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Most Holy Redeemer Aids Support Group has created a volunteer program
for the Knights and Dames of Malta that will make a tremendous
difference to those they serve.
This Aids Support
Group is in great need of our help. Basically are you willing
to be an Angel Driver?
Would
you be willing to assist
with the transportation needs of HIV / AIDS
patients with doctor appointments, outpatient
medical procedures, hospital discharge,
and numerous other needs? Often
requests for transportation assistance come
with little advance notice.
Right
now there is an unusual need. There is
an AIDS patient in Oakland that must receive
treatment that is only available at a hospital
in San Francisco. He is no longer able
to take public transportation. When
he reaches the hospital in SF he may need
assistance at the hospital.
As
it is now a staff member from MHR-ASG must
drive from San Francisco to Oakland, then
to San Francisco and then back to Oakland
and then back to San Francisco to the office.
Is there an Angel Driver who lives in the
East Bay who could do this for us?
The
Knights of Malta and MHR-ASG Angel Drivers
program works as follows.
We are creating an e-mail list of Knights
or Dames who have expressed an interest in
being an Angel Driver. When
a requirement comes up you will receive an
e-mail outlining the particulars.
If
you are interested and your schedule permits,
you can contact MHR-ASG for the next steps. Beyond
that there is no obligation.
www.mhr-asg.com/
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Along with our care for the sick and the
poor, we are called also to defend our
faith – a task that
is both more challenging and more needed
today than in the past. Here are some activities
of our Association in this vital area:
Activity of a Chapter
In the Orange County area the Knights and
Dames are reading and discussing the United States Catholic
Catechism for Adults published by the United States Conference
of Catholic Bishops. After the monthly Mass, Tom Markel,
KM, presents a 6-7 page PowerPoint presentation on the assigned
reading, and the members of the Order discuss it and reflect
on the main points. An assignment is then made for the
next monthly meeting of 2-3 more pages from the Catechism.
Presentations
The chairman of the Western Association’s
Defense of the Faith Committee, Tom Dillon,
KM, gave a presentation about the Association’s
Defense of the Faith Committee to the Grand
Commander of the Sovereign Order of Malta,
His Excellency Fra’ Giacomo Dalla Torre
del Tempio di Sanguinetto; the Receiver of
the Common Treasure, His Excellency Marchese
Gian Luca Chiavari; and His Excellency Antonio
R. Sanchez-Corea from the Sovereign Council
in Rome when they visited the Order’s
office in San Francisco on August 6, 2007.
A presentation about
Defense of the Faith was also given to the Provisionals in Southern
California on January 27, 2007, by Tom Dillon, KM; this presentation
was given by Maria Grant, DM, to the Provisionals in San Francisco
on October 13, 2007.
The Defense of the
Faith Committee had its annual meeting in San Francisco at the
Order’s office on Wednesday, September 19, 2007. Along
with the President of the Western Association of the Order of Malta,
His Excellency Richard Madden, KM, and Chancellor, William Regan,
KM, representatives to the Defense of the Faith Committee from
various regions worked on the language in the Western Association’s
Policies and Guidelines book for submission to the Board for its
September 28, 2007, meeting. There will be a meeting of the
Chairs of the Defense of the Faith chapters in the spring on the
campus of Thomas Aquinas College in Santa Paula, California—the
date is yet to be determined.
Noteworthy
The
timetable
for
the Quotes
and
Editorial
Comments publication
of
the
Defense
of
the
Faith
Committee
has
been
changed. It
will
now
be
published
at
the
beginning
of
Advent
and
the
beginning
of
Lent.
The 2008 theme for
the Order of Malta is “The Church in Mission Nourished by
the Eucharist.”
It is worth noting
that the 49th International Eucharistic Congress will be held in
Québec City from June 15 to 22, 2008, hosted by His Eminence
Marc Cardinal Ouellet. The theme of the Congress is “The
Eucharist, gift of God for the life of the world.” This
ties in very well with the Order of Malta’s 2008 theme. For
more information, please visit www.cei2008.ca.
The third annual
Order of Malta retreat will be held at Thomas Aquinas College from
June 13 to 15, 2008.
The following websites
may be useful for anyone interested in Defense of the Faith.
Zenit – www.zenit.org
Vatican – www.vatican.va
Vatican Information Service – www.vis.pcn.net
Catholic Answers – www.catholic.com
Scripture Catholic (Catholic apologetics) – www.scripturecatholic.com
Catholic Culture – www.catholicculture.org
Catholic Links – www.ecatholichub.net
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Day of Recollection
Northern Day of Recollection is scheduled
for Saturday, November 10 at Vallombrosa. The Reverend
Reginald Martin, OP, will be our speaker. Father Martin
has arranged for us to have our Benediction at the Dominican Convent
Chapel across Oak Grove Avenue from Vallombrosa. It’s
the 800th anniversary of the nuns.
Parish Nurse Program
A huge thank you
to all the knights, dames, provisionals,
and volunteers who have contributed their time to making the
Parish Nurse Program a success. The
next health fair will be held in January 2008, on a date to be
determined. In the meantime, call Carol Elliot, the
parish nurse at 415.664.8590, ext.109 and schedule to go
on a home visit with her.
Bed Making, Saint
Anne's Home in San Francisco
Volunteers are needed
to make beds on the Sacred Heart Wing at Saint Anne’s Home
on Wednesdays. You can volunteer as often as you like. There
are about 12 beds and with a partner, the job takes about one hour.
Volunteers are also welcome to visit with the residents. For
more information please contact Laura Hosking at 415.333.8080.
See San Francisco
Nov- Jan Calendar PDF for
more events
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With the cool days of September the summer “madness” is a memory
and the Sacramento Location is fortunate to gather for Retreat with Msgr Kidder
September 15th. This is a wonderful time to reorganize our activities. Our fall
Journal theme is “Noble by our Works”. The Grand Master commented
that Knights and Dames of Malta are made “noble by their actions”.
How do we increase our humility over self in serving the Lord’s Sick and
Poor?
Our talents are gifts from God. It is “hands on” assistance; professional
services, construction, counseling and administrative support. Your time and
abilities are a gift that money can’t buy. The participation by Knights,
Dames, family members and volunteers with the sick and the poor is encouraged
and needed.
Wellspring offers many
opportunities; helping on various committees for their annual golf tournament,
and the upcoming dinner and auction are two immediate needs. Gift certificates
for restaurants, spas, gift baskets or frequent flyer miles and frequent stay
certificates are popular items. Pickup and delivery runs for the center are
needed. These can be done pretty much on your own time and as infrequently
as one or two times a month. Contact Julie or Yolanda at 454-9688, or Sue
Murchison at 482-6548
Our Hospitaller grants depend
on our volunteer services. The Moral Values Program, contact 391-8754,
always has a hands on need, as does Bishop Gallegos Maternity
Home, contact 395-9370. We will be adding another Growing the Faith
program this fall, details to come soon.
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PHASE II –
Order of Malta Home Renovation Program in New Orleans,
Louisiana
September 2007-
April 2008
From
March 2005 to April 2006, over 250 members
of the Order of Malta from all across the
US participated in Phase I of the Order
of Malta Home Renovation Program in New
Orleans. Thanks to a successful partnership
with Rebuilding Together, Catholic Charities
of New Orleans and the New Orleans Marriott
our volunteers worked none different one-week
work sessions in Treme, Gentilly, and New
Orleans East. Sixteen families have moved
back in their homes as a result of the
great work done by our Order of Malta volunteers.
So successful was the program that we have
decided to extend it for six more sessions – Sept & Dec
2007 and Jan/Feb/March/April 2008.
The
exact work weeks are listed below, along
with all of the other information about
the program. One of the major differences
in Phase II will be the overall size and scope of the project. In Phase I our
volunteers were working on homes with major damage requiring extensive and
expensive repairs. Teams of 30-40 volunteers
would work all week, and the house would
still be weeks from completion. In Phase
II we will be working in houses that only
need a week’s worth of finishing work before the family can move back
in. We are only accepting 25 volunteers per week.
Our efforts will be concentrated in the Treme / Esplanade Ridge section of New
Orleans. Very near downtown / French Quarter, this entire neighborhood will positively
be re-built.
We
need six teams of volunteer workers, 20-25
per team, one team for each of the six
weeks listed below. Volunteers will arrive
on their own (usually) on Sunday afternoon,
and check into the New Orleans Marriott
( Canal Street). We work (usually) Monday – Thursday
from 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM. All three
meals will be provided, and there will
be a farewell party on the last night.
If
you can help, please contact Bill Regan
at the Malta Office (415) 788-4550.
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