ORDER OF MALTA MOMENT

From the earliest days of Christianity, the Church had people who were devoted to the practical aspects of functioning as a body of believers. The Acts of the Apostles, in chapter 6, which was our first reading last Sunday, says that as the Church continued to grow, the Apostles got busy with routine stuff – to the point where some of the disciples complained. So, the apostles came up with a solution. Select from the community some devout people, filled with the Spirit and wisdom, who would handle those tasks. That was the beginning of what we call today Deacons. It was also the beginning of what would become a larger movement in the Church – religious orders and congregations. We see them all over.

The Order of Malta is one such. Despite the way we trip over the use of terms “religious” and “lay religious”, the Order is a religious one – the members of the first class take the traditional vows. All who choose to associate themselves with the Order – whether second class or third class – participate in a service that is intended to implement Jesus’ mandate in our world through serving the poor and the sick and through promoting a knowledge of the message.

By our baptism, all of us are disciples. Vatican II makes it clear that all disciples have a duty to serve the gospel – to make God’s kingdom present in our world. All Christians have that duty. We have chosen to become members of a religious order. So we assume an added undertaking. “To whom much has been given, more will be expected.”

That’s not all one way. More will be expected of us, certainly. But more will also be given to us – the grace of union with a religious community in which the members support and assist one another in fulfilling our common mission as disciples of the Risen Lord.

- Reverend Monsignor Edward Dillon, Magistral Chaplain

As you all have learnt from the news, heavy rains in the Balkans in mid-May have led to the worst flooding in the region since record keeping began 120 years ago.

Malteser International – in close cooperation with the Embassy of the Order of Malta to Bosnia and Hercegovina, Malteser Germany and international partner organizations - is preparing emergency relief measures for those most affected by the floods. Malteser International supports the flood relief in the Balkans with an initial donation of 25,000 Euros ($ 34,000).

Bosnia and Hercegovina:
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, Malteser International and the Foreign Aid Service of Malteser Germany – in cooperation with the Order’s Ambassador to Bosnia and Hercegovina – will provide flood relief via the networks of Caritas and the Catholic Church. An assessment team will leave for Bosnia and Hercegovina in order to explore the needs on the ground and prepare the next steps. Among others, it is planned to reconstruct a soup kitchen and an ambulance in the northern city of Maglaj which has been severely destroyed by the floods.

Serbia:
In Serbia an assessment team of the Order’s Hungarian Caritas service has already been on the ground, preparing emergency relief in Vojvodina together with the Order’s Serbian relief corps and the Catholic diocese of Zrenjanin for the most affected families, who have lost their entire goods and possessions.

For many years, Malteser Germany and its Foreign Aid Service supported rehabilitation and reconstruction in several countries in the Balkans after the end of the Balkan War in the 1990s. The strong links with the partners on the ground will provide a sound basis for Malteser International’s emergency relief and an efficient cooperation in favour of those most affected by the floods.

On May 16 and 17, the Balkan region was hit by torrential rain, making thousands of people homeless and killing at least 59 people. Whole cities and villages are still under water or mud, transport infrastructures have been destroyed, hampering the delivery of humanitarian goods. Besides, the region is still dangerous, as landmines and other legacies from the Balkan War are emerging with the flooding and landslides.

As the Federal Association celebrates its 40th anniversary, there will be a mass and Town Hall meeting on June 1 for all Members in Washington and Montgomery County. After Mass there will be an open discussion of how to carry out our charism of Tuitio Fidei et Obsequium Pauperum in a way that is vital and full of life as we hit our 40th anniversary.

The Mass and meeting will be held from 4:00-6:30 p.m. at Our Lady of Victory Church, on MacArthur Boulevard in Washington, DC.

Click here to view the invite.

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