At the beginning of May, the President of the Australian Association, the Hon. James Douglas, KHD visited the Order of Malta’s operations in the Northern Territory. As part of this visit, he presented our Conventual Chaplain Ad Honorem Bishop Charles Victor Emmanuel Gauci with his cross as a Chaplain of the Order.

The President also participated in the Eucharist celebration on the feast day of St Catherine of Siena where we also offered mass on the anniversary of the death of our now deceased Grand Master Fra Giacomo on the anniversary of his death. This was celebrated by our Chaplain Fr Malcolm.

During the visit, the President also met with the Director of the National Critical Care and Trauma Centre, Professor Len Notaras AM, who recently donated urgently needed medical supplies to our medical clinic in Dili.

The President and Mrs Douglas were provided with a tour of the facility, after which they presented Professor Notaras with a Certificate of Appreciation from the Order of Malta Australia for his generous assistance.

The President and Regional Hospitaller, Sean Parnell,  had the opportunity to assist the Order of Malta’s delivery of hygiene packs to the homeless around the Darwin.

The President sat and talked with Simeon from Groote Eylandt and Bobby and Anita from Ngukurr during the distribution. They were most appreciative of their packages and thanked him profusely for taking the time to sit with them and talk about the work of the Order.

“It was a great experience to meet so many people from the indigenous communities of the NT in the company of such a good guide, our regional hospitaller, Sean Parnell.  His long career as a police officer in the Territory has given him so much understanding of and regard for the different communities and individuals there.  It was also just such a pleasant thing to do, sitting in a shady spot and having a yarn with the locals who were all enjoying themselves. Unforgettable.”

The Hon James Douglas, KHD