Almost the Entire (?) Order of Malta Appeals to the Pope Against the Reform He Wants. Here Is the Letter

Francis's attempt at destroying the Order of Malta is being resisted.

From Settimo Cielo

By Sandro Magister

(2021 Annual Report German Association of the Order of Malta)

Plea for a lawful and effective reform process to avoid a possible break-up of the Order of Malta

12th August 2022

Your Holiness, beloved Holy Father, dear Pope Francis,

We write to Your Holiness with heavy hearts. As presidents of national associations of the Order of Malta, we represent 90% of the work led by the Order worldwide. We write to you because we are deeply concerned about the future of our beloved Order.

In 2017, Your Holiness entrusted a committee, now led by Cardinal Tomasi, with the task of the spiritual renewal of the Order of Malta.

If the draft constitution proposed by Cardinal Tomasi remains in its current state, it is unlikely that this goal will be achieved. On the contrary, if the Order of Malta is reformed in the proposed way, the Order would suffer massive damage, and its many works might get into difficulties. We refer to the work of about 80,000 volunteers and 42,000 permanent employees worldwide who engage in helping the poor, the sick, the old, the disabled, the excluded and the migrants all over the world.

Our work is currently organized and led responsibly by 13,400 lay members, men and ladies worldwide. Cardinal Tomasi's current draft recommends removing this responsibility from lay members and instead giving organizational control to 36 Professed Knights (men with the vows of Chastity, Poverty and Obedience). While these Professed Knights are valuable members to the Order, it is not feasible that the work of over 13,000 heavily engaged people can be fulfilled by less than forty people, who do not have the experience or qualifications to responsibly manage an organization of that scale.

We, therefore, plead to Your Holiness to allow the newly appointed Lieutenant of the Grand Master Fra 'John Dunlap, together with the elected Government and your delegate to reunite the Order and to work with all its members in good faith towards determining the most appropriate canonical structure for the Order of Malta under its valid constitution and code without arbitrary interference.

This approach will facilitate the creation of a new Constitution and Code that will enjoy broad support within the Order while also fitting the current canonical requirements of the Church. We strongly believe that this will further and enable the spiritual renewal that we so deeply desire and that was the original aim for the order.

United in prayer we remain your devoted

Belgian Association:
Comte t'KINT de ROODENBEKE, President
Email:   henry at roodenbeke.be

English Association:
Lady Celestria HALES, President
Email:   president at orderofmalta.org.uk

French Association:
Comte de BEAUMONT-BEYNAC, President
Email:   president.assoc at ordredemaltefrance.or…

German Association:
Dr. Erich Prinz von LOBKOWICZ, President
Email:   agi at maxlrain.de

Hong Kong Association:
Desiree JEBSEN, President
Email:   president at orderofmalta.org.hk

Hungarian Association:
Kristóf de SZABADHEGŸ de CSALLÖKÖZMEGYERCS, President
Email:   szabadhegy.kristof at maltai.hu

Lebanese Association:
M. Marwan SEHNAOUI, President
Email:   marwan at sehnaoui.org

The Netherlands Association:
Joris AM baron van VOORST tot VOORST, President
Email:   jorisvvtv at gmail.com

Philippine Association:
Doña Josephine E. BANTUG, President
Email:   jebantug at gmail.com

Portuguese Association:
Dr. Antonio Luis CALHEIROS de NORONHA de ALMEIDA FERRAZ, President
Email:   president at ordemdemaltaportugal.org et   acfer at sapo.pt

Scandinavian Association:
Mme Benedicta Lindberg, President
Email:   president at malteserorden.se

Singapore Association:
Mme Rose LU SOO YING, President
Email:   roseluloh at gmail.com

Spanish Association:
Fr Ramon ALVAREZ de TOLEDO y ALVAREZ de BUYLLA, Conde de SANTA OLALLA, President
Email:   president at ordendemalta.es