News

Launch of the NorthEast Baalback MMU.

News

The Order of Malta Lebanon is sustaining and extending its operations through its Mobile Medical Units (MMU) program, in support of the sick persons living in poor conditions, in remote villages across Lebanon, with limited access to proper healthcare.
The first two MMUs were originally deployed to respond to the aftermath of the 2006 war and continue to cover about 20 villages in the South of Lebanon.
Two other MMUs were implemented following the influx of the Syrian displaced population, operating since 2014 in the regions of Akkar (North) and Kefraya (West Bekaa) since 2016.
Affiliated to our Centers and to the hospitals in the area, these MMUs provide a complete free healthcare program to both the displaced and the underprivileged host communities.


Already active in some villages in the West Bekaa, the Order extended its operations up North. On October 22nd 2019, a fifth MMU, generously donated by the Foreign Office of the German Government, through Malteser International was set up in the Baalback-Hermel governate to cover at first the following villages: Arsal, Nabi Othmane, El Ain, Fekeha, Ras Baalbeck, Qaa, and Barka.

The latest MMU was strategically positioned in NorthEast Baalback following a thorough assessment done with our field partner Cooperation without Borders, which identified high level of poverty and acute healthcare needs in this remote rural area. The Bekaa region hosts 37% of the Syrian displaced population in Lebanon as well as a vast number of deprived Lebanese communities; Arsal alone, located next to the Syrian border, hosts close to 40,000 refugees living in informal tented settlements.

On the first week of its activation, the MMU in NorthEast Baalback managed to treat a total of 455 patients, offering free consultations and medication to children, adults and elderly.

Read more

The Apostolic Nuncio celebrates Mass in Chabrouh.

News

“The prophet Jeremiah had alerted the politicians of his era but they did not listen to him and the result was the destruction of Jerusalem.”

For the second year in a row, Spiteri celebrated a mass at the center, assisted by his First Advisor, ​​Fr. Joseph Franconi, Fr. Marco Mastrioni, the Chaplain of the Lebanese Association Fr. Khalil Rahme, the director of the Chabrouh center, Fr. Raymond Bou Assi as well as the chaplains of the Irish and Spanish Associations.

The Apostolic Nuncio to Lebanon, H.E.Msgr. Joseph Spiteri stressed that volunteers working together, gathering foreign and Lebanese youth to serve people with disabilities at the Chabrouh Center, contributes to building “true peace”.

Upon the invitation of the President of the Lebanese Association of the Knights of Malta, Mr. Marwan Sahnaoui, the Mass was attended by the Ambassador of Spain to Lebanon H.E.Mr. Jose Maria Ferri and his wife, the Ambassador of Italy to Lebanon H.E.Mr. Massimo Marotti, Ambassador of the Sovereign Order of Malta to Armenia, H.E.Mr. Jean-Michel Oughourlian, Ambassador Naji Abi Assi, Knights and Dames of the Order, former Ministers Mr. Raymond Audi, Mr. Jean-Louis Cordahi, and Mr. Rizk Rizk, Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of the Sovereign Order of Malta in Lebanon, Mr. François Abi Saab, and the Mayor of Faraya Mr. Michel Salameh. The members of the association and the Responsible of the Chabrouh project Mr. Patrick Jabre, were also present.

Our differently-abled guests attended Mass alongside volunteers of various nationalities: German, Spanish, Lebanese and French undergoing summer camps in both Chabrouh and Kfardebian centers.

Spiteri gave a sermon in which he praised the efforts of foreign and Lebanese volunteers in the centers, where, throughout the year, camps for people with severe mental and motor disabilities are held for a duration of one week, during which they are served day and night by groups of young men and women, Lebanese and foreign, donating their time and holiday for this purpose – one of the Lebanese Association’s 30 projects in Lebanon.

Last year, 36 camps were set up for 770 guests with disabilities, with 960 volunteers from 20 different nationalities. “You have come to Lebanon to spend a different kind of holiday and to share your love with those who are struggling,” Spiteri told the camp volunteers. “You have chosen to come here to help others, to make new friends, to build human relationships, and this is what builds real peace and real joy.” He cited the story of the prophet Jeremiah, “who remained faithful to the Lord despite the resistance he received from the nobles, (politicians of his time), who were unable to see the difficulties and problems facing Jerusalem, as the prophet Jeremiah had warned them. But Jeremiah was a strange man, a servant and not a nobleman; the Lord always sends us many people to help us, but we must open our eyes to see and recognize them “Let us pray to the Lord to erase the malice and hatred so that only love remains, stressing that “the true peace is the one Jesus gave us”. He concluded by prying the Lord “to make the presence of the young volunteers an occasion to help our Lebanese friends to experience the Love of God that allows the building of Peace in Joy.”

Read more

The Order of Malta in Lebanon celebrated the feast of St John the Baptist, Patron of the Order.

News

The Apostolic Nuncio: The projects of the Order of Malta in Lebanon are based on the foundation of love and service to all in need, without distinction.

The Embassy of the Sovereign Order of Malta in Lebanon and the Lebanese Association of the Knights of Malta celebrated the feast of St. John the Baptist with a Mass that gathered all the different denominations in Lebanon at the St Joseph Church of the Jesuit Fathers in Beirut. The Holy Mass was celebrated by the Apostolic Nuncio to Lebanon, Msgr Joseph Spiteri, and co-celebrated by the first secretary of the Pontifical Council Msgr Ivan Santus, Rev.Fr Bernard Hamm and Rev.Fr Antoine Assaf, both chaplains of the Order.

The president of the Lebanese Republic General Michel Aoun was represented by the Minister of Economy and Trade, Mansour Bteich, MP Michel Moussa represented the Speaker of the House Nabih Berri, and Daoud Sayegh represented the Prime Minister Saad Hariri. A number of current and former MPs, party representatives, Mrs. Mouna Hraoui, members of the diplomatic corps, the military commander General Joseph Aoun represented by his wife Mrs. Neemat, representatives of the various security agencies, and the Patriarchs of the Christian communities were all present.

Representatives of the Grand Mufti of the Republic and of the Druze Sheikh al Aql, as well as representative of Sheikh Abu Hassan Aref Halawi Foundation, and of the Imam El Sadr Foundation, joined the Mass.

The Ambassador to the Sovereign Order of Malta to Lebanon, H.E Bertrand Besancenot, the President of the Lebanese Association of the Knights of Malta, Mr. Marwan Sehnaoui and members of the Association, as well as a number of friends and supporters of the organization attended Mass as well. Sung for the very first time, this year’s Mass was specially composed for the occasion for choir, orchestra, organ and pan flute, by and under the leadership of Monsignor Valentino Miserachs, (former director and titular master of the Liberiana Chapel of St. Mary Major in the Vatican and former director of the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music), with the participation of Michel Tirabosco, international concertist, for the pan flute.

Animated by the Notre Dame University of Louaize (NDU) Choir, the mass was served by the young volunteers of the Order of Malta. It was filmed and broadcasted live by the French TV channel KTO and it will be aired again on that same channel on Friday June the 28th at 5pm (local time).

In his homily, Msgr Spiteri highlighted the perpetuity of the Order. “Starting when the founders volunteered to provide shelter for the pilgrims of the Holy Land,” he recalled, “Today, the work of the organization is still alive after 900 years in many countries of the world, especially in Lebanon thanks to the Lebanese Association of the Knights of Malta.” He pointed out that the organization “has known several crises over the centuries, but found the strength to continue and renew the spirit of service that goes back to the beginnings, and succeeded in achieving the dream of the founders despite the transformations of history, and very uneven social conditions.”

He considered that “the 30 medical and social projects carried out by the Order in Lebanon are based on the concept of love and service to all, without any discrimination, regardless of language, culture, ethnicity or religion.” He called on the members of the Order to “continue to work in the spirit of compassion, which aims to establish respectful human relations, and reflect self-sacrifice and human brotherhood.” He hoped that the organization would continue “to offer a certificate of mercy and compassion for all”.

This celebration was made possible thanks to the generous support of Marc and Anna Odendall.

 

Read more

Meeting in Baabda.

News

President Aoun received the ambassador of the Sovereign Order of Malta to Lebanon, Bertrand Besancenot, the president of the Lebanese Association of the Order of Malta, Marwan Sehnaoui, and the first secretary of the embassy, François Abi Saab, to discuss the upcoming visit of the Prince and Grand Master of the Sovereign Order of Malta, Fra’ Giacomo Dalla Torre to Lebanon next November. The visit will include meetings with Lebanese officials and spiritual leaders as well as site visits of the humanitarian works carried out by the Order of Malta in Lebanon.

Read more

Le Président Aoun reçoit l’Ambassadeur de l’Ordre Souverain de Malte au Liban.

News

Le Président Aoun a reçu l’Ambassadeur de l’Ordre Souverain de Malte au Liban, M. Bertrand Besancenot, accompagné de M. Marwan Sehnaoui, Président de l’Association Libanaise des Chevaliers de Malte et de M. François Abisaab, Conseiller de l’Ambassade.
L’entretien a porté sur l’activité de l’Ordre de Malte au Liban à travers ses centres implantés dans plusieurs régions libanaises. L’Ambassadeur a passé en revue la visite officielle au Liban prévue par le Prince et Grand Maitre Fra’ Giacomo dalla Torre del Tempio di Sanguinetto, le 4 novembre prochain, au cours de laquelle il aura des entretiens officiels avec des responsables libanais. Il effectuera également des visites aux centres médico-sociaux de l’Ordre qui assurent des soins sanitaires et humanitaires .
L’Ambassadeur Besancenot a transmis au Président Aoun une invitation à la messe annuelle de l’Ordre, célébrée à l’occasion de la fête de son Patron Saint Jean Baptiste , qui aura lieu le 24 juin.

Read more

“We rise by lifting others!” Laetitia Rached, a real beauty queen.

News

This young spirited 20 years old woman is beautiful from the inside out. Laetitia Rached, a second year student in Political Sciences at USJ found her path when she pledged to dedicate herself to improving the lives of the differently-abled people after volunteering with the Youth of the Order of Malta. She found the right opportunity to voice her cause through the Miss USJ competition.

“I joined the Youth of The Order of Malta after the « Clubs day » last year at USJ. The Youth had a stand that some of my classmates were running. They were explaining the concept of camps and activities, and I got a bit scared that it would be a big responsibility to take care of other people, but I still registered. A few weeks later, I was participating in my first Down Syndrome camp. I didn’t know at the time that it would be the beginning of an amazing experience.

 

Not only did that first camp teach me so much, but so did my guest Elie, he changed my life. When the bus got there on the first day of the camp, I was actually really afraid, as I wasn’t used to being with differently-abled people and didn’t know what to expect. But the minute Elie stepped out of the bus, hugged me, held my hand and said « come on, you’re my sister now, let’s go play », I got whipped. It was the most amazing weekend of my life, where I learned that it’s in giving that we receive, and that loving and caring can overcome all of the differences. The marvellous activities such as the talent show (my personal favourite) really taught me that there’s no such thing as « disability ». Every single one of us is able, yet differently. Twelve camps later, I can assert that there’s nothing more fulfilling. I’m thankful for the chance to spend time with them as I believe that they are all angles, they inspire us”.

Joining the Youth of the Order has become like a second home for Laetitia, one that opened her heart and enlightened her spirit.

She decided to participate in the Miss USJ contest as it represented an opportunity for her to speak about a cause dear to her heart. The contest transformed from a beauty pageant to a “Miss porteuse de Cause” and as such, Laetitia presented herself into the competition as a spokesperson for people with disabilities, knowing it would provide a chance for her to shed the light on many aspects of the cause. By creating awareness and enlightening the general public on the need to embrace those who are different, she aims at shaking some of those rigid social and cultural stigmas, and hope that the existing bridges between conformity and difference progressively dissolve.

The competition’s results were based on the following criteria: an online campaign conducted by the candidates, a presentation contest, a public vote and a closing speech.

Laetitia made it her mission to communicate vividly about the love and the emotions experienced through her volunteering work with the Youth of The Order of Malta, and mostly the importance of acceptance of the Other regardless of any differences. She’s been since heavily communicating on her social media platforms featuring camps, statistics and legal recommendations. Her campaign’s hashtag #werisebyliftingothers says it all.

The campaigning started on April 22nd leading up to May 14th where the winner was announced. The competition was harsh as many young women were portraying each a cause they believe in passionately. Laetitia won the Miss Congeniality title, the 2nd most coveted, and proudly wore the colours of the Order.

True to her belief, to the question asked throughout the competition, What would like to change about USJ? Laetitia answered “Develop an scholastic program adapted to people with special needs, allowing equal access to education for all”.

Read more

Lourdes International Pilgrimage, May 2019.

News

In 1858, the Mother of God appeared to a young girl named Bernadette Soubirous eighteen times at the Massabielle Grotto, requesting that she prays to uncover a spring of water, to build a chapel and to come in procession. One hundred years later, the Order of Malta launched its International Pilgrimage to Notre Dame de Lourdes in France.

 

On this occasion,  each year during the first weekend of May, Knights, Dames, members and volunteers of the Order from all over the world travel and gather in Lourdes to accompany the sick and differently-abled people, whom we call Our Lords. This year, 7500 pilgrims from over 43 countries accompanying 1400 Lords participated. 

 

The Lebanese delegation has been taking part in the International Pilgrimage since 1983. 200 participants, including 19 Lords and a team of 7 messengers (Children), attended this year’s pilgrimage from 3rd to the 7th of May, 2019.

 

The first day in Lourdes started with an opening mass for the Lebanese Association followed by the beautiful International Marian Procession.

The next day was marked by the Rosary of the Lebanese Association in front of the Massabielle Grotto during which intentions and prayers of all those unable to attend the pilgrimage, were placed by our little messengers. A candle dedicated to our beloved Lebanon was lit. Medals were given to our Lords at night as well as to the new pilgrims during the international ceremony presided by the Grand Master.

The third day started with the International Mass, attended by more than 23.000 pilgrims from around the world, followed by the traditional group photo of the Lebanese delegation under the shimmering sun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The exceptional Lebanese “Fete de la Lumiere” followed that night, a highly anticipated event by all delegations who experience Lebanese hospitality at its best, including Lebanese delicacies carefully prepared and shipped by the organizing committee and of course with the remarkable voice of Joumana Medawar and her band, enchanting pilgrims and their Lords to rock the dancefloor!

Heartfelt testimonials were delivered that night, during which, Marc Torbey el Helou, paralyzed following a swimming accident at the age of 29, expressed how his faith was renewed during this pilgrimage and the peace it brought to his heart. “At Lourdes, we are in the Graces of God.”

Danielle, a young 14 year old blind girl, added: “This experience brought back my faith in life and in friendship. For the first time ever, I’m receiving so much without having to give back, it is so selfless! I also really understood the meaning of being accepted in society in spite of our differences.”

The pilgrimage ended with a beautiful lunch by the lake of Lourdes. This year’s closing was truly special, as our little messengers, offered personally made paintings to Our Lords, before heading all together to the final mass.

In the plane bringing her back from Lourdes, Nada Barakat Khawaja, mother of Anthony, a differently-abled young man, pondered if a miracle had happened in Lourdes. She shared with us her thoughts: “Words escape me as I still breath Lourdes’ exceptional spirit. Four days of prayer, humanity, sharing, mutual aid, purity and vows. I’ve witnessed a unique bond between the pilgrims who hastened to give their utmost, opening up to those who are different without fear or restraint, whilst the sick, happy and moved by this generosity, have accepted to reveal themselves and receive this unconditional love. As feelings intertwine, I do believe a miracle took place in Lourdes. The burden of disability has transformed into inner peace, beauty and joy.”

Read more

The Chapter General of the Sovereign Order of Malta has been held in Rome

News

The assembly has elected the members of the government for the next five years.

Chaired by Grand Master Fra’ Giacomo Dalla Torre del Tempio di Sanguinetto, the Chapter General of the Sovereign Order of Malta was held in the Magistral Villa in Rome on 1 and 2 May.

Convened every five years, it has the task of electing the members of the Sovereign Council (the Order’s government), the Government Council and the Board of Auditors. Fra’ Ruy Gonçalo do Valle Peixoto de Villas Boas has been elected to the office of Grand Commander, Superior of the Order’s religious members. Albrecht Freiherr von Boeselager has been confirmed as Grand Chancellor, Head of the Executive and Minister of Foreign Affairs. Dominique Prince de La Rochefoucauld-Montbel e János Graf Esterházy de Galántha have been confirmed as Grand Hospitaller, Minister of Health and International Cooperation and as Receiver of the Common Treasure, Minister of Finance, respectively. This year three Dames, heads of the associations of Argentina, Scandinavia and Singapore, were present for the first time among the Chapter members.

Grand Master Fra’ Giacomo Dalla Torre del Tempio di Sanguinetto said: “The Chapter General is one of the most important moments in the life of our institution and a fundamental stage for reflecting on the situation of the Order of Malta. The reform process of the Constitutional Charter and Code gives this assembly an additional significance today. Our Christian identity, together with the institutional sovereignty we enjoy and our millenary experience in assisting the most vulnerable, require a structure of rules more in line with the demands of the 21st century. The reform will now continue with fresh and renewed vitality”.

62 of the Order’s representatives from the five continents took part in the Chapter General. These included 25 religious of the Order, the outgoing members of the Sovereign Council, the Prelate and the heads of the principal national bodies.

Below are the names of the members of the Sovereign Council for the next five-year period (2019-2024):

Grand Commander (Superior of religious members):
Fra’ Ruy Gonçalo do VALLE PEIXOTO de VILLAS BOAS

Grand Chancellor (Head of the Executive and Minister of Foreign Affairs):
Albrecht Freiherr von BOESELAGER

Grand Hospitaller (Minister of Health and International Cooperation):
Dominique Prince de LA ROCHEFOUCAULD-MONTBEL

Receiver of the Common Treasure, (Minister of Finance):
János Graf ESTERHÁZY de GALÁNTHA

Members
Fra’ John T. DUNLAP

Fra’ Emmanuel ROUSSEAU

Fra’ Gottfried von KÜHNELT-LEDDIHN

Fra’ Roberto VIAZZO

Winfried Graf HENCKEL von DONNERSMARCK

Mauro BERTERO GUTIÉRREZ

***

Government council
Peter de SZABADHEGŸ de CSALLÖKÖZMEGYERCS

Olivier Freiherr von LOUDON-VORST-GUDENAU

Francis Joseph McCARTHY

Patrick JABRE

Lady Celestria HALES

José Maria COELLO de PORTUGAL

***

Board of Auditors

Dominicus Freiherr von und zu MENTZINGEN, President

Councillors

Niels Carl A. LORIJN

Justin S. SIMPSON

Gérald BERGER

Paolo FABRIS de FABRIS

Alternate Councillors

Guy-Antoine de LA ROCHEFOUCAULD, Duc de LA ROCHE-GUYON

Luca BRONDELLI, dei Conti di BRONDELLO

Reference: Souvereign Order of Malta

Read more

Bioviva For Life “Special Lebanon” project donates educational games.

News

As part of the Bioviva For Life “Special Lebanon” project in partnership with Bioviva, LEM Les Enfants de la Méditerranée and Fondation d´entreprise CMA CGM, 36,000 educational games on the theme “Nature Challenges” are being donated to Lebanese and displaced refugee children in Lebanon.

A ceremony gathering all benefiting NGOs and humanitarian organisations took place at L’ecole du Cirque Cirquenciel on Friday the 29th of March, where we were all granted a unique show featuring experienced children of all ages displaying athletic and fun skills. Cirquenciel is a social circus, part of the arcenciel Youth empowerment project promoting peace through circus arts. It is founded on the belief that every human being has the right to grow and develop in a friendly environment.

Within that context, the Order of Malta Lebanon will benefit from 2,000 games that will be redistributed to our primary health care centers across the country catering to both the Lebanese children and displaced refugees of ages varying between 4 and 10 years old. Games will be handed over to the psychologists at our centers to engage the children in memory stimulation, knowledge acquisition and self-esteem building; and to the Youth of the Order to use within the children camps and outings organized throughout the year.

As importantly, all the Bioviva For Life games are produced with eco-friendly material enabling all children to better grasp the importance of the environment intrinsic to their upbringing.

To ensure the success of the project, Bioviva For Life held a tutorial session clarifying the handling and rules of those educational games. They highlighted the collaborative, inclusive and multi-usage aspect of the games and the means to integrate those within the programs of each associations’ projects. We take this opportunity to thank Bioviva For Life and its partners for this great initiative and for supporting the education of children of the middle east.

Read more

News

The Order of Malta Lebanon has vacancies for :

Project Manager
– Starting May 2019, ending December 2020
– Field of Activity : Sin el Fil & North Beqaa
– Salary to be negotiated

Field Coordinator
– Starting May 2019, ending December 2020
– Field of Activity : Sin el Fil & North Beqaa
– Salary to be negotiated

M&E Expert
– Starting May 2019, ending December 2020
– Field of Activity : Sin el Fil & North Beqaa
– Salary to be negotiated

Interested candidates should send an email to info@orderofmaltalebanon.org to receive the job description of the position they would like to apply for.

Read more

The Order of Malta Lebanon is part of the Sovereign Order of Malta

Newsletter

Cookie Policy | Legal Disclaimer | Privacy Notice

Search

©L’Association Libanaise des Chevaliers de Malte – Tous droits réservés