The Council

His Excellency Sir Michael Feeley served as the 7^th Lieutenant of the Western Lieutenancy from 2015 to 2019.  A graduate of Jesuit-run Georgetown Prep in Washington, D.C., he earned an undergraduate degree in Religion at Dartmouth College, followed by a fellowship year in Rome at the Pontifical Gregorian University.  He then studied Divinity and Law at Harvard, earning a Juris Doctor degree, before receiving a Master’s in Theology from Oxford University.  A successful Attorney in Los Angeles for over 30 years, Sir Michael has served on a variety of boards, including Saint Anne’s Maternity Home and the Cathedral Finance Committee, and as Chairman of the California Patrons of the Vatican Museums.  Just a year after his investiture in 1997, he was appointed Los Angeles Area Co-Councillor, marking the beginning of years of dedicated service to the Order.  During his tenure as Lieutenant, a number of Special Projects aiding the Holy Land were initiated or developed further,  including Bethlehem University, the Society of Saint Yves, the Holy Child Program, St. Vincent’s Home for Disabled Children, and Adopt-A-Seminarian.  Additionally, the Legacy Program was created, which now has over one-hundred members with millions of dollars in bequests helping Christians in the Holy Land.  Sir Michael (KGCHS) and his wife, Dame Janet Feeley (DGCHS), have two adult sons, and continue today to serve the EOHSJ in many ways.  He is a recipient of the Gold Palm of Jerusalem and the Cardinal’s Award.

His Excellency Sir William H Davidson served as the sixth Lieutenant of the Western Lieutenancy from 2010 until his death on Pentecost Sunday in 2015.  A native of Portland, Oregon, he graduated from Cornell Medical School in New York City, before moving to San Diego to begin a career as an Orthopedic Surgeon.  He was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and was Chief of Staff of San Diego’s Mercy Hospital, as well as Chief of its Orthopedic residency program.  Additionally, he was a member of the Mercy Outreach Surgical Team, which traveled to Mexico frequently to care for children born with congenital conditions.  Sir William (KGCHS) served from 2000 to 2008 as Area Councillor of San Diego prior to becoming Lieutenant.  He was survived by many children and grandchildren, as well as his wife Carolyn Davidson (DGCHS), whom he met while traveling from Europe to the United States aboard the S.S. France in 1964.  Lieutenant Davidson had a deep passion for many of the Order’s Special Projects in the Holy Land, including the Zarqa Schools of Jordan.  Following his death, a fund was created in his honor, which continues today to benefit the schools. 

Serving as the fifth Lieutenant of the Western Lieutenancy from 2002 to 2010 was His Excellency Sir Patrick D. Powers.  An executive in the financial industry for over 30 years, he graduated from California State University Fullerton with a Bachelor Degree in Business Administration, with a concentration in Accounting.  His tenure as Lieutenant was a period of significant expansion, including the origination of a number of Special Projects, which continue today to aid the needy of the Holy Land.  From 2010 to 2018, he served as Vice Governor General of the EOHSJ, overseeing sixteen North American Lieutenancies, which comprised about one-half of the Order’s worldwide membership.  He was also a member of the Presidency of the Grand Magisterium of the EOHSJ and served on the committee to revise the Constitution of the Order.  Sir Patrick holds the rank of Knight of the Collar of the EOHSJ and is a recipient of the Gold Palm of Jerusalem.

His Excellency Sir George Zorn, Jr. served as the third Lieutenant of the Western Lieutenancy from 1991 to 1998.  A native of Springfield, Illinois, he graduated from Loyola University of Chicago and Loyola Stricht School of Medicine, before completing his training as a Surgeon at Naval Medical Center San Diego and serving two tours aboard aircraft carrier U.S.S. Valley Forge.  Following his retirement from the Navy as a Commander, he became a  physician at San Diego’s Mercy Hospital, eventually becoming Chief of Surgery and Chief of Staff, and President of the San Diego Surgical Society.  He oversaw continuing growth of the Western Lieutenancy during his tenure as Lieutenant.  Sir George Zorn (KGCHS) died in 2016 and was preceded in death by his wife, Dame Rita Zorn (DGCHS).

Having served as Chancellor under Lieutenant William Doyle, His Excellency Sir John Boyce succeeded him as the Western Lieutenancy’s second Lieutenant, serving in the position from 1983 to 1991.  Born to a large Irish-Catholic family in Philadelphia, Sir William served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and earned an engineering degree at Christian Brothers’ Manhattan College, before moving to San Diego where he became a successful businessman and for seventeen years, he was the Vice President of Financial Affairs of the University of San Diego, playing a significant role in making the institution what it is today.  During his tenure as Lieutenant, membership grew rapidly, and the boundaries of the Western Lieutenancy were extended to include Alaska, leading to the decision to divide the Lieutenancy, creating the present-day Western and Northwest Lieutenancies. Lieutenant John Boyce (KGCHS) died in 2021, and was survived by his wife of 71 years, Dame Marguerite Boyce (DGCHS), in addition to seven children and many grandchildren and great grandchildren. 

Serving as the first Lieutenant from 1973 to 1983, His Excellency Sir William Doyle and his wife, Dame Anita (Figueredo) Doyle, were both prominent San Diego physicians and together contributed significantly to the early growth of the Western Lieutenancy.  An accomplished author and painter, Sir William wrote an early history of the Lieutenancy and created several portraits of historical members of the EOHSJ, including one which was displayed at the Order’s headquarters in Rome for many years.  A native of Costa Rica, Dame Anita was a close friend of Mother Teresa, and assisted in the Saint’s cause for canonization, while also attending her Beatification Mass in Rome.  Named San Diego’s Woman of the Year, she was a Trustee of the University of San Diego and founded Friends of the Poor, a non-profit dedicated to assisting the needy of Mexico, which continues to serve thousands of individuals annually today.  Having led the first Holy Land pilgrimage of the Western Lieutenancy, Sir William Doyle (KGCHS) and Dame Anita Doyle (DGCHS) passed away in 2000 and 2010 respectively, and were both recipients of the Gold Palm of Jerusalem.