Please note these upcoming events. For a complete list, see the Calendar page.

• Menlo Park: First Saturday Devotions - Saturday, Nov 4
• Redwood City: Shelter Network - Saturday, Nov 4
• San Francisco: St. Anne's Home - Saturday, Dec 2
• Oakland: Annual Christmas Party - Dec 13 & 14 (PDF)
• See the complete Los Angeles Chapter calendar (PDF)

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St. Rafael’s School in San Rafael was chosen to be the participant in this program. The school is a K thru 8th grade and a pre-school program. The children are from various ethnic groups and incomes and although the school receives some support from the parish budget, the school budget is very tight.

Meeting with the principal Mrs. Maureen Albright was a delight. She was very grateful to become a participant school in the program.

On May 31, 2006 the following members of the Order attended Mass at the Mission at San Rafael and visited each classroom as well as the Pre-K class. Mr. and Mrs. Richard Madden, DR. and Mrs., Robert Stein, Mimi Otto, Marlene DeVoto and Marilyn Knight.

After a short history of the Order and an update on current outreach programs, such as the participation in the rebuilding program in New Orleans in the aftermath of Katrina, we distributed rosaries to each student and lead them in the Hail Mary. The children were very attentive and showed a great deal of interest in learning about a lay order of the Church.

The grant allowed the school to purchase Video’s and books that had been on the “wish list”. The teachers were most grateful and I am sure the children will benefit from this material.

We invited the Principal to join us for lunch at Marilyn’s home.

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On the first Saturday in October, the Order of Malta members from all over Northern California celebrated the 10 th Annual Lourdes Day at St. Anne’s Home in San Francisco. With the sun shining brightly, 400 elderly, malades, members of the Order and volunteers gathered to pray the Rosary and walk in procession to the Grotto. On the Feast of our Lady of the Rosary, talented musicians added to celebration by singing Ave Maria and many prayerful hymns throughout the procession, Mass, Anointing of the Sick and Benediction. San Francisco Archbishop George Niederaur was the main celebrant and homilist reminding members of the Order of their history as hospitallers and our ongoing commitment to the sick. He offered encouragement and reminded us that Christ died on the cross for each of us, no matter our circumstances.

Our malade guests included many from past pilgrimages, residents of the Mercy Care Center in Oakland, residents of Laguna Honda Home in San Francisco, guests from the Holy Name Parish Nurse Program, people from the Handicapables, and the elderly residents of St. Anne’s Home. Everyone gathered in the auditorium for a delightful box lunch and members took the opportunity to chat and visit with our guests. Joyful smiles and silly laughs could be heard everywhere during our social time as people reacquainted themselves with those they had not seen in awhile.

Many thanks to the Team Captains, Brancardier, Umbrellinos and Benediction participants for taking leadership roles to ensure that the day was successful. Mostly, we thank the Little Sisters of the Poor for their continued hospitality to the Western Association and their inspirational work throughout the year.

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Knights John Christian and Sean Cahill lived up to their reputation as great party givers for the residents of Mercy Retirement and Care Center on Saturday, September 16th. They, like their predecessor, Knight Jim McCloud, left no detail go astray, even the weather. BBQ menu, tables, decorations, including plants hanging from the low spreading of the shade trees, were quickly put in place for the festivities. Over 26 Knights Dames, including His Excellency Dick Dunn and Chancellor Bill Regan, and spouses responded to the call for volunteers. The Residents and those from the Care Center filled the Senior Center, many of them with the assistance of our Knights and Dames, to join in the celebration of the liturgy. All were in high spirits; possibly anticipating the Happy Hour scheduled immediately after Mass.

As always the event opened with a warm welcome from Sr. Patty, Administrator for MRCC. The liturgy following was celebrated by Fr. Kavanaugh and Fr. Bruno Gibson. Fr. Kavanaugh did sneak in a special prayer that his Notre Dame football team would down mighty Michigan. At the conclusion, Sr. Patty was presented with a gift from the Malta Clinic to mark the occasion. Our guests doffed straw hats and enjoyed fantastic refreshments and BBQ goodies served by a band of red apron clad Knights and Dames. Music, camaraderie, gentle attention to all our guests marked a much appreciated outing for all. Feed back confirmed that it was a fantastic affair!

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Bay Area Members and Auxiliary part of "The Miracle on Jones Street"

St. Anthony's Dining Room

Eighteen members of the Order of Malta , Western Association, and the Bay Area Auxiliary had a powerful Day of Service at San Francisco ’s St. Anthony Dining Room on August 27.  Beginning with Mass at nearby St. Boniface, the team volunteered to serve lunch at one of the City’s largest free kitchens.  The biennial service day was established by the Bay Area Auxiliary several years ago under Auxiliary Hospitaller Anthony Ordona.  The Auxiliary also provides a yearly financial contribution to the St. Anthony Foundation for the support of the program.

St. Anthony Dining Room on Jones Street was founded in 1950 by a Franciscan friar.  It serves approximately 2,000 lunches or 4,250 pounds of food a day.  St. Anthony Executive Director the Rev. John Hardin surveyed 356 guests last fall and found that the number of homeless diners doubled since the last survey in 1995.  It is estimated that 8,000 to 15,000 homeless people live in San Francisco , and hunger is a major component of the plight of these city residents.

The Auxiliary was joined on August 27 by several new or prospective Auxiliary members, plus knights, dames and provisional members.  We are deeply grateful for all who showed support for this opportunity to serve the poor of the City.

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On July 21st, eighteen members of the Order and their spouses met for a spiritual weekend retreat on the beautiful campus of Thomas Aquinas College , which is located just north and east of Ventura in Southern California . The campus is set in a beautiful valley that it has all to itself. At least a dozen undergraduates working for the summer on campus were charged with catering to our needs. Their attention to detail in serving us and obvious love of their alma mater were among the surprising highlights of the weekend.

The theme of the weekend was a study of tuitio fidei, commonly translated as “defense of the faith.” Beginning with Monsignor Otellini’s 2004 remarks to provisional knights and dames entitled, "The Spirituality of the Order", we explored the richness of the Order’s motto and learned that “tuitio” has a meaning far broader than “defense.” Indeed, had the knights desired a motto that meant only “defense,” the motto might have ended up as defensio fidei. Instead, through the intercession of the Holy Spirit, the earliest members of the Order understood that our faith requires far more than mere “defense.” Tuitio, which is the Latin root word for the English word tuition, has a far more expansive meaning and includes financial support (the English meaning that has endured) as well as to nurture and support. By tuitio fidei, we undertake to nurture and support the faith by our active prayer life, our acts of charity, and, finally, by our example to others. Tuitio fidei is not defensive but an offensive reaching out to those around us by a gentle and constant example of living the Gospel message. In St. Francis’ words, “Preach the Gospel: Use words if necessary.”

Monsignor Otellini’s text suggested that a prerequisite to nurturing the faith in those around us is first to be strong and knowledgeable in our faith by prayer, study, and practicing the virtues. Over the weekend, the members of the Order studied Aquinas’ “Hope and Prayer,” his commentary on the Lord’s Prayer, and Pope Benedict XVI’s Deus Caritas Est, his first encyclical that explores the nature of love and acts of charity as the core and distinguishing characteristic of the Christian faith. President Thomas Dillon, Ph. D., KM, personally led the seminar on Aquinas, followed by seminars led by Rev. Cornelius M. Buckley, S.J. on faith in action and by Rev. Eric Hollas, OSB and Chaplain of the Order, on the Holy Father’s encyclical and in particular, the calling of each member of the laity to live a life of holiness. (Father Hollas’s talk may be found here.) For those in attendance, the seminars were eye-opening and led to greater understanding of how prayer, study and acts of charity mutually reinforce each other in living a Christian life.

During the weekend, we came to learn and to enjoy each other’s company, but we also saw beautiful gardens, ate wonderful catered meals, and listened to the musical performances of students at the Saturday evening dinner in the open-air Spanish style courtyard of a beautiful student dormitory. The weekend concluded with brunch at the home of Dr. Dillon and his wife, Terri, on campus. We came away blessed and thankful for the gift of our faith and the opportunity to practice tuitio fidei.

[Talks by Monsignor Otellini and Father Hollas can be found in "Sermons and Speeches" in the Spiritual Formation page the website. —Ed.]

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The San Francisco Parish Nurse Program began the fall season with a festive luncheon for the Seniors at Holy Name of Jesus Church on Monday. September 18. Father Bruno Gibson O.P., a chaplain of the Order, said Mass at 11 o’clock and then approximately 75 Seniors attended the luncheon in the Church Hall.

The Co-Chairs of the Program, Anne and Arnold Dito, DM and KM respectively, organized the effort and supplied the tablecloths, dinnerware, cold drinks and table flowers which were later given to the guests. Marilyn Knight DM, chef extraordinaire, provided the delicious lunch, which was served by Evelyn Otellini, Sandy Otellini DM, Bunny Lewis DM, Ann Regan DM, Evelyn von Schlosser DM, Joan Madden DM, Dick Madden KM, Bob Morey KM, and Carol Elliott RN.

During the lunch, Dr. James Diestel, KM gave a talk on caregiving, drawing on his own personal experience. He strongly recommended that those in this position accept every kind of help they are offered and also search for it, as for example, Hospice.

Following the luncheon, a special program was presented. Most of the Senior programs feature presentations by medical personnel on specific physical problems, but this day was different. A retired social worker presented a musical program which got many to their feet dancing. He taught the steps and they followed in true aerobic spirit. A very good time was had by all.

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On May 5, 2006, after vespers at the Grand Magistry in Rome, His Most Eminent Highness the Prince and Grand Master, Fra Andrew Bertie, bestowed the Cross Commander Pro Merito Melitensi upon Dean Francis Pace, Knight of Magistral Grace in Obedience.

As he presented the Cross Commander award to Dean Pace, His Highness noted Dean’s outstanding work under the leadership of His Excellency Fra John MacPherson on behalf of the Order. The Grand Master praised Dean for his great success to obtain multiple service marks for the order’s names and logos throughout South America, Canada, Australia and Europe, including Russia. The Grand Master stated that this new and international recognition for the Order will be of great assistance to deter fraudulent use of the Order’s History and name. His Highness thanked Dean Pace for his generosity to underwrite the significant service mark legal expenses and most especially for his continued dedication to the Order which is an example of true “Obedience” – identifying what might be needed to benefit the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem and then proceeding to action.

Those present for the award were His Eminent Highness the Prince and Grand Master, Fra Andrew Bertie, His Excellency the Grand Chancellor, Jean Pierre Mazery, His Excellency Fra John MacPherson, His Excellency Antonio Sanchez-Corea and Jocelyne Storr-Pace, Dame of Magistral Grace.

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