“We must respond to challenges strategically.”

In the early 1990s, I met several Knights of the Order. In my encounters with them, I realized what the Order of Malta is, what ideals it follows and that as a Christian you can get involved in it in many different ways. In 1991 I was given the opportunity to take part in the annual pilgrimage to Lourdes organized by the Order of Malta Delegation in the Archdiocese of Cologne: THE classic beginning of a fulfilled life with and through the Malteser. I was warmly welcomed into a unique team of Maltesers and their disabled pilgrimage guests. Since then, my life has changed. Being admitted to the German Association, also in Cologne, and later being elected to the Sovereign Council just over two years ago were certainly key milestones. But even more formative were the impressions I gained in Lourdes and at home of the lived charism of the Order, our very DNA: “Tuitio Fidei et Obsequium Pauperum”*.

When I am asked what will hold the Order and its many works and services together for another thousand years, despite all the inevitable changes, I answer: It is not structures, strategies, constitutions, or social comfort zones. It is the poor and the sick. They, and our service to them, are what make the Order of Malta so special and so enduringly relevant.

What experiences from your time in the German Armed Forces and the Eurocorps support you in your current role?

As a soldier, one is inherently committed to the ethos of service – especially in challenging situations. This is something that is also expressed right at the beginning of the Prayer of the Order: “Lord Jesus, thou hast seen fit to enlist me for thy service in the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.” This idea, combined with many years of experience working in international contexts – often in crisis and conflict zones – helps me greatly in carrying out the complex responsibilities of the Grand Hospitaller. This role, too, requires effective communication and action in international and often highly complex operational environments.

What are your current strategic priorities?

In short: improving communication and coordination across our global works and services – our unique network of the Order. That’s why I travel extensively. As Grand Hospitaller, I can also help draw additional awareness to our projects through these visits. I make an effort to also raise awareness of our members and helpers and the great work they do. In contact with our employees all over the world, it is very important to me to unleash synergies and make challenges into opportunities.

My key areas of focus include our humanitarian aid in Ukraine, the Holy Land – with the Holy Family Hospital in Bethlehem and the medical project in Gaza – and strengthening our disaster response capacities. The recent earthquake in Myanmar showed just how important good preparation is, and how reliably Malteser International responds. That makes MI one of my most significant supports in carrying out the role of Grand Hospitaller.

What was your first contact with Malteser International like, what were your impressions?

As a member of the Sovereign Council of the Order since the beginning of 2023 and now even more so as Grand Hospitaller, I have maintained intensive contact with MI. The Gaza project, one of my priorities, has always been at the forefront. In Cologne, in the Holy Land, but also far beyond, I have repeatedly met incredibly passionate, experienced Malteser International employees who are imbued with the idea of service. I have great respect for their work, which deserves our sustained support.

Together with the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, we are addressing immense humanitarian needs with the Gaza project. The war affected people are in a situation that many people can no longer really grasp from the news and have come to regard as hopeless. Of course, not only the needs of the few Christians there, but of all men, women, and children in need. In cooperation with His Beatitude Pierbattista Cardinal Pizzaballa and the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, we were able to deliver urgently needed food to North Gaza in 2024. We are currently laying the groundwork for a container clinic to provide basic medical care. However, to move forward with the next concrete steps, we urgently need an improved security situation, open borders, and additional funding. There is always hope: We must not forget the people in the Holy Land, where the roots of our Order lie.

The current global situation is complex and challenging. How can the Order of Malta respond?

We must respond to challenges strategically and proactively. They arise from the world situation, but also from the Order and its concrete reality. Against the backdrop of protracted crises, growing numbers of people in need, and increasing skepticism about the value and impact of humanitarian aid, we must also look inwards: Because always and everywhere, success is about change and adaptation. Across all our works, we are responding by continuously developing our concepts and structures. In doing so, we must never lose sight of our core values as a religious order and our wonderful, combined religious charism “Tuitio Fidei et Obsequium Pauperum”. Only then can we truly say: We are modern by tradition and support people with a holistic approach.

As much as we might wish to serve our neighbors in more peaceful and less critical times, this, here and now, is our calling. We are called to respond, without hesitation. Malteser International, with its global network, its passionate and experienced staff, and its deep roots in our centuries-old Order, can be seen as a pioneer in this regard.

(2025)