Lantern Award

Establishment of the Lantern Award

During the tenure of Past State Deputy James H. Norton (1956-1958), and at the time of the Diamond Jubilee an outstanding feature of Mr. Norton's tenure in 1957 was the inauguration of the Lantern Award. State Deputy Norton thought this was an appropriate way to honor those who reflected the religious and patriotic ideals of the Founding Fathers. Named for the Lanterns placed in the tower of the Old North Church in Boston to warn Paul Revere.

The award, given by the Massachusetts State Council is presented at the Patriot's Day Dinner, which has drawn a number of illustrious speakers over the years.

2023 Lantern Award information

Past Winners

Click on images framed in Blue for more information and pictures.

2022

2019

2018

Patrick E. Kelly
Supreme Knight

Very Rev. Matthew Wescott
Deputy Brigade Chaplain, Marine Expeditionary Brigade - Afghanistan

Bishop Robert Reed
Auxiliary Bishop of Boston

2017

2016

2015

2014

James T. Brett
President and CEO of The New England Council

All Military Chaplains
who serve in the Archdiocese for the Military Services

Fr. Joseph Baggetta
Founder, Chapel of Hope

Dr. David R. King
LTC Army Reserve, Iraq & Afghanistan Army Surgeon, MGH Surgeon

2013

2012

2011

2010

SSG William Kleinedler (Ret.)
Injured Iraq Veteran - Representing all injured servicemen and women of the Iraq and Afghanistan Conflicts

Rev. Bill Devine
Boston Chaplain, Navy Captain (Retired)

Lt. Col. Timothy A. Butler
Boston Chaplain, Command Chaplain at Headquarters Air Combat Command

Geraldine Stadelmann
Mumbai Terrorist Attack victim whose devotion to the Rosary and prayers helped her survive.

2009

2008

2007

2006

John and Magi Bish
Founders of the Molly Bish Foundation

Bishop William E. Lori
Bishop of the Diocese of Bridgeport, Connecticut, Supreme Chaplain

Bishop Timothy McDonnell
Diocese of Springfield

Raymond Flynn
Former U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican, Former Mayor of Boston, Catholic Orator

2005

2004

2003

2002

Newman A. Flanagan
Past State Deputy of Massachusetts, Former Supreme Director, Former District Attorney of Suffolk County, Executive Director of National District Attorneys Association

Rev. Philip G. Salois
Chaplain for Veterans Administration New England health Systems, Founder and President of National Conference of Vietnam Ministers.

Gen. Patrick H. Brady (Ret.)
Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient

Carl A. Anderson
Supreme Knight

2001

2000

1999

1998

Most Rev. Thomas L. Dupre, S.T.L.
Bishop of Springfield

Most Rev. Sean P. O'Malley, OFM, Cap.
Bishop of Fall River

Most Rev. Lawrence J. Riley, D.D.
Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of Boston

Most Rev. Daniel P. Reilly
Bishop of Worcester

1997

1996

1995

1994

Robert P. Casey - Ellen Casey
Former Governor and First Lady of Pennsylvania

Joseph Cardinal O'Connor
Archbishop of New York

William M. Bulger
President, Massachusetts State Senate

Prof. Mary Ann Glendon
Harvard Law School

1993

1992

1991

1990

Honorable Joseph R. Nolan
Associate Justice, Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court

John F. Collins
Former Mayor of Boston

Bernard Cardinal Law
Archbishop of Boston

Thomas J. Flatley
Philanthropist, Industrialist, Humanitarian

1989

1988

1987

Edward P. Boland
United States Representative (Retired)

Most Rev. Thomas V. Daily
Supreme Chaplain

Doctor Martin J. Dunn
President of Por Cristo

Henry J. Hyde
United States Representative

1986

1985

1984

1983

Virgil C. Dechant
Supreme Knight

Charles A. MacGillivary
Medal of Honor Recipient

Gen. Paul X. Kelley
Commandant of the Marine Corps

Thomas J. Hudner, Jr.
Captain, U.S. Navy (Retired)

1982

1981

1980

Timothy J. McCarthy
Special Agent, U.S. Secret Service

Sen. Jeremiah A. Denton, Jr.
Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy (Retired)

Carl Michael Yastrzemski
Boston Red Sox

Maj. Gen. Henry J. Mead
Chaplain's Corp. U.S. Air Force (retired)

1979

1978

1977

1976

Mildred F. Jefferson, M.D.
President, Right to Life Crusade

Most Rev. Joseph F. Maguire
Bishop of Springfield

Dr. John W. McDevitt, K.C.K.S.G.
Past Supreme Knight

Most Rev. Daniel A. Cronin, S.T.D.
Bishop of Fall River

1975

1974

1973

1972

John A. Volpe
U.S. Ambassador to Italy

Frank W. Tomasello
Retired Associate Justice

Humberto Cardinal Medeiros
Archbishop of Boston

James A. Farley
Patriot - Statesman

1971

1970

1969

1968

Amb. Henry Cabot Lodge
Special Envoy to the Vatican

Ben G. Shapiro
Founder, Massachusetts Committee Catholics, Protestants and Jews

William E. Powers, K.S.G.
Justice, Rhode Island Supreme Court

Very Rev. Michael P. Walsh, S.J.
President of Boston College

1968

1967

1966

1965

Doctor Abram L. Sachar
President of Brandeis University

Most Rev. Jeremiah F. Minihan, D.D., LL.D.
Auxiliary Bishop of Boston

Arthur J. Goldberg
Ambassador to the United Nations

Very Rev. Theodore M. Mesburgh, C.S.C.
President, University of Notre Dame

1964

1963

1962

1961

Daniel F. Foley
National Commander, The American Legion

Robert J Cousy
Exemplar to American Youth

John W. McCormack
Speaker, United States House of Representatives

George Meany
President AFL/CIO

1960

1959

1958

1957

Francis Cardinal Spellman
Archbishop of New York

Richard Cardinal Cushing
Archbishop of Boston

Robert F. Kennedy
Chief Council, Senate Select Committee on
Improper Activities in the Labor and Management Field

J. Edgar Hoover
Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation

Photo courtesy of Library of Congress: Hoover, Spellman

Photo courtesy of LBJ Library: Kennedy, McCormack

Photo courtesy of Archdiocese of Boston: Cushing, Maguire, Flatley, Law, O'Malley

Photo courtesy of University of Notre Dame Archive: Cushing

Photo courtesy of Brandeis University Archive: Sachar

Photo courtesy of Nationaal Archief: Goldberg, Lodge

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia or Wikimedia commons: Farley, Madeiros, Bulger, Dupre

Photo courtesy of Volpe Center: Volpe

Photo courtesy of Diocese of Fall River: Cronin

Photo courtesy of the Knights of Columbus: Tomasello, McDevitt, Deschant, Anderson, King, Butler, Stadelmann, Bish, Devine, McDonnell, Flanagan, Lori, Baggetta, Kleinedler, Brett, Reed

Photo courtesy of Barry AU H20 via Wikimedia Commons: Jefferson

Photo courtesy of BillIlott via Wikimedia Commons: Flynn

Photo courtesy of United States Congress: Denton, Hyde, Boland

Photo courtesy of the Reagan Library: McCarthy

Photo courtesy of Naval History Center: Hudner

Photo courtesy of USMC History Division: Kelley

Photo courtesy of Diocese of Brooklyn: Daily

Photo courtesy of Commonwealth of Massachusetts: Nolan

Photo courtesy of United States State Department: Glendon

Photo courtesy of Diocese of Worcester: Reilly

Photo courtesy of Defense Imagery Management Operations Center: Brady

Photo courtesy of Lasalette: Salois