Shep Abell—Chairman
Dr. Constance Battle
Rev. Lawrence Boadt
Jan Connell
John Douglas
Susanne DuFour
Milan Miskovsky
James Nolan
Spiritual Activities
According to the rule and spiritual guidelines, accepting the Cross of the Order imposes duty and sacrifice. Members are obliged to the sincere and open profession of the Catholic faith. As such, they endeavor to steadily continue their religious education and spiritual development—through prayer and reading and meditating on the Gospel, the Catechism, and other principal documents of the Church and the Order.
Like other orders, the aim of The Order of Malta is the greater glory of God through the sanctification of its members. And, as with all other orders, it is imbued with the charism and ideals of its founder—Fra’ Gerard—who set forth in his work the mission of defending the faith and serving “our lords, the sick and the poor.”
The Order has as its object to promote the Glorification of God
by the sanctification of its members, service to the Faith and to the Holy See, and helping one’s neighbor, in accordance with its secular traditions.
The spirituality of the Order is rooted in its religious, chivalric, and hospitaller traditions. Though it has chaplains, it is not a clerical order—it has always retained its lay religious character. Until the loss of Malta, the membership was predominantly one of professed lay persons—those who were in vows. But, since the mid-nineteenth century, the number of professed has declined and, today, most members do not take full vows. However, one of the chief aims of the Order is still the spiritual development of its members.
To belong to the Order is certainly an honor, but it also necessarily implies a sincere compliance with Christian testimony. Thus arises the concept of vocation or calling—one of the mysterious ways by which grace calls upon souls to approach God.
Members cannot fulfill their duty merely by financial contributions. Wearing the insignia of the Order demands of members the participation of their full personhood and the use of all their efforts and gifts on behalf of the Order and those in need. Participation in religious functions and activities of the Order is important as it encourages the fraternal spirit that binds members together.
Charity and faith are still the essential characteristics of the Order. They constitute the Christian testimony to be given by those who serve under the sign of the white octagonal cross, symbol of the eight beatitudes.
The Federal Association, in accordance with the aims of the Order, provides opportunities for members to cultivate their spiritual development.