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 On
March 19 th, 2005 , Richard J. Dunn was honored
at the annual “Loaves and Fishes” dinner
for outstanding service to the community. The
event was sponsored by Archbishop William
J. Levada and Catholic Charities CYO of the
Archdiocese of San Francisco. According to
St. Paul , “if one member is honored,
all the other members of the body share its
joy.” (1 Cor 12:26
) This is certainly true of the Order of Malta
, since so much of Dick’s
generosity and zeal over the years has been
exercised through service to the sick and
the poor in the work of the Order. The commemorative
program for the event described the scope of
charitable works our Association has undertaken,
so this celebration provides an occasion
for members to give thanks for what we have
been able to do and to dedicate ourselves
anew to the Order of Malta . It is fitting
that this celebration took place on the feast
of St. Joseph , who cared for and protected
the Christ child and Mary, His Mother. Richard
Dunn has imitated that great saint through
a lifetime of devoted service, and he is
an example to us all.
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On January 10 th, the Holy Father held his annual meeting with ambassadors whose
countries enjoy diplomatic relations with the Holy See. Life, food, peace and
freedom are the four urgent challenges now facing humanity, according to John
Paul II. The Pope highlighted these challenges in a full analysis of the international
situation, during his traditional new-year meeting today with ambassadors of
the countries that have full diplomatic relations with the Holy See. The envoys,
from 174 countries, were joined by representatives of the European Union, Russia,
the Palestine Liberation Organization, and the Order of Malta, which has
its own sovereignty recognized internationally. When Cardinal Karol Wojtyla became
Pope in 1978, the Holy See had diplomatic relations with 85 countries.
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Three
years ago, Cyrus Johnson, KM, and the Bay
Area Auxiliary developed an annual fundraising
cocktail reception called “From the
Heart” to raise money to send malades to
Lourdes . The program has become a centerpiece
for the Auxiliary, having grown in stature
and relevance. This year alone, the Auxiliary
raised nearly $10,000.
“From the Heart” is held in February
and tends to straddle Valentine’s Day and the date of Mary’s first
apparition to Saint Bernadette at Lourdes . This year’s event took place
on February 10 at the World Trade Club in San Francisco . Ken Ryan, a former malade himself
and a provisional member of the Order, coordinated the event and a speaking
lineup that included Bill Regan and former malades.
The Auxiliary continues to gather for Mass on the last Sunday of each month,
visiting different parishes throughout the Bay Area. During the Lenten season,
the group is volunteering its time at Saint Anthony’s Dining Room, where
members serve meals to those who are less fortunate in our community. For more
information about the Auxiliary and upcoming activities, please contact Clay
Fritz at (707) 894-3389 or visit the Western Association Web site at www.orderofmaltausawestern.org.
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Book Recommendation by Abbott Eugene
J. Hayes, OPraem, JCD
: Crossing
the Threshold of Hope by
His Holiness John Paul II, ed. Vittorio Messori
(NY: Alfred A. Knopf, 1994).
With the world's collective attention
turned from the Holy Father’s recent
illness and hospitalization following his
recent return home to the Vatican , people
might ask how is it or, better, what is
it that makes the Pope continue with faith
and confidence on the path chosen for him?
Such a question calls to mind one of the
Holy Father's books, not his most recent, Arise,
Let Us Be on Our Way , but rather Crossing
the Threshold of Hope.
In Crossing the editor presented a series of questions to which the Pope, even at that time in the midst of "his impatient apostolic zeal," responded from deep within. The second of those questions concerned prayer to which the Holy Father replied:
"[Y]ou are asking the Pope how he prays (emphasis
is that of the Pope himself) . . . . The
apostle comes to the heart of the matter
when he writes: ‘The Spirit too comes
to the aid of our weakness; for we do not
know how to pray as we ought.’"
From this foundational insight we can understand better not only how the Holy
Father prays but also how he stays the course. Prayer, he goes on to say, is
really not about the supplicant pray-er, but rather the One who is addressed
in prayer: "In prayer, then,the true protagonist is God . . .
. We begin to pray, believing that it is our own initiative that compels
us . . . . Instead we learn it is always God's initiative within us."
Many of the other questions answered by the Holy Father in this book prove to be of similar interest to the faithful, each of whom is called to further the cause of God's Kingdom according to the providential circumstances of one's life. It is a book that merits reading, and re-reading, especially in light of the Holy Father's recent illness and the demonstration of his great courage in sharing his physical limitations with the world while carrying on the ministry of his papacy without hesitation.
Editor's Note: Crossing the
Threshold of Hope is available at www.amazon.com for $10.20 new and at a substantial discount used.
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The Knights and Dames and Volunteers of the East Bay Malta Clinic served one hundred and fifty of our lords, the sick and the poor at Summit Hospital in Oakland, California, on December 16, 2004. After a traditional Christmas dinner, Santa brought a big bag full of gifts for everyone.
At a time
that can be very lonely for the participants,
music, dancing, and singing filled the
room at the Adult Day Health Care facility,
serving Alzheimer's and dementia outpatients.
They were given the gifts of interaction
and communal laughter as well as the presents
from Santa. This celebration at Summit
is an integral and important part of the
East Bay Clinic's annual calendar.
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The election of our Holy Father Pope Benedict reminds us how important it
is for us to constantly nourish the knowledge of our faith. As a theologian,
the new Pope was prominently involved in the Second Vatican Council, and
in the years since he has produced many theological works, on both the
academic and popular level. He reminds us that our education in the faith
should never end.
In order to
assist members of our Order in this effort,
there is a new section added to our "Spiritual
Formation" page: "Library
& Book Reviews".
Here you will find an up-to-date listing
of books available in our Association library,
as well as reviews of books recommended
by our chaplains.
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