London hosts the 29th International Hospitaller Conference
The Hospitaller of the Maltese Association, Dr. Kevin F. Dingli, participated at the 29th International Hospitaller’s Conference which was held in London between 25 – 26 March 2023. The Hospitaller also represented the Maltese Association at the General Assembly of Malteser International which was held in the afternoon of the preceeding day, where new board members including a new President were elected.
The Conference was held at the Ashworth Centre of the Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn, with Holy Mass being celebrated daily at St. Anselm & St. Cecilia, in nearby Kingsway. A formal dinner was hosted on the Saturday at the Old Hall, Lincoln’s Inn.
The Lieutenant of the Grand Master Fra’ John Dunlap, the Grand Chancellor Riccardo Paternò di Montecupo, the Grand Hospitaller Fra’ Alessandro de Franciscis, the Prelate Monsignor Jean Lafitte and the Hospitaller of the British Association James Pavey all addressed the Conference.
In his opening speech, the Grand Hospitaller, citing Jesus (Jn 13,1-20), and himself donning the apron of service employed by the British Association, reminded all the hospitallers present at the conference that: “We must dress the apron of service and wash one another’s feet and the feet of the poor and the sick”, also stressing the importance of promoting vocations in order to “broaden the militancy of the Order of Malta in serving the poor”. He then recalled the global and rooted presence of the Order’s relief and volunteer’s corps, associations and embassies in some of the most difficult places in over 120 countries.
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The Lieutenant of the Grand Master stated that “Since being named, I have been privileged to meet and talk to many politicians, ambassadors and authorities from both Church and States and I am very proud to say that I could not help but notice how each person that I have met, is always so impressed with our commitment and service which is guided by our solidarity, empathy and compassion. He added that “The true service we provide to the sick and the poor is carried out by our members, volunteers and staff who look at them in the eye with the respect due to our lords the sick and the poor.”
The Grand Chancellor underlined the role of the diplomatic network in supporting the medical and social programmes developed, emphasising in particular the added values of faith-based diplomacy “which – he stated – does not have the weapons of traditional diplomacy but is based on the principle that certain higher values can lead to the resolution of conflicts”.
An update on the situation in Ukraine was delivered by the Hospitaller of the Polish Association, Marcin Swierad.
External lectures were organised during the conference on topics relevant to the hospitaller’s work of the Order of Malta. In particular the Covid 19 pandemic, the impact of vaccines and what possible scenarios the future might hold in store in so far as the coronavirus is concerned was also addressed in an expert delivery given by Prof Mark Jit BSc PhD MPH, Professor of Vaccine Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.
Following the pattern which was set during the previous conference in Rome, specific workshops were organised for the participants addressing some seminal topics such as the priorities of the hospitaller works for the next years and on safeguarding the most vulnerable.
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