nuncio with special responsibilities, and titular Archbishop of Sutrium. On 6 January 1997, Pope John Paul II ordained him bishop. He was nominated Vice ■ Vatican City: Pope Benedict XVI with Grand Master Fra’ Matthew Festing and the government of the Order Camerlengo (chamberlain) of the Church in October 2004. INSIDE ■ Order of Malta Chapter General ■ Annual worldwide celebration on St.John’s As Pro-Patron, Archbishop Paolo Day ■ President of Czech Republic in State Visit ■ Bulgarian President Parvanov pays State Sardi has the task of promoting Visit ■ Grand Master receives Polish President ■ Belarus President, on first European mission the spiritual interests of the Order in 15 years ■ Work continues unabated in Abruzzo earthquake region ■ Pakistan: Problem of of Malta and its members internally displaced persons grows ■ Lourdes pilgrimage breaks attendance records ■ Solemn and its relations with the Holy See. vows in Lourdes ■ International Summer Camp for Young Disabled goes to Segovia ■ Budapest: 20 years after Iron Curtain falls ■ Order of Malta elections The governing bodies for the next five years are sworn in arly June saw the arrival ELECTED TO THE SOVEREIGN ELECTED TO THE e in rome of 60 international COUNCIL FOR THE PERIOD 2009-2014: GOVERNMENT COUNCIL: representatives of the order, fausto solaro del borgo called together every five years Grand Commander ruy Gonçalo do valle Peixoto de villas in a Chapter General. the participants fra’ Gherardo hercolani fava boas included the outgoing government simonetti raphaël Georges debbané and representatives of the Grand Juan tomás o’naghten y Chacón Priors, the regents of the sub-Priors Grand Chancellor simon Grenfell and the elected Presidents of the 47 Jean-Pierre Mazery daniel Joseph Kelly national associations. Presided over by the Grand Master Grand hospitaller ELECTED TO THE BOARD OF AUDITORS: (whose position is for life), albrecht von boeselager President the Chapter General elects the franz von harnoncourt-unverzagt members of the sovereign Council receiver of the Common treasure (the government of the order), Gian luca Chiavari Members the Government Council and roberto Massi Gentiloni silverj the board of auditors, amends Members bruno de seguins Pazzis d’aubignan the Constitutional Charter and Code fra’ Carlo d’ippolito di sant’ippolito emanuele emmanuele as appropriate, and discusses the most fra’ John t. dunlap lancelot d’ursel important issues facing the order in duncan Gallie the 21st century, covering spirituality, emmanuel rousseau Alternates the order’s humanitarian activities antonio sanchez-Corea, Jr. stephen diaz-Gavin and its diplomatic relations. ■ Winfried henckel von donnersmarck Janos esterhazy de Galanthia 24 June: 12,500 members Annual worldwide around the world commemorate the feast day of their patron saint, St.John Baptist celebration on St.John’s Day n rome, the ceremony is held Patron of the order of Malta, i in the order’s church of santa archbishop Paolo sardi, Maria dell’aventino. and a reception in the gardens under a cloudless early morning sky, of the Magistral villa. the Grand Master welcomed in the first Mass celebrated the diplomatic corps accredited to the as new Pro-Patron of the order, order which was led by the dean, archbishop sardi recalled the service ambassador of honduras alejandro of the late Cardinal Pio laghi and valladares lanza, as well as many expressed his gratitude for the Grand order officials and friends, to join Master’s warm welcome. with him and the members he encouraged all the members of the sovereign Council in marking of the order to follow the example the customary day with a solemn of st.John baptist and to remain high Mass celebrated by the Pro- faithful to their vocation. ■ ■ Archbishop Paolo Sardi the order of Malta 2 July 09 Lukashenko’s visit strengthens the Order’s humanitarian aid in Belarus elarus President alexander children, providing medical equipment community and to every part of the b lukashenko was received on and training health personnel.” world the high ideals of Christian faith official visit to the order of Grand Chancellor Jean-Pierre Mazery that are also part of belarus’ history, Malta by Grand Master festing at the and belarusian foreign Minister civilization and culture.” ■ Magistral villa, on 28 april. sergey Martynov signed a Postal earlier, lukashenko had met with the agreement. Pope in the vatican. at the lunch which followed, vatican a bilateral agreement was signed, secretary of state Cardinal tarcisio extending the order’s humanitarian bertone recalled his 2008 belarus visit; aid in belarus, where diplomatic the President again invited him to relations exist since 1996. Polish, organise a meeting of the Pope and belgian and italian order associations Moscow Patriarch Kirill in Minsk. “it collaborated to help children stricken is significant that the holy see and the by the Chernobyl disaster. the order of Malta are seated beside you,” President acknowledged “your efforts bertone told lukashenko, “because to mitigate the effects of the disaster they are pursuing their common ■ Belarus President, on first European mission by organising summer visits for the mission to bring to the international in 15 years At the Magistral Villa, Grand Master receives Polish President olish President lech P Kaczynski made a state visit to the order of Malta on 18 May, reciprocating the state visit of 78th Grand Master frà andrew bertie in 2007. Grand Master festing and the President discussed the bilateral relations established in 1990 and the order’s healthcare services in Poland, intensified after the Cooperation agreement signed two years ago. / ■ The Grand Master with President Kaczynski “Poland, now a nato member, is one of the most respected members of the order, present in Poland since the 12th in Poland and in tiblisi, the Polish european union,” the Grand Master century, saw the creation of a Polish association with the help of the Polish said. its current achievements are also association in 1920. after the second Presidency aided victims of the conflict thanks to those who, like the President, world war its operations were between Georgia and russia, “over 25 years ago risked their lives to suspended until the fall of the iron organising healthcare services and put an end to the injustices of Curtain. its health, welfare and medical supplies, food and other basic Communism, to combat intolerance and charitable programmes resumed in necessities, and distributing aid to to promote freedom, human rights and 1992. last summer, in close refugees and those affected by the democracy in their countries.” the coordination with the order’s embassy fighting. ■ the order of Malta 3 July 09 President of Czech Republic Václav Klaus in State Visit rand Master fra’ Matthew courage and devotion of its members, (it has been your fight and success G festing received on 30 May the order has been able to preserve against fascism and communism), the President of the Czech the meaning of its existence and, after for liberty of thinking and of religion, republic vaclav Klaus, at the order of the fall of Communism, has been able is our major stake within europe. Malta’s Magistral villa, rome. the to operate again.” We need a free market economy which visit, held during the Czech Presidency the Grand Master said: “i am includes solidarity for the poor, of the european union, gave the two convinced that fighting for freedom the sick, and the weakest and most heads of state the opportunity to and the dignity of human beings vulnerable people.” ■ discuss the world economic crisis, the health and welfare work of Maltezska Pomoc – the order’s hospitaller service in the Czech republic - and the possibility of joint initiatives in developing countries. President Klaus spoke of the importance to the Czech republic of the order’s Grand Priory of bohemia with its 850 year history, dating from the 12th century, never abolished nor secularised. however, the order’s members have often been persecuted and, during last century, nazi and Communist regimes banned them operating.