Chaplains of the American Association

Policies and Guidelines

Revised November 2014 Updated April 2021

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Chaplains of the American Association Policies and Guidelines

WELCOME

The American Association of the Order of Malta has over 1,800 Knights and Dames, and approximately 450 Auxiliary and Associate Members. You are one of over 100 chaplains of the American Association that help serve the spiritual needs of these members. Thank you for accepting this call!

You are part of the oldest lay-religious Order of the Catholic Church. Over 900 years, members of the Order of Malta has been pursuing their spiritual growth by living out its charism of continuing giving witness to the Catholic faith by caring for the sick and poor throughout the world.

AMERICAN ASSOCIATION AREA LEADERSHIP AND CHAPLAIN RESPONSIBILITY

The American Association’s territory encompasses 22 States in the US, including the US Virgin Islands. That area is divided into 30 Areas in which our members are active. Each Area is led by Area Chairs who are appointed by the President of the Association subject to approval of the Board of Councillors of the Association. The Area Chair(s) may be assisted by an Area Hospitaller(s), an Area Treasurer, an Area Membership Chair, and Area Chaplain(s), and members as determined to be appropriate by the Area Chair(s). The Area Chair(s) is/are in charge and ultimately responsible for everything that goes on in their designated Area.

As an Area chaplain of the Association, it is imperative to work collaboratively with the Area Chair(s) to provide spiritual support and growth for members of the Area. The Area Chair(s) will work with the Area Chaplain(s) to schedule liturgies, days of recollection, retreats, and educational seminars in the faith for Area

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members and to establish a plan of spirituality based upon the charism of the Order to seek the glory of God through personal sanctification, witness of the faith and service to the sick and poor.

Area chaplains should work with the Area Chairs to ensure that Masses for the Feast of Saint John the Baptist, our patron saint of the Order on June 24, Feast of Our Lady of Philermero, our patroness saint of the Order, on September 8, World Day of the Poor in November, and World Day of the Sick on February 11) as well as other spiritual activities to support each member’s spiritual growth are made available for member participation.

TYPES OF CHAPLAINS

The American Association has within its Clergy, four types of Chaplains. They include:

• Conventual Chaplain ad honorem (ChC)• Magistral Chaplain (ChM)• Deputy Chaplain (ChD)• Deacon Deputy Chaplain (ChDD)

All of the Chaplains within the American Association come under the direction of the Principal Chaplain of the Association. Within the American Association, we also have an Assistant Principal Chaplain, who basically assists the Principal Chaplain. The Assistant Principal Chaplain is assigned the duties at the discretion of the Principal Chaplain.

The Conventual Chaplain ad honorem is a Chaplain of the Order of Malta and is often a bishop. The Principal Chaplain of the American Association is a Conventual Chaplain, and in actuality, he is a Grand Cross Conventual Chaplain Ad honorem. The Ordinary of the Archdiocese of New York has been, by tradition, the Principal Chaplain of the American Association throughout the Association’s history.

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A Conventual Chaplain ad honorem and a Magistral Chaplain are both Chaplains of the Order of Malta and are members of the Third Class with all the rights and privileges except they are precluded from holding any leadership position in the Association. A Deputy Chaplain is considered a Chaplain of the American Association. Clergy below the level of bishop typically would be appointed as a Magistral Chaplain or a Deputy Chaplain. Deacons can be brought into the Association as Deacon Deputy Chaplains.

1. Principal Chaplain

Most of the following information is extracted from the English translation of “Regulations for Conventual Chaplains Ad Honorem and Magistral Chaplains” as published on 13 June 2003, by the Sovereign Military and Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta. It has been edited to focus on the American Association.

This information is offered in the hope that it may help Chaplains in their duty of giving spiritual assistance to the members of the Order. These rules come from the Code of Canon Law and the Constitutional Charter and Code of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------The Prelate, appointed by the Holy Father, is the ecclesiastical superior of the Clergy of the Order in matters concerned with their work in the Order. He sees to it that the religious and priestly life of a Chaplain and his apostolate are in accordance with the discipline and spirit of the Order, as laid down in the Constitutional Charter and the Code.

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Every Grand Priory, Subpriory, or Association has a Principal Chaplain, who is appointed by the Prelate, in full accord with the supervisors of said organs. The Principal Chaplain remains in office for five years and his mandate can be renewed.

The duties of the Principal Chaplain are:

1. to assemble the Chaplains at least once a year for the purpose of:• Coordinating and implementing the pastoral and liturgicalactivities by fostering the cooperation among all the Chaplains;• Dealing with the competent Superiors concerning the problems ofthe Order pertaining to the priestly ministry;• Studying new forms of apostolate, in conformity with thedirectives from the Holy See, the Diocesan Bishops and theSuperiors of the Order, and more suitable to the times andcircumstances;• Proposing activities and initiatives;

2. to advise the Chaplains and help them with brotherly spirit incarrying out their ministry particularly in case of sickness and oldage;

3. to preside at liturgical functions:• Providing that the appointment of a Chaplain of a church of theOrder takes place in conformity with Art. 234 of the Code;• Providing that the churches of the individual organs of the Orderbe diligently maintained, that the ceremonies taking place thereinalways be in conformity with the directives of the Holy See andprudently intervening in case of possible lack of compliance;

4. to promote, in full accord with the President of the Association,an annual course of spiritual retreat which can be held in commonwith all the Areas;

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5. to cooperate with the above named Superiors so that goodrelationships of pastoral cooperation and spiritual harmony withthe local Churches and their Shepherds be always maintained;

6. to promote useful contacts with the Chaplains of the Order andwith the Priests of hospitals, clinics and other charitable andassistance works existing in the territory of the Association inorder to coordinate the activity and the assistance by imparting tothem the spirit of the Order;7. to address every year to the Knights and the Dames entrusted tohis care an exhortation that inspires them to understand moredeeply and to put into practice the spirit of the Order;

8. to give an annual report to the Prelate about activities he hascarried out.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------It is advisable that the statutes of the American Association containa recommendation that the Principal Chaplains may take part in theAnnual meeting of the Organization. The Principal Chaplain mayask to be assisted by other Chaplains, with the consent of thePrelate, the Regent or the President of the Association, so that thevarious activities of the Order may be followed up and sustainedeverywhere with competence, responsibility and continuity.

2. Conventual Chaplains ad honorem

The position of Conventual Chaplain ad honorem can be held by a bishop, an abbot, or a priest who is the principal Chaplain of the association. A bishop holds a unique position in the Order, and therefore is normally admitted as a Conventual Chaplain ad honorem. When a bishop becomes seriously interested in working with the Order of Malta, or when Association members believe the bishop should be seriously considered as a Conventual Chaplain ad honorem, the following procedure should be followed:

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• The prospective candidate should be encouraged to participate inthe Area’s Masses, retreats, days of recollection, as well as otherevents. This will enable the members to ascertain whether theprospective candidate has a serious interest and whether or notmutual compatibility exists.• After a period of participation, the prospective candidate shouldbe proposed to come to Lourdes on the Association Pilgrimage.This Pilgrimage should be financed by members of the Area fromthe diocese where the Bishop resides. This, again, will enable themembers to ascertain whether the prospective candidate has aserious interest and whether or not mutual compatibility exists.• When there is a mutual interest in the Bishop’s becoming aChaplain, the Area Chair should submit a substantial andcomprehensive letter of recommendation for their proposedChaplain to the President of the Association, recommending thatthe Bishop be considered for appointment as a ConventualChaplain. A CV, a certificate of ordination and a letter of “nihilobstat” should accompany the letter to the President. The lettershould explain the Bishop’s involvement with the Order’sactivities. Bishops who are Ordinaries do not require a letter of“nihil obstat.”• The president will then bring the recommendation of theprospective candidate to the Board of Councillors for theirapproval. The recommendation is then presented to the PrincipalChaplain for his review and approval.• Upon approval by the Principal Chaplain, the proposal, withappropriate documentation, is submitted to the Grand Commander,with a copy of the documentation to the Prelate for the ConventualChaplain ad honorem, requesting the approval of His MostEminent Highness, with the Sovereign Council. If and whenapproval is received from Rome, the candidate becomes aConventual Chaplain ad honorem designate, and is invested at thenext Investiture.

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• A Conventual Chaplain is a member of the third class of theOrder and has all the rights and privileges pertaining to that classexcept that he cannot hold any office within the Association.

3. Regulations for Conventual Chaplains ad honorem

Most of the following information is extracted from the English translation of Regulations for Conventual Chaplains ad Honorem and Magistral Chaplains as published on 13 June 2003, by the Sovereign Military and Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta. This information is offered in the hope that it may help Conventual Chaplains in their duty of giving spiritual assistance to the members of the Order. These rules come from the Code of Canon Law and the Constitutional Charter and Code of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. It has been edited to focus on the American Association. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Prelate, appointed by the Holy Father, is the ecclesiastical superior of the Clergy of the Order in matters concerned with their work in the Order. He sees to it that the religious and priestly life of a Chaplain and his apostolate are in accordance with the discipline and spirit of the Order, as laid down in the Constitutional Charter and the Code.

The basic requirements to be considered for a Conventual Chaplain are: • an unblemished priestly life;• an adequate general cultural preparation andtheological/canonical formation

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• a willingness to assist the sick, the suffering, the needy and theelderly;• full awareness of the special characteristics of the Order andcapacity to operate spiritually in the environs of and circumstancesdistinctive to the Order;• sufficient time to devote to spiritual assistance of the brethren andto the works of the Order, that are compatible with his other duties.

The duties of a Conventual Chaplain are: • to participate in the celebration of the rites in the liturgical feasts,in the meetings and in the Pilgrimages;• to give spiritual assistance to the movements and works of theOrder and to the initiatives sponsored by the Order;• to provide that the members of the Order receive all spiritual aids,particularly in case of sickness;• to promote spiritual retreats, especially during the liturgicalperiods of Advent and Lent;• to study in depth the specific spirituality of the Order, bypromoting also the celebration of the Feasts and the Memorials ofthe Saints of the Order, by using the Missal of the Order, alwaysrespecting the mandatory norms;• to organize annual or bi-annual courses of religious educationand spiritual formation for Knights and Dames and for those who,though not belonging to the Order, carry out their work in theOrder’s activities;• whenever there are no special pertinent directives, the Chaplainsshould strive to take part in the religious ceremonies, thePilgrimages and the various meetings organized by the respectiveAuthorities of the Order;• to exercise the role of “Ecclesiastical Assistant” in the variousgroups or entities of the Order, in particular in the volunteer groupsand the youth groups.

The Conventual Chaplain should:

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• celebrate annually at least two Holy Masses for all members ofthe Order, living and dead;• pray for His Most Eminent Highness, the Prince and GrandMaster and for the superiors of the Order and pray for the works ofthe Order;• pray daily the Prayer of the Order;• exercise, according to the opportunity, works of corporal andspiritual mercy, in keeping with the charisms and the traditions ofthe Order;• be present or preside at the liturgical and Hospitaller activities ofthe Order, as requested;• be available to carry out priestly services for the sick members ofthe Order.

After their acceptance, Conventual Chaplains ad honorem who are not bishops will keep in contact with their own Principal Chaplain, who will explain, in the light of the history and the spirituality of the Order, the texts of the Code, of the Constitutional Charter of the Order, and of the Statutes, as well as the pertinent liturgical texts of the Order. In fact, it is the main duty of the Chaplains to be well-versed in the knowledge of the history, the traditions, the customs, and the laws of the Order, as it is their task to assist and enlighten the members of the Order. They must make an annual report to the Principal Chaplain about their participation in such activities.

4. Regulations for Magistral Chaplains

The following information is extracted from the English translation of Regulations for Conventual Chaplains ad Honorem and Magistral Chaplains as published on 13 June 2003, by the Sovereign Military and Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta. These rules, however, derive and take their inspiration from the Code of Canon Law and the most recent

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Constitutional Charter and Code of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. This information is offered in the hope that it may help Magistral Chaplains in their duty of giving spiritual assistance to the members of the Order. It has been edited to focus on the American Association. ------------------------------ The Prelate, appointed by the Holy Father, is the ecclesiastical superior of the Clergy of the Order in matters concerned with their work in the Order. He sees to it that the Chaplains’ religious and priestly life and their apostolate are in accordance with the discipline and spirit of the Order, as laid down in the Constitutional Charter and the Code.

The basic requirements to be considered for a Magistral Chaplain of any rank are: • an unblemished priestly life;• adequate general cultural preparation and theological/canonicalformation;• willingness to assist the sick, the suffering, the needy and theelderly;• full awareness of the special characteristics of the Order andcapacity to operate spiritually in the environs and circumstancesdistinctive of the Order;• for the non-professed Chaplains, sufficient time to devout tospiritual assistance of the brethren and to the works of the Order,that are compatible with their other duties.

The duties of a Magistral Chaplain are: • to participate in the celebration of the rites on the liturgical feasts,at meetings and during the Pilgrimages;• to give spiritual assistance to the movements and works of theOrder and to the initiatives sponsored by the Order;• to provide that the members of the Order receive all spiritual aids,particularly in case of sickness;

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• to promote spiritual retreats, especially during the liturgicalperiods of Advent and Lent;• to study in depth the specific spirituality of the Order, bypromoting also the celebration of the Feasts and the Memorials ofthe Saints of the Order, by using the Missal of the Order, alwaysrespecting the mandatory norms;• to help organize annual or bi-annual courses of religiouseducation and spiritual formation for Knights and Dames, asappropriate, and for those who, though not belonging to the Order,carry out their work in the Order’s activities;• whenever there are no special pertinent directives, the Chaplainshould strive to take part in the religious ceremonies, thePilgrimages and the various meetings organized by the respectiveAuthorities of the Order;• to exercise the role of “Ecclesiastical Assistant” in the variousgroups or entities of the Order, in particular in the volunteer groupsand the youth groups.

A Magistral Chaplains should: • celebrate annually two Holy Masses for all members of theOrder, living and dead;• pray for His Most Eminent Highness, the Prince and GrandMaster and for the superiors and pray for the works of the Order;• pray daily the Prayer of the Order;• exercise, according to the opportunity, works of corporal andspiritual mercy, in keeping with the charism and the traditions ofthe Order;• be present or preside at the liturgical and Hospitaller activities ofthe Order, as requested;• be available to carry out priestly services for the sick members ofthe Order.

After their investiture, Magistral Chaplains (who are not Bishops) will keep in contact with their own Principal Chaplain, who will

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explain, in the light of the history and the spirituality of the Order, the texts of the Code, of the Constitutional Charter of the Order and of the Statutes, as well as the pertinent liturgical texts of the Order. Chaplains should be well-versed in the knowledge of the history, the traditions, the customs and the laws of the Order since it is their task to assist and enlighten the members of the Order. They must make an annual report to the Principal Chaplain about their participation in such activities. • A Magistral Chaplain is a member of the third class of the Orderand has all the rights and privileges pertaining to that class exceptthat he cannot hold any office within the Association.

5. Prospective Magistral Chaplains

When a diocesan priest, or a religious priest, becomes seriously interested in working with the Order of Malta, the Area Chair who wishes to propose the priest as a Chaplain should write to the president of the Association with his or her recommendation. The letter should include a substantive statement on why the person would be a good Chaplain. Also included with the proposal letter should be CV, a certificate of ordination and a letter of “nihil obstat” from the priest’s Ordinary. The President then discusses the prospective Magistral Chaplain with the Board of Councillors. If the Board approves, the President submits the recommendation, with the appropriate documentation, to the Principal Chaplain. Prospective Magistral Chaplains, as proposed members, are expected to have at least one full year working with Area members. • Once a candidate is approved by the Principal Chaplain, thePresident sends a recommendation to the Grand Commander, witha copy of the documentation to the Prelate, for the prospectiveMagistral Chaplain, requesting the approval of His Most Eminent

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Highness and the Sovereign Council. When approval is received from Rome, the Clergyman becomes a Magistral Chaplain and is invested into the Order at the next investiture.

6. Deputy Chaplains

The American Association has a unique position for Chaplains who are considering and are being considered for appointment to the Magistral Chaplain position. Clergy can be appointed by the Board of Councillors with the approval of the Principal Chaplain to the position of Deputy Chaplain. This position is intended to last for three years and provides the Clergyman and the Area with an opportunity to assess the interest and capacity to become a permanent Chaplain in the Order of Malta. Generally, in the American Association, prospective Chaplains are brought in first as Deputy Chaplains.

At the end of three years, a Deputy Chaplain is: a) recommended for consideration as a Magistral Chaplain;b) recommended for reappointment as a Deputy Chaplain for threemore years; orc) removed as a Deputy Chaplain because of lack of participationin the Association’s activities.

A Clergyman who has been active in the Area’s activities or who has expressed an interest in becoming involved in the Association’s activities can be proposed by an Area Chair to the President of the Association. A letter with a substantive recommendation should be sent to the President of the Association along with a CV, a certificate of ordination, and a “nihil obstat” letter from the Ordinary. The President will present the recommendation to the Board of Councillors; if approved, the President will forward the recommendation with the appropriate documentation to the Principal Chaplain for his review and

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approval. If approved, the Deputy Chaplain will be installed at the next Investiture.

7. Deacon Deputy Chaplains (Ch.DD)

Background Information: Every year, inquiries are made from the Association’s Areas as to how they could propose permanent deacons from their Areas to become members of the Order. In some cases, deacons from various dioceses throughout the United States are performing significant work on behalf of the Association for which a formal affiliation would be appropriate.

Unfortunately, ordained permanent deacons are currently ineligible for investiture as Knights of the Order since they are clerics. They are also ineligible under the Code for membership in the Order as Magistral Chaplains since they are not priests.

The Association possesses the authority to establish various categories such as volunteers, auxiliary, and non-member chaplains (Deputy Chaplains), who, though not members of the Order, are nonetheless affiliated with the Order and aid the Association members in living the charism, and to provide such prerogatives, honors, duties and responsibilities as the Board may from time to time prescribe.

To address this issue, the American Association has established the affiliate category of Deacon Deputy Chaplains (Ch.DD)

Duties: Deacon Deputy Chaplains will be expected to exercise their proper diaconal ministry and role at liturgies of the Association in accordance with liturgical norms. Additionally, Deacon Deputy Chaplains would be expected to assist in meeting the spiritual

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needs of the members, and to participate in the work of the Association and the Order in defending the faith and caring for the sick and the poor.

Requirements and Process: Any ordained permanent Roman Catholic deacon who is not already a Knight of the Order of Malta and is in good standing with his bishop is eligible for consideration. The deacon should have been active in the Area’s activities or who has expressed an interest in becoming involved in the Association’s activities.

The Area Chair should provide the following documents to the Association President: 1) A letter from the Area Chair with a substantive

recommendation be sent to the President of theAssociation, along with:

2) A Curriculum Vitae of the candidate including currentcontact information

3) A copy of the deacon’s Certificate of Ordination must beprovided

4) And a letter of Nihil Obstat, i.e., permission for the deaconto be made a Deacon Deputy Chaplain from their Ordinary.

Once the above information is received in the New York Office, the recommendation goes to the Board of Councillors for review and approval and then it moves onto the Principal Chaplain for review and final approval. The deacon would then be installed at the next Association Investiture.

Annual Contributions: The Deacon Deputy Chaplains are exempt for all dues and assessments and will be listed in the Association Membership Directory with the other categories of chaplains.

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Appointments: The appointments for the deacon Deputy Chaplain is for a period of three years, as are the Deputy Chaplains. Upon the Area Chair’s recommendation and with the approval of the Board of Councillors, the Deacon Deputy Chaplain can be re-appointed for successive three-year terms. (this section on the Deacon Deputy Chaplains was included in October 2015)

8. Celebration of Requiem Masses upon the Death of aMember of the Association

Magistral Chaplains are asked to celebrate a Mass for the soul of each deceased Member within a three-month period after the date of death in the Area. As a custom, in the American Association, the Assistant Principal Chaplain or his designee celebrates a memorial Mass for a deceased Knight or Dame at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral within a reasonable period after the Association is notified of the death of a member.

9. Policy Regarding Participation by Clergy and Religious inthe Annual Pilgrimage to Lourdes

Inasmuch as the Order’s Annual Pilgrimage is first and foremost a spiritual activity, it is imperative that a qualified and experienced Clergy team be assembled each year, the process whereby the Clergy, both priests and deacons, and Religious are able to participate shall be governed by the following policies and procedures.

1. In order to manage the spiritual element of the Pilgrimage,the Principal Chaplain, after consulting with the AA

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President, will appoint a Pilgrimage Chaplain to manage the spiritual activities of the Pilgrimage.

2. The Pilgrimage Chaplain will assemble a Core team ofClergy and Religious who will be responsible for thespiritual, sacramental and liturgical aspects of thePilgrimage. This team will consist of Clergy and Religiouswho are familiar with the Order and its activities. Othersmay also be invited to serve on the team if their particularexpertise is deemed necessary. The size of the Core teamshall be determined in conjunction with the Pilgrimagechair(s).

3. The Core team shall participate as guests of the Pilgrimage.The Pilgrimage Chaplain, based on the allocated number ofClergy positions, will fill them with Association Chaplainswhose specific skills ensure they will be effective in theirspecific assignments. Generally, Chaplains appointed to thecore list will have been on several Association Pilgrimagesto Lourdes and will be fully aware of what will beappropriate and effective. This team will consist of Clergyand Religious who are familiar with the Order and itsactivities. Others may also be invited to serve on the coreteam if their particular expertise is deemed necessary.

4. In addition to the Core team, other Clergy and Religiousmay be invited to participate in the Pilgrimage with theprior approval of the Pilgrimage Chaplain, working inconsultation with the Executive Director and the LourdesPilgrimage Presidents. This will allow Area Chaplains andother Clergy and Religious involved with the Order to gainfamiliarity with the Pilgrimage and gain the necessaryexperience for future consideration for selection to the Coreteam. The cost for such participants may be covered bythe guest her/himself, by a sponsor or by the Areawhere the Chaplain serves.

5. Because the Pilgrimage can only accommodate a limitednumber of persons, and like every other group, Clergy and

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Religious must be factored into this total number, no Clergy or Religious may participate without the prior approval of the Pilgrimage Chaplain who will work with the Executive Director and the Lourdes Pilgrimage Presidents to make final decisions beyond the core team. Conventual and Magistral Chaplains who are not members of the Core team are included in this provision. Due to space limitations, it is not always possible to invite as many Clergy or Religious as members may wish.

6. When the number of requests for participation by additionalClergy or Religious exceeds the space available, theapproval decisions will be based on criteria such as whetherthe person is a Conventual or Magistral Chaplain, has beendesignated as Deputy Chaplain; serves as an AreaChaplain; is involved with the Order in some particularway(s), whether their involvement brings a neededexpertise to the Pilgrimage, etc. Increasing the number ofClergy and Religious who will be qualified to serve on theCore team will also be a factor in such decisions.

7. Bishops who wish to participate in the Pilgrimage arewelcome to request to accompany the Pilgrimage. Ifapproved, they will be guests of the Pilgrimage, as willtheir Secretaries. These requests will be considered in lightof the number of spaces allocated to Clergy. Every effortwill be made to accommodate the Bishops who request toattend.

8. This policy shall not involve those Clergy and Religiouswho participate as Malades and caregivers. They shall beinvited subject to the policies governing those categories.

9. Exceptions to this policy can be made by the PilgrimageChaplain, in consultation with the Executive Director andthe Lourdes Pilgrimage Presidents. The final number ofClergy for the Pilgrimage is determined by the ExecutiveDirector and the Lourdes Pilgrimage Presidents.

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Liturgy Decree

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