Our Spirituality

The Order of Malta has been a Catholic religious order since 1113, the year it was recognized by Pope Paschal II. Today, the Order of Malta continues to be a lay religious order, where some of its members are religious – they have professed the three vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience – and others have taken the special Promise of Obedience. The great majority of the Knights and Dames are lay members required to maintain exemplary Christian behavior in their private and public lives, contributing to the maintenance of the Order’s traditions.

OUR COMMITMENT

Our Spirituality

The Order of Malta has been a Catholic religious order since 1113, the year it was recognized by Pope Paschal II. Today, the Order of Malta continues to be a lay religious order, where some of its members are religious – they have professed the three vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience – and others have taken the special Promise of Obedience. The great majority of the Knights and Dames are lay members required to maintain exemplary Christian behavior in their private and public lives, contributing to the maintenance of the Order’s traditions.

OUR COMMITMENT

All baptized Christians are called to live a life of holiness by following and proclaiming the Gospel. Upon becoming a member of the Order of Malta, each of us assumes a commitment to lead a more perfect Christian life within the charisms and traditions of the Order, i.e., in service to the poor and the sick. Most members enter the Order in the Third Class by undertaking a commitment in a solemn Mass of Investiture. Some make the decision to assume a greater commitment and make a Promise of Obedience. While none of the current members of the Cuban Association are Professed Knights, the Order has approximately 50 members who take the three evangelical vows of obedience, poverty and chastity and are consecrated religious under the Code of Cannon Law.

OUR CHARISM

Our fundamental goal in becoming members of the Order of Malta is to promote the Glory of God and we do this living the charism, or unique gift of the Holy Spirit given in a particular way to an individual or to a group to build up the Kingdom of God for the good of the Church. The Order has a two-fold charism: Tuitio Fidei, or defense of the faith, and Obsequium Pauperum, or assistance to the needy and the sick. Our dual charism is best exemplified by the prayer of the Order which each Knight and Dame should pray daily:

“Lord Jesus, Thou hast seen fit to enlist me for Thy service among the Knights of Saint John of Jerusalem. I humbly entreat Thee, through the intercession of the Most Holy Virgin of Philermo, of Saint John the Baptist, Blessed Gerard, and all the saints, to keep me faithful to the tradition of our Order.

Be it mine to practice and defend the Catholic, the Apostolic, the Roman faith against sacrilege. Be it mine to practice charity towards my neighbors, especially the poor and sick.

Give me the strength I need, to carry out this my resolve, forgetful of myself, learning ever from Thy Holy Gospel, a spirit of deep and generous Christian devotion, striving ever to promote God’s glory, the world’s peace, and all that may benefit the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem.

Amen.”

Knights and Dames of Malta present award to Archbishop Wenski

CHAPLAINS

Although the Order of Malta is a lay religious order, it has as members a corps of Bishops and Priests who assist the leadership of the Order in supervising the religious life and devotion of the members of the Order and in any aspect related to the spiritual nature of the Order’s initiatives. They are an integral component of the Order of Malta and accompany the rest of the membership in the conduct of the work of the Order. The ecclesiastical superior of the Order of Malta is the Prelate, currently Rev. Msgr. Luis Manuel Cuña Ramos. The Cuban Association is blessed with a committed corps of Chaplains who tend to the spiritual needs of our members. They are headed by the Head Chaplain H.E. Reverend Monsignor Thomas G. Wenski, Metropolitan Archbishop of Miami.

Order of Malta
Cuban Association
d/b/a Foundation Order of Malta, Inc.
2655 S. Lejeune Road
Suite 918
Coral Gables, FL 33134
Phone: (786) 888-6494
info@foundationorderofmalta.org

Order of Malta

Cuban Association

d/b/a Foundation Order of Malta, Inc.

2655 S. Lejeune Road

Suite 918

Coral Gables, FL 33134

Phone: (786) 888-6494

info@foundationorderofmalta.org