Unconditional Help Earns Scientology Volunteers an Award from the President of Italy

The Volunteer Ministers of Italy proved their mettle during the pandemic and continue to live by their motto, that no matter the circumstances “Something can be done about it.”

The Scientology website pays tribute to the Scientology Volunteer Ministers of Italy in a photo story on the work of these men and women and its impact on their communities over recent years.

Throughout the pandemic, Volunteer Ministers from Scientology Churches and Missions worked with officials, nonprofits and religious leaders of other faiths to see to the needs of those most affected, helping them get through the crisis safe and well.

As part of the Church’s international Stay Well Campaign, they distributed thousands of booklets in their communities to help people understand and use proven prevention protocols. They provided help to vulnerable members of their communities, running helplines, delivering food and prescriptions, and relieving healthcare workers who were stretched beyond their limit caring for those in homes for the elderly.

When tens of thousands of residents were displaced by the 6.4 magnitude earthquake in Sisak-Moslavina County, Croatia, in December 2020, Scientology Volunteer Ministers of Torino and Padova, Italy, joined forces to bring humanitarian aid to victims of the disaster and continued to provide help until the communities were back on their feet again.

This earned them the respect and gratitude of local officials. “I really appreciate the fact that the Church members are always ready to step in when there are situations of hardship or emergencies,” says the mayor of Grantorto, Italy, in a video on the website.

And the lead Volunteer Minister of the Church of Scientology of Padova was ordained as a Knight of the Italian Republic, a title conferred by the President of Italy, in recognition of the unstinting help provided by the many Volunteer Ministers throughout the country.

 

The Church of Scientology Volunteer Ministers program is a religious social service created in the mid-1970s by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard. It constitutes one of the world’s largest independent relief forces.

With the events of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York City, Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige called on Scientologists to redouble their efforts to aid their fellow man. He issued a directive entitled “The Wake-Up Call,” which inspired astonishing growth within the Volunteer Ministers program.

The following year, Volunteer Ministers of Italy formed Pro.Civi.Co.S—the Civil Protection Volunteers of the Scientology Community—which was entered into the registry of the National Department of Civil Defense.

A Volunteer Minister’s mandate is to be “a person who helps his fellow man on a volunteer basis by restoring purpose, truth and spiritual values to the lives of others.” Their creed: “A Volunteer Minister does not shut his eyes to the pain, evil and injustice of existence. Rather, he is trained to handle these things and help others achieve relief from them and new personal strength as well.”