President Peter Kelly, MD, GCM, has appointed Thomas Egan Driscoll as the new Area Chair for the Boston Area, succeeding current Area Co-Chairs Craig and Nancy Gibson. Tommy’s term will begin on January 1, 2022.

A member of the Boston Area since 1998, Tommy has recently directed his attention to two ministries: Holy Family Hospital of Bethlehem Foundation, which works to support the Holy Family Hospital in Bethlehem, and Malta Walks, an outreach ministry that brings care packages as well as a sense of Christian community to the homeless and those at the margins in Boston neighborhoods.

After an Investiture Weekend gathering to learn more about the mission of the hospital, Tommy was invited by Foundation Board Chair, Ellen S. Shafer, GCMOb, to serve on the foundation’s Board of Directors in 2017. A short time later, he joined a group pilgrimage for a visit to the Holy Family Hospital in Palestine. “They have tremendous hardship in Palestine, and yet in the middle of it all is this magnificent hospital that does such remarkable work,” he said. “I found it just breathtaking to see this shining example of our humanity.” Retired from a 45-year career in the financial industry, Tommy has put his professional skills to work for the foundation, serving as Chair of the Investment Committee and as a member of the Audit Committee.

Over five years ago, Tommy became involved in Malta Walks with Ed Delaney, Christopher Lee, Ben Malec, and Steve Hardy. “I thought it hit on one of the foundations of the Order, and that’s caring for the poor and the sick,” he said. He described the ministry as engaging with “the voiceless, the faceless, and the marginalized, the ones who have their hand out, and very few people put anything in it. It’s a blessing to be able to put a meal in that hand.”

One of six children, Tommy grew up in West Roxbury, Massachusetts, receiving many of his sacraments at Holy Name Parish. His Catholic education extended from Holy Name School, onto St. Sebastian’s School, to his graduation from St. Michael’s College in Vermont in 1974. “My parents and family were very strong believers in the Catholic faith, and the example they set helped shape me into the person I am today.”

With the Order of Malta, Tommy and his wife, Jane, have made one pilgrimage to Lourdes together, which Tommy said is a great way to experience the pilgrimage because they came back with varied perspectives to share with each other. “We attended all the different events, and it was just a remarkable, life changing experience,” he said.

He and Jane, married for 38 years, have three daughters and a son. After 31 years in Belmont, Massachusetts, they recently moved to Centerville, Massachusetts, on Cape Cod. Their new home parish, Our Lady of Victory, is a five-minute walk away, where Tommy regularly attends daily Mass and has connected with many local Order of Malta members.

As the new Area Chair, Tommy plans to turn his efforts to the three priority areas President Peter Kelly has asked him to focus on: an increase in membership, greater participation by members in current ministries, and an increase in new outreach ministries. Tommy said he is aware that serving as an Area Chair is a big undertaking but said, “I welcome the challenge.”

Craig and Nancy Gibson applauded Peter Kelly’s appointment of Tommy as their successor, saying, “Tommy brings a strong Catholic upbringing, commitment to the Order’s ministries, and decades of professional experience to the role of Area Chair. He brings a range of gifts and talents to guide the Boston Area forward.”

Craig and Nancy recently joined the Board of Directors of the Lourdes Pilgrimage Foundation. At the recent Foundation annual meeting, they were voted in as new officers. Craig will continue as Chair of the American Association Prison Ministry program. In addition, President Kelly has invited them to join the Cabinet team for the Called to Serve Capital Campaign. These new leadership responsibilities with the Foundation and the Campaign Cabinet has prompted them to complete their three-year term as Area Co-Chairs and begin the smooth transition process with Tommy Driscoll as the new incoming Area Chair for Boston.