Order of Malta Moment
February 24, 2012
New Orleans’ Volunteers Leave the Sign of the Order in Their Work
Dallas-Region volunteers in New Orleans included (l-r) Joe Giangiulio, Kip Rolland, KM, Lawrence Newhoff, KM, and Theresa Martter, DM.
Thirty-one volunteers, representing all three U.S. associations, worked and prayed together last month during their work week for the Order of Malta’s New Orleans Home Rebuilding Program.
Two large groups of Federal Association volunteers—10 from Lancaster, PA and eight from Dallas—joined volunteers from CA, CT, DE, Washington, DC, MD, NY and PA for the Order’s domestic pilgrimage.
The volunteers worked in the Carrollton and St. Roch neighborhoods of New Orleans. They rebuilt the homes of Michael Thomas, a disabled Vietnam veteran, and Melvina Hazeur. The volunteers installed bamboo flooring, ceramic tile, shelving. window trim, baseboard, quarter-round and kitchen cabinets.
Several volunteers restored Mr. Thomas’ metal fireplace cover which shields his family from cold chimney drafts. They decorated it with a New Orleans fleur-de-lis and the cross of the Order and the volunteers signed their names to it and affixed the emblem of the Order’s works—handmade of wood by a member of the Order—to the front of the two homes as a sign of the Order’s support for these New Orleans’ residents.
Fr. Michael Letteer of the Diocese of Harrisburg attended with his father, Charles Letteer, KM. Fr. Letteer celebrated Mass for us each morning at the hotel using the Order of Malta missal to say the Mass; his intentions were for the sanctification of the members of our Order on Monday and for the deceased members of our Order on Thursday.
On Wednesday, Father concelebrated the weekly Mass for the children of St. Peter Claver Church in Treme. Their lively singing and welcoming smiles lifted us up.
Fr. Michael Jacques, the pastor of St. Peter, thanked the Order for its longstanding commitment to New Orleans. He reminded the children and faculty that the Order has shown its sincere commitment to the people of the parish and the city by working for six years since the hurricane—long after other groups have moved on. - John Reilly, KM, Chair, Order of Malta New Orleans Home Repair Program
Baltimore Chaplain Urges Giving to Holy Family Hospital
Msgr. Cramblitt, Baltimore Chaplain on a recent Lourdes Pilgrimage with the Federal Association
St. John the Evangelist, founded in 1822, is the oldest parish in Baltimore county and situated in beautiful Long Green Valley. This rural parish of 1500 families, pastored by Magistral Chaplain of the Order, Msgr. Richard Cramblitt, supports ongoing efforts to a foreign mission outreach in Haiti, and a domestic outreach to a Baltimore city parish. Like all modern parishes, stewardship, the call for time, talent and money, can be a pastor's all consuming preoccupation. This past Advent, Msgr. Cramblitt was preparing to ask his generous parishioners for a little bit more.
Msgr. Cramblitt, had visited Holy Family Hospital in Palestine, one of the signature projects of the Order and saw first hand the wonderful work being done to benefit poor Palestinian women. He was moved by the services provided by Holy Family Hospital during their pregnancy and delivery. Back in his Maryland parish and with Advent approaching, Msgr. Cramblitt was inspired. "I was trying to develop a parish outreach effort for the season of Advent when the Church prepares to celebrate the birth of the Messiah," Fr. Cramblitt said "It was an obvious connection! What better way to prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus than to assist the women's hospital in Jesus' own birth village"
Inviting the parish youth to adopt the project and enlisting Dr. Harry Johnson Jr., KM, Chairman of the International Medical Committee on the Board of Holy Family Hospital to speak and show videos about the hospital’s work, the youth were inspired to reach out to the Parish and ask for support. Each student in the parish school and in the Religious Education program was given a baby bottle and asked to fill it. Select students were asked to speak at each Sunday Mass and show slides of the hospital and its work; and a donation box for Holy Family Hospital was placed in the church. And, for extra incentive (as if any were needed), Msgr. Cramblitt offered a drawing for an X-Box to all students who participated.
The entire parish joined in the fundraising with great joy and happily provided the Holy Family Hospital Foundation with a check for $8,000. With great thankfulness, Msgr. concluded, "Here was the true spirit of the season of giving." - Mary Hosford, DM, Baltimore.
Day of Formation for Candidate Class of 2013 and sponsors
April 19 – 20, 2012
Charlotte, NC
Click here for details
Upcoming Events:
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.
Mar 18-23, 2012 - New Orleans Home Repair Program work week. Click here for info and sign up.
Mar 24 - Northern VA - Mass for the Anointing of the Sick, 11 AM; Fr. Richard Mullins will be the Celebrant and Homilist. Volunteers are needed; last year the region had approximately 150 Malades attend. Respond to Elizabeth Scheuren or Valencia Camp
April 19-20 - Charlotte - Day of Formation for candidate class of 2013 and sponsors. Click here for details.
April 21 - Wash DC - Federal Association Day of Reflection - Washington Theological Union - 9:00 - 2:00. All members and candidates invited.
May 2-9 - Lourdes Pilgrimage.
June 9-10 - Baltimore - Spring Retreat of the Federal Association - St. Mary's Seminary. All members and candidates are invited.
Jun 11 - Kansas City, MO - The St. James Place Steak and T-shirt Dinner for the hungry; contact Georgia Lynch for details.
Jun 23 - Columbus - Mass for the Feast of St. John the Baptist - 5pm @ St. John the Baptist Church. Contact: Charles Mifsud
Jun 24 - Kansas City, MO - St. John the Baptist Mass and Dinner - is scheduled at the home of Chuck and Jackie Sullivan. Contact Georgia Lynch for details.
Jun 24 - Dallas Region - Feast of St. John the Baptist Mass and Dinner. Contact: Theresa Martter.
Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta
Federal Association, U.S.A.
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