Hospitaller Region - Lancaster, PA

Lancaster was established as a Hospitaller region in 2006. The local chaplain is Monsignor Thomas Smith, and James Pickard serves on the Federal Association’s Board of Directors. Patrick Whalen serves as the Regional Hospitaller.

There are currently thirteen knights and dames in the Lancaster Hospitaller Region. Two more knights and one dame will be invested next October, after they complete their year of formation. We also have eleven members of the Malta auxiliary, which is comprised of young men and women in their twenties.

Lancaster members have been consistently active with the New Orleans project and the Lourdes pilgrimage. In addition to these Federal Association activities, the members have been very committed to our local service projects and Defense of the Faith apostolate.

Members of the Order (and their families) who are interested in participating in one of these activities should contact the Regional Hospitaller. The phone/fax number is available in Federal Association Directory.

• Plaza San Juan Bautista – The plaza is a new parish center serving the needs of a local Hispanic parish, San Juan Bautista Catholic Church. Planned volunteer activities include members sharing their time, talent and treasure in order to assist with the success of many of the center’s multi-faceted projects. Our focus has been on the Plaza’s Thrift Store; its renovation and collection/distribution of sale items.

• Saint Anne’s Retirement Community – East first Friday, a team of four members from the Order, volunteer to visit patients. During our visit, we distribute Holy Communion to the non-ambulatory patients and we transport the ambulatory patients to morning Mass.

• Assisting Victims of Hurricane Katrina – signature project of the Federal Association is the New Orleans Home Rebuilding Program. Since 2006, virtually all of our members have volunteered in this effort. To date, our members, their families and friends have accounted for over forty cumulative volunteer weeks in New Orleans.

• Assisting Victims of Haiti’s earthquake – Since the January earthquake in Haiti, our local Order has spearheaded fundraising efforts, which included nearly $30,000 from two separate grants, destined for Hospital Sacre Coeur. Located in northern Haiti, this hospital is affiliated with the Order of Malta. Some of our members have volunteered for several weeks of medical and non-medical care at the hospital.
  

• Defense of the Faith Series – We initiated this series in order to embolden current faithful Catholics and develop an inviting atmosphere for lapsed Catholics to return to our faith. Our initial series, which is prefaced by an early morning mass, started in November, 2007. Following the mass, a knowledgeable and qualified lay person gives a presentation about our faith. This series takes place twice a year during May and November. This program attracts around 200 attendees.

• Sanctity of Life Mass – Each year in January, we sponsor a Sanctity of Life Mass. Our previous main celebrants and homilists have been Bishop David O’Connell (when he was Father O’Connell, President of Catholic University of America) and Father William Byron, the former president of the University of Scranton. Our next Mass, scheduled for January 20, 2011, will be celebrated by the recently installed Bishop of Harrisburg, Joseph P. McFadden.

• Annual Lourdes Pilgrimage – During the first week of May each year, worldwide members of the Order of Malta go to Lourdes, France for an annual pilgrimage. This trip is truly a miraculous week of experiencing the joy in caring for these sick people’s needs and transporting them to the various sites at the domain around the grotto. Two thirds of our local members have experienced this pilgrimage and several individuals are regular attendees each year.