Order of Malta Moment

Dear Confreres,

As we begin both a New Year and a new Federal Association Administration, it is, perhaps, a good time to look to our future. At the outset, let me say that change and the implementation of new ideas are not in any way a criticism of the past. A good analogy is St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
The introduction of electricity in 1910 was not thought by anyone to be an implied criticism of the work of Michaelangelo or Bernini. Times change. We’ll build and enhance the Federal Association structure that has been created and so ably maintained to the present, much the way St. Peter’s is.
We have a new leadership team in place, with Margaret Melady as Vice President, Greg Granitto as Chancellor, Bob Signorelli as Hospitaller, and Tom Weiford as Treasurer. Last but certainly not least, is our Board Chaplain, Monsignor Enzler, better known as Father John. This team has gender, geographic, and experience diversity. We have several new Board Directors as well as experienced ones returning, all of whom are tremendously capable people. We have a great staff which will soon, I hope, be complete with the hiring of a director of development. Most importantly, we have you.
My goals for this team and for our Association are three in number: (1) As much transparency as possible in the administration of our Association; (2) A balance between the Regions and Headquarters that fosters creativity; and (3) Opportunities for spiritual growth for each of us as we serve our Lords [and Ladies] the poor and the sick.
It is my hope to use the Board more and the Executive Committee less in this day and age of good electronic communication. I want to see minutes of Board meetings posted on our Association website in a timely way so that you can review them. Assuming that the Communications Committee agrees, the Order of Malta Moment will come out every other week, and not every week, so that we can have the opportunity for more substance. I, for one, would like to see a “Feedback Column” so your views might be seen and heard. I’d like to see a “Q&A” Section on Order history and protocol. We pray every day to be faithful to the traditions of our Order, but that is difficult to do unless we know what those traditions are. Collins Whitfield is spearheading our Association Prison Ministry, something I hope will become an Association priority. Margaret Riehl has suggested a complete calendar of Association and Order events on our website, and I agree that this is both desirable and necessary.
Speaking of calendars, we have a full agenda the first half of this year. On January 25th is the March for Life, the first week in February features the celebration in Rome of the 900th Anniversary of the papal chartering of our Order, Formation Day takes place during the first week in April, our annual Lourdes Pilgrimage begins May 1st, and our Association's "primary" observance of the Feast of St. John The Baptist will be in Hartford on June 21.
Lastly, please permit me to spend a minute on a most important subject. If spirituality and service are the heart and soul of our Association, then the monies you so generously give are its life’s blood. Without your support, we can do little or nothing to fulfill our mission. Our Annual Appeal and the newly-launched Lourdes Endowment Fund are, and will remain, our only two solicitation activities. Annual Giving supports our Grants and Defense of the Faith Programs which are well-known to you. The Lourdes Endowment will be a lasting memorial to fund indefinitely our beloved Malades’ and Companions’ travel on the Pilgrimage, thus eliminating the current surcharge on Knights and Dames for this purpose. On occasion, there will be exposure to other Order activities, such as the one in this week’s Malta Moment concerning Malteser International. Those who have a particular interest or calling to hands-on or financial support for these activities should indeed respond. Above all, I pledge to you that I shall protect you from excessive solicitation.

Confraternally,

Geoff Gamble

Ravi Tripptrap – Head of Mission Americas

Working for Malteser International for over ten years, Mr. Tripptrap was based in headquarters and Asia in several countries and positions. His duties included management of emergency and development projects, finance, logistics and quality management.

Marta "Bunny" Centurión – Office Manager

Mrs. Centurión is a Dame of the Cuban Association of the Order of Malta. She has worked as a volunteer in many missions of the Association in the Caribbean and South Florida. She is the coordinator of the Lourdes pilgrimage for the Cuban Association.

Joice Biazoto – International Communications

Before joining the Malteser International communications team in March of 2011, Mrs. Biazoto spent seven years studying and working in the United States. She has an M.A. in Journalism from Indiana University.

Michael Thanner – Desk Officer Americas

Mr. Thanner has been with Malteser International since June, 2010 based in headquarters and Asia. His scope of work included partner management. He has a background in political science with a focus on Latin America.