Order of Malta Moment
February 3, 2012
Federal Association Contributes Grant to Bishops’ Religious Liberty Committee
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has established an Ad Hoc Committee on Religious Liberty to help church leaders respond to the HHS directive and other threats to the free exercise of religion in America. Bishop William Lori (Bridgeport) is the chairman of this important new committee which will advise the bishops on constitutional matters, conduct campaigns that inform the public, and advocate in legislatures for the restoration of religious liberty.
At the bishops' request, the Federal Association has provided a $50,000 grant to assist in this effort. Federal knights Kevin Baine, KM, a partner at Williams & Connolly LLP, and Philip Lacovara, KM, Counselor-Legal Adviser at the Permanent Observer Mission of the Order of Malta to the United Nations and senior counsel at the law firm Mayer Brown LLP, are both consultants to the committee. See the Feb 1 letter from Federal Association President J. Paul McNamara for additional information.
Milwaukee Members Collect for Mission Outreach
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Michael Cesarz, KM (l) and John Miller, KM organize supplies for shipping.
John Miller, KM needs a wheelchair. He also needs walkers, canes, crutches and shower chairs. John is not sick; he and other members of the Order of Malta Federal Association are collecting items for the Springfield, Ill., based Hospital Sisters Mission Outreach to distribute to hospitals and clinics serving the poor throughout the world. Last month, a Mission Outreach truck picked up a truckload of medical supplies that the Order collected and stored in a container at Jones Island in the Milwaukee Intermodal Terminal.
“My mother-in-law died and we had her wheelchairs, canes and other supplies and my wife was after me to get rid of these things,” he explained. “The thought occurred to me that this situation must be repeated hundreds of times throughout the Archdiocese. So I contacted the archbishop and put a notice in the chancery newsletter so pastors would know that the archbishop was behind this and supported it.”
Members in Chicago and Milwaukee have collected more than 400 pieces of medical equipment and supplies to benefit hospitals in Guatemala, Cuba, Honduras, El Salvador, Ecuador and others. “The Milwaukee group has five active members and two in formation,” says John. “I enjoy being part of this group as it gives me an opportunity to serve the church through our primary mission to help the poor and needy throughout the world.” --from the Milwaukee Catholic Herald, courtesy of Sam Ciccarelli, KM, Chicago Hospitaller
Dallas members participate in the annual March for Life
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Left to right
David Holliday, KM, Pat McDowell, KM, Kip Rolland, KM, Susan Stanzel, DM, Dan Hennessy, KM, Bettina Hennessy, DM, Paulette Standefer, Candidate 2012, Nancy Neuhoff, Candidate 2013, Martha Rolland, Theresa Martter, DM and Dallas Hospitaller, Kathy Gilbride, DM; 2nd row Norma Longwell, DM, Lawrence Neuhoff, KM, David Bass, Candidate 2013
ANNUAL DUES – NOW DUE
Your 2012 annual membership dues ($1,200 per person) are due March 5, 2012. Dues notices will be sent via e-mail and U.S. Mail. Members will have the ability of paying all at once by check, or they may use a credit card (or automatic bank withdrawal) to spread the payments out across a ten-month period. Please Click here for more information.
Upcoming Events:
Feb 4 - Wash, DC - St. Ann’s Valentine’s Day Party, 4-6 PM at St. Ann’s Infant and Maternity Home. Contact: Chrissy Page
Feb 6 - Charlotte - Room at the Inn at St. Peter’s Catholic Church. Contact: Barbara Laughlin
Feb 11 - Houston - Anointing Mass, St. Michael’s Church. Contact: Kate Signorelli
Feb 11 - Wash DC - Malta House - Senior-Junior Prom at 2:00 PM. Contact: Valencia Camp
Feb 11 - Lafayette, LA - Mass of Healing and Anointing of the Sick 10 AM Our Lady of Fatima Church, Abbot Placid Solari, Chacellor of Belmont Abbey College will be the principal celebrant. Contact: Dan Bouligny
Feb 11 - Chicago - Mass and Annointing of the Sick, 11 AM Little Sisters of the Poor 2325 N. Lakewood Ave, followed by lunch. Contact: Mary Armato
Feb 11 - Chicago - Volunteers are needed to pack boxes of supplies at the Mission Outreach. Contact: Sam Ciccarelli
Feb 11 - Charlotte - Defense of the Faith program regarding the USCCB and the lawsuit filed against Belmont Abbey, addressing religious liberty and the Obama Administration’s regulations on health care and contraceptives in employer sponsored health plans. Contact: Jerry Schmitt
Feb 15 – NoVA - Defense of the Faith Presentation and Discussion - Dr. Robert Royal, president of the Faith and Reason Institute - Home of George and Carmen Egge, 4365 North 26th Street, Arlington.
Feb 21 - Baltimore - Order of Malta volunteers join in with the Mission Helpers to prepare a meal for 80 women. Contact: Margie Counselman
Feb 21—Chicago - St. Thomas of Canterbury, Soup Kitchen, 4827 N. Kenmore, at 4:30 PM. Contact: Joan Trandel
Feb 23 - Kansas City - Memorial Mass for deceased members of the Order, 4:30 PM Notre Dame de Sion Lower School. Contact: Georgia Lynch
Feb 26-Mar 2, 2012 - New Orleans Home Repair Program work week. Click here for info and sign up.
Mar 5 - Charlotte - Room at the Inn at St. Peter’s Catholic Church. Contact: Barbara Laughlin
Mar 9 - Columbus, OH - Mass for the Anointing of the Sick, 6 PM. St. John the Baptist Church. Contact: Charles Mifsud
Mar 10 - Kansas City - Anointing of the Sick Cure of Ars Church, 9 AM with Archbishop Keleher. Contact: Georgia Lynch
Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta
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