2014AustralianHOSPITALLERThe Annual Review of the Australian Association of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta

TIMOR-LESTENew Orphanage opened in Hera

HONG KONG4th Asia-Pacific Conference

LOURDESBringing the miracle to Australians

AU

STRALI

AN ASSOCIATIO

N

40th

Anniversary

1974 - 201

4

THE GREAT WARRecalling the hospitaller mission

WelcomeIt was on Friday 18 October, 1974, that Grand

Master Frà Angelo de Mojana di Cologna issued a decree establishing the Australian Association

Since its establishment, the fledgling Association with 15 original members has grown to count today 338 Knights, Dames and Chaplains throughout the Order of Malta’s single largest geographic national association.

On this the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Australian Association, both the President’s report and our special interview with foundation member, Confrere Ambrose Galvin look back over four decades of faithful service to the Church and fruitful hospitaller service to numerous communities at home in Australia and abroad. We have also included a infographic snapshot of the the Assocaition’s membership in this anniversary year.

Reciting the Order’s prayer, each Knight and Dame continuously pledges “to keep faithful to the traditions of our Order, to practice and defend our faith against the enemies of religion, and to practice charity towards my neighbors, especially the poor and sick.”

We have kept loyally to our duty for the past 40 years, yet the work of the Order and the Association is not yet complete and there is always more to be done.

Throughout the following pages you will find reports on works and service undertaken by the Australian Association, as well as an article on another anniversary we commemorate this year.

This year the world marked the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the Great War.

This year’s Australian Hospitaller features a special article on the activities of the Order of Malta in the lead up to and during the War “to end all wars”.

We hope you enjoy this year’s edition of the Australian Hospitaller.

.

The OrderThe Order of Malta’s arms display the eight-pointed Latin cross on a red oval field surrounded by a rosary and surmounted by the princely mantle and crown (as described in Article 6 of the Order’s Constitutional Charter). It is the emblem of the Sovereign Order’s Grand Magistry and its Institutions: the Grand Priories, Subpriories, National Associations and Diplomatic Missions.

The Grand MasterThe arms of Grand Master Frà Matthew Festing are quartered with those of the Order. At 1 and 4 gules (red) a cross argent; at 2 and 3 azure an eagle displayed erminois between three castles argent. The arms are surrounded by the Collar, symbol of the Grand Master, within a princely mantle and surmounted by a closed crown.

The EmblemThe emblem is the symbol of the Order of Malta’s medical and humanitarian activities worldwide. It is a red shield with a white, eight-pointed cross (as described in Article 242 of the Order’s Code).

THE ARMS AND EMBLEMS OF THE ORDER

100 years on from the commencement of hostilities, we remember the work of the Order during the Great War.PAGE 34

Read up on the 4th

Asia-Pacific Conference, successfully held in Hong Kong.PAGE 43

We commemorate the Association’s 40th Anniversary with Confrere Ambrose Galvin’s recollections of the day Grand Master Frà Angelo de Mojana di Cologna established the Australian Association.PAGE 26

We celebrate the opening of a new orphanage in Hera, Timor-Leste.PAGE 29

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News on our Lourdes activities at home and abroad.PAGE 40

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Contents2014 FEATURES ANNUAL REPORTS

VALE 2014

26 40th Anniversary: Early RecollectionsFounding Member of the Australian Association, Confrere Ambrose Galvin recollects how the Association came into being in 1974.

The PresidentThe SubprioryThe National Hospitaller

Australian Capital TerritoryNew South WalesNew ZealandNorthern TerritoryQueenslandSouth AustraliaThailandVictoriaWestern Australia

Annual Lourdes MassesLourdes Pilgrimage4th Asia-Pacific Conference

68

10

141518181920212224

404243

29 New Orphanage in Hera, Timor-LesteConstruction of a new orphanage funded by Members and friends of the Order of Malta and operated by the Dominican Sisters.

32 2014 Chapter GeneralA report on the Order’s 2014 Chapter General, held in Rome, to elect the government members for the next 5 year term and includes biographies of the new Sovereign Council.

30 Ireland’s First Knight of Justice in 500 YearsAdmission to solemn vows as a Knight of Justice of Frà Dr Paul Caffrey in Dublin, Ireland.

34 The Great War and the Order of MaltaWe mark the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the Great War and remember the hospitaller works by the Order’s national associations throughout the conflict.

44 BooksThe review of four interesting books examining the history, politics and art formed by Knights of the Order of St John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta.

48 Heitersheim: The 2nd territory of the KnightsHeitersheim, referred to as the German “principality” of the Knights of St. John, was the twin State to the Order’s islands of Malta.

4

To you, O God, the dead do not die, and in death life is changed, not ended. Hear our prayers and command the souls of

your servant Knights and Dames of the Order of St John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta to dwell with all the saints, and be raised at last on the great day of judgment.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen

We remember:

Dr Humphry Cramond OAM MBEKnight of Magistral Grace

(1924 – 2014)

Dr Robert McInerney AM CMG KCSG Knight of Magistral Grace

(1918 – 2014)

Mervyn John Phillips AO KGCSGKnight of Magistral Grace

(1930 – 2014)

Dr Nicholas Tonti-Filippini KSGKnight of Magistral Grace in Obedience

(1956 – 2014)

5

Obituary Confrere Dr Nicholas Tonti-Filippini passed into eternal life on

Friday 7 November 2014. Confrere Nicholas became a Member of the Order of Malta on

8th June 1989 and took the Promise of Obedience on 26 October 2006.In the 1980’s Dr Nicholas Tonti-Filippini became Australia’s first

ethicist at a public hospital, St Vincent’s Hospital, Melbourne. He pioneered the role of the bioethicist as someone available to speak to patients and families as well as to provide advice to health treatment teams. He taught bioethics to medical students and nurses for several decades.

Dr Nicholas Tonti-Filippini has been a consultant serving in the Offices of the Prime Minister of Australia and the Australian Minister for Health, the Victorian Minister for Health, the U.S. Congress, the German Federal Department of Health and Welfare, UNESCO, and the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference. He was the Chairman of the National Health and Medical Research Council Committee on Commercialisation of Human Tissue. He was a member of the Expert Panel for the Victorian Assisted Reproductive Treatment Authority which carried out pioneering work.

He was the Chairman of the Research Taskforce of Matercare International which provides obstetrics services in developing countries.

He served on the Board of Directors of Matercare Australia which provides health services in East Timor and Bouganville. He was a Foundation Board Member of the Natural Planning Board of the Australian Catholic Bishops. He was a Member of the Catholic Moral Theologians’ Association of Australia and New Zealand.

Dr Tonti-Filippini made major contributions to the development of bioethics theory as presented in a wide array of publications. His published books include “Ethics and the Treatment of Infertility”, “About Bioethics, Volume 1: Philosophical and Theological Foundations”, “About Bioethics, Volume 2: Care of Those Who are Sick or Dying”, “About Ethics, Volume 3: Donating Organs and Tissues”.

Because of these and other services in 2009 he was appointed a Papal Knight Commander of St Gregory the Great by Pope Benedict XVI. Whilst undertaking this vast body of work Dr Tonti-Filippini suffered from a rheumatoid auto-immune disease, coronary disease and renal failure. He was on dialysis for the past nineteen years and it is remarkable that he was able to make such a contribution whilst in poor health. He continued to be heavily involved in the national debate about many important health issues, including in this area, his reasoned opposition to voluntary euthanasia.

Dr Tonti-Filippini has been Associate Dean and Head of Bioethics at the John Paul II Institute for Marriage and Family. Since 2003 he organized an Annual Bioethics Colloquium in Melbourne under the sponsorship of the Order of Malta and the John Paul Institute. Nicholas Tonti-Filippini’s main interests outside his work were his family, his great faith and music. His love of music owed a great deal to his Italian ancestry. His grandfather, Ercole Filippini, was an accomplished baritone from Milan who pursued his career after settling in Australia. In 1924, he founded the South Australian Grand Opera Company, the first opera company in Australia. His grandson, Nicholas, inherited these musical gifts. At all of the religious functions of the Order of Malta, his fine voice soared above most of his brother Knights, to the delight of all present. Nicholas will be missed.

Confrere Dr Nicholas Tonti-FilippiniKnight of Magistral Grace in Obedience

On the 29th September we celebrated the

fortieth anniversary of the formation by Magistral Decree of the Australian Association of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St John of Jerusalem and of Rhodes and of Malta, officially abridged to the Australian Association of the Order of Malta (AASMOM)

This milestone was a good enough reason in itself to pause to see if in 2014, our structures and procedures were adequate for our effective function, and the opportunity to make an objective, dispassionate review of what we in the Order are currently doing and more importantly what we hope to do in the future,

remembering at all times that our core business for 900 years has been, and still is “Service to Our Lords the Sick and the Poor and Defence of the Faith”.

Coincidentally one of the major decisions from the Strategic Seminar in Rhodes in 2013 was to undertake a global review of the governance of the Order.

As a consequence, the Grand Magistry undertook an Official Visitation of AASMOM, with Australian born Confrere Simon Grenfell, a member of the Government Council and Fr Anthony Robbie an Australian Chaplain of the Order studying in Rome as the Official Visitors.

In recognition of Fr Robbie’s service as Chaplain to the Grand

Magistry, His Most Eminent Highness the Prince and Grand Master appointed him in 2014 as a Conventual Chaplain ad honorem in the Order.

The official visitors traveled extensively throughout Australia, meeting numerous members and gleaning their views of what changes are considered necessary for the future efficient operation of the Order in Australia.

The major outcome is a review and revision of our Statutes; the Commission of Review comprising our five distinguished Past Presidents, Confrere the Hon Dennis Mahoney AO QC, Confrere the Hon David Jackson AM QC as Chairman, the Hon Sir James Gobbo AC CVO KGCSG KGCMG(Ob),

Confrere James Dominguez AM CBE KCSG KGCMG(Ob) and Confrère Anthony Macken AM GCMM KGCMG(Ob) with the able assistance of Confrere Sean Farrell as secretary.

At the end of 2014 this process was well underway.

Several other clear global directives emanated from the Strategic Seminar: more personal hands-on involvement by we the members ourselves; more engagement with youth, both as young members in the Order but especially as young volunteers; making greater use of volunteers in general in order to effect the Order’s various and numerous charitable works; an indication of the determination to engage in expanding charitable

PRESIDENTMESSAGE FROM THE

Dr Ian Marshall AM AE KC*SG KGCMG(Ob)

6

projects, realising that the members alone cannot achieve this.

It can only be done effectively by utilising the skills and enthusiasm of willing volunteers also motivated by a sense of Obsequium Pauperum.

One top priority is the Order’s use of more effective communication including positively embracing modern technology in the twenty-first century.

The terms of reference presented to the Commission of Review clearly indicates this.

We record our thanks to the members of Executive Council and in particular the Office Bearers, the Chancellor Confrere Paul Hoy, the Treasurer Confrere David Hall AM and our Hospitaller Confrere Dr Ian Leitch RFD for their contribution during the year.

It is an old truism but it is the Branches and their members which drive the activities of AASMOM and we record our appreciation to the Branch Chairmen; in Queensland Confrere The Hon Martin Daubney (resigned July 2014), succeeded by Confrere James Varghese AM as Acting Chairman; in New South Wales Confrere David Hall; Confrere Damian Benson in Victoria and in South Australia Confrere the Hon Greg Crafter AO.

Also deserving public

recognition are the Convenors of the smaller groups, Confrere Dr Michael Shanahan in West Australia, Consoeur Dr Frances Booth AM in the Northern Territory and our sole Australian member in Timor-Leste, Confrere Collin Yap for their enthusiasm and support.

They drive a wide range of charitable activities which are reported elsewhere.

Our appreciation also needs to be recorded for the activities of our overseas members in New Zealand, Hong Kong and Thailand, currently under the umbrella of the Australian Association and for their progress in self-development in their own countries.

Various reports on

their highly commendable activities also appear elsewhere.

Australia hosted the Fourth Asia Pacific Conference in Hong Kong in October.

Its smooth running and successful outcome were largely due to the skilful organisation of our Hong Kong Confreres and Consoeurs.

It was an historic event in our part of the world, assessing the current state of Catholicism and the Church, assessing possible involvement of the Order in the future and any leadership role Australia may assume.

A full report is presented elsewhere, however a brief mention must be made of the influence of the Australian born regional

Ambassadors, their Excellencies Confreres Jim Dominguez, Michael Mann AM and David Scarf AM.

I also publicly thank the Chaplains of the Order who in the midst of their extraordinarily busy lives find time to minister to our spiritual needs.

It is very much appreciated by all we members and I assure them of our constant prayerful support.

One of the great events in the life of the Order is the annual pilgrimage to Lourdes and 2014 saw an impressive number of pilgrims under the Australian banner join with the Irish Association to fully immerse themselves hands-on with the Irish malades. It is also mentioned elsewhere.

7

Above: Members form up under the Australian banner at Lourdes, France. Opposite: The President with members from Hong Kong following the opening Mass at Lourdes, France.

Conventual Chaplain ad honoremRev Fr Anthony L’Estrange Robbie, Magistral Chaplain, for services as personal Chaplain to the Grand Master and for services as Chief Chaplain for the international Young Members Retreat (the Blessed Gerard Retreat).

Officer with Swords (Military Division) pro Merito MelitensiConfrere Col. Anthony (Tony) Heath, for services to the Order in Timor-Leste including the rehabilitation of the local ambulance service and education services to disabled children.

HONOURS AND AWARDSThe following honours and awards were awarded by the Grand Master and the Sovereign Council in 2014:

In about September 2014 my term of office as Regent would ordinarily

come to an end, but in August 2014 the Grand Commander Frà Ludwig Hoffman after consultation with HMEH the Grand Master and HE the Grand Chancellor requested me to assume the Role of Regent ad interim. I agreed to do so.

The earlier programme for 2014 had gone smoothly as we were again in the wonderfully capable hands of our Principal Chaplain, Fr Gerald O’Collins SJ AC, in our three day Retreat.

As usual this took place at the end of February 2014 for two days at the Campion Centre and on the third day at the neighbouring Monastery of the Carmelite Sisters.

Once again on this third day we were joined by members of the Victorian Branch who were attending their one day Retreat. Fr Gerald guided us with his combination of formidable scholarship and humanity.

On 2 May 2014 St Patrick’s Cathedral was the setting for another event featuring another distinguished member of the Subpriory, namely Frà Richard Divall AO.

Frà Richard, our sole Professed Knight

and Deputy Regent, was awarded a Doctorate in the University of Divinity.

Frà Richard’s doctorate was undertaken in Melbourne’s Catholic Theological College, where two of our Order’s Magistral Chaplains hold positions, namely Mgr Terence Curtin and Fr Brian Boyle.

The thesis was supervised by two eminent scholars.

The first was Professor John Griffiths of Monash University and The University of Melbourne, an authority on Spanish and French Renaissance music, and the world authority on the vihuela, the early Spanish guitar.

The other supervisor was our own Subpriory Chaplain, Rev Professor Gerald O’Collins SJ AC, who, during a career of 35 years at the Gregorian University in Rome, supervised over one hundred doctorates as well as writing seventy books on theology and scripture.

Frà Richard’s doctoral subject was a comprehensive detailed thesis and editions of 39 sacred works for voices and orchestra, composed for the Order of Malta for St John’s Conventual Church in Valletta, by Malta’s national composer Nicolò

Isouard (1773-1818). All of the editions were based on unpublished manuscripts, newly found in France and Belgium. The reports from two international examiners praised the research, all from primary sources, as ground breaking, recognising its important contribution in this field

of music and culture, concerning the history of our Order in eighteenth-century Malta.

On 7 November 2014 the Subpriory lost one of its greatest members when Confrere Dr Nicholas Tonti-Filippini passed into eternal life. My tribute to Nicholas appears on page 5.

SUBPRIORYREPORT OF THE

The Hon Sir James Gobbo AC CVO KGCSG KGCMG(Ob) GCMM

RegentSir James Gobbo AC CVO KGCSG GCMM

Vice-RegentFrà Prof Richard Divall AO OBE

ChaplainRev Prof Gerald O’Collins SJ AC

Knights and Dames in ObedienceDr Damian BensonDr George Boffa OAMAdrian Borg-CardonaKevin Croagh AOJames Dominguez AM CBE KCSGDr Jennifer DunlopRalph Gordon EdwardsProf Mary GaleaLeonie GallagherAmbrose Galvin GCMM Simon GrenfellPaul Grew OAMCol Anthony HeathProf David KissaneAnthony Macken AMDr Ian Marshall AM AE KC*SGLady MurrayDr Nicholas Tonti-Filippini KCSGM

embe

rs o

f th

e Su

bprior

y

(Image: The G

reat Ward of the H

ospital, From the 1584 E

dition of the Statutes)

8

It is with great pleasure that I report on the Hospitaller activities of

the Australian Association in 2014.

The Australian Association continues to increase its local, national and regional hospitaller activities.

Through the Association’s newsletter, published three times a year, we have been regularly informing Members on significant events and projects delivered under the auspices of the Australian Association of the Order of

Malta. We have also included

updates on our projects in Timor-Leste.

Last year we reported on the ground breaking ceremony at the site of the new orphanage at Hera.

Now we can report on the opening of the building which will provide a home to 22 boys.

A separate report on the opening can be found on page 29.

We have also been successful in delivering another pharmaceutical shipment to Timor which is detailed later.

Throughout the year we also reported on the emergency response efforts of the Order following the Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines.

Many Members generously supported this project which provided invaluable aid to affected families.

Over the past twelve months, long-term recovery efforts are underway.

As Members are no doubt aware, there are a number of other significant humanitarian crises across the globe.

The Order of Malta’s International agency, Malteser International has responded to these and throughout the year details of some of their relief work has been uploaded and published on the Australian Association’s website www.orderofmalta.org.au

The Australian Association also worked to strengthen our relationships with the Order’s other associations within our immediate region during the 4th Asia-Pacific Conference which was successfully held in Hong Kong in October.

A report on the Conference can be found on page 43.

Lourdes In addition to our

Charitable works we have also participated in and hosted a number of spiritual events.

The work Members and Volunteers continue to do to bring to many Australians the mystery of Lourdes through the organisation of our special Lourdes Day Mass celebrations has been one of the Association’s real successes.

Details of Lourdes Day Mass celebrations that have been held in Australia in addition to our participation in the annual pilgrimage to Lourdes can be found on pages 40-42.

Coats ProjectMembers and

Supporters have been busy raising funds for our National Coats for the Homeless campaign.

This year we increased our production volume and expanded our distribution network so that we can help more people who find themselves on the street this winter.

This year we distributed 3,000 coats across Australia – a 13% increase on last year. This brings the total number of Coats distributed in the last four years to 9,300.

Thank you everyone who has supported this wonderful campaign.

HOSPITALLERREPORT OF THE NATIONAL

Dr Ian Leitch RFD KMG

10

$21 pays for 3 courses of Amoxicillin, an antibiotic used to treat a wide range of infections, such as pneumonia, middle ear infections, kidney infections and even life threatening conditions such as peritonitis.

$38 pays for a year’s course of Ibuprofen. In a country where most of the work is done in the field by manual labour, muscular aches and pains can be chronically debilitating. This inexpensive anti-inflammatory drug allows the family bread winner to continue working.

$500 supplies an entire clinic with a year’s supply of Paracetamol to provide pain relief for a multitude of possible ailments.

$110 pays for 10 courses of Erythromycin, used to treat whooping cough – a potentially fatal infection.

HOW DONATIONS HELP WITH THE COST OF TREATMENTIN TIMOR-LESTE

Members of the Order distributed coats personally and also worked in conjunction with organisations who regularly work with the homeless to ensure that the Coats are distributed to those who need them.

In October we received the news that the Federal Association, in the U.S., will be launching the Coats for the Homeless project in Chicago this year.

Not only is this wonderful recognition for our project, we are looking to work with the American Association to see if we can combine our production efforts.

This could result in a lower production cost per coat, enabling us to potentially produce and distribute more coats in 2015.

Medicines to Timor-Leste

At the end of April, the Australian Association delivered another consignment of pharmaceuticals to Timor-Leste.

The Order’s Ambassador, David Scarf AM delivered the medicines to the First Lady of Timor-Leste, Dona Isabel Ferreira Ruak in the Presidential Palace, who then presented them to Sisters Cristina and Monica from the Congregation of the Sisters of the Reparation of Our Lady of Fatima.

The Congregation,

11

operate a clinic in a very poor part of the country near the town of Maliana close to the Indonesian border.

Both the First Lady and the Sisters were delighted at the donation of medicines which included Bepanthen Cream, Betadine, Paracetamol, Brufen and Pentavite Multi Gummies – medicines taken for granted in Australia but virtually unattainable there.

There is an ongoing need for medications in

Timor-Leste. As one of the world’s

poorest countries (ranking 162th out of 182 countries in the United Nations Human Development Index), the Timorese are faced with a myriad of health challenges including high maternal and infant mortality, illness and death from preventable diseases, high prevalence of malnutrition, poor reproductive health and poor access to safe water and sanitation.

Currently we are

averaging two shipments a year to clinics in Timor-Leste.

Thank YouAll of these projects

and events that make a real difference to the lives of so many people are only possible thanks to the commitment of Members and the generosity of our supporters.

I hope this and the articles throughout this year’s Australian Hospitaller proves to be inspiring reading.

Image: Map of Australia by Sara Drake - Papier mache and mixed media

Branch & DelegationReports

14

All the Knights and Dames of the Order in the Australian

Capital Territory are to be thanked for their continued enthusiastic participation in activities of the Order both in Canberra and interstate.

We are ably assisted by our resident Magistral Chaplain Fr Peter L’Estrange SJ. During the year we were very privileged to be blessed with a very supportive Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Paul Gallagher, who has recently been promoted and taken up an appointment in Rome.

New aspirants have been coming to our monthly First Friday Masses and shown an interest in the humanitarian work done by the Order here in the ACT as well as interstate and internationally.Coats for the HomelessOn Friday nights in autumn and winter local confreres and consoeurs and university student volunteers, go out into the chilly Canberra nights giving out coats to the homeless.

Some of this activity was in conjunction with the St Vincent de Paul Night Patrol, and some was directly to those at St Columba’s Safe Shelter, Braddon where homeless people are invited to sleep in the church hall.

We also gave out coats through St. John’s Care Reid, Karinya House for Mothers and Babies, the Early Morning Centre Civic, St Paul’s Manuka, St Benedict’s Queanbeyan, and through St Vincent de Paul in the nearby rural town of Cooma.

Cojoint activities with the Maltese Associationthrough our cordial relations with the High Commission of Malta we were invited to participate in the “Bambina” Feast Celebrations of the Maltese Australian Association of Canberra and Queanbeyan in mid September.

The Treasurer, John Vassallo, gave a presentation entitled “The Knights of Malta through Coins and Stamps” where he displayed coins, letters and stamps from the Order’s presence in Malta from the 1700’s, and gave

Australian CapitalTerritory

Dr Jennifer Dunlop DMG(Ob)

a very informative and entertaining speech.

Members were also invited to represent the Order of Malta at the Malta National Day celebrations attended by foreign diplomats and our Apostolic Nuncio; and also at the recent Diplomacy in Art exhibition at the Glass Works showcasing Maltese lace and glass works.

Spiritual ActivitiesThe confreres and

consoeurs in the ACT participate in our monthly First Friday Masses that are celebrated at the monastery of the local Carmelite Sisters, at Xavier House, the Jesuit residence in Canberra, or at St Christopher’s Cathedral.

These Masses are celebrated by our local Magistral Chaplain, Fr Peter L’Estrange SJ, Monsignor John Woods, Administrator of the Archdiocese and the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Paul Gallagher.

We are very grateful for their time and support.

Not only did the Apostolic Nuncio

celebrate Mass for us, but he also gave us a day of his time, just prior to his departure from Australia, for our local Day of Recollection in the Carmelite Monastery.

We enjoyed a deeply spiritual and scriptural discourse as well as hearing first hand his recollections of the last three Popes.

Members also attend similar spiritually nourishing gatherings in Victoria, as well as making and directing private retreats.

This year the Dames in Obedience (of whom there are two in the ACT) will have their inaugural international retreat in Rome, at the end of September.

Local members also support the Cathedral choir’s Sung Vespers with a visible presence and choral participation. Members are active in volunteer work with the local hospice, hospital

The NSW Branch completed a very pleasing 2014 in

undertaking the Missions of our Order; being Defence of the Faith and care of Our Lord’s the Poor and the Sick.

Defence of the FaithThe Defence of the

Faith Working Group, led by Confrere Peter van de Velde, has been actively meeting and progressing various aspects of our Defence of the Faith mission including the Adult Education Program and our lecture series of which His Eminence George

Cardinal Pell AC is the Patron.

The lecture series is aimed at educating the public on topical subjects of our Faith, in a manner that is easily understandable and able to be further simply explained by the attendees.

The third successful Lecture was held on Wednesday evening 26th February, 2014 in St Mary’s Cathedral Crypt the subject being “The Grace of the Sacrament of Reconciliation: Healing for a Broken World”.

The fourth successful

Lecture was held on Wednesday 11th June, 2014 at the University of Notre Dame, the subject being “A Synopsis of some Contemporary Controversies in Bioethics”.

Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP, Conventual Chaplain ad Honorem, has accepted the NSW Branch invitation to deliver the first Lecture in 2015 on the subject of “Bioethics”

We extend our appreciation and gratitude to our lecturers.

Membership Regulations and Commentary Rome 2011

It is pleasing that our Branch Postulants have been actively undertaking their Preparatory Year in compliance with the Order of Malta Regulations and Commentary, Rome 2011 implemented and adopted by the NSW Branch

members. Confrere Mark Boffa’s

excellent leadership, as our Branch Master of Postulants, should guide these Postulants to being successfully admitted to membership.

Gorman House, Darlinghurst

Since 2006 the Order of Malta NSW Branch, working in partnership with St Vincent’s Hospital, has been the lifeline for Gorman House.

Through the generous support of our members, volunteers and benefactors, this vital around-the-clock service remains as a beacon of hope, offering respite and shelter to some of Sydney’s most needy and vulnerable people.

In nine years, the Order of Malta NSW Branch has raised $1.42 million to support Gorman House

New South Wales

David Hall AM KMG

REPORT

15

chaplaincy programmes, acolyte duties, foster care, Ministers of the Eucharist and first aid services.

We are also invited to accompany the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre at its national gathering and Cathedral procession for Palm Sunday Mass.

We reciprocate this honour by inviting these Knights and Dames, Papal Knights and

diplomats to join us for our Patronal Feast of the Birth of St John in the Cathedral, thereby making our gathering a truly international event.

GratitudeWe are grateful for

the prayerful support of so many Confreres and Consoeurs in word and deed, and acknowledge

that this empowers us to honour our commitment made at investiture to Defend the Faith and care for Our Lords the Sick and the Poor

thereby enabling this critical residential drug and alcohol detoxification centre to continue a 7 day-a week facility.

Members and friends of the NSW Branch also volunteer their time to host barbeques at Gorman House three times a week.

This support gives residents an opportunity to socialise without alcohol and drugs and teaches them skills in preparing meals.

Our members and volunteers also attend their Christmas lunch with appropriate presents for all residents.

Gorman House is acutely aware of the disparities in health that are evident for Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders.

To address this, Gorman House staff have

undertaken government approved Aboriginal Cultural Training.

This program is aimed at increasing cultural competencies and improving the delivery of health services to disadvantaged groups within our community

St Joseph’s Hospital, Auburn Palliative Care Unit

The St Joseph’s Hospital, Auburn Palliative Care Unit in western Sydney is located in a very poor demographic area of Sydney and its patients are largely Muslims, Koreans and Chinese.

The Branch commitment was initially to provide volunteers and financial support. Sometime after, 10 Branch members and volunteers undertook and completed

the volunteer orientation course at the Hospital. Unfortunately this weekend volunteer program has been discontinued by the Hospital.

However, our funding commitment continues and the Branch has renewed the offer to provide weekend volunteers should the Hospital reverse its present policy.

The Branch has donated over $55,000 for the purpose of providing facilities and equipment that the Hospital’s budget cannot afford with a continuing annual commitment of $25,000.

These include refurbishing Family and Quiet rooms and supplying morphine pumps, medical beds, medical equipment and aids etc. all of which have affixed the Order of Malta’s charitable works shield depicting the donor.

The NSW Branch’s ongoing relationship with this important Western Suburbs non denominational Palliative Care Unit continues with the Branch working on projects to improve the facilities and operations of this Unit.

Lourdes Day MassArchbishop Fisher,

celebrated, at St Mary’s Cathedral, Mass and Blessing of good health on 29th November, 2014.

The Mass was well attended by members, postulants, candidates, YOOM, the sick, members of the Venerable Order of

St. John and the general public.

The contribution of the YOOM members, as volunteers was again appreciated.

All malades were offered and received a personal Blessing, ministered by one of the celebrants, and were presented with Lourdes Water kindly bottled by our volunteers.

We thank Archbishop Fisher, the Concelebrants and all at St Mary’s Cathedral for making this Mass such a memorable occasion.

Awards for Excellence in Palliative Care

The University of Notre Dame, Australia and the Australian Catholic University annual awards, sponsored by the NSW Branch, to reward students who have demonstrated outstanding knowledge and interest in the area of Palliative Care continued during the year.

YOOM MentoringNSW Branch members

volunteered as mentors to a Young Order of Malta Mentoring evening being for careers in Business and Public Policy.

The evening was well attended by the young and branch members attending as mentors.

Guards of HonourThe NSW Branch

members were honoured, during the year, to provide a robed Guard of Honour

16

Dr Andrew Dorigo, of St Joseph’s Hospital, receiving the cheque from Mr David Hall AM and (from left to right) Members of the Order Dr Robert Costa, Dr George Boffa OAM, and Dr Stephen Quaim.

REPORT

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at St Mary’s Cathedral for each of :-

Deceased Members Deceased members

and their families are always in the prayers and memories of members. During the year the names of Confreres Robert J.F. McInerney and M.J. (John) Phillips were listed on a bronze plaque in honour and memory of NSW Branch deceased members, installed in the Sacred Heart Hospice Chapel that is also the Chapel of NSW Branch members.

Spiritual ActivitiesEstablished Branch

spiritual activities continued as monthly First Friday Choral Vigils at St Mary’s Cathedral, Holy

Installation of the Most Rev Anthony Fisher OP as the ninth Archbishop of Sydney. Members from the Order of Malta were also in attendance and were privileged to provide a Guard of Honour to the Archbishop who is also a Conventual Chaplain ad Honorem of our Order.

Mass before each of our quarterly Branch members meetings, Holy Mass on the Feast Days of both of our Order’s Patrons, Holy Mass in Memory of Deceased Members and their families and the Lourdes Day Mass.

The NSW Branch Day of Reflection was excellently led and inspired by Fr Gerry Gleeson and attended by more than 30 members and guests.

GeneralOther Branch activities

during 2014 also included:

The success of 2014 is attributable to the significant continuing contributions of the NSW Branch Chaplains, Members (including NSW provincial and country cities and towns and especially our Confreres and Consoeurs in the ACT), and Postulants, YOOM, Volunteers, Friends and all with whom our Branch has worked to advance the Missions of our Order.

a Mass of Thanksgiving for, our Order’s Conventual Chaplain, His Eminence, George Cardinal Pell AC Prefect for the new Vatican Secretariat for the Economy;the Installation of Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP as Archbishop of Sydney;Cardinal Clancy RIP whilst laying in State and at his following Mass of Christian Burial;The Mass of Christian Burial for each of our late highly esteemed Branch members, Confreres Robert J.F. McInerney AM

clothing the homeless of Sydney and a wider NSW geographic area with 1,250 specially designed and manufactured all-weather coats for sleeping rough;

CMG KCSG KMG and M.J. (John) Phillips AO KGCSG KMG.

assisting the executives of the Young Order of Malta whom we thank for their support of our Branch activities;advancing our Admissions Program to enhance Branch membership.

Peter Wood KMG

Dr Frances Booth DMG

NewZealand

NorthernTerritory

We in New Zealand continue our support of the

Sisters of Compassion soup kitchen in Wellington’s Tory Street, where breakfast and dinner are served six days a week which continues to be our focus.

On our Order’s major feast days we pay for the evening’s meal and assist by serving the meals or clearing away, doing dishes

In the 4th Century AD, St Augustine wrote “What does love look like?

It has the hands to help others. It has feet to hasten to the poor and needy.

It has eyes to see misery and want. It has ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of mankind.

That is what love looks like.” But he adds, “Charity is no substitute for justice withheld”

or cleaning up afterwards. We are privileged to be

asked to lead the Grace, and to sit with guests as they await their dinner sitting.

Members come away pleased that they have been able to support the Sisters and to live our Mission of caring for the sick and the poor.

We believe our contribution (and that of our Order) meets in some

The sub branch of the Sovereign Order of Malta had its beginnings in the Northern Territory in 2012 in a small formal group that came together for the eventual purpose of forming an N.T. Branch.

At that time there were three members of the Australian association of SMOM residing in the Northern Territory.

In March 2015, we are five active members and

small way one of the Archbishop’s priorities for the Archdiocese - reaching out to those who live in poverty and are vulnerable.

We are asked to see the suffering Christ in the homeless, addicted, in refugees, indigenous peoples, the isolated and abandoned elderly, victims of human trafficking, women in situations of exclusion and domestic violence.

one postulant meeting regularly.

One other member moved to Melbourne at the end of 2014. Our spiritual director is Bishop Eugene Hurley, Bishop of Darwin.

Some of our activities are as follows:

Articles by members have been submitted and published in UNITY, the quarterly magazine of the N.T., Diocese of Darwin.

These cover a wide

We were saddened that our member James (Jim) Coyle passed away in December 2013.

Jim was devoted to his church, his family and social justice. His contribution to the local Church (most particularly with building programmes) was recognised by the award of the Benemerenti Medal.

We extend our sorrow and prayers to Jim’s family.

Members were pleased to be able to meet with a confrere from the Grand Priory of Bohemia who was working in Wellington over the summer.

We welcomed the opportunity to share experiences especially about the many different ways that the Order delivers its mission.

variety of topics, such as Christian Courage; Reviving Compassion: What are we doing for our Aboriginal brothers and sisters in Prison?; The Separation of Church and State; and What does it all mean?

The lives of several saints have been presented at meetings.

The Lourdes project bringing one of our Indigenous from Wadeye (Port Keats) is slowly in gaining traction.

A Retreat was organised with Fr Raass at St Mary’s Cathedral in December 2014.

The sub-branch has been working hard to launch the Catholic Advocacy Service project.

The Catholic Advocacy Service is offered by a group of volunteers and

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REPORT

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Members of the Order of Malta in NT to the most vulnerable and marginalised members of the our society.

The services include administrative assistance to the unwell, old, poorly educated and illiterate, by helping the complete forms that Government agencies require.

The project also

includes social support and encouragement through referral to a formalised network of Government and Catholic Agencies, such as Centrelink and CatholicCare NT as well as assisting submissions to the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly on amendments to legislation and/or bill proposals impacting the poor.

The project’s mission is to live out the Gospel in “serving our Lords the poor and the sick.”

The service is aimed to promote equal justice by defending the sanctity of life and human justice.

In January, 2015, three members of the sub-branch accompanied Confreres David Scarf (Ambassador, Timor-Leste), SMOM

President Ian Marshall, and NSW Hospitaller Dr Robert Costa to Dili, Timor-Leste.

On returning from Dili, the sub-branch has committed to further assist with the collection and transport of several items nominated by the Sisters of St Paul de Chartres.

These include simple clothing (for cold weather especially) 3-8 years; beginner reading material in English, not Portuguese or the local Tetum; short stories for the same age group; exercise books and pens; posters of fruit, foods, anatomy in English; teaching toys; small satchels; for the novices – white tee shirts with short sleeves (size 6-10), as well as clean surgical dressings for tropical sores.

Jim Varghese AM KMGQueensland

2014 was again a fulfilling and busy year for the

Queensland Branch,

Lourdes Healing Mass

On Saturday 3 May, the Queensland Branch celebrated its annual Lourdes Healing Mass at St. Pashcal’s Church, Wavell Heights.

This special Mass of

Reflection is celebrated for those who are in need of comfort, care, healing and hope, and for their carers.

It is an expression of the Order’s mission to defend the Faith and give comfort to the sick and the poor. We are again indebted to Rev Fr Gerard McMorrow for his generous support and provision of his parish church, St Paschal’s.

Coats for the Homeless Program

In April, Members of the Order in Queensland hosted a Fundraising Breakfast for the Coats for the Homeless project. The annual Fundraiser, which is now in its third year, was attended by 140 people, including guest speaker Mayor Paul Pisasale.

Mayor Paul Pisasale’s

speech expressed great enthusiasm for the project and he pledged his ongoing support to its future promotion.

However the highlight was undoubtedly his unexpected announcement that Ipswich City Council would make a $20,000 donation to the Coats for the Homeless Campaign

The Queensland Branch would like to thank everyone who supported this event.

Other activitiesThe Queensland

Branch in 2014 has continued our commitments to supporting relief and medical care activities in Timor-Leste and our northern neighbour, Papua New Guinea.

South Australia

The Hon Gregory Crafter AO KMG

Members in South Australia have been preparing to

welcome our Confreres and Consoeurs to Adelaide over the weekend of 19-21 June for the Australian Association’s National Assembly.

The theme we have been working towards for the 2015 Assembly derives from Pope Francis’ Exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium - “The Joy of the Gospel”.

This theme, which will pervade all presentations, will be specifically related to this concept.

During the Assembly we will have an opportunity

to reflect on these matters and to consider how, as members of a lay religious Order, we can continue to contribute to the works of the Order, both in Australia and our region.

It has previously been noted that Evangelii Gaudium could have been written specifically for the Order of Malta.

Rev Dr. Denis Edwards, an internationally acclaimed theologian, will be the Assembly’s Keynote speaker and session facilitator.

Fr Denis is a senior lecturer at both the Australian Catholic University and the School

20

of Theology at Flinders University.

Fr Denis will play a central role in the first day of the Assembly, as he helps us to understand Evangelii Gaudium and its application to the works of the Order.

South Australian members continue to play an active role in the world around them, in Adelaide, throughout South Australia and beyond.

Members and volunteers continue the Order’s association with the Adelaide Day Centre for Homeless Persons providing evening meals to the homeless in Adelaide.

We have also continued to raise funds for the purchase of coats for the homeless. Coats purchased were distributed through three charities dedicated to providing care for the homeless.

Members, volunteers and friends also participated in the annual Lourdes Day Mass, celebrated at St Francis Xavier’s Cathedral on 11th February. This event continues to grow in support amongst the Adelaide community.

The South Australian Branch, through the efforts of Alick Haddad and Dr Ian Leitch RFD, continues to source, pack and send pharmaceuticals for medical clinics, conducted by religious congregations in Timor – Leste.

A highlight on the South Australian Branch’s spiritual calendar is the annual retreat at the Jesuit Retreat House La Storta at Sevenhill, in the Clare Valley. The retreat provides an opportunity for members to strengthen and deepen their faith.

The branch has also continued our financial support of local and regional seminaries as well as the Australian Military Vicariate.

In 2014, members of the Queensland branch once again sponsored, as they have for many years, an Order of Malta Prize in

the ACU School of Nursing to be awarded to Palliative Care student.

The Prize is awarded to the Bachelor of Nursing and Paramedicine student who obtains the highest mark in a written assignment in a Nursing unit focusing on the nursing care of patients

receiving palliative care. The recipient must also

demonstrate a high level of competence, responsibility and concern in their caring for palliative care patients

I would like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to His Grace Archbishop Coleridge for his support of the works

of our Branch, and our Magistral Chaplains, Very Rev Ken Howell and Rev Fr Morgan Batt, for their devoted ministry to our Branch and their spiritual and practical assistance for the work of the Order.

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8+2Thailand

Adrian Borg Cardona KMG

An Evening of Reflection attended by Members,

aspirants and friends of the Order took place just few weeks before Easter.

The evening started with Mass at St Louis’ Church, Bangkok and was followed by a two part discussion with Fr Carlo Velardo SDB combining the Easter theme with the works of the Order.

The evening was well received and Members requested for another Evening of Reflection which will be held later in the year. At the beginning of the evening, aspirants were introduced to Fr Carlo and the Members of the Order.

This year we have worked to encourage family, friends and colleagues to get to know

the Order’s charitable works locally and overseas.

Between 2-5th May, 2015, three members of the Order as well as family and friends attended Lourdes, where they joined fellow Members of the Australian Association.

The Members were inspired by their visit and will continue to encourage others to join the 2015 Pilgrimage to Lourdes.

Before arriving in Lourdes, Members and friends took the opportunity to celebrate the Canonization of Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II in Rome.

On 25 May, Members, aspirants and friends of the Order, visited the Sisters of the Good Shepherd at their convent in Bangkok to study the project “Mothers and Babies”.

For many years the Sisters have been looking after single mothers and their babies, giving them both moral and financial support.

During the visit Dr Virachai, on behalf of Members, presented gifts and a donation of 30,000 Thai Baht ($A1,000.00) to Sr. Aphinya.

On Saturday 21 June, Members and friends visited the House of Angels at Nonthaburi, just outside Bangkok.

The morning commenced with mass at the Our Lady of Mercy Church presided by Fr Carlo and was followed by the visit to Angels House run by Sr Angela and 3 House Mothers where they look after severely handicap children.

It was an inspiration

how happy the children were and what a gift they are regardless of their disabilities.

Members donated gifts and a cash donation of 30,000 baht ($1,000.00), to help Sister Angela continue and her volunteers.

On 3 September, Members and friends gathered at St. Louis’ Church, Sathorn Road, Bangkok to celebrate our bi-monthly mass and to present Fr Carlo a framed certificate of his appointment as Magistral Chaplain of the Order of Malta.

By coincidence 3 September was also Fr Carlo’s 37th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood.

The final bi-monthly meeting took place in November.

Group

22

In reciting the following line in the Prayer of the Order, that “the Lord has

seen fit to enlist us for His service among the Knights and Dames of St John”, we recognize that an all-seeing God is proposing to our free will that it is in our Order dedicated to His Forerunner, that the gifts God has given us should be well used to promote His Glory.

The Members, Aspirants, and Volunteers of the Victorian Branch continue to work promoting God’s Glory.

Throughout the year, the energy of all has seen the Victorian Branch continue the success of our Branch’s projects.

In particular, the efforts of Sir James Gobbo and Alicia Deak, along with the many enrolled Volunteers from Newman College, Mannix College and students from Australian Catholic University’s Sir Thomas Moore Law School who again participated in the Branch’s Coats for the Homeless project.

Throughout the months between April and September rostered Members and Volunteers spent three to four nights each week travelling with St Vincent de Paul Soup vans and visiting strategic locations in Melbourne places often frequented by the homeless.

At each stop Members and Volunteers took time to meet, talk and get to know those who are often some of the poorest of the poor in our State’s capital city and handed out coats to those who were either homeless or at high risk of becoming homeless.

Our teams have also continued to reach out to those in Dandenong thanks

VictoriaDr Damian Benson KMG(Ob) CMM

Above: The Most Rev Terry Curtin and Most Rev Mark Edwards OMI, following their Episcopal Ordination as Auxiliary Bishops of Melbourne. Bishop Curtin was ordained Titular Bishop of Cabarsussi and Bishop Edwards as Titular Bishop of Garba. Right: A Lourdes Mass with the Little Sisters of the Poor and residents of St Joseph’s Home. Mass was celebrated by Fr Gerald Collins SJ AC and Fr Michael Sims MSC.

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to the work of volunteers from Mannix College and capably led by Confrere Gordon Edwards.

Spiritual ActivitiesAs is the custom in

Victoria, the first of the year’s spiritual activities was our Annual Retreat on Saturday 1 March at the Carmelite Monastery in Kew.

We were again led though our Retreat by Magistral Chaplain and Principal Chaplain of the Subpriory, Fr Gerald O’Collins SJ AC.

The second occasion was the St John’s Day Mass at St Patrick’s Cathedral, celebrated by Archbishop Denis Hart, Conventual Chaplain ad honorem.

The third major spiritual occasion for the Order was the Philerme Mass at Newman College Chapel where Victorian Members and their families were again joined by members of the Maltese Community in Melbourne.

The fourth was our Mass of Recollection, on Sunday 9 November, to remember and pray for the deceased Members of the Order. This mass is a particularly special Mass for Members and an opportunity to extend a welcoming hand to the families of deceased Members

In addition, Members and Aspirants attended Vigil Masses during the year and our continued commitment to bring the mystery of Lourdes to Victorians saw Members attend eight Lourdes Masses at nursing homes and aged care centres throughout suburban Melbourne.

The work undertaken by Confrere David and Consoeur Terry Blackwell to arrange the eight Lourdes Masses, although extremely time consuming, elicits an emotional response from Members and nursing home residents alike as each share in the history and mystery of Our Lady’s apparitions to St Bernadette Soubirous in 1858.Palliative Care

The Order’s direct involvement as one of three partners continues in Eastern Palliative Care (EPC), the largest home based Palliative Care agency in Victoria. Ten Members of the Order serve on the Board of EPC or its committees. Another ten Members or spouses are trained volunteers in the Biography Program and other Members and spouses are engaged in fundraising for EPC.

The Order continued its prizes for excellence in

Palliative Care at Melbourne University and at Australian Catholic University.

Support ActivitiesAnother successful

Film Premiere supported by members and friends resulted in funds being raised for EPC.

This year Members and their guests joined together to watch “My Old Lady”, staring Kevin Kline, Maggie Smith and Kristin Scott-Thomas.

Lady Gobbo was again able to secure another magnificent image for the Branch’s Christmas Card, always an image of Our Lady, the infant Jesus and his cousin, our Patron Saint John the Baptist. Cards were sold for the benefit of the Order’s hospitaller work.

CongratulationsOn 21 November

Archbishop Hart announced that Msgr Terry Curtin had been appointed by Pope Francis as a new Auxiliary Bishop of Melbourne.

Bishop Curtin is a Magistral Chaplain to the Order and a well known an educator and pastor.

Bishop Curtin has also been Episcopal Vicar for the Eastern Region of the Archdiocese Melbourne.

Bishop Curtin was ordained together with Bishop Mark Edwards OMI on 17 December.

I extend our best wishes

to our Archdiocese’s new Bishop and thank Bishop Curtin for his dedication and service to our Order. We look forward to his continued support.

ThanksI thank all the Members

of the Order in Victoria for their strong commitment to the Order’s works of charity and its spiritual activities.

I also thank Confrere Scott Samson and his wife Alisia for the outstanding design and presentation of the Australian Association’s annual publication, the Australian Hospitaller for 2013.

Last year’s publication celebrating the 900th Anniversary of Pope Pascal II’s Bull on 1113, Pie postulatio voluntatis, provides us all with an opportunity to focus on the document itself and the new layout has received an extremely warm reception, from all who received a copy.

I also thank our Chaplains, the spouses and friends of Members for their continued support.

Finally I thank our three Magistral Chaplains Bishop Terry Curtin, Fr Gerald O’Collins SJ and Fr Brian Boyle and I thank the Carmelite Sisters at Kew for their cheerful hospitality and friendship and above all for their prayers.

Western Australian Members have continued to

represent the Order within our community.

Coats for the Homeless Program

Our volunteers and members have again participated in the national Coats for the Homeless program and we were busy throughout winter distributing coats to the homeless at the Shopfront, Maylands and the Holy Spirit of Freedom Community Outreach Ministry.

We commenced our distribution with an earlier start as soon as the cooler weather set in.

The Shopfront, an agency of the Catholic Archdiocese of Perth

working to relieve poverty and suffering in an environment that offers practical assistance, fellowship and hospitality, wrote to Western Australian members after our visit and stated:

“We received 11 boxes of twelve coats, excellent as they have been asking for them.

Please thank your fellow Knights of Malta very much for their generous donation.

I am sure they have saved the lives of a few people sleeping rough.”

Helping organisations like the Shopfront, a service run predominately by a team of volunteers, gives the Western Australian members of the Order great encouragement that the

WesternAustralia

Coats for the Homeless program continues to make an impact.

The Shopfront’s letter made mention that three people were sent away in an Ambulance for medical care suffering pneumonia.

We will continue to generously support this program, knowing that each coat has been warmly accepted and that they are well worn.

Healing Mass & Anointing of the Sick

The Mass for the Sick, which again co-sponsored with the Catholic Doctors Association of Western Australia.

The Mass was celebrated for the third time in St Mary’s Cathedral by Archbishop Timothy Costello and the Cathedral clergy on 25 May.

The Mass was very well attended and included the anointing the sick and the distribution of bottles of Lourdes Water to the members of the congregation.

With an increase in the numbers now attending the Mass, this year we actually ran out of bottled Lourdes water.

Dr Michael Shanahan KMG

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AU

STRALI

AN ASSOCIATIO

N

1974 - 201

4

AU

STRALI

AN ASSOCIATIO

N

40th

Anniversary

1974 - 201

4

25

26

The first Knights of St John to approach “Terra Australis” and

to sail in the Pacific Ocean were with the Spanish and Portuguese navigators of the sixteenth century.

So it would come as no surprise that over the course of its 900 year old history that the Order of Malta would wish to see Australian-born Knights, an Australian Association and eventually even an Australian Subpriory established on the Great Southern land.

The history of the Order’s establishment of the Australian Association and the Subpriory of the Assumption is intrinsically linked to the initial activities and enthusiasm of one family, the Australian/New

Member’s Biography:Knight of Honour and Devotion - January 1, 1973Knight of Honour and Devotion in Obedience - May 22, 1978Grand Officer pro Merito Melitensi - May 22, 1978Knight Grand Cross of Honour and Devotion in Obedience - February 18, 1979Grand Cross pro Merito Melitensi - March 2, 2005

Recalling The early Years of the Australian AssociationAn interview with Ambrose Galvin KGCHD(Ob) GCMM

Zealand Galvin family.The Galvin’s have had

long and distinguished service within the Order of Malta.

Tasmanian-born Sir John Galvin, Bailiff Knight Grand Cross of Honour and Devotion in Obedience was, during the 1970s, Grand Hospitaller of the Order.

Sir John was one of three siblings in his family to be admitted as members of the Order.

Sir John’s sister Mary and youngest brother, Ambrose both joined Sir John in the ranks of the Order.

Ambrose Galvin, the youngest of seven children and one of the few born in Australia, became the first Australian-resident Knight

Frà Angelo de Mojana di Cologna, 77th Prince and Grand Master from 1962 to 1988, issued the decree of 18 October, 1974, establishing the Australian Association.

of the Order of Malta.Ambrose recalls the

events surrounding his admission into the Order as if it were yesterday:

“On 27 April, 1973, I was received by the Grand Chancellor of the Order, HE Quintin Jermy Gwyn, Bailiff Knight Grand Cross of Honour and Devotion in Obedience and the Master of Ceremonies of the Grand Magistry, HE the Venerable Bailiff Knight Grand Cross of Justice, Frà Hubert Pallavicini in the ante-chamber of a small salon at the Magistral Palace.

These two dignitaries of the Order escorted me into the presence of HMEH the Prince and Grand Master, Frà Angelo de Mojana di Cologna, who invested me

AUST

RALIAN ASSOCIATION

40thAnniversary1974 - 2014

40th ANNIVERSARY

Ambrose Galvin and his sister, Mary Moore being presented to Grand Master Frà Angelo de Mojana di Cologna at the Villa del Priorato di Malta, on Rome’s Aventine Hill. Background photo is of the Villa del Priorato di Malta. The Villa is home to the Grand Priory of Rome and also hosts the Embassy of the Order of Malta to Italy.

as a Knight of Honour and Devotion.”

It was during his audience with Grand Master de Mojana di Cologna, recalls Ambrose, that the Grand Master made the suggestion that he would like to see an Australian Association be established.

As the Grand Master put it, “Australia was the only continent where the Order did not already flourish.”

One year later, in July 1974, two further members of the Galvin family, Mary Moore and Very Rev. Fr Peter Galvin OP were admitted into the Order.

Mary became the first Australian-born Dame of the Order, as a Dame of Honour and Devotion;

Fr Peter as a Magistral Chaplain.

“It was a few months later, on 28 September 1974, that a provisional meeting was held in Sydney of members of the Order then living in Australia who were classified as in gremio religionis (under the direct authority of the Grand Master),” recalls Ambrose.

It was shortly following the meeting in Sydney that a decree, enacted on 18 October, 1974, by the Grand Master, established the Australian Association.

In order to meet with the requirements of the Order’s Statutes and rules pertaining to the formation of National Associations, the Galvins had to bring together a minimum of 15 members to satisfy the rules.

The original 15 foundation members of the Australian Association were surgeons Halley Beckett and Lionel Lockwood CBE, NSW

Supreme Court Justice Dennis Mahoney QC, NSW Solicitor General Reginald Marr DFC QC, barristers William Deane QC and James Gobbo, barrister and professor of law Prof Daniel O’Connell, artist and portrait painter Paul Fitzgerald, noted antiquarian Dr Nicolai Savoy-Soubotian, Magistral Chaplains Mgr James Delaney and Fr Peter Galvin OP, Dr Ernest and Mrs Anne Kirby, as well as Mary Moore, and Ambrose Galvin.

Seven members were from New South Wales, six from Victoria and two from South Australia.

Over the proceeding

40 years the Australian Association has seen well over 300 members admitted to the Order.

AU

STRALI

AN ASSOCIATION

40th

Anniversary

1974 - 201

4

28

2014 SNAPSHOT

Third Class - Sixth Category (Donatus of Devotion)

Third Class - Fifth Category (Knights and Dames of Magistral Grace)

Third Class - Fourth Category (Magistral Chaplains)

Third Class - Third Category (Knights and Dames of Grace and Devotion)

joined 1973 - 1984

Growth of the Association

2040

6080

100120140160180

29 36

88

190

joined 1985 - 1994

joined 1995 - 2004joined 2005 - 2014

Third Class - Second Category (Conventual Chaplains ad honorem)

Third Class - First Category (Knights and Dames of Honour and Devotion)

Second Class (Knights and Dames in Obedience)

First Class (Knights of Justice and Conventual Chaplains)

The Australian Association of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta

1

153

21

7

1

20

21158

163

19%

81%

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On 29 April an Inauguration Ceremony was

held for the opening of a new orphanage in Hera.

The construction of the orphanage was funded by Members and friends of the Order of Malta and is operated by the Dominican Sisters of Timor-Leste.

The ceremony was attended by the First lady of Timor-Leste, Srª Isabel Ferreira Ruak, Father Santiago Gonzalez OP and Members of the Order, Ambassador David Scarf AM and Confrere Collin

Yap, who identified the project and raised the money to fund the build through Members of the Order in Singapore.

The orphanage is home to 22 boys from the ages of 8 to 26 years. The new building is a stark contrast to their previous home on the same site – a zinc roofed dormitory with incomplete bathrooms and toilets and where the children slept two to a single sponge mattress on the floor.

Farming and crop growing were already

underway at the site, providing the Orphanage with food security and developing practical skills amongst the children.

Without the Orphanage, it is likely that many of the children would be living on the street.

Thankfully these children are able to finish high school, with some going on to University.

In addition to the orphanage providing a loving home for the children, it will also seek to develop the surrounding community through

employment, training and economic development.

The success of this project has been due to the efforts of Confrere Collin Yap, a Member of the Australian Association who is the only Member of the Order based in Timor-Leste.

Collin identified the project and raised the money to finance the building through Members of the Order in Singapore and their friends.

New OrphaNage OpeNed iN hera, TimOr-LesTe

NEWS

SOVEREIGN MILITARY ORDER OF MALTA

NewsIreland’s First Knight of Justice in 500 years

FROM2014

30

SOVEREIGN MILITARY ORDER OF MALTANEWS

Dublin was this year the site of an occasion of major historic significance.

The occasion was the admission of solemn vows as a Knight of Justice by Frà Dr Paul Caffrey, art historian and lecturer at Ireland’s National College of Art and Design.

The significance was that the last time Ireland saw something like this was before the Reformation.

The ceremony at St Kevin’s Church on 26 July, 214 was filled with symbolism and tradition. The knights and dames were dressed in their black church robes with white Maltese cross. Those representing the Order’s ambulance corps in Ireland were in full uniform.

The Order established its first priory in 1174 at Kilmainham, Dublin.

Before the Order was

suppressed in 1558, it had established a vast network of hospitals and hostels, primarily across the counties of Leinster and Munster.

All of the Order’s holdings were seized during the Reformation, and it was not until 1934 that the Order of Malta was re-established in Ireland as a charitable organisation and ambulance corps.

Today, the Order has more than 4,000 volunteers in 80 locations throughout Ireland.

Dressed in red tunic, emblazoned with the Order’s white cross, Frà Paul knelt before the Grand Master, who inquired: ‘Noble sir, what do you ask?’

‘I ask, my Lord, to be counted and enrolled in the Military Order of the Knights of the Religion of St John of Jerusalem.’

After vowing to ‘have particular care and concern for those who are poor, dispossessed, orphaned, sick and suffering’, Frà Paul was presented with an unsheathed sword.

The Grand Master then struck Paul’s left shoulder three times with the sabre as ‘a token of your final humiliation in death’.

Brandishing the sword as a symbolic ‘threat to the enemies of the faith’, Frà Paul received a pair of golden spurs which two knights touched against his feet. The Grand Master explained that the spurs, being ‘worn on the lowest part of the body’, are a reminder that ‘you should always hold gold in contempt and never allow any greed or avarice to corrupt you throughout your life’.

The ceremony witnessed in St Kevin’s

Church was no different to that which was last performed in Ireland 500 years ago.

At the end of Mass the essence of the administration of the solemn vow to a Knight of Justice is made public.

As the Knight of Justice received his habit, the Grand Master urged him to, ‘wear it as a penance for your sins, bearing in mind that from this time until the end of your life you must follow the virtues’.

Beyond the ceremony, the occasion was about one humble man giving witness to his faith and vowing, in all circumstances, to defend ‘the poor and the sick’.

It was a profound expression of fidelity to something noble and good, something to which so few now dedicate their lives.

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The Chapter General of the Order was held in Rome to elect the government members for the next five-year term

Presided over by the Grand Master, Frà Matthew Festing, the Chapter General of the Sovereign Order of Malta was held in Rome on 30 and 31 May.

The Chapter General is convened every five years to elect the members of the Sovereign Council (the Government of the Order), the Government Council and the members of the Board of Auditors. Frà Ludwig Hoffmann von Rumerstein was elected as Grand Commander, Albrecht von Boeselager was elected as Grand Chancellor, Head of the Executive Branch and Foreign Minister, whereas Dominique de la Rochefoucauld-Montbel and Janos von Esterhazy de Galantha, have been elected as Grand Hospitaller (the Order’s Minister of Health and of International Cooperation) and as the Receiver of the Common Treasure respectively.

The Grand Master Frà’ Matthew Festing expressed his satisfaction at the conclusion:

“I am confident that the expertise of the senior members elected to these important strategic posts in the government of the Sovereign Order of Malta will contribute great value as we move forward in this century of significant challenges – social, humanitarian and spiritual – in the 120 countries where we work.

I send my best wishes to the newly elected members for their important tasks.”

Sixty-one representatives of the Order participated in the Chapter General from five continents, including 28 of the Order’s religious, members of the executive branch and heads of the major national bodies.

Grand Commander :H.E. Frà Ludwig Hoffmann von RumersteinGrand Chancellor;H.E. Albrecht Freiherr von BoeselagerGrand Hospitaller:H.E. Dominique Prince de La Rochefoucauld-Montbel Receiver of the Common TreasureH.E. Count János Esterházy de Galántha

Members of the Sovereign Council:H.E. Frà John E. CritienH.E. Frà John T. DunlapH.E. Frà Duncan GallieH.E. Frà Emmanuel RousseauH.E. Winfried Graf Henckel von DonnersmarckH.E. Geoffrey D. Gamble

Members of the Government Council:Ruy Gonçalo do Valle Peixoto de Villas BoasJean-Louis MainguyFranz Graf von Harnoncourt-UnverzagtJuan Tomás O’Naghten y ChacónSimon GrenfellMauro Bertero Gutiérrez

Members of the Board of Auditors:President:Dominicus Freiherr von und zu MentzingenMembers:Bruno de Seguins Pazzis d’AubignanLancelot d’UrselFabrizio ColonnaAlternates:Niels LorijnJustin Simpson

The Sovereign Military Order of Malta’s CHAPTER GENERAL 2014

Australian Association Member and Knight of Magistral Grace in Obedience, Simon Grenfell has been elected to the Order’s Government Council.

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Grand Commander (Superior of the Religious Members)H.E. the Venerable Bailiff Frà Ludwig Hoffmann von RumersteinBorn in Innsbruck on January 21, 1937, Frà Ludwig studied in Innsbruck at the Faculty of Law, and graduated in the spring of 1962. He then studied philosophy at the Università Gregoriana in Rome. After military service, he trained as a Lawyer, a profession which he practised from 1970 to 2002 in Innsbruck. In 1968 he was one of the founders of Malteser Hilfedienst in North Tyrol, the Austrian volunteers Corps of the Order, and of Malteser Hospitaldienst Austria (MHDA). Between 1971 and 1979 he led the Innsbruck group of volunteers, and between 1977 and 1979 he was Commander. From 1979 to 1986 he was on the board of directors of MHDA. For four years he was in charge of the MHDA hospital train for the pilgrimages to Lourdes. He entered the Order in 1970, becoming a Professed Knight in 1984. Frà Ludwig was elected member of the Sovereign Council by the Chapter General of 1984 and was appointed Grand Commander of the Order by the Chapter General of 1994, position he held until 2004.

Receiver of the Common Treasure (Minister of Budget and Finance)H.E. János Count Esterházy de GalánthaKnight of Honour and Devotion in ObedienceBorn on May 21st 1951 in Ering am Inn, Germany, János Esterházy de Galántha is married and has two children. He is a graduate of the Golden Gate University School of International Management, San Francisco, (M.B.A.), the University of Virginia, School of Law, (LL.M.) and the Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Faculty of Law, where he was admitted to the German Bar. He was educated at the Jesuit College St. Blasien. He was a Board Member of the German-American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham Germany) from 1994 to 2003 and is a founding board member of the Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker-Gesellschaft in Switzerland. From 1985 to 2011, he worked in a multinational U.S Fortune 50 Corporation in various management functions. Since 2012, he is a partner in an international law and consultant firm with offices in Germany and Switzerland. He was admitted into the Order in 1983 and became a Knight in Obedience in 2014. He served the German Association’s Ambulance Corps (Malteser Hilfsdienst – MHD) from 1997 to 2000, the Board of Auditors from 2009 until 2011, was General Secretary of the Common Treasure from 2011 to 2014 and has been Commissioner of the Italian Association since 2011.

Grand Chancellor (Head of the Executive and Minister of Foreign Affairs)H.E. Albrecht Freiherr von BoeselagerBailiff Grand Cross of Honour and Devotion in ObedienceAlbrecht von Boeselager was born on October 4, 1949 in Kreuzberg/Ahr near Bonn; he is married, and has 5 children. He was educated in Bonn at the Jesuit college Aloisiuskolleg and graduated in Law in 1974 after studies in Bonn, Geneva and Freiburg. From 1968 to 1970 he served in the military as reserve Lieutenant and from 1976 to 1990 he worked as a professional lawyer. He was admitted to the Order in 1976, and in 1985 became a Knight in Obedience. From 1982 to 2014 Albrecht was Chancellor of the German Association of the Order and a member of the Executive Committee of the German Association’s Ambulance Corps (Malteser Hilfsdienst – MHD). Elected member of the Sovereign Council as Grand Hospitaller in 1989, re-elected in 1994, in 1999, in 2004 and in 2009. Member of the Pontificium Consilium Cor Unum from 1994 to 2005 and member of the Papal Council of the Pastoral for Health-Care Operators since 1990.

Grand Hospitaller (Minister of Health and of International Cooperation)H.E. Dominique Prince de La Rochefoucauld-MontbelGrand Cross of Honour and Devotion in ObedienceBorn on 6 July 1950 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, he is married with three children. He was educated at Worth School (Crawley, Great Britain) and later at Collège Champittet in Lausanne and Lycée Florimont in Geneva (Switzerland). He finished his studies at the Institut Supérieur du Commerce of Paris. From 1975 to 2004 he pursued a career in financial transactions, mainly in exchange transactions and on the gold market. Since 2003 he has managed a real-estate consultancy service and real-estate assets management company. He is administrator of the Société des amis du Musée de la Légion d’honneur (Paris). He was admitted into the Order in 1982 and became a Knight in Obedience in 2008. Administrator of the Orders French Association since 1994, then Vice-president from 1997 to 2000, he was elected as its President from 2001 to 2014. Administrator since 1997 of the Order’s Œuvres Hospitalières Françaises, he was its Vice-president since 2012 as well as Vice-president of the Order’s French Foundation since 2008. From 2009 to 2014 he was Vice-chairman of the Holy Family Hospital in Bethlehem and, since 2010, member of the Order’s International Hospitaller Committee (ICHOM – Rome).

33

NEWS

28

AND THE ORDER OF MALTA

THE GREAT

WAR

Distribution of blankets and supplies from a Hospital Train (Lazarettzug) run by the Grand Priory of Bohemia and Austria on the Isonzo Front.

Grand Masters Frà Giovanni Battista Ceschi a Santa Croce (1879-1905) and Frà Galeas von Thun und Hohenstein (1905-1931) oversaw a period a great expansion in the Order’s modern hospitaller activities.

Above: Hospital Train (Lazarettzug) run by the Rhineland-Westphalian Association. Below: The 41st Auxiliary Hospital, located close to the town of Verdun, run by the French Association.

THE GREAT WAR

35

This year the world marked the 100th anniversary of the

outbreak of the Great War. By the end of hostilities

there were very few people in the countries that took part who remained unaffected. The war reached out and touched almost everyone’s life in one way or another.

Children grew up in the shadow of battle, their fathers absent or lost. Women became directly involved, picking up the pieces of industry and agriculture as the men went off to fight.

By 1918, they too could join the army and serve their country. Throughout the war both men and women, the old and the young, served in the hospitals of the front and

at the infirmaries and repatriation centres at home.

Like so many throughout Europe, the Knights and Dames of the Order of Malta faced the horrors of the Great War front on. Keeping true to its battlefield hospitaller mission established during the continental wars of the late nineteenth century, the Order did not flee the fighting and saw its greatest opportunity to again contribute as one of the earliest proponents of humanitarian service.

Fifty years before the Great War, the Order had reconnected with its earlier medical history.

Beginning with the establishment of associations in Rhineland-Westphalia (established

36

1 2 3

1. Prince Franz of Liechtenstein

2. Count Johann Hardegg, Prince Grand Prior of the Grand Priory of Bohemia and Austria

3. Prince Klemens Wenzel von Metternick

Prince Franz of Liechtenstein

Dom Miguel, Duke of Braganza

Knights and Dames, as well as nursing sisters and orderlies pose outside of a hospital train (Lazarettzug) run by the Grand Priory of Bohemia and Austria.

THE GREAT WAR

37

in 1859) and Silesia (established in 1869), Knights of the Order led direct hospitaller activities during the Second Schleswig War of 1864 between Denmark, Prussia and Austria.

The Order’s hospitaller mobilisation was occurring during a period when organised, voluntary medical aid to combatants was in its infancy and the original Geneva Convention (1864) was on the verge of agreement by the European powers.

During the war, the two German associations mobilised hundreds of hospital orderlies, nursing sisters and military chaplains, and organised the setting up and manning of numerous field hospitals.

Battlefield hospitaller activities further increased during the Austro-Prussian War of 1866 and the

Franco-Prussian War of 1870, to the extent that nearly a third of all German-speaking wounded during the war of 1870 were cared for through the services of the Order of Malta.

In 1864, the field hospital established at Flensburg during the Schleswig War was developed into a permanent civil hospital, with several more were opened by the German associations throughout the following years.

Within the same period, knights throughout the Italian Peninsular had opened and maintained an operating theatre in 1859 within the Hospital for Incurables in Naples.

Over this period the expansion of the Order’s battlefield hospitaller activities paralleled with the growth of the Red Cross.

Following initial discussions in 1864 between the Order and the Red Cross, both saw advantages in collaboration.

This led the Order to send representation to the second International Conference of the Red Cross in 1869, with the Order’s envoy being

received as the delegate of a sovereign power.

By the turn of the century seven associations had been established throughout Western Europe, each actively undertaking greater hospitaller roles.

In 1910 the French Association founded a hospital for the care of

On-board chapel surrounded by patients beds within a carriage of a hospital train (Lazarettzug) run by the Grand Priory of Bohemia and Austria. Throughout the war the Grand Priory maintained eight hospital trains,

Austro-Hungarian officers and a medical orderly pose with Count Johann Hardegg in front of an ambulance run by the Grand Priory of Bohemia and Austria.

38

the wounded in wartime, and shortly afterwards the Italian Association distinguished itself by its service in the Tripolitanian war of 1911, in which the Order’s hospital ship the Regina Margherita transported and cared for 12,000 wounded.

The Great War began on 28 July 1914 with Austria-Hungary’s declaration of war with Serbia.

It began in Europe but quickly spread throughout the world. Australia entered the war with Britain’s decision to enter the fray on 4 August 1914.

Following the outbreak of war, the Order’s Grand Magistry and the eight national associations responded by declaring neutrality and promoting its activities in the care of the wounded in wartime, whether civil or military.

The associations supplied hospitaller services and transportation across the three fronts and within all conflict areas across Europe, reacting to

the different circumstances presented by each front of the war.

The Great War provided the catalyst for extensive hospitaller activity in each of the combatant countries.

In Germany knights of the Rhenish-Westphalian Association and the Silesian Association administered two hospital trains, nine hospitals and numerous infirmaries, besides organising the collaboration of some sixty Catholic religious communities and hundreds of military chaplains.

In Austria eight hospital trains were maintained, besides field infirmaries, three hospitals and four convalescent houses.

In Italy the Order’s services included four hospital trains, a field hospital, another hospital for the gravely wounded, and various medical posts.

In France the Association’s military hospital functioned for four years in the most exposed part of the western front, especially providing care

Above: A western front medical and surgical outpost maintained by the French Association. Below: Two Knights of the Grand Priory of Bohemia and Austria pose with a chaplain, officers and orderlies in front of a hospital train (Lazarettzug) at Strakonice, Bohemia.

An officer and nursing staff in front of a field hospital run by the Grand Priory of Bohemia and Austria. The Grand Priory maintained numerous field infirmaries, three hospitals and four convalescent houses thoughout the war.

to those in the battle for Verdun.

By armistice day 1918, the Order’s numerous associations had provided

transportation, evacuation and medical care for over 800,000 wounded civilian and military personnel. A contribution to remember.

THE GREAT WAR

39

Wounded Austro-Hungarian soldiers, nursing staff and a galley kitchen aboard a hospital train (Lazarettzug) run by the Grand Priory of Bohemia and Austria. Each train carried approximately 150 patients. Over the course of the war, the Grand Priory’s trains made 1351 trips from the front, carrying 202,650 wounded or invalided soldiers.

The Lourdes Day Mass, held on Saturday 6th December, is well established on the Melbourne calendar.

Again this year, on Saturday 6 December, thousands of people gathered in St Patrick’s Cathedral, many of them infirm or aged, to pray, to celebrate the Mass, and to open themselves to God’s grace.

We would all welcome healing from the afflictions that are part of life, but for many their main prayer is for the peace of mind and soul that Christ offers; and all welcome the faith, hope and love that are nourished by the liturgy and the Eucharist.

The Order of Malta is honoured to join with many from the Archdiocese of Melbourne in organising the event each year.

The Development Office, the Dean, priests and staff of the Cathedral, the musicians, ground staff, etc. are all needed to give life to an event of this nature.

Members of the Order, students from Newman College, Genazzano, Loreto Mandeville Hall, Xavier College and De La Salle College also contributed.

The hard work that goes into the day bears spiritual fruit, as worshippers gather from all parts of Melbourne to pray for those who are sick or infirm, to strengthen their faith in the Divine purpose that underlies all life, and to thank God for the blessings that have been showered on each one of us.

Archbishop Denis Hart again led the celebration of the Mass, supported by

40

chaplains from the Order of Malta, priests of the Cathedral and Fr Tony Kerin, Episcopal Vicar for Justice and Social Service.

After blessing the congregation with Lourdes water before the final blessing, the Archbishop and other celebrants gathered outside the Cathedral after Mass to offer individual blessings – there were long lines for these.

Many also took the opportunity to congratulate Bishop-elect Monsignor Terry Curtain, a chaplain of the Order.

Participation in the Mass was enriched by the music – Marian hymns resonated throughout the Cathedral; harpist Peter Roberts set the tone before Mass, and the cantor’s Ave Verum Corpus and Panis Angelicus were heard in

respectful and enriched silence.

Helen Burt and Sr Toni Matha ibvm, joined members of the Order of Malta in the offertory procession.

Members of the Order of Malta and their chaplains will again be organising Lourdes Masses in aged care residences throughout the year, but these celebrations do not seem to reduce the interest in the annual Mass at St Patrick’s.

Not everyone can visit Lourdes, where Our Lady appeared to St Bernadette in 1858, but many in the Melbourne Catholic community are keen to share in the blessings that flow from that time and place.

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MELBOURNE

BRINGING LOURDES TO AUSTRALIANS

Denis Fitzgerald KMG

LOURDES

On Saturday 29th November, over 500 people attended the Order’s annual Lourdes Day Mass in Sydney at St Mary’s Cathedral.

The Principal Celebrant was the newly installed Archbishop of Sydney, Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP.

On Saturday 3rd May, Queensland members celebrated their annual Lourdes Healing Mass at St. Pashcal’s Church, Wavell Heights.

Bottles of Lourdes water were distributed throughout the congregation and blessings were imparted during Mass.

On 11th February Members in South Australia hosted Lourdes Day Mass celebrations at St Francis Xavier Cathedral. Despite the temperature on the day reaching 42c, the Mass was well attended.

Archbishop Wilson celebrated the Mass with representatives from hospitals, aged care and other health services participating.

41

Photos courtesy of G

iovanni Portelli, 2014.

SYDNEY

BRISBANE

ADELAIDE

42

Dr Ian Marshall AM AE KC*SG KGCMG(Ob)

A total of some 50 pilgrims, under the Australian banner,

attended Lourdes in 2014. There were representatives from Australia, Hong Kong and Thailand and we were joined once again by friends from South Africa.

We are grateful to Fr Anthony Robbie, recently appointed a Conventual Chaplain ad honorem who joined us from Rome as our spiritual leader and he in turn was assisted by Fr Noel Rucastle, from Cape Town who concelebrated our opening Australian Mass.

Our thanks to our Administrative Assistant, Christopher Schaffer, a young SMOM Auxillary from Queensland who was a tremendous help and no doubt will have life long memories of the pilgrimage.

A major highlight was the participation of His Beatitude Bechara Boutros Al Rai March, the Maronite Patriarch of Lebanon and the Middle East, who accompanied the Lebanese delegation to Lourdes.

He presided at the International Sunday Mass and delivered his forceful homily in Arabic (and French with English subtitles) which was simultaneously beamed on TV widely throughout the Arab world; linking all of those present in Lourdes to the troubles of the Church in the Middle East, and to “all those of any faith and in any place… who live in the midst of violence, injustice, hunger, and all manner of human misunderstanding caused by… smallness and selfishness”.

An outstanding international diplomatic exercise by the Order.

As usual we were closely involved with the Irish contingent participating in all their activities which was much appreciated.

The President of the Irish Association, HE Sir Adrian FitzGerald recorded his personal thanks to our “splendid team who gave such splendid help in Lourdes” and looks forward to our traditional involvement again in 2015 with the Irish Association.

PILGRIMAGE TO LOURDES

2014

43

The 4th Asia-Pacific Conference was successfully held

in Hong Kong in October with the theme “Following Francis”: firstly following His Holiness Pope Francis, who promised to pray for China daily when he was given a statuette of Our Lady of Sheshan by Cardinal John Tong.

Secondly, following St Francis Xavier who followed in the footsteps of the Portuguese traders and died on the Island of Sancian off the coast of China on 2 December 1552, at the young age of forty-six with his heart and face turned towards mainland China. .

It was presided over by their Excellencies the Grand Chancellor and the Grand Hospitaller.

Other attendees included from the Grand Magistry, Simon Grenfell, Member of Government Council and Fr Anthony Robbie, the Regional Ambassadors and representatives of the regional Associations (Philippines, Singapore, Australia) and regional Delegations (Thailand and Hong Kong), representatives of countries of interest including South Korea, Timor-Leste, the operational regional entities

of the Order: Malteser international, CIOMAL and Order of Malta Francaise .

The attendance of Confrere HE Tom Condon, Ambassador-Elect to Micronesia, Kiribati and the Marshall Islands broadened the regional scope of the discussions.

Delegates were starting to look as far afield as India when discussing the state of the Church and possible future roles for the Order.

Australia as the host Association chaired the conference but our thanks and gratitude go to our Hong Kong confreres, under the chairmanship of Confrere Dr Denis Chang QC SC CBE, and the keen organising committee whose members included Consoeur Teresa Lam, Confrere Thomas Wong (Hospitaller), Confrere Joseph Hui (Treasurer) and Confrere Peter Lee. .

Their organisational skills and inherent hospitality were two key ingredients in the conference’s success.

Australia was well represented with very active participants and this is presented in detail in the formal proceedings of the Conference, distilled from the extensive recorded material.

All present were conscious of the historic

significance of the locality and timing of the Conference.

We were privileged to be briefed by His Lordship Bishop Michael Yeung, Bishop of Hong Kong, Magistral Chaplain in Hong Kong, who has subsequently been elevated to the rank of Conventual Chaplain ad honorem and Msgr Ante Jozic, Head of the Holy See Study Mission in Hong Kong, on the attitude to religion and the regional status of Church, and the possible future role of the Order in the region. This was invaluable to the regional Ambassadors.

A nascent group has been formed in South Korea to launch and slowly develop the Order in that country, where Catholicism has such a fascinating history as Pope Francis recently emphasised.

A session on Bioethics (Bioethics was adopted as a Core Activity of the Order at the Strategic

Seminar in Venice in 2009) was introduced for the first time at an Asia Pacific Conference.

It generated lively discussion and is obviously a subject of importance to many members. Australia was unfortunately singled out as a source of some of the most pernicious secular legislation in the world.

It also generated a determination amongst some to be more militant with Tuitio Fidei

We were delighted to welcome four new members invested during the conference; Consoeur Sophie Mensdorff-Pouilly and Confreres Alphonse Mensdorff-Pouilly, Dr Peter Ah Yeung and Dr Baldwin Chang.

This was undoubtedly an historic milestone in the history of the Order in the Asia-Pacific region.

The Grand Chancellor has expressed a keen interest in holding a fifth – with a time and place to be determined.

CONFERENCEREPORT ON THE 4TH ASIA-PACIFIC

Dr Ian Marshall AM AE KC*SG KGCMG(Ob)

ASIA-PACIFIC CONFERENCE

BooksRecent books on the history, art and architecture on the Order of Malta available for you to look out for.

Austrian Knights of Malta – Relations Malta-Austria

1530-1798 is the result of a combined effort by historians Robert L. Dauber and Michael Galea.

Among the Knights of the Order of St John that ruled Malta from 1530 to 1798, there was quite a

large number who came from Austrian territories.

Although they held important posts in diplomacy, naval and military forces and the government of Malta throughout the rule of the Order, the important roles played by the Austrian Knights have not yet been studied in sufficient depth.

Their geographical and personal connections with the Austrian-Hapsburg House and the German Emperors had a special

significance for Malta.In this respect, this

is the first publication of its kind to deal entirely and extensively with this subject.

The book includes a comprehensive review of relations between Malta and Austria in diverse spheres of activity, as well as 10 detailed biographies that span the 268 years during which the Knights, themselves a cosmopolitan and eminently European society, ruled Malta.

Austrian Knights of Malta by Robert L. Dauber and Michael Galea.221 pages, $23.55

More than Hapsburg influenceChapel of Germany, St John’s Co-Cathedral, Valletta, Malta.

Be they a Fürst (Prince), Graf (Count), Freiherr (Baron), Ritter (Knight) of the Holy Roman Empire, once enrolled as a knight of the Order of Malta, their influence expanded across boarders, gained great influence at the court and played important roles in the military, politics and diplomacy.

44

BOOKS

Caravaggio’s sojourn on the island of Malta in 1607-08 is

one of the most fascinating episodes in Baroque art.

The painter had committed a murder in Rome in May 1606 and subsequently fled to Naples, where he soon became well-known for his gritty, naturalistic altarpieces.

Suddenly, in the early summer of 1607, he decided to leave his

The Art of Fortress Building in Hospitaller Malta seeks to

illustrate how the Order and their military engineers went about designing, building, repairing and arming their defensive works throughout their rule over Malta.

It seeks to provide an insight into the engineering, architectural and organisational aspects of fortification projects

thriving Neapolitan studio for the newly built city of Valletta, the headquarters of the Knights of Malta.

The chance to obtain a knighthood and redeem himself for his Roman crime was no doubt foremost in his mind. Written by two leading authorities in the field, this richly illustrated book tells the story of Caravaggio’s voyage to Malta, his interactions with the Knights and their Grand Master, Alof de Wignacourt, and the magnificent paintings he made for them.

Among the works he produced on the island are the Beheading of St John

within the Maltese and Order contexts, examining the nature of the local building materials, tools and techniques and administrative problems that the Order’s engineers had to contend with in the implementation of fortress schemes.

The book follows the construction of a fortification through its many stages, from the moment it was conceived during the deliberations of the Order’s Council down to the finishing of its barrack fixtures and its provisioning with weapons and munitions.

Caravaggio – Art, Knighthood & Maltaby David M. Stone and Keith Sciberras150 pages, $53.34

The Art of Fortress Building in Hospitaller Maltaby Stephen C. Spiter614 pages, $191.88

Painting for the Knights

Sandcastles creating fortresses

On 29th November 1607 Grand Master de Wignacourt wrote to his ambassador in Rome instructing him to request a papal brief that would grant him permission to invest ‘a person favoured by us’ (una persona anoi ben vista) with the habit of Magistral Obedience. For a short period of time Caravaggio the painter was once a Knight of Malta.

On 29th November 1607 Grand Master de Wignacourt wrote to his ambassador in Rome instructing him to request a papal brief that would grant him permission to invest ‘a person favoured by us’ (una persona anoi ben vista) with the habit of Magistral Obedience. For a short period of time, Caravaggio the painter was once a Knight of Malta.

45

the Baptist - his largest and only signed picture - and the St Jerome Writing, a canvas of exceptional psychological force.

The book presents new iconographic, technical, and stylistic analyses of all of the Maltese pictures as well as two chapters devoted to discussions of Caravaggio’s importance in the history of art and the chronological problems in his late works.

Based on original archival research, this study also includes an account of Caravaggio’s crime in Malta, his imprisonment, and his daring escape to Sicily.

It also looks at the workforce and the workshops and examines the roles of the Order’s engineers, craftsmen and labourers employed on a fortress construction site.

This study draws heavily on the rich archives of the Order and includes how the knights themselves recorded such activities.

It also includes information drawn from archival documentation to the physical evidence itself, wherever this still exists and includes plans, photos and hundreds of illustrations.

Mattia Preti’s 40-year-long stay in Malta is undoubtedly

the most significant such residence by an artist.

Not only was he to introduce the late baroque style of painting in Malta, but his prolific output reached almost every corner of the islands and thus made sure that the Maltese would get this style into their DNA.

Cynthia de Giorgio’s book is the latest publication to hit the market, and it continues in the fine manner of the best of the previous books, helped in no small way by the excellent photography of Joe P. Borg, who has been making a great name

for himself by the high standard of his output

Although de Giorgio, who is the curator of St John’s Co-Cathedral and Museum, says that she has set out to study the iconography of the saints and heroes of the Order as depicted by the artist between 1658 and 1698, the scope of the book is really much wider.

This is because this covers the greater part of Preti’s output, and so the book ends up being an assessment of almost his entire local oeuvre and certainly his most significant work.

It also makes sure that it gives particular importance to the glorious frescoed ceiling of St John’s, which Preti painted free of charge in gratitude for his acceptance into the Order, an aim he had been pursuing since November 1641.

One bonus of the

Mattia Preti: Saints And Heroes For The Knights Of Malta by Cynthia De Giorgi144 pages, $80.07

publication is that it is accompanied by a large poster of the vault for the reader to lay out in front of him and cherish at leisure.

Can the Paint Brush be mightier than the Sword?

46

One man’s brush captured in paint the Litany of Saints remembered by our illustrious Order.

“Each very exhaustive and authoritative entry gives the history of the painting”

A good bonus is an excellent, concise biography of Preti which succeeds in explaining the milieu of the artist and which, for many, will by itself justify the cost of the book.

And then there is also a very clearly-written account and explanation of the development of the cult of saints in Catholic Europe.

Saints and their iconographic depiction in Catholic churches became

St James by Mattia Preti was restored in 2010 under the initiative of The St John’s Co-Cathedral Foundation. Works were entrusted to Giuseppe Mantella Restauri.

BOOKS

Book prices are based on prices sourced by online book price comparator Booko. For more info visit: www.booko.com.au

45

“Preti painted free of charge in gratitude for his acceptance into the Order, an aim he had been pursuing since November 1641.”

a very important means of reinforcing the faith.

The Counter-Reformation stressed that artists were to have a leading role in the fight against Protestant minimalism.

By Preti’s time the baroque style had mellowed and developed, while the new cult of saints reached a climax with the canonisation of five saints of the Counter-Reformation in 1622.

The vault paintings of St John’s were indeed a superb visiting card by Preti, in which he showed his mastery of his particular approach to the fresco medium, also his profound understanding of the new Council of Trent directives.

It is ironic that while the vault of St John’s was Preti’s first great commission in Malta, the last major commission was to be the refurbishment of the oratory which was finished in 1685.

Of course, he had carried out numerous commissions in the meantime and he continued to work almost till his very death in 1699 with the help of a very active bottega.

Preti was predominantly a religious painter, and only less than a handful of his secular paintings survive. De Giorgio excellently sums up his oeuvre and calls him “a philosopher-artist who realised in pictorial terms the religious fervour which the Counter-Reformation Church wanted to portray”.

The second part of the book consists of an anthology of Preti’s saints and heroes, which lists in chronological order 69 of the paintings that depict these subjects.

Each very exhaustive and authoritative entry gives the history of the painting, an artistic assessment and lush details and legends connected with the particular saint’s life. It is a section that will be often delved in by critics, not to mention students of the history of art.

The final short section is an account of the history of the restorations that the vault paintings have undergone since the very first one in 1868 by Ignazio Cortis – a disastrous one indeed, whose extraneous interventions were removed by Cesare Brandi between 1959 and 1962.

The latest minimal interventions by Giuseppe Mantella, which started in August 2012, have revealed the original vibrant colours and brush strokes.

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The Malteserstadt

Few people are aware of the significance of the German

town of Heitersheim in the early modern history of the Order of Malta. Heitersheim, often referred to as the “principality” of the Knights of St. John, was the twin State to the islands of Malta at a time when the Order held territorial sovereignty over the islands.

Modern day Heitersheim lies between the German city of Freiburg and the Swiss city of Basle, within sight of the Upper Black Forest.

Heitersheim is an ancient town, established during the Roman occupation of Germania with evidence of Roman

villas and fortifications throughout the area.

By the late Middle Ages, a commandery of the Order had developed in and around Heitersheim.

In 1428 the commandery became the seat of the German Grand Prior of the Order.

The Grand Prior’s role was to function as a kind of mediating authority between the whole of the German langue and the government of the Order, which later was to establish itself in Malta.

However, it was only in 1505 that the decision to set up a residence was actually carried out.

Gradually an attractive residential castle, surrounded by a moat, was

built. Because of his many

successful military exploits against the Muslim forces in the Mediterranean, the Swabian knight and later Grand Prior of the Order in Germany, Georg Schilling von Cannstatt was given the title of Prince by the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V.

With the title came the right to sit in the Imperial Diet or the Reichstag (Reichsfürstenrat). Schilling von Cannstatt had been instrumental when Charles V gave Malta as a fief to the Order.

In this way Heitersheim became a kind of principality.

Like the Grand Masters of Malta, the Princes of

HISTORY

Heitersheim were allowed to unite their family coat-of-arms with that of the Order.

Later, both coat-of-arms were decorated with a crown closed with rings, originally a symbol of princely or royal sovereignty.

With the seizure of Malta by Napoleon and later the mediatisation and secularisation of the Holy Roman Empire, the Prince-Grand Prior of Germany lost feudal title to Heitersheim and with Napoleon’s blessing the Grand Duke of Baden became ruler over Heitersheim.

The last Prince-Grand Prior of Germany received a pension and, unlike the last Grand Master in Malta,

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the Prince-Grand Prior was allowed to continue to reside at Heitersheim palace.

In 1806, the red flag with the white cross was lowered in Heitersheim for the last time.

When the principality was abolished in 1806, the former palace fell into decline.

It was scarcely inhabited and only the most necessary repairs were carried out by its new owners, the Grand Duchy of Baden.

In 1893 sections of the former palace were purchased by the Order of the Sisters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul and converted into a home for the education and

employment of girls. Over time the remaining

sections of the palace and surrounding buildings were acquire.

In 1907 the entire palace precint was owned by the Sisters.

In 1967, large areas of the eastern grounds of the palace were developed as a sheltered workshop and since 1971 the buildings have operated as a school for disabled children.

In 1985, the Sisters converted a large section of the palace into a nursing home for elderly members of their Order and in 1990 undertook to establish an agricultural self-sufficiency program, utilising more than 30 hectares of field.

The Sisters have

opened the former palace to visitors and run guided tours.

In the vaulted cellars of the old chancellery of the principality one can visit a museum dedicated to the Order of Malta and its associated history at Heitersheim.

The museum is open from April to November and there are free tours through the castle and the museum every first Sunday of the month or with advance reservation.

Visitors can visit the garden and the atrium all year long.

During the summer the museum is open on Sundays, holidays and Wednesdays.

Heitersheim or the

“Malteserstadt” (the town of the Knights of Malta), as it is often referred to in German, has a population of approximately 5,000 residents who are proud of their tradition of having been a territory of the Order.

The local vineyards surrounding Heitersheim are also referred to as the Maltesergarten and the town’s coat-of-arms is similar to the emblem of the Order’s Hospitaller activities – the white eight-pointed cross on a red background.

Heitersheim is well worth a visit if your are planning to visit the Upper Black Forest area of Germany.

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The town of Heitersheim is located approximately 3 hours drive from Frankfurt, Germany and half an hour from Basel, Switzerland. Trains run hourly from Frankfurt and every 30 minutes from Basel. The Old Palace is a 30 minute walk from Heitersheim’s train station. Tours are held at 3pm.

HOW TO GET THERE:

The Order’s website in Australia: www.orderofmalta.org.au

The Order’s international website: www.orderofmalta.int

The Malteser International website: www.malteser-international.org

Sandro Botticelli: Adoration of the Magi, Florence, Uffizi Galley.

ORDER OF MALTAAUSTRALIA

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