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“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.

:-)

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.

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.

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.

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.

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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.