Chev. Prof. Charles Savona-Ventura

MD, DScMed, FRCOG, Acc.COG, MRCPI, KCLJ, CMLJ, BCrLJ

Hospitaller & HistorianGrand Priory of the Maltese IslandsMilitary & Hospitaller Order of St.

Lazarus of Jerusalem

“NorthWynds” 7 Antonio Zammit Street,

Gharghur GHR2040, MaltaEmail: charles.savona-ventura@um.edu.mt

4th February 2013

Hospitaller’s ReportIncorporating affiliate: Order of Charity

2012

The Hospitaller activities of the Grand Priory during 2012 were centred towards supporting several charitable institutions and individuals. The Grand Priory of the Maltese Islands is a relatively small national jurisdiction of just under 90 members reflecting the country’s restricted population. In spite of its size, it has managed during 2012 to raise and donate a significant sum to various philantropic organizations with particular emphasis with the age-long association to help victims of Hansen’s disease on an international scale. During 2012, the Grand Priory together with its philantropic affiliate the Order of Charity donated a total of €28106 to various needy causes.

Victims of Hansen’s disease [Leprosy]

1. The main activities relating to helping the victims of Hansen’s disease have been taken over by the affiliate of the Grand Priory – called the Order of Charity. The Order of Charity has about 1600 members who through their regular donations enable the regular support of a number of internationally-based and Maltese-sponsored organisations working directly with lepers to ameliorate their lives. During 2012, the Order of Charity donated a total sum of €17300. This sum included donations amounting to €10800

made to 12 international organizations and further donations to Maltese missionaries working with lepers overseas amounting to a total of €3600. An augmented donation of €1900 was made to the Medical Missionaries of Mary to support their new projects [see below]. A further €1000 was given to two local surviving lepers to help with their social and medical support. The Grand Priory supports fully the activities of its affiliate, both through direct financial donations and through administrative support.

Financial account of the donations made by the Order of Charity Leprosy Mission (United Kingdom) €900 Lepra British Relief Association (United Kingdom) €900 St Francis Leprosy Guild (United Kingdom) €900 Leprosy Mission International (United Kingdom) €900 Sisters of St Peter Claver (United Kingdom) €900 Association Française Roaul Follereau (France) €900 Amici Roaul Follereau (Italy) €900 American Leprosy Mission (United States of America) €900 Damien-Dutton Society (United States of America) €900 Damien Foundation (Belgium) €900 CIOMAL (Ordre de Malte, Geneva, Switzerland) €900 Leprosy Work Emmaus (Switzerland) €900

Patri Ugolino Xerri (Missjoni Frangiskana Konventwali) €900 Patri Joe Alessandro (Missjoni Frangiskana Kapuccini) €900 Sr Ann Catania (Missjoni Filippini) €900 Fr Gorg Grima (Gesu fil-Proxxmu; Missjoni tal-Etijopja) €900 Medical Missionaries of Mary (Ireland) €1900

Donation to two local surviving lepers €1,000

2. To further assist the fight against leprosy and support the Order of Charity’s drive to obtain funds, the Grand Priory has helped organise and support a number of dedicated activities including:

a. An Exhibition of Good Friday Statutes Tableau depicting Christ’s Passion through the Stages of the Cross during the Easter Period set up by Confrere Dr. Chev. Victor Camilleri.

During the exhibition, which was also visited by the President of the Republic H.S. Dr. G. Abela, donations to the amount of €820 were received. These were forwarded to the Order of Charity.

Photo showing H.E. the President of the Republic Dr. George Abela [centre], and Chev. Anthony Cutajar Administrative

chairman of the Order of Charity [left] and Chev. V. Camilleri [right].

b. A lecture about the history of leprosy in Malta followed by a fund-raising dinner was organised in the last weekend of January to commemorate World Leprosy Day. The event managed to collect a total of €400 which was forwarded to the Order of Charity.

c. Even more gratifying was the support undertaken by the Grand Priory towards two old Maltese surviving victims of this dreaded disease. While now completely cured and living in the community, the brother and sister couple who contracted the disease in childhood and were immediately segregated in the Leprosarium to be eventually released in adulthood. They still carry all the stigmata of their disease. They were helped directly with a donation of €473 from the Charitable Fund of the Grand Priory to help purchase medications and necessary equipment to help them deal with their disability. The Grand Priory has decided to “adopt” these individuals and seek ways to further ameliorate their last years of life. The Order of Charity contributed a further donation of €1000 to these two individuals.

Medical Missionaries of Mary3. The Medical Missionaries of Mary [MMM] is an organization of

Catholic Sisters with religious vows located in 13 countries in

Africa, Europe and the Americas. The Motherhouse is in the historic town of Drogheda, on the east coast of Ireland; while the administrative headquarters are located at the Congregational Centre in Dublin. The Sisters are qualified in a wide range of health care professions, or other skillsets that support this effort, such as business administration. MMM is today composed of about 400 women who come from 20 different nationalities. The Order includes two Maltese sisters – one a specialist gynaecologist, the other a midwife – who work with the MMM’s mission in Africa. The wide range of health services is provided by MMM Sisters and co-workers is holistic - this may involve complicated surgery in hospitals, keeping up to date with the latest advances in anti-retroviral therapies for HIV, or in palliative care for those who are chronically or terminally ill. The control of Hansen's disease has also been a goal for more than six decades – http://www.medicalmissionariesofmary.com.

The Grand Priory of the Maltese Islands, through its medical members including the Hospitaller Chev. Prof. C. Savona-Ventura and Deputy Hospitaller Dr. J. Debono, has had a long association with the Maltese members of the Medical Missionaries of Mary having served in earlier years as colleagues together. In earlier years, the Grand Priory donated an ultrasound machine to assist in the obstetric care of the circa 170 deliveries annually carried out in the centre of the MMM community at Zaffé in the Republic of Benin, established as a new mission in the year 2000. The MMM has also been the beneficiary of annual donation from the Grand Priory’s affiliate – the Order of Charity – receiving the sum of €1750 during 2010-11.

This year, the Grand Priory was approached by MMM to directly assist the mission in Tanzania at Makiungu Hospital. In June 2012, a trailer with medical supplies was compiled and sent to the mission. The Grand Priory financially supported the endeavour with a donation of €4217.94. Other surgical and medical items were obtained gratuitously from pharmaceutical and instruments importers through the efforts of the Deputy Hospitaller and other members of the Grand Priory. The Order of Charity further donated MMM the sum of €1900 to assist in the management of patients suffering from Hansen’s disease in the region.

MMM Services in Tanzania

Container being prepared for transport to Tanzania

In October 2012, the MMM initiated a project to start a new Mission in South Sudan. This was to be managed by the Maltese sister Irene Balzan who joined MMM in 1993. Fund-raising activities were initiated and the sum of €1001 was donated towards this end.

Sister Irene Balzan receiving the donation from the Grand Prior Chev. Joseph Pace

with H.E. Archbishop Paul Cremona and other Grand Priory members onlooking

MMM planned hospital in South Sudan

Patriarch’s Appeal for Syrian crisis4. The Grand Priory had immediately responded with a donation of

€2000 to H.B. Patriarch Gregorios III's appeal to support the

efforts to help the displaced and stricken persons following the Syrian crisis.

Assistance to individuals in need5. Assistance was also given to individual families in social or medical

needs. The donations in this respect amounted to a sum of €751.55. The assistance involved the purchase of a fridge for a needy refugee Somali family and to assist the family whose member was suffering from malignancy and receiving treatment overseas.

Other philanthropic activities

6. The International Blue Cross required help to enable the shipping of 20 sewing machines and 2 knitting machines from the U.K. to Uganda to help support a skills training program centered outside Kampala in Fort Portal. The project was organised by the Uganda Blue Cross delegate H.E. Ntenga Moses; while the donated sewing and knitting machines were from “Tools with a Mission”. The British Blue Cross Envoys H.E. Barbara Nyagomo and H.E. Sylvia Latim are helping from the UK side, and Ms Sylvia Latim Envoy to Eastern Africa travelled from the UK and was at the Fort Portal training centre when the shipment is received. The International Blue Cross is an international NGO (based in U.K.). The Grand Priory made a donation of €263.16 to help with the costs of shipment.

7. Dame Alda Fosberry had the needs of the Salesians' Boys Brigade very close to her heart and after her death bequeathed a substantial proportion of her holdings to the Brigade. To honour this generous lady, the Grand Priory donated a nominal token of €100 to the Salesians' Boys Brigade.

8. In December 2012, the Grand Priory organized an Art Auction with the specific aim of collecting charitable funds to support the work of UMTAL - the Society for the Transport of Sick to Lourdes, an initiative proposed by the Archbishop of Malta Mgr. Paul Cremona. A donation of €2000 was eventually be made to this Society.

The Archbishop with Grand Prior and other members of the Grand

Priory during the Art auction.

The Archbishop with Grand Prior and other members of the Grand Priory during presentation. Also present Dr. M. Mejlaq

representing UMTAL

9. During December 2012, the Grand Priory members participated in the national fund-raising campaign and further donated a total of €1500 towards the Malta Community Chest Fund, a national charity organised under the auspices of the President of the Republic of Malta with the aim of helping philanthropic organisations and individuals in need.

Members of the Grand Priory helping in the Malta Community Chest Fund

10. The Grand Priory of the Maltese Islands has continued to mirror the download facility for an electronic copy of the useful publication entitled “A Caregiver's Guide - A handbook about the end of life care” published by the Grand Priory of Canada of the Order and The Palliative Care Association of Alberta.

11. The Grand Priory of the Maltese Islands [through its Almoner who is a professional Health Inspector] has continued to support the consultancy service on Health & Safety and Food Safety & Hygiene to the Park of Friendship, run by the NGO INSPIRE at Marsascala, Malta who provides services for people with disabilities.