The Order is both a Military Order of Mercy and a Hospitaller Order. As a Hospitaller Order and modern charity, it is dedicated to the care and assistance of the poor and sick, and for the advancement and advocacy of palliative and hospice care. This work is through activities which include but not limited to advocacy, assistance, education, publications and facilitating the development and evolution of hospice and palliative care in Canada. As a Military Order of Mercy in today's world while preserving its historical mission, it continues to promote, preserve and maintain its ecumenical mission.
Today, Newfoundland and Labrador Commandery strives to facilitate the original missions of the Order, however, in the 21st century, the missions have expanded the hospitaller mission to include the support, promotion and advocacy of hospice and palliative care. Since 1996, the Newfoundland and Labrador Commandery has been actively providing aid and assistance to those in need, in particular, to those people who need our help in hospice or palliative care. Through the efforts of the Newfoundland and Labrador Commandery, the Order has helped numerous people and health/care organizations and continues to focus on hospice and palliative care today in service to humanity.
Donation to Queen's College Pastoral and Palliative Care Training Program (June 2021)
The NL Commander of the Order of Saint Lazarus, Lewis Stoyles, visited Queen's College and presented a cheque to the Provost, Dr. Joanne Mercer. The cheque for $6,000.00 was a grant to support the on-line Volunteer Training Certificate Program in Grief and Bereavement offered in Winter 2021. The course and program was designed to equip interested individuals with the knowledge and skills for effective pastoral visitation and spiritual support ministries to people who are dealing with loss. The program was a great opportunity for churches, parishes, hospitals, long-term care facilities, pastoral care committees, and community groups to ensure their visitation and outreach volunteers are adequately trained for grief and bereavement support. The grant from the Order of St. Lazarus allowed interest individuals to complete the program without charge. Sixty-six people from across Canada availed of the opportunity offered by the Order. The Order of Saint Lazarus offered similar support for a training program for pastoral and palliative care volunteers in 2020.
Accompanying image: Presentation of the cheque by Chev. Lewis Stoyles, KCLJ, Commander of NL Commandery to Dr. Joanne Mercer, Provost of Queen's College.
Donation to Queen's College Pastoral and Palliative Care Training Program (February 2020)
The Pastoral and Palliative Care Volunteer Training Program is designed to be accessible by interested individuals throughout Newfoundland and Labrador and beyond. The program is offered in real time via webinar, enabling participants to attend online from their own home or office using a omputer, tablet or smart phone. The program runs once a week for two hours each over a period of eight weeks. Some participants actually gathered together in small groups at remote sites and some attended at the campus of Queen's College. The sessions are also recorded and can be viewed in its entirety for a period of time after the week's event. The $5,000 raised by the NL Commandery was matched by the Order of Saint Lazarus Canada allowing a total contribution to the program of $10,000.
Accompanying image: Presentation of the cheque for $10,000 by Chev. Lewis Stoyles, KCLJ, Commander of NL Commandery to Rick Singleton, Provost and Vice Chancellor of Queen's College.
