The Sovereign Order of Malta has learned with enormous sadness of the death of Pope Francis, in Rome. Grand Master Fra’ John T. Dunlap has asked the entire family of the Order of Malta to join together in spiritual suffrage for “Pope Francis, whom the Lord has called to Himself after long years of tireless service to the Church and to all humanity. His witness of faith, his dedication to the weakest, his incessant appeal for mercy and peace have deeply marked our times and will continue to illuminate the path of the Church.”

“The Order of Malta has always received the support and closeness of the Holy Father in its service to the sick and the most vulnerable – continued the Grand Master -. It is our duty, today more than ever, to give thanks for His Pontificate and to pray that the Lord will grant Him the reward promised to faithful servants. I ask you to intensify our mission of charity in the service of our Lords, the Poor and the Sick, as a concrete sign of our fidelity to the teachings that Pope Francis has imparted and left in our care.”

When Jorge Mario Bergoglio became Pope, on 13 March 2013, he announced that he would take the name Francis, because of his great concerns for the wellbeing of the poor. In this mission, he recognised the mission of the Order of Malta, and throughout his Pontificate, received the Order’s delegation in audience on the occasion of St John’s the Baptist, following with great interest and encouragement the Grand Master’s annual report on the works of the Order around the world to help those in need.

On 30 January 2023, the day after the Extraordinary Chapter General, Pope Francis received in audience the Grand Master Fra’ John Dunlap, together with the members of the Sovereign Council and the Capitulars and gave them his blessing: “I bless you all, your families and your charitable works in all the existential peripheries. Do not forget to pray for me, for my work is very difficult.”