Order of Malta Moment

This year’s election will be unlike any held previously by the Federal Association. Changes to our bylaws will bring a new dynamic to the process and new logistics to the nomination and election cycles. The section of the bylaws governing elections is “Article VI Meetings and Elections.”; a copy of the bylaws is available on the Association’s website.

The process starts earlier and allows for a run-off vote – if candidates do not receive the required majority of votes. The first ballot will be mailed by August 1st and a run-off ballot, if needed, by September 1st. To take office, a candidate must receive at least 51% of the cast vote. The election for President and Director allow for multiple candidates without a specific recommendation by the nominating committee, although incumbents running for a second term will be so identified.

Candidates self-nominate if they want to run. Nomination forms and letter from members nominating other members will not be considered. Members interested in running for President or Director should complete a Nomination Form and return it to the office on or before July 1, 2012. Click here to open the form.

Previously, the Board provided the members and the nominating committee guidelines for selecting suitable candidates. A copy of the “Board of Directors’ Resolution on Qualifications for Holding Office in the Federal Association” and the “Nomination Form – Officers and Directors” will be mailed to all members along with other election information. The Nominating Committee will use these guidelines to select qualified candidates for the ballot.

While campaigning is strictly prohibited, encouraging a member to run for office is permitted.

This year, the following offices are subject to election by the membership:
Seven Directors of the Board; three incumbent Directors (Robert W. Lively, Margaret B. Melady, PhD, and Pauline N. Olsen, M. D) are eligible for a second term. The incumbent President, J. Paul McNamara, is eligible for a second term.

Executive officers are elected by the Board of Directors after the election of new Directors and the President. The offices of Vice President, Hospitaller, and Chancellor are subject to election this year. Members may self-nominate for these positions as well, although the due date for the nomination forms is later, after the final ballot tabulation. Questions regarding the election process may be directed to Jane Belford, DM, Chair, Nominating Committee or click here to email the committee. - Jane Belford, DM, Chair, Nominating Committee and Gregory Granitto, KM, Chancellor

Marie Hilliard, Ph.D., DM, director of the National Catholic Center for Bioethics and Public Policy addressed a crowd of over 350 in Lancaster, PA on May 22nd with her powerful talk entitled, “With Liberty and Justice for Some”. Citing case law and the First Amendment, she challenged the audience to see that the Health and Human Services mandate is an attack on religious freedom.

Dr. Hilliard began with an explanation of the two parts of the First Amendment that protect religion: the Establishment Clause and the Free Exercise Clause. She went on to illustrate how the freedom to live by one’s conscience is the core of the Free Exercise Clause and that when the government mandates that persons violate conscience it is restricting religious freedom. Dr. Hilliard gave many examples in which states and the federal government have been mandating actions that violate the consciences of health care providers including efforts to force participation in abortion or dispense contraceptives including morning after pills.

She believes that the most recent mandate by HHS is a continuation of this move towards establishing secularism as the official belief system. Dr. Hilliard explained how the HHS mandate requires all employers to provide free contraception, abortifacients and sterilization in their health care plans. Only a few religious organizations are exempt, but not our Catholic hospitals, colleges and charities. She said that the “accommodation” offered is an accounting misrepresentation since many of these groups are self-insured. Catholic hospitals provide a significant amount of health care in this country and support health care for the poor.

It is in this context of being the largest provider of non-governmental health care, education and social services, that the Church seeks to exercise its First Amendment right to an exemption from this mandate. Now these same providers are being forced to choose between delivering their ministries or violating their consciences. Dr. Hilliard pointed out that there are only three things a Catholic hospital won’t do: “We won’t kill you even if you ask us, we won’t kill your unborn child, even if you ask us and we won’t surgically or chemically mutilate a normal, healthy function.” Other provisions of the new health care law will force Catholics to pay for and possibly offer these services without exemption because it excluded the Hyde-Weldon Amendment. Furthermore, due to the limited definitions of exempted medical procedures in existing state and federal laws, rules and regulations, such exemptions are tenuous, at best.

Click here to listen to a podcast of her presentation. - Peter Scudner, KM, Lancaster

Jun 8 - Houston - First of a 3 part series on Lumen Gentium, the Dogmatic Constitution for the Church written by the Second Vatican Council at the home of Doug Sandvig, with Fr. Brendan Cahill as presenter. 6 PM with dinner to follow Contact: Kate Signorelli
Jun 11 - Kansas City, MO - The St. James Place Steak and T-shirt Dinner for the hungry; contact Georgia Lynch for details.
Jun 15 - Syracuse - Day of Reflection - Abbey of the Genesee, Piffard, NY; 10:00 AM until the conclusion of Vespers at 4:00 PM; to be followed by semi-annual evening meeting. Contact: Sharon Cirincione
Jun 16-17 - Annual Spring Retreat of the Federal Association; St. Mary's Seminary, Baltimore; Rev. Thomas Hurst, S.S., retreat director. Click here for RSVP form.
Jun 19 - Wash DC - St. John the Baptist Mass & Reception; St. Matthew's Cathedral; 6:30 PM; His Eminence Donald Cardinal Wuerl, celebrant. Click here for RSVP form.
Jun 20 - Baltimore - Please note the new date and information for the Mass of St. John. St. Ignatius Church 5:30 PM Mass with dinner following at the Maryland Club. Contact: Loretto Kane.
June 21 - Pittsburgh - Feast of St. John the Baptist; Bishop David Zubik will celebrate mass at the Oratory at 6:30 PM; dinner will follow at the Pittsburgh Athletic Association. Contact: Dan McGrogan
Jun 22 - Lancaster, PA - Federal Association's primary observance of the Feast of St. John the Baptist; Mass - St. Mary's Church, 6:00 PM; dinner at the Hamilton Club. Contact: Pat Whalen
Jun 22 - Chicago - Feast of St. John the Baptist, Mass will be celebrated by Francis Cardinal George, 6:00 PM Our Lady of Perpetual Help. Dinner at the Glen View Golf Club. Contact: Linda Kuczma
Jun 22 - Houston - Feast of St. John. Mass will be held at St. Mary’s Seminary Chapel, His Eminence Daniel Cardinal DiNardo, celebrant at 6 PM. Dinner follows at the Forest Club. Contact: Marcus Menough
Jun 23 - Montgomery County - "Celebrate Summer" Party for St. Ann's Infant and Maternity Home - 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM - Chevy Chase. Contact: Chrissy Page
Jun 23 - Columbus - St. John the Baptist Mass - 5pm St. John the Baptist Church. Contact: Charles Mifsud
Jun 24 - Kansas City, MO - St. John the Baptist Mass and Dinner - at the home of Chuck and Jackie Sullivan. Contact Georgia Lynch for details.
Jun 24 - Dallas - St. John the Baptist Mass and Dinner with Bishop Farrell as celebrant 4:00 PM St. Monica Church, followed by dinner. Contact: Theresa Martter
Jun 24 - Memphis - Feast of St. John the Baptist - Mass will be celebrated by Bishop Steib at 5:30 PM at Holy Rosary Church, followed by dinner at the Memphis Country Club. Contact: Robert Hutton
Jun 24 - Charlotte - Feast of St. John the Baptist Mass will be at 4:00 PM at the home of Ray and Cydne Farris. Bishop Curlin will be the celebrant. Contact: Jerry Schmidt
Jun 27 - NoVa - Defense of the Faith meeting, 7 PM followed by pot luck supper both at the home of George and Carmen Egge. Contact: Dr. Terry White
Jun 28 - Atlanta - 6:30 PM. Defense of the Faith, Holy Spirit Church Side C, McDonough Hall. 7 PM. Feast of St. John the Baptist. Mass in the Church followed by dinner in McDonough Hall. Contact: Diane Festa