Hospice chosen as national charity for faithful Order

One of the oldest Orders of Christian chivalry, The Order of St Lazarus, has chosen St. Joseph’s Hospice in Merseyside as its new national charity.

The Order has already presented a cheque for £2,000 to hospice chief executive Mike Parr and has pledged to raise further funds over the coming years following a recommendation from the Archbishop of Liverpool, the Most Reverend Malcolm McMahon.

Just like the modern hospice movement, caring for the most vulnerable people in society has always been at the heart of The Order of St Lazarus, which was founded back in the Middle Ages in 1099AD.

The Order of St. Lazarus is a Military Order and is led by recently appointed Grand Prior, Anthony Dickinson, with a membership throughout Great Britain. The Order raises money for good causes in many different ways from hosting events and dinners to sponsored walks and carol concerts as well as through regular collections.

Fr Simon Henry, Chaplain General for the Order of St. Lazarus in Great Britain, said: “We are proud to be associated with the great work which St Joseph's Hospice continues to undertake in the Archdiocese of Liverpool for people of all faiths and none. It is a true reflection of Our Lord's command to love one another as He has loved us.

“The Order has supported a large number of charities over the years but we are very pleased to name St. Joseph’s Hospice as our new national charity. Our foundations are very much aligned and we hope to build a long standing relationship with the hospice over many years to come.”

Mike Parr, chief executive of St. Joseph’s Hospice, said: “We are honoured and incredibly grateful that the Order of St. Lazarus is putting its faith in us to deliver high quality care and compassion to our patients and their families.

“We feel very privileged to care for people living in our Archdiocese and, on behalf of all hospice staff, patients and families, we would like to thank Fr Simon Henry, Grand Prior Anthony Dickinson, and all members of the Order for their generosity and support both now and in the future.”