John T. Dunlap

Fra' John Timothy Dunlap (born April 16, 1957) is a Canadian attorney who has been the Prince and Grand Master and head of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta since May 3, 2023.

He had been Lieutenant of the Grand Master since 13 June 2022.

Dunlap is the first Prince and Grand Master not to be of noble or aristocratic ancestry, which was traditionally a requirement for the role until a revision to the Order's constitution ordered by Pope Francis in 2022.

Dunlap was born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Ottawa and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Western Ontario.

He also studied at the University of Nice.

Dunlap was admitted to the New York State Bar Association and the Ontario Bar Association.

In 1986, he joined the New York legal firm Dunnington, Bartholow & Miller.

He became a partner in 1993.

He specializes in corporate and immigration law.

He was a legal advisor to the Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations.

Dunlap was admitted as a Knight of Magistral Grace of the Order of Malta in 1996.

He professed temporary vows as a Knight of Justice in 2004.

In 2006 he was elected the first regent, or religious superior, of the Sub-Priory of Our Lady of Lourdes, which is composed of knights of the first and second classes who are members of the American Association and the Federal Association.

On 7 June 2008, he professed perpetual vows as a Knight of Justice at the Church of St. Joseph in Greenwich Village.

In May 2014, Dunlap was elected to a five-year term as a member of the Sovereign Council.

He also serves as president of the Committee on the Orders of St. John, set up as a collaborative body between the Order of Malta and the four non-Catholic orders of St. John.

On 13 June 2022, Pope Francis appointed Dunlap Lieutenant of the Grand Master of the Order.

On May 3, 2023, Dunlap was elected Prince and 81st Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.

Dunlap's election was made possible by the 2022 revisions to the Order's constitution ordered by Pope Francis, which removed the traditional requirement that the Grand Master be able to prove noble ancestry.

Dunlap is President Emeritus of the Canadian Club of New York, Vice-President of the Royal Conservatory of Music Foundation (Toronto), a Trustee of John Cabot University (Rome), and President of the Friends of the Certosa di Capri (Italy).

Fra' John Timothy Dunlap received the title of Canon ad honorem of the Saint Lawrence Collegiate Chapter of Vittoriosa by solemn decree of His Grace the Metropolitan Archbishop of Malta Mgr.

Charles Jude Scicluna on the 16th of June 2023.

His Most Eminent Highness was decorated with the pectoral cross which is one of the insigna bestowed by the Holy See on the Collegiate Chapter.