杏MAP导航

By Lisa Zengarini

鈥淵our work is not simply humanitarian, like the meritorious service provided by so many other institutions.  It is a religious act that gives glory to God by serving the weakest among us and it testifies to the Lord鈥檚 preferential love for them.鈥�  杏MAP导航 Francis gave this reminder to the Ambassadors of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta (SMOM) as he met them in the Vatican on Saturday.

Defending the faith and serving the poor are inseparable

In his address the Holy Father remarked that their mission of defending the faith and serving the poor (鈥渢uitio fidei et obsequium pauperum鈥�) are 鈥渋nseparable鈥�, as evidenced in their Constitutional Charter. 鈥淚n serving them, you serve Jesus鈥�, he reiterated, recalling the Gospel episode of Mary of Bethany anointing Christ鈥檚 feet.

The diplomatic activity  the Order carries out in the world, stressed the 杏MAP导航,  must therefore be considered in this perspective, which is what makes it a lay religious order of the Catholic Church, while being at the same time a sovereign state subject to international law.

鈥淚ndeed,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 said, 鈥渢here are not two different realities: the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, a subject of international law devoted to works of charity and assistance, and the religious Institute."

A sovereign state and a religious order subject to the Holy See

Recalling that as a religious order SMOM is subject to the Holy See and to the obedience to the 杏MAP导航 through the Grand Master, 杏MAP导航 Francis highlighted the importance of a 鈥漟ruitful collaboration and joint action for the good of the Church and society鈥� between the diplomatic Representatives of the Order and the local Papal Legates . 

This  connection of SMOM with the 杏MAP导航, he explained   鈥渋s not a limitation of its freedom, but a safeguard, that finds expression in the solicitude of Peter for ensuring its greater good, as has happened more than once, also by direct interventions in moments of difficulty.鈥�

Bringing his address to a close, 杏MAP导航 Francis thanked the Order of Malta  for its "humanitarian diplomacy", while insisting that it must continue to carry it out under the supervision  of the Holy See. 鈥淭his dependence,鈥� he said,   鈥渄oes not diminish the importance of its diplomatic representations, but rather allows their meaning to be even better understood, as channels of the Order鈥檚 apostolic and charitable activity, open and generous especially wherever the greatest need exists.鈥�