Order of Malta Moment
February 10, 2012
Celebrating Valentine’s Day at St. Ann’s Infant and Maternity Home
The words of St. Francis of Assisi rang so true for those who volunteered Saturday February 4 at the Valentine’s Day Party for the babies, children and teen mothers at St. Ann’s Infant and Maternity Home in Hyattsville, Maryland. St. Ann's provides residential care and services to abused and neglected children and to single pregnant and parenting adolescents in crisis, as well as quality day care to the children of working families. Spending the afternoon with our guests was to receive a very special Valentine in itself: their smiles, hugs, conversation, and just see them enjoying a party was a total gift!
Volunteers included several Dames, Auxiliary and special friends of the Order of Malta, with special guest visits from the current Miss DC and Miss Teen DC. The children and teen mothers delighted in meeting these most kind and gracious princesses! Our favorite clown was on hand as well, entertaining us all with her fabulous face-painting skills. Volunteers thoroughly enjoyed engaging with our guests in a variety of ways throughout the party. From serving a meal, to PlayDough playing and doing an art project, or to simply listening to a little one tell us a little about themselves, each volunteer was touched that afternoon by the spirit of Valentine’s Day which is love, and went home with a deeper experience of St. Francis’ words, for truly to give from one’s heart is to receive God’s Grace. There is no better Valentine than that. Many, many thanks to all who made a beautiful celebration possible! - Chrissy Page, DM, Washington, DC
Update on "Religious Freedom” Issue
According to the director of government relations for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, there have been 250,000 emails to Congress through the bishops' action alert, and they are coming in at a rate of 4,000 more every day. No other issue in history has so united Catholics on both left and right. For tips on how to make your correspondence effective, click here.
For Catholics wanting to understand the implications of the new federal directive mandating insurance coverage of contraception/sterilization/abortifacients, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has issued a short backgrounder: "The New Federal Mandate for Contraception/Sterilization Coverage." It includes three sections: Pregnancy Not a Disease, The Problem of Abortifacient Drugs, and Violating Religious Freedom and Rights of Conscience. The statement can be found here.
Federal Association Grant Brings “Queen of Peace” Back to Lafayette.
Lafayette members present a $25,000 grant to Rev. Thomas James, Episcopal Vicar of the Diocese of Lafayette, with Rev. F. Hampton Davis, pastor of Our Lady Queen of Peace and chaplain of the Lafayette Region. Members present included (l to r) Dan Bouligny, KM, Regional Hospitaller, Mary Callaway, DM, Marla David, DM, Jeanine Sibille, DM, Paul David, KM, Randy Haynie, KM, and Tim Westcott, KM
Over the last several years, the Knights and Dames of the Lafayette, Louisiana region devoted their time and treasure to the renovation of Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church (OLQP). OLQP’s pastor, Rev. F. Hampton Davis, III, serves as chaplain of the Lafayette Region. On April 16, 2010, just as the first phase of these renovations was being completed, OLQP was destroyed by fire. Since then, Fr. Davis and his OLQP parishioners have celebrated Mass in an un air-conditioned gymnasium while they worked to raise the funds to begin rebuilding their church. Those fundraising efforts got a huge boost recently, with a $25,000 grant from the Order of Malta. OLQP hopes to begin construction early in 2012. - Paul David, KM, Lafayette, LA
By Laws Election Tally
The Proposed Federal Association By-Laws were passed by a vote of members 482 to 22. The results were forwarded to the Sovereign Council for approval at their next meeting on February 16.
Need to know how to contact your Representative or Senator?
www.house.gov (for Representatives) www.senate.gov (for Senators)
Upcoming Events:
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
Mar 13 - Wash DC - Lenten Evening of Reflection - 6:30 PM - Church of the Annunciation. Mass, followed by soup supper and Lenten reflection by Monsignor John Enzler. Click here for more information.
Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta
Federal Association, U.S.A.
1730 M Street, NW | Suite 403 | Washington, DC 20036
202.331.2494 | Email Us