The end of summer kicks off a season of cool nights, Monday Night Football, pumpkin flavored everything, and the Investiture of new Knights and Dames (110 this year!). It’s also when the Lourdes Committee kicks into high gear planning for the pilgrimage – and the team has hit the ground running.

Debbie and Jean Brunel, the 2026 Pilgrimage Co-Hosts, are busy developing the spiritual theme for the Association. The office team are readying the malade recommendation forms and pilgrim applications to be sent shortly after Investiture. John Mitchell and Stacey Reisman, our Co-Presidents, are working with the airline and airport officials to ensure we have reasonable departure times and gates to accommodate our malades and caregivers. Tony Gagliardi and Patti Vara-Hickey are firing up the Lourdes Pilgrimage Medical Committee to review proposed malades. Msgr. Ritchie, our Chief Chaplain, will shortly begin working with the chaplains that will accompany us on our journey to lead us in prayer and reflection. Joseph and Marigle Barrigan are preparing the Malade-in-Spirit and Caregiver-in-Spirit program. And many, many other hands are busy getting us ready for our pilgrimage.

The charism of the Order of Malta calls us to serve the sick and the poor. Usually, we do so locally in our Areas. Occasionally, we do so in small groups elsewhere, as did the members who recently served at the Jubilee Medical Clinics in Rome. Opportunities for us to work en masse are limited. Fortunately, the Lourdes Pilgrimage offers us a rare opportunity to gather in large numbers and become part of a team wholly focused on serving our malades and their caregivers. Lourdes gives us a rare opening to demonstrably be ‘forgetful of ourselves’ and there is no better way to see the worldwide Order and our Association unified in common purpose.

Come May, I look forward to being a pilgrim with you, to kneeling with you in prayer, and to serving alongside you!

Kenneth R. Craig, GCM, President