Pope Leo XIV urges Order of Malta to evangelize alongside serving the poor, stressing spiritual renewal in its mission on St. John the Baptist’s feast.
Newsroom, June 25, 2024, Gaudium Press – In a message marking the feast of St. John the Baptist, patron saint of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, Pope Leo XIV emphasized the order’s religious mission, warning that service to the poor without evangelization risks reducing the order to mere philanthropy. “Do not limit yourself to helping the needs of the poor, but announce to them the love of God with words and testimony,” the Pope wrote, stressing that neglecting this spiritual duty would strip the order of its religious character.
The message, delivered on June 24, coincided with the Pope’s first meeting with the order’s Grand Master, Fra’ John Dunlap, at the Vatican on June 23. Leo repeatedly highlighted the order’s dual purpose of tuitio fidei (protection of faith) and obsequium pauperum (service to the poor), a cornerstone of its identity as both a lay religious order and a sovereign state under international law.
Reflecting on the order’s recent reforms, initiated by Pope Francis in 2017 and culminating in a new constitution in 2022, Leo described the “path of renewal” as primarily spiritual rather than merely institutional. “It must first of all be interior, spiritual, because this gives meaning to changes in the rules,” he said, endorsing updates to the order’s constitutional charter to clarify its religious nature.
The Pope cautioned against temptations to worldliness, particularly given the order’s international stature and resources. “To achieve a good goal the means must be good; but in this field temptation can easily present itself under the guise of good, as an illusion of being able to achieve the good goals that one sets out with means that could later prove not to be in accordance with the will of God,” he said. The pope advised, warning that seemingly noble ends could lead astray if pursued through means contrary to God’s will.
The order’s reform process, marked by leadership changes, saw controversy with the 2017 dismissal of Grand Chancellor Albrecht Freiherr von Boeselager over issues including the distribution of condoms by the order’s charitable branch in Burma. The order clarified that Boeselager’s removal involved broader concerns, including concealed “severe problems” during his tenure. Leadership stabilized with Dunlap’s election as the 81st Grand Master in May 2023, following his interim role as Lieutenant Grand Master after the 2022 death of Fra’ Marco Luzzago.
The order’s government, comprising the Grand Master, four high offices, and the Sovereign Council, saw further renewal during a 2023 extraordinary chapter general convened by Pope Francis. Dunlap, a Canadian lawyer, now leads the order, which has not had a permanent Grand Master since Fra’ Giacomo dalla Torre’s death in 2020.
Pope Leo’s message reaffirmed the Order of Malta’s mission to balance its humanitarian work with its spiritual calling, urging its members to remain vigilant against secular drift while serving the poor and defending the faith.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from CNA
Related Images:
