"Aristocracy"? I am fairly sure that an acquaintance is a member. He is an American of Irish descent, meaning very likely a descendant of half-starved peasants

"Aristocracy"? I am fairly sure that an acquaintance is a member. He is an American of Irish descent, meaning very likely a descendant of half-starved peasants who emigrated 170 years ago. My impression is that an American gets into the Order of Malta by giving large sums of money to Catholic charities, and perhaps other Catholic causes.