In 1989, when Hungary was a country in the fever of transition, awaiting crucial changes, and there was an obvious political goodwill seeking different horizons, the Maltese spirituality – a tradition with a 900 years’ past – had to face new challenges after 40 years of forced standstill.The mission of the Hungarian Maltese Charity Service calls it to the defence of faith and the service to the poor. Based on its belief in eternal life, it relies itself upon the care-giving God with unquestionable trust.
At the same time, the promise of a better future sprouting out of the afflictions of the present is carried by the determined members of the Service, who don’t refer to Providence with a passivity of waiting for a miracle, but believe in being taken up by God’s love in spite of all our uncertainties, drawbacks and failures. In many people’s opinion, the special importance of the Maltese undertaking was created by the fact that its force grew out of the “exhausted” European Christianity, which there is no sufficient human explanation for.
We are encouraged by the spiritual heritage and well-beaten path of our Maltese ancestors, the power of our joined forces and the strength of love prevailing over all the troubles of the world, as well as the large number of our supporters identifying themselves with our objectives and efforts. Therefore we were able to experience how strong the flow of masses can be setting out on the right way.
Looking back at the last fifteen years, we can probably tell about ourselves, and to ourselves, that God didn’t give us the quickly passing time in vain. A national network of our organisation has been established, and the Hungarian Maltese Charity Service provides safety and refuge to many people..
The Hungarian Maltese Charity Service (MMSz) – the Hungarian relief organization of the 900 years old Sovereign Order of Malta with a Christian spirituality – was founded on the 4th February 1989; the date of its legal registration was 10th February 1989. Since 1st January 1998, it has been a prominently public benefit organization.
Its motto is: “Tuitio fidei et obsequium pauperum” – Defence of faith, and service to the poor”.
Its symbol is an eight-pointed Maltese cross symbolising the Eight Beatitudes.
By organizing the gratuitous work of its members and other volunteers and by collecting and distributing donations, the Hungarian Maltese Charity Service helps the poor and needy to satisfy their needs according to their basic human rights which are also recognized by Hungarian law. The Hungarian Maltese Charity Service provides support through the reasonable use of the resources available - regardless to race, sex, nationality, religious, political or any other convictions - exclusively on the basis and to the extent of indigence.
Imre Kozma
President of the Hungarian Maltese Charity Service
