Tucson Couple Serves at the Malta First Aid Stations for the Jubilee Year

  

Millions of pilgrims and tourists are expected to visit Rome during the 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope. Providing a holy experience is a top priority for Pope Francis who asked the Order of Malta to staff first aid stations at the four patriarchal basilicas during the Jubilee year to ensure a safe and healthy experience.  In 2024, the Holy Father called upon the Order of Malta to send medical teams from 110 countries to rotate through the Order of Malta first aid stations for the Jubilee Year, which ends on January 6, 2026. 

The Order of Malta, formally known as the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta, was founded in Jerusalem during the mid-eleventh century.  The Order can issue diplomatic passports and enjoys permanent observation status at the United Nations. 

On December 19, 2024, a medical team of 16 Knights, Dames and Volunteers flew from the Western USA to Rome to kick off the opening of the Jubilee Year on Christmas Eve.  The Order of Malta first aid stations are located at the four Jubilee basilicas:  St. Peters, St Mary Maggiore, St. John Lateran, and St. Paul Outside the Walls.  Each first aid station is staffed with a doctor, a nurse and two volunteers.  The stations are open from 7:30am-6:30pm every day of the week.  Any visitor is allowed access to these stations, where they will receive a medical exam, and prescriptions or referrals to a clinic or hospital in Rome. The stations are fully equipped with modern technology and current medications to provide state-of-the-art care. 

My husband Phil and I reside in Tucson. This year we joined the 16-member Western USA Malta team and rotated daily for 7 days from December 21st to 28th.  The Western USA team worked alongside the Knights and Dames from Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany during this first week of service.  Upon leaving, the first aid stations were handed over to eight Order of Malta teams from France.  Malta medical teams from the Eastern USA are serving in August 2025 and Malta medical teams from the Midwest USA are serving in November 2025. 

We are parishioners at St Thomas the Apostle in Tucson.   I am an international travel nurse with work experience in Europe, Russia, and Nepal. Phil, my husband volunteered with the medical team at the first aid stations in Rome. It was an exciting opportunity to meet visitors from around the world. When you are at the stations you realize the true meaning of the word Catholic which is ‘universal.’  We were able to treat patients from Slovakia, Spain, Italy, France, Belgium, Malta, Switzerland, and Germany who were all in Rome for the same reason, to celebrate the opening of the Jubilee year.  Even though there were thousands of pilgrims in St. Peters, friends from Tucson recognized Phil when he was patrolling through the crowds with his radio!   

The Malta medical teams were provided housing, meals, and transportation by the Vatican at the Domus Spei, (a refurbished convent) in central Rome.  All participants are provided badges for access to the basilicas before they are open to the public, which allows us to circulate throughout the crowds to render aid. Each volunteer was awarded a medal and certificate for our participation by the Grand Master of the Order, Fra’ John Dunlap.  

The spiritual experience of being in the patriarchal basilicas before they open the doors is overwhelming.  It is a unique opportunity to disconnect from the world and listen to your heart. For anyone visiting Rome for the Jubilee year, know that you have access to this free healthcare located at all four of the patriarchal basilicas.