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Cardinal Burke Opens Up About His New Office with Knights of Malta
Catholic News Agency ^ | 11/29/14 | Jan Bentz

Posted on 11/29/2014 6:23:53 AM PST by marshmallow

Rome, Italy, Nov 29, 2014 / 06:01 am (CNA/EWTN News).- On Nov. 8 the Vatican announced the transfer of Cardinal Raymond Burke from prefect of the Apostolic Signatura, which ensures correct administration of justice in the Church, to Patron of the Sovereign Order of the Knights of Malta.

In an interview on Nov. 21, Cardinal Burke explained his new role to CNA.

“The technical title is Patron,” he stated. “It is an office of representation of the Holy Father to the grand master of the sovereign military order.”

Cardinal Burke will be helping Fra. Matthew Festing, Prince and Grand Master of the “Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta”, colloquially known as the “Knights of Malta.”

“He is actually a professed religious, but not a priest. My work principally is to assist him, to be a spiritual guide to him, and to carry forward the great work of the order.”

The order sets itself two principal missions.

“The defense of the faith: the ’defensio fidei’, and then care for the poor, the ‘obsequium pauperum.' Both of these things go together, because you obviously need deep faith and the strength that comes from Christ to serve those who deserve to be served.”

The order was established in 1099, and recognized as sovereign by the Pope in 1113. It has more than 13,000 members and 80,000 volunteers today. Among them are 20,000 medical personnel such as doctors, nurses, auxiliaries, and paramedics.

The Knights are present in over 120 countries, some of which Burke will visit as part of his office.

“I will be going out to visit the Knights in various parts of the world where the Knights are active. They are widespread, it is a large order, and it is very active in many aspects.”

(Excerpt) Read more at catholicnewsagency.com ...


TOPICS: Catholic; History; Ministry/Outreach
KEYWORDS:

1 posted on 11/29/2014 6:23:53 AM PST by marshmallow
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To: marshmallow

“The Order [Knights of Malta]was originally established in 1085 as a community of monks responsible for looking after the sick at the Hospital of St. John in Jerusalem. They later became a military order, defending crusader territory in the Holy Lands and safeguarding the perilous routes taken by medieval pilgrims.”

“The Siege of Malta was, in the first instance, a defensive battle, and certainly a bloody one. The knights would encounter Muslim forces again at the Battle of Lepanto, in 1571. Knights of Malta fought at the Siege of Candia (in Crete) in 1668, and at the Conquest of Belgrade in 1689. With the defeat, at least for the time being, of Christendom’s most serious foes, the Order’s attention began to shift to the philosophical plain embodied by the Counter Reformation.”

“The Order of Malta has ambassadors or diplomatic representatives in more than eighty nations, and enjoys Permanent Observer status at the United Nations General Assembly.”

These are some excerpts of the history of the Knights of Malta. I find this history to be VERY interesting in view of the present-day war being waged by Muslims. It will be exceedingly interesting as well to see how this history plays out in the days ahead.

:-)


2 posted on 11/29/2014 6:41:13 AM PST by SumProVita (Cogito, ergo....Sum Pro Vita - Modified Descartes)
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To: SumProVita

History seems to be kinder to the Knights of St. John than with the Templars.


3 posted on 11/29/2014 7:18:17 AM PST by virgil (The evil that men do lives after them)
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To: marshmallow

The order has the peculiarity of being a religious order composed of lay people. This gives them a unique spirit, but creates also challenges for their structure, and dealings within the Church.

“There will be also the possibility of drawing from my knowledge as a canon lawyer to address the complex canonical questions which are tied to an order which has professed religious and also lay members in different ranks.”

The cardinal voiced his optimism for the future and his work with the Grand Master, and is looking forward to his new assignment.


4 posted on 11/29/2014 7:50:13 AM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All

Cardinal Raymond Burke, patron of the Knights of Malta, says Mass in Rome for the Summorum Pontificum pilgrimage, Oct. 25, 2014. Credit: Daniel Ibanez/CNA.
5 posted on 11/29/2014 7:52:41 AM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: marshmallow
I really do suspect that Divine Providence (with the witting or unwitting cooeration of Pope Francis) has dropped Cardinal Burke right in the catbird seat. Here he is, atthe ehad of columns and ranks of tens of thousands of already ardent, committed subordinates worldwide, no superior over himself, ample access to necessary funds, able and expected to travel everywhere, celerate the TLM eveywhere, talk everywhere, broadcast everywhere, publish everywhere (need I add, "orgnize and agitate"?) -- to rally the Cristifideles laici against the darksome forces of Kasper, Forte and Marx.... Hey?

Prayers. And popcorn.

6 posted on 11/29/2014 11:27:32 AM PST by Mrs. Don-o (Judica me, Deus, et discerne causam meam de gente non sancta.)
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To: marshmallow

I think Burke should become a trouble maker. He should start a new section of the Knights of Malta. The new members should be veterans or young men who agree to serve for five years, receive military training, and are fully equipped with whatever they need. Then they should find a cause. Combating Muslim piracy in the Indian Ocean perhaps.


7 posted on 11/29/2014 12:44:11 PM PST by vladimir998
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To: vladimir998

¡Hagan lío!

Now more than ever!

8 posted on 11/29/2014 12:53:31 PM PST by Mrs. Don-o (Judica me, Deus, et discerne causam meam de gente non sancta.)
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To: Tax-chick; GregB; SumProVita; narses; bboop; SevenofNine; Ronaldus Magnus; tiki; Salvation; ...

Cardinal Raymond Burke, patron of the Knights of Malta, says Mass in Rome for the Summorum Pontificum pilgrimage, Oct. 25, 2014. Credit: Daniel Ibanez/CNA.

... continued

The order has the peculiarity of being a religious order composed of lay people. This gives them a unique spirit, but creates also challenges for their structure, and dealings within the Church.

“There will be also the possibility of drawing from my knowledge as a canon lawyer to address the complex canonical questions which are tied to an order which has professed religious and also lay members in different ranks.”

The cardinal voiced his optimism for the future and his work with the Grand Master, and is looking forward to his new assignment.

9 posted on 11/29/2014 4:05:01 PM PST by NYer ("You are a puff of smoke that appears briefly and then disappears." James 4:14)
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To: vladimir998

*snert*

We likes it.


10 posted on 11/29/2014 4:43:23 PM PST by Tax-chick (R.I.P., Dad. Thanks for the lawyers, guns, and money.)
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To: marshmallow

Is he Tom hagen of Cathoic church Now???


11 posted on 11/29/2014 4:55:18 PM PST by SevenofNine (We are Freepers, all your media bases belong to us ,resistance is futile)
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To: vladimir998
receive military training

This is a very good idea. Observe that the new warfare is nowadays rarely fought with national armies; far more often with all-volunteer paramilitary organizations dedicated to a political cause. I'd like to see a Catholic military emerge and teach ISIS important lessons.

12 posted on 11/29/2014 5:49:47 PM PST by annalex (fear them not)
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To: Anoreth

In the absence of Viking opportunities, consider the suggestion in post 7.


13 posted on 11/30/2014 4:06:19 AM PST by Tax-chick (R.I.P., Dad. Thanks for the lawyers, guns, and money.)
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