Order of Malta Moment

Each year Members’ gifts to the Annual Appeal provide hundreds of thousands of dollars of support to a wide variety of programs directly serving the sick, the elderly, and the poor. The Grants Committee’s function is to evaluate all of the Grant requests submitted by knights and dames. It then makes its recommendations to the Board of Directors as to which Grants conform to the Federal Association’s guidelines and the amount at which the programs should be funded. The ultimate decision is the Board’s.

These gifts provide urgently needed support, for example: medicines for indigent clinics, respite care for the severely handicapped, replacement equipment for soup kitchens, emergency funds for discharged patients without other means of support, and safety and security measures for the elderly and the needy. What one or two knights and dames could not do, the combined resources of all members often can.

The Grants given by the Federal Association are the visible sign in many of our regions of the Order’s charism to serve the sick and the poor.

Comprised of twelve members from different hospitaller regions who serve three year terms, the committee meets twice a year and considers on average two dozen grant applications. By far the great majority of the funds go to domestic programs in which knights and dames are actively involved. At the request of the Grand Magistry, grants also support medical and nutrition programs in the Caribbean Basin and Central America. Some of these, like the New Orleans region’s Medical Mission to Nicaragua are projects of by Federal Association's own knights and dames. Others are run by groups recommended and supported by our members, like Medicines for Humanity and the Catholic Medical Mission Board.

When the grants committee met on Wednesday, they considered and voted upon 21 grant applications that had been submitted since the spring cycle. Rowena Morris, DM, Board member and the retiring Grants chair, will present these recommendations to the Board at its December 7 meeting. It is expected that over $300,000 in grants will be approved by the Board, bringing this year’s total grants to a total of over $600,000.

As you know, the Federal Association’s Annual Appeal provides the financial support for our Grants Committee, Defense of the Faith Committee and several other Hospitaller projects sponsored by the Association. The appeal letter was sent on November 2, and almost $50,000 has been received to date. Our goal for 2013 is $850,000 and 100% participation from our membership.

Many of the organizations we support are feeling financial pressure due to a poor economy and they are depending on us more than ever. Members who are regular donors to the annual fund are being asked to consider increasing their donation. And if everyone makes a contribution, no matter the size, we will easily reach our goal. Remember that every dollar contributed goes to direct support--no funds are used for administrative costs.

To make it easier to reach these goals, our members are now able to make their gift / pledge on-line. To view our on-line payment page, please click here.

The deadline for admission for the candidate class is December 15, and the application for admission is now available. Candidates must be Catholics in good standing, sponsored by two members of the Federal association, and able to attend the Association’s Day of Formation on April 4-5 in Washington, DC. Please click here to learn more about the Association’s admission and formation criteria. Members of the Federal Association can click here to access the Admissions Application for the Class of 2014.

Volunteers are needed for our annual Christmas Party for St. Ann's Center for Children, Youth and Families (www.stanns.org) in Hyattsville, MD on December 15. The party will be from 4 - 6pm. Please contact Sheila Dougherty.

Nov 16 - Houston - The Houston Region Deceased Members Mass. 6:00 PM. St. Mary's Seminary. Dinner to follow at The Forest Club. Please RSVP to Marcus Menough if you plan to attend.
Nov 17 - Syracuse - Assumption Pancake Breakfast - Volunteers arrive at 7:30AM. Contact: John Clark
Nov 18 - Syracuse - Malta House Thanksgiving Dinner - Volunteers arrive at
11:30 AM. Contact Pat Fallon
Dec 2 - Dallas - Mass and lunch for the residents at St. Joseph's Retirement home. Contact: Theresa Martter
Dec 2 - Wash DC - Decorate Malta House at 10am; contact: Valencia Camp
Dec 3 - Charlotte - Room at the Inn, serving area homeless men with a meal and overnight shelter. Contact: Barbara Laughlin
Dec 7- Houston - Houston Region Christmas Mass and Dinner celebrated by Cardinal DiNardo: 6:00 PM. St. Mary's Seminary. Dinner to follow at Lakeside Country Club. Please RSVP to Marcus Menough if you plan to attend.
Dec 15 - Wash DC - Volunteers are needed for the Auxiliary Christmas Party for St. Ann's Center for Children, Youth and Families (www.stanns.org). 4:00 – 6:00 PM. Contact Sheila Dougherty
Dec 15 - Wash DC - Celebrate Christmas with the Malta House family at 2pm; contact: Valencia Camp
Jan 7 - Charlotte - Room at the Inn, service project for homeless men. Contact: Barbara Laughlin
Jan 11-13 - Memphis - Retreat at Our Lady Queen of Peace Retreat Center, Dancyville, TN. Contact: Robert Hutton
Jan 14 - Lancaster - Sanctity of Life Mass at 7:00 PM; St. John Neumann Church in Lancaster. Please click here.
Jan 20 - 25 - New Orleans - Order of Malta Home Repair Program - work week # 2. Please click here for details and sign-up sheet.
Jan 25-27 - Florida Retreat - Marywood Retreat Center in Jacksonville. Contact: Warren Powers