Order of Malta

The former occupational therapy institute in Pomáz has been run as a specialised psychiatric hospital by the Hungarian Charity Service of the Order of Malta since 2022. The Grand Master and his team, who are on an official visit to Hungary, visited this institution, located in recently renovated buildings in a beautiful park surrounded by forests, on Wednesday 18 September. A special feature of the visit was that, in the midst of his busy official programme, he was able to meet members of the Hungarian Association and of our Charity Service, for a handshake and a few cordial words.

 

The start of the event was symbolic: the convoy entering the main gate drove, without stopping, to the back entrance of the hospital's largest nursing block, where the Grand Master met the patients first, before any protocol greetings. In the park surrounded by the hospital buildings, a bust of the founder of the Order, Blessed Gerard, was unveiled and blessed. First, Dr. Loránd Erőss, Hospitaller of the Hungarian Association of the Knights of Malta, gave a brief presentation on the history of the hospital and its current tasks. He remarked that this is one of only two hospitals in the world, associated with the Order of Malta, that are named after Blessed Gerard (there is a hospital with this name, specialising in AIDS care, in South Africa). Afterwards, the Grand Master gave a speech and unveiled the bust, followed by a short address by Bishop Balázs Levente Martos, Chief Chaplain of the Hungarian Association, who blessed the statue. The central theme of all three short speeches was the life of Blessed Gerard and his message, which still has an impact today. Gerard and his companions, who founded a hospital in Jerusalem at the end of the 11th century, not only healed the tired or sick pilgrims and all those in need who came to them, but also offered them spiritual comfort and support. This is still the guiding principle of the charitable institutions of the Hungarian Charity Service, the Hungarian Knights and Dames of Malta, in the spirit of their motto: Protecting the faith and serving those in need.  The two are linked: as a Catholic order of knights, we can provide spiritual support through the power of our Christian faith, in addition to healing work or even professionally organised aid activities.

 

The unveiling of the statue ended with a prayer. Afterwards Fra' John Timothy Dunlap shook hands with the members of the Order and the volunteers present, followed by a few minutes for informal conversation. The convoy then assembled and set off for the next event in the tight official programme. The Charity Service treated those present to refreshments and some snacks - needless to say, the delicious food and drinks were locally produced by the Order's "Catching Up Settlements" programme!

VL