Nobility in Charity

By: Allan Allan Click author's name for more of his/her articles

Charity is the art of benevolent giving. This noble deed is carried out by many charitable trusts, NGO’s, churches and other religious organizations and other private and Government organizations. Even Royals are known to do charitable work but usually sporadically. An exception to this is the charitable work carried out by the MOC or Military Order of the Collar of Saint Agatha.

The Militare Ordine del Collare is the family Order of the Royal House of Aragon. After the conquest of Minorca by Alfonso III in 1288, a small number of prominent men were given the rank and dignity of knight by the King in exchange for settling in the fortress of Saint Agatha keeping horse and armour and when needed, defending the island militarily. These knights then came to be known as the knights of Saint Agatha who is the Protectress and Patron of the Order.

Today the Order is represented in several countries across Europe, as well as in North America and Australia.

The members of the Militare Ordine del Collare (MOC) are divided into four Categories, Category of Justice and Devotion, Category of Grace and Devotion, Category of Justice for Merit and Category of Grace for Merit. The classes of members within the Categories are Knight Grand Cross with Collar, Knight Grand Cross, Dame Grand Cross, Knight and Dame.

The minimum age for admission into the MOC Order of the Collar is twenty-one years. At the discretion of the Grand Master the minimum age may be reduced to eighteen years. Members of the Categories of Devotion must be Christians leading honourable lives. Members of the Categories for Merit may belong to other religions. They must give evidence of a spotless reputation and must accept the aims and discipline of the Order.

The principal aim of the Military Order of the Collar, as restored in the nineteenth century, is to propagate in the modern world the tradition of chivalry as a way of life. It practices good works principally through its Hospitaller Service by helping orphans, the aged, widows and the sick. All duties, offices and missions performed within or on behalf of the Order are voluntary and honorary and carry no right to any remuneration whatsoever.

The Hospitaller Service is organized by the Grand Hospitaller under the guidance of the Grand Master and the Grand Chancellor. The members of the Hospitaller Service comprise those Knights and Dames who desire to be included, the Serving Members and the Companions. A Hospitaller is appointed for each local jurisdiction of the Military Order of the Collar. Each Hospitaller has to account on the 1st of July for all the activities in his area in a letter addressed to the Grand Hospitaller.

A candidate who wishes to become a Knight or Dame in the Militare Ordine del Collare and who completes three months’ novitiate in the Hospitaller Service is called as a Serving Brother or Serving Sister. The Grand Hospitaller attests the nature and quality of the service performed by Serving Brothers and Sisters and by Companions of the Hospitaller Service.

Thus, the members of the Military Order of the Collar are not only noble by blood but by deed too.