WelCom September 2018:
Catholics have been generous in supporting the Order of Malta so that it can continue to purchase several hundred coats for those who are homeless, vulnerable and sleeping rough in our cities over the winter months.
Wellington parishes have donated over $4000 for coats and Members of the Order have appreciated this generosity.
‘The Order in Wellington has been working with the Wellington City Mission, Downtown Community Ministries and The Salvation Army to ensure as many homeless people as possible have warm and dry coats this winter’, Hospitaller Greg Coyle said.
The coats keep out the wind and the rain and can be used as a blanket for people sleeping under doorways or alleyways. Every week, Order members have been out in the city streets in the evenings to meet and offer people in need the warm coats. The Order is also providing coats for the homeless in Auckland and Christchurch through local fundraising.
The lay-led Order of Malta dates back to around 1080 and is one of the Church’s oldest orders. Today it is made up of more than 13,500 knights, dames and chaplains. It also has 80,000 volunteers who carry out charitable work around the world. Based in Rome, the Order is faithful to its centuries-old mission of service to Our Lord’s sick and poor. It runs medical, social and humanitarian projects in 120 countries.
Please contact: peterdamianwood@icloud.com if you would like to donate $70 that will buy two coats or to learn more about the Order of Malta.