VIRGINIA AOH NEWSLETTER
Autumn, 2008
Next state meeting:
Saturday, 20 September, 2008, 10:00 AM
Sharp
E. D. White Knights of Columbus Council
5115
Little Falls Road
Arlington
VA 22207
Directions:
You are strongly urged to use www.mapquest.com to get directions to this
locale as it is somewhat difficult to find especially for those not familiar
with Northern Arlington, Virginia.
Otherwise, get on I-395 North (toward Washington, DC),
exit at 7-B, Glebe Road NORTH (Route 120) & Marymount University. Start counting traffic lights
immediately. Proceed North on Glebe Road
(Route 120) for quite a distance. At the 26th traffic light turn
LEFT (it is an easy Left, 45 degree angle) onto Old Dominion; there is a
left-turn lane on North Glebe Road prior to this point. (If you pass Marymount University, which is
on the right, you have gone too far.) At
the 2nd traffic light turn Left and then turn Left at the 2nd
street on your left (the first street on your left is a dead end). At the stop sign turn Right. You will see a
speed-limit sign on your right and after it there will be a yellow sign. IMMEDIATELY there will be a driveway on your
right. There is a big stone driveway
marker with “5115” on it. Turn Right into the K of C driveway immediately after
the yellow sign on your right and follow the signs for Visitor Parking.
Once
again, you are STRONGLY URGED to use www.mapquest.com
to get exact directions from your place of departure to the meeting locale.
This is the Autumn, 2008, Virginia AOH Newsletter, the
fifth edition of our State Newsletter.
As always, if you have suggestions as to topics you would like to see covered,
please let me know. Also, please give me your feedback, good and
bad, about the Newsletter. We publish four times a year. I am
gratified by the increase in the number of submissions and the quality of the
original submissions.
IRISH FESTIVAL!
IRISH FESTIVAL!!
Saturday, 27 September, 2008, 12 Noon till 6:00PM. Van Dyck Park, 3770 Old Lee Highway, Fairfax
City, Fairfax, Virginia (next to Saint Leo’s Catholic Church). THREE! Stages of Traditional Irish Music and
Dance. Demonstrations and instructions in Irish Football and Hurling. FREE
(donations accepted). For more information, please contact Bob Hickey, (703)978-8265.
All Virginia AOH Newsletters are archived at http://www.aohvirginianewsletter.com
Ed
Moran, Editor
HOME:
(703) 820-2854
FAX:
(212) 214-0427
EMAIL:
kerryman@att.net
|
1.
CHAPLAIN 2. PRESIDENT 3. VICE-PRESIDENT 4. SECRETARY 5. TREASURER 6. PAST PRESIDENT 7. PARLIAMENTARIAN 8. INSURANCE ADVISOR 9. CHARITIES AND MISSIONS 10.
ORGANIZER 11.
PRO-LIFE 12.
HISTORIAN 13.
CATHOLIC
ACTION 14.
FREEDOM
FOR ALL IRELAND 15.
POLITICAL
EDUCATION 16.
IMMIGRATION 17.
BUY
IRISH 18.
IRISH
AWARENESS 19.
FINANCE 20.
HIBERNIAN
OF THE YEAR |
21.
NEWSLETTER
EDITOR/PUBLICITY 22.
CONVENTION
CHAIR 23.
WEBMASTER 24.
DEGREES
AND CEREMONIALS 25.
VETERANS
AFFAIRS 26.
FAIRFAX
COUNTY BOARD 27.
PRINCE
WILLIAM COUNTY BOARD 28.
COLONEL
JOHN FITZGERALD DIVISION (ARLINGTON) 29.
MSGR.
BRADICAN DIVISION (ANNANDALE) 30.
FATHER
WILLIAM CORBY DIVISION (FAIRFAX) 31.
LT.
COLONEL JOHN A. DOWD USMC
DIVISION (WOODBRIDGE) 32.
FATHER
EDWIN KELLEY DIVISION (MANASSAS) 33.
GEN.
THOMAS MEAGHER DIVISION (FREDERICKSBURG) 34.
COLONEL
THOMAS CUNNINGHAM, JR. DIVISION (ASHBURN) 35.
FATHER
JOHN MUNLEY DIVISION (WINCHESTER) 36.
MAJOR
JAMES H. DOOLEY DIVISION (RICHMOND) 37.
JOHN
CARDINAL O’CONNOR DIVISION (WILLIAMSBURG) 38.
ST.
PATRICK DIVISION (TIDEWATER) 39.
FATHER
JOHN LYNCH DIVISION (ROANOKE) |
1. S T A T E C H A P L A I N
Rev. George E. Zahn
St. Paul’s Church
909 Rennie Avenue
Richmond, VA 23227-4808
(804) 329-0473
Once
again, NO REPORT. (2nd time
in a row)
2. S T A T E P R E S I D E N T
Pat
Naughton
(804)
360-2969
It was a grand
convention in the Big Easy. Our degree team did a superb job. We received many
compliments. Keith Carney from DC was elected to National Director. The
Virginia delegation pulled together to help Keith get elected in his second run
for this office. Keith will be taking over as Editor of the Hibernian Digest.
Finally Seamus Boyle was elected as our new President. Seamus is a
down-to-earth Irish gentleman. He has a great vision of what our Order can be.
Our next state meeting on September 20th at Edward White Hall in Arlington is
very important. We have been invited by the AOH in Maryland and DC to join them
in their state convention October 2009 in Ocean City Md. This option will be
discussed and decided on at the next meeting. We will also vote on a budget for
the State and discuss fund raising ideas.
Lastly I request that all of you continue to pray for our state treasurer, Joe
McCarthy. Joe recently had brain surgery to remove a tumor. He is undergoing an aggressive radiation and
chemo treatment. Please pray for Joe, his family, and his care givers.
3. V I C E—P R E S I D E N T
Rich
Aleksy
(703)
369-3189
Brothers, please continue to keep Joe and Mariah
McCarthy in your prayers for a complete recovery. I would also ask for prayers for myself
because I’m also going through medical procedures.
4. S E C R E T A R Y
Chuck
Curran
As we
return to our Divisions after the summer break, it is a good time to review our
Division rosters to make sure that information contained there is correct,
especially e-mail addresses and telephone numbers. This information allows the State Board to
keep in contact on all matters of importance to the State.
The next
AOH State Quarterly Meeting will be an important one. Among the matters to be considered will be a
proposal for the biennial State Convention to be held outside
I hope to
see you at the next State Meeting.
Please contact me at irl4fr@aol.com
if you need directions to the location.
I hope to see you there.
Finally,
as most of you know, State Treasurer Joe McCarthy is recovering from recent
brain surgery. We understand that Joe is
doing well and ask that you continue to keep him and his family in your
prayers.
5. T R E A S U R E R
Joe
McCarthy
(540)
888-3664
Rich Aleksy (Temporary while Joe
recovers from surgery.)
(703) 369-3189
NO
REPORT.
6. P A S T P R E S I D E N T
Dan
Brennan
(757)
471-7274
I hope all
the brothers had a fantastic summer. I had a busy month of July at my place.
First of all, my youngest daughter and her family were living with us for a
couple of weeks prior to moving to Naples, Italy where her husband has taken a
job. Then my youngest son and his wife and three boys came to visit….all at the
same time. We had a full house to say the least. But Rita and I love to see the
kids and grandkids at any time.
Sorry I
could not make it to the National Convention. I would like to wish all the new
officers and directors congratulations and I’m sure they will all do a great
job in guiding our organization. I was hoping to be there to be part of the
Tower Degree team. I know the Brian Boru team did an outstanding job as usual.
Looking
forward to seeing everyone at the next State Meeting in September.
7. P A R L I A M E N T A R I A N
Arthur
Grimley
(703) 971-6831
“For all of you who attended the National Convention,
you now know what can go wrong when a meeting is lead [sic] by weak
parliamentary procedure. We will not have that happen in Virginia.”
Editor’s Note: If you
attend the State Meeting, please make sure you let Arthur Grimley know how much
you appreciate all the time and thought he obviously put into this
Parliamentarian’s report.
8. I N S U R A N C E A D V I S O R
Dave
Zerby
(540)
374-1982
If you are
having any kind of function this Fall and need a Certificate of Insurance,
please ask ahead of time. For such purposes, please use davez@potomacwallagency.com.
9. C H A R I T I E S A N D M I S S I O N S
John Rickard
(703) 368-4795
Once
again, NO REPORT. (2nd time
in a row)
10. O R G A N I Z E R
Rich
Aleksy
(703)
369-3189
Brothers, our Membership and Recruitment
effort is extremely slow. I would
encourage you to work with your Division Organizer and recruit new members for
our Order.
11.
P R O—L I F E
Larry
O'Brien
(703)
978-5651
George Will, Planned Parenthood,
Abortion & More
Melissa
Drexler is an18-year old who went to the bathroom at her prom to touch up her makeup,
after having just tossed her 6-pound, six-ounce baby boy into a trash bin next
to the blood-stained stall in the restroom where she had given birth. Drexler’s story, as told in George Will’s The Woven Figure, tells that medical
examiners “determined that the baby was alive during the birthing process,
which occurred early during the prom.
The Supreme Court, Will states, pretends in Roe v. Wade that it
does not know when life begins and prefers to ignore elementary science,
labeling the fetus “potential life”.
Walker Percy, MD and novelist, Will reports, said, “It is commonplace of
modern biology that life begins when chromosomes of the sperm fuse with the
chromosomes of the ovum to form a new DNA complex that…dissects the ontogenesis
of the organism.” While the
Pro-Abortionist movement routinely presents the ending of an inconvenient young
life as akin to a bowel movement, you have to ask yourself that if Scott
Peterson was convicted of a double murder--the murder of his wife and unborn
baby--why are abortions performed routinely?
The Drexler fetus was dumped naked amid a pile of cigarette butts and
beer cans on the cold floor of an apartment building storage room at Alpine
Apartments in Temple Hills, MD.
Planned
Parenthood, or what this scribe refers to as the barbarians who are given “Get
Out of Jail” cards, was granted a ruling by the Supreme Court that states that
it is unconstitutional to bar the saline abortion technique. Referring to an essay in The Human Life
Review by Professor John Noonan of the University of California
(Berkeley) Law School, George Will in The
Morning After describes sharp curettage that involves killing the fetus,
and adds that during suction curettage, “a vacuum pump sucks out the fetus in
bits (and a knife cuts out the remnants).
In second trimester and later abortions, a saline solution is injected
into the amniotic fluid. The salt seems to act as a poison; the skin of the
fetus, when delivered, resembles skin soaked in acid.” If by accident the solution leaks into the
mother’s body, she experiences pain that is described as “severe”. Remember this, particularly as Catholics,
when you vote for president and US senators this November. Some groups tell us how compassionate they
are of dogs and other animals, and they often cite as an example Michael Vick
and his cruel treatment of dogs. Words
like “empathy” and “humane” are used, but babies, as Will points out, by
promoters of abortion, deny the possibility of fetal pain. Yet observations of behavior and development
indicate that by the 56th day, a fetus can move, and tactile
stimulation of the mouth produces reflex action by the 59th or 60th
day. By the 77th day the
fetus develops sensitivity to touch on hands, feet, anal and genital areas, and
begins to swallow. Noonan argues that
psychological literature supports the belief that the unborn are capable of
pain and sensation. So the Supreme Court
that perceives a “privacy” right to abortion, which as Will notes, “the framers
of the constitution neglected to mention”, continues to legislate. Megna Denes in her book, In Necessity and
Sorrow: Life and Death in an Abortion
Hospital, describes the face of an aborted child that showed “the agonized”
look of “one forced to die too soon”.
Will
argues that on abortion, Justices use words and actions the way babies use
forks and spoons: with gusto but
sloppily. “These Justices speak about
trimesters being demarcations without medical or moral significance and discuss
“distress” caused by denial of abortion. Will speculates correctly in The
Pursuit of Virtue of other Tory Notions, that Justice Blackmun may be
remembered in connection with abortion the way Chief Justice Taney is
remembered in connection with slavery. In the Dred Scott decision, Will states
that Taney tried to use judicial power to “settle” the slavery issue by
removing it legislatively. Blackmun, in
his injudicious opinions, Will writes, “may provoke an anti-abortion amendment
to the Constitution. Blackmun is widely regarded as the Darth Vader Justice, who
tried to take away any ability of the states to restrict abortion.
Paradoxically, Will notes, abortionists do not deny that a fetus is alive and
biologically human, “but they argue that an unwanted fetus has no value”,
despite what Linda Bird Flake reports in The Ambivalence of Abortion that many women who have had abortions say,
“I felt like I’d killed something”.
Details
about the March for Life and Rally in Jan. 2009 will be noted on the March for
Life web site, and it’s paramount that everyone unites as the Virginia AOH and
that we are active and visible in this March. Generally there is an AOH
breakfast before the march. What would be especially helpful is if someone in
the Richmond Diocese would contact me (H 703-978-5651; obrienclu@cox.net), in an effort to keep
our members informed about developments about pro-life and related activities,
or lack of them, and how both bear on our members.
Like it or
not, we’re being summoned to take back the pro-life movement and lead it to
where people can relate to it and to develop it into something that affects all
of our lives, including our loved ones. We only pass this way once: let’s win
one for the unborn. This won’t be some type of intramural effort, but rather an
AOH act of solidarity. Certainly our officers will be there, because if they’re
not, their absences will be noticed. For others it’s important to be there:
think about being there as being just as important as attending a Super Bowl or
World Series game. These are important events; they’re once a year; and they’re
ones you can’t afford to miss.
For those
who elect not to get involved in the pro-life movement, that is a choice that
may be made freely. Abortion is a messy business that won’t stop on its own--it
will take a strong, solidified movement to slow it down and ideally stop it.
Members can sleep in, watch TV or take it easy. Another option is to do the
right thing and get involved in the movement and activities, and advise us of
your specific activities so that we can join you.
Pro-Life
activities are generally held on the 4th Saturday of each
month. A Pro-Life Mass is followed
immediately afterward with our group praying the rosary close to an abortion
facility. St. Rita’s church is located at 3815 Russell Rd. in Alexandria
(703-8361640). Protecting the unborn
isn’t the only part of the pro-life movement, although it’s certainly an
important part of it. Donating blood, for example, is another pro-life
activity, along with several other activities. A recent study confirmed that
donating blood is good for your health. Email me any pro-life activity you’re
involved in or that you’re aware of, so that it can be noted in the future in
this section of the newsletter and shared with our members. To date, no one has
emailed information about pro-life activity that our organization needs to be
aware of and may possibly participate in, actions that punctuate what the VA
AOH is or should be.
12.H I S T O R I A N
Bruce Denault
(540) 446-9123
Father
William Corby: Union Chaplin
William Corby was born in Detroit on October 2, 1833
to Daniel, a native of King's County (County Offaly), Ireland and Elizabeth, a
citizen of Canada.
Within
a year of his arrival at Notre Dame William committed himself to the religious
life. He entered the novitiate in 1856 and took final vows three years later.
By 1859 Father Corby was Prefect of Discipline at Notre Dame and in 1861 he
became the Director of the
Father
Corby joined the chaplains’ corps in 1861 and was assigned as chaplain to the
88th New York Volunteer Infantry in the famed Irish Brigade of Thomas Francis
Meagher. The Irish Brigade was constituted primarily of Irish Catholic
soldiers.
For
nearly three years, Father Corby ministered to the needs of Catholic soldiers
in the Army of the
In the
summer of 1863, the Irish Brigade was no longer the impressive force it had
been. Nearly two years of war had reduced its numbers from 3000 to 530 combat
ready troops. The Union forces had suffered severe losses in the early battles
at
After
the war, in 1865, Father Corby returned to Notre Dame where he was made vice
president. Within a year,
In 1888
Father Corby was invited to a reunion of the Irish Brigade to celebrate the
twenty-fifth anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg. At the meeting, the
veterans endorsed a campaign to have the Congressional Medal of Honor bestowed
on Father Corby. The deposition to the War Department called Father Corby
"The Fighting Chaplain," referred to his risking his life for his
men, and emphasized his "very gallant and most remarkable act in preaching
a most patriot sermon and administering the religious rite of General
Absolution on the battlefield of
Motivated
by a desire to remind Americans of the patriotic service that thousands of
Catholics had rendered to their country in the Civil War, Father Corby wrote a
book of his recollections, entitled Memoirs of Chaplain Life, published
in 1893. Readers of this book find it a vivid account of the life of the
ordinary soldier in the Civil War and an illustrates the passionate style of
Father Corby: "Oh, you of a younger generation, think of what it cost
our forefathers to save our glorious inheritance of union and liberty! If you
let it slip from your hands you will deserve to be branded as ungrateful
cowards and undutiful sons. But, no! You will not fail to cherish the prize--
it is too sacred a trust-- too dearly purchased.”
Father
William Corby died of pneumonia on December 28, 1897. His casket was borne to
the grave, not by his fellow Holy Cross priests as was the custom, but by aging
Civil War veterans. His coffin was draped in the flag of his old regiment and a
rifle volley was fired as his coffin was lowered into the grave. Accompanied by
the sound of a bugle, old Grand Army of the Republic veterans sang a song over
their heroic chaplain's grave:
Answering the call of roll on
high.
Dropping from the ranks as they make reply.
Filling up the army of the by and by.
Editor’s
Note: The University of Notre Dame
is unique in that clergy and members of the religious life live with the
students in the dormitories. Nuns live adjacent to female students and
priests and brothers live adjacent to male students. Priests who choose, for
one reason or another (e.g., age) not to live in the dormitories where the
students reside live in Corby Hall. Retired Notre Dame president Father Ted
Hesburgh, for example, lives in Corby Hall. A large statue of Father Corby sits
at the entrance to Corby Hall. The Holy Cross community and the student body of
Notre Dame are proud of Father Corby's life and accomplishments.
13.C AT H O L I C A C T I O N
Jack
Devaney
(703)
278-8352
The following abstracts relate to actions taken by American
Catholic Bishops.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008 Denver Archbishop scolds pro-choice Biden!
DENVER | Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. arrived
at the Democratic National Convention on Monday amid rumblings over whether his
pro-choice Catholicism would help or hurt the Democratic ticket.
An Irish-Catholic from a working-class upbringing Mr. Biden won the nod as
presumptive presidential nominee Barack Obama’s running mate in part because of
his appeal to blue-collar Catholics, the same voters who swung during the
primary for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York. Although he represents Delaware in the Senate,
Mr. Biden grew up in Pennsylvania, a must-win state for Democrats in November.
But the party’s hopes of winning the critical Catholic vote took a hit
Sunday when Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver said Mr. Biden should avoid
taking Communion as a result of his pro-choice stand on abortion.
Washington Archbishop
rips Pelosi on Abortion!
By Bob Cusack 08/25/08 11:29 PM (ET)
In a rare public rebuke of a top politician, the archbishop of Washington
said Monday that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) was incorrect when she
recently said the moment of conception has long been a matter of controversy
within the Catholic Church.
In a release issued Monday night, Washington Archbishop Donald W.; Wuerl
said Pelosi’s comments on “Meet the Press” on Sunday “were incorrect.” Wuerl noted that Pelosi responded to a
question on when life begins by mentioning she was a Catholic.
The release quoted Pelosi as saying the church has not been able to come
up with a definition of when life begins.
“After Mr. Tom Brokaw, the interviewer, pointed out that the Catholic
Church feels strongly that life begins at conception, she replied, ‘I
understand. And this is, like, maybe 50
years or something like that. So again,
over the history of the church, this is an issue of controversy,” the release
said.
Wuerl strongly disagrees. He said,
“We respect the right of elected officials such as Speaker Pelosi to address
matters of public policy that are before them, but the interpretation of
Catholic faith has rightfully been entrusted to the Catholic bishops. Given this responsibility to teach, it is
important to make this correction for the record.”
14.F R E E D O M F O R A L L I R E L A
N D
NO REPORT. (Chairman position open)
15.P O L I T I C A L E D U C A T I O N
NO REPORT. (Chairman position open)
16.I M M I G R A T I O N
NO REPORT. (Chairman position open)
17.B U Y I R I S H
Hugh
P. O'Brien
(540)
786-4214
I have invited a representative from the Irish
Embassy to come and speak to us at the State Board meeting on September
20th in Arlington. His name is Laurence Simms and he is the
Economics Officer there. He has agreed to address some of the business,
demographic and political issues facing the country and to field any
related questions we
might ask.
I had
previously discussed having such a guest speaker as this with President
Pat and he agreed to the idea. I told Mr. Simms to be at the K of C Hall @
11:30 AM. We could have him speak to a joint gathering with the
Ladies or at lunch (assuming there will be food served).Pat, would
you or someone please advise me of your preference? Also, will the meeting be
held at the old building on the site or the newer one which
has more space?
I look
forward to hearing from you on the above points and seeing you on
September 20th.
18.I R I S H A W A R E N E S S
John
O’Hara
(703)
217-5527
Hope this
article finds everyone in great spirits after enjoying a wonderful summer. Now
that we have the summer behind us and the kids are back at school, that doesn’t
mean that Irish events cease to continue.
The Irish cultural events are a never ending enterprise and there is
always something for everyone in our area.
But before
I highlight a few area events that may be of interest to you, I would like to
let you know that the results of the Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann (CCÉ) All-Ireland Fleadh competitions have been
published [see link below for complete results] and, as it turns out, The Old
Bay Ceili Band remains the USA mid-Atlantic Champion. The big news is that Josh
Dukes a local member of CCÉ, O'Neill - Malcolm Branch, Silver Springs, MD took
home the silver medal in the Senior accompaniment category and you may have an
opportunity to see both The Old Bay Ceili Band and Josh Dukes perform at the
CCÉ Festival on September 27th in Fairfax, VA [see below for details
of the CCÉ Festival]. If you are
interested in additional All-Ireland CCÉ Fleadh results please go to the below
CCÉ web site:
|
http://media.comhaltas.ie/docs/results/AllIrelandResults2008.pdf |
The
following are a few local events & activities I would like to bring to your
attention.
- The
annual CCE Irish Folk Festival,
featuring traditional Irish music, dance, Gaelic football and hurling, and
a new children's program, will be held on September 27 at Van Dyck Park in
- The 2008-2009
CCÉ Set Dance Class Series begins on 20 September at the
The first
session is: Sep 13, 20 and 27,
Oct 4, 11, and 18.
The second session is: Nov 1, 8, 15, and 22,
Dec 6 and 13.
The third session is: Jan 10, 17, 24,
and 31 Feb 7, and 14
The fourth session is: Feb 21 and 28 Mar 7, 14, 21 and 28
The fifth
session is: Apr 4, 11, 18, and 25
May 2, and 9
- The Upper Potomac Irish Music Weekend will be held in
Friday, October 17-Saturday, October 18. The weekend will include a Friday evening concert and Saturday music and dance workshops
for fiddle, flute, guitar, song, bodhran, mandolin, tenor banjo, sean-nos
step, Irish set dance and an evening ceili with Hedge Band
(Billy McComiskey, Donna Long, Pat Egan and Laura Byrne), Peter Fitzgerald,
Myron Bretholtz, Shannon Dunne and Marilyn Moore. All classes
are held in the relaxed retreat atmosphere of the
- Finally, I would like to
introduce all of our brothers to a project that is well worth exploring by all
Hibernians, and all Irish Americans who may be interested in further promoting
and contributing to the legacy of the Irish American experience. The project is known as the Irish American Story Project. This website was set up to collect Irish
American stories. If you have a story to
tell, send it in. If you do not have a story, would you know someone who
possibly does? For over one hundred and fifty years hundreds of thousands of
Irish people have moved to the
19.F I N A N C E
Rich
Aleksy
(703)
369-3189
The AOH Virginia
State Board Budget has been distributed for review, and discussion will take
place at the next State Board meeting.
This section of the Newsletter will not discuss any VA State Board
finance information since this Newsletter is open to the public.
20.H I B E R N I A N O F T H E Y E A R
Rich
Aleksy
(703)
369-3189
Brothers, the forms for the 2008 Hibernian of the Year
have been emailed to all the Division Presidents. Every
Division has a Brother that should
be nominated for this recognition.
Nominations are due to me NLT December 15,
2008.
21.N E W S L E T T E R E D I T O R/P U B L I C I T
Y
Ed Moran
(703) 820-2854
Please see
"Introduction."
22.C O N V E N T I O N C H A I R
Bruce
Denault
(540)
446-9123
The Hampton Inn near St William of York is offering
$85 per night and a breakfast, estimated needs are 75 rooms. We will discuss a
contract with them as soon as a decision is made by the State Board concerning
the location of our Convention.
Bob Sullivan
provided an overview of costs for an icebreaker at the National Museum of the
Marine Corps (NMMC). Dates are open in Jul 2009 at the NMMC.
We have all the facilities we need and the full
cooperation of St William of York Parish.
We can host the convention for both the AOH and LAOH as well as support
a banquet with entertainment, an installation of Officers and a Tower Degree.
We request a proposed Agenda from the State Board and
any and all information from the State LAOH Board to assist us in our planning.
A representative from the LAOH to sit on our committee is also requested.
23.W E B M A S T E R
Mike Creegan
(703) 221-4692
I’m a
stubborn person and while I am getting limited input from the Divisions, I will
try to include as many Division activities on the State Board’s website as I
can identify. I would like to make our website
a one stop location for information on the AOH in
I’ve added
something to the “Banner” of the State website. I’ve added a scrolling “Prayer
Request for the Ill, Injured or Deceased” that will list the names of Brothers
or family members that are ill, injured or deceased. If Division Presidents
will forward the names & status of individuals, I will add them to the
list. To keep the list from getting out of hand, names will remain on the list
for 30 days. If an individual is ill for a prolonged period of time, the name
can be added again.
Below are
the statistics for our website covering the first eight months of the year. Our
website continues to receive quite a few visits. Numerous websites in the
|
Month |
Unique visitors |
Visits |
Pages |
Hits |
Bandwidth |
|
Jan 2008 |
276 |
368 |
1561 |
3026 |
16.58 MB |
|
Feb 2008 |
281 |
358 |
2210 |
5251 |
31.79 MB |
|
Mar 2008 |
505 |
608 |
2587 |
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We finally
have a second, legitimate, registered member of the Bulletin Board and Blog.
Brother Jack Rogers, President of the Father Munley Division registered for
both of these resources. Division/County Presidents and members of the State
Board can be given “Author” authorization so that they can post notices to the
bulletin Board or comments to the Blog.
In the case of the Blog, access is restricted to registered members.
This allows for posting comments and/or notices that can only be read by
registered members. Both the bulletin board and Blog can be accessed using the
links found at our website www.aohvirginia.org.
Lastly, to
repeat myself, please provide
me with input concerning your Division’s activities, it’s free advertising!
24.D E G R E E S A N D C E R E M O N I A L S
J. J. Kelly
(703)
455-1507
The Brian Boru Major Degree Team, in my humble opinion,
did a fantastic job at the New Orleans AOH National Convention. Our line-up
included some team members who were performing their roles for the first or
second time, some “borrowed” escorts from
Our next scheduled exemplification is in
25.V E T E R A N S’ A F F A I R S
Dan
Brennan
(757)
471-7274
I want to
ask all the Hibernian brothers to keep Col. Mike Riley, USMC who has received
orders to report to the II Marine Expeditionary Force in November for a tour of
duty in Iraq. He will be away until March 2010. Please God let him return
safely to his family and to us all. Being a retired Navy Chief I normally don’t
say things like this but here goes …. Semper Fi, Col.
I would
ask the Brothers to let me know of family serving in the warzones or in the
military so we can keep them in prayers. These young men and women are serving
for all of us by defending our country.
Also, I
would like to hear from the Divisions about any special activities they are
doing for the veterans, not only the active duty but those who have served in
the past. Here in Virginia we have several VA Hospitals and we can do things to
make it a little better for them. Make arrangements to visit and chat with our
veterans. Many of them are there with no family or friends nearby and would love
to have someone to talk to and share stories.
Check with
those serving and see what we can do for them. I know the forces in Iraq need
sunscreen lotion, books, and many other things to make their stay there a
little easier. Even just a letter or card to make their day. Make them feel
they are doing a great job and we appreciate them for it.
26.F A I R F A X C O U N T Y B O A R D
Dan
Rhoades
(703)
532-6385
The Fairfax County
Board participated in the Degree ceremony at the AOH National Convention in New
Orleans, Louisiana. Also, a meeting of the Fairfax County Board was held in New
Orleans. Please contact me directly should you wish to receive a copy of the
minutes of that meeting.
Editor’s
Note:
In
the Summer, 2008 edition of the Virginia AOH State Newsletter appeared the
statement, “The Saint Brendan Division was under the stewardship of Arthur
Grimley, current Parliamentarian, prior to and at the time of its downfall.”
Even though the original statement was not in quotes, Dan Rhoades wants
everyone to know that he did not say “The Saint Brendan Division was under the
stewardship of Arthur Grimley, current Parliamentarian, prior to and at the
time of its downfall.” The statement “The Saint Brendan Division was under the
stewardship of Arthur Grimley, current Parliamentarian, prior to and at the
time of its downfall.” was added by the editor because it was felt that it is
important for the Virginia AOH membership to know that “The Saint Brendan Division
was under the stewardship of Arthur Grimley, current Parliamentarian, prior to
and at the time of its downfall.”.
27.P R I N C E W I L L I A M C O U N T
Y B O A R D
Russell
Keating
(703)
392-3997
NO REPORT.
(5th TIME IN A ROW.)
Is there actually a real person named
“Russell Keating”?
28.COLONEL JOHN FITZGERALD DIVISION (ARLINGTON)
James
Rogers
(703)
413-3062
Thanks to
the work of John O'Neill, we will be hosting the next State Board meeting at
EDW. We invite everyone to join us after the meeting for
a barbecue on the grounds.
29.MSGR. BRADICAN DIVISION (ANNANDALE)
Gene
Bransfield
(703) 820-2464
NO
REPORT. (2nd time in a row.)
30.FATHER WILLIAM CORBY DIVISION (FAIRFAX)
ED
CARLS, II
(202)
431-3899
NO
REPORT.
31.LT. COLONEL JOHN A. DOWD USMC DIVISION (WOODBRIDGE)
Jack
Murphy
(703)
497-4495
The JFK
Scholarship Awards Ceremony was held at the Montclair Country Club on Sunday,
August 10th. $1,000
scholarship awards were given to 7 recipients entering college and 8 recipients
entering Catholic high school. Since its
inception in 1997, awards totaling $106,000 have been granted. This continues to be one of the main selling
features of membership in our division.
We
provided the Color Guard for the St. Patrick’s Day March Fundraiser in the part
in Alexandria on Saturday, August 2nd. It was a nice day for the event, not quite as
hot as it usually is.
Our LAOH
is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a riverboat cruise and food
at Brother Mike Pigott’s place on Sunday, September 21st.
32.FATHER EDWIN KELLEY DIVISION (MANASSAS)
John Rickard
(703) 368-4795
NO
REPORT. (2nd time in a row.)
33.GEN. THOMAS MEAGHER DIVISION (FREDERICKSBURG)
Bruce Denault
(540) 446-9123
As fundraisers, the Coffee and Doughnut Breakfasts at
St William of York have been successful. In addition to serving as a source of
revenue, the breakfasts have been a great recruiting tool.
Welcome
aboard William (Bill) Halpin who transfers to us from the Colonel Cunningham
Division. Additionally, Bill was nominated, and has been elected, to fill the
vacancy for Treasurer. Joe O’Conner also
threw his hat in the ring and has been elected as our Financial Secretary.
Bruce Denault and Bob Ghormey met with Father
DiMartino, the new Pastor at St. William of York. We explained to him our
current financial situation and the details that led to it. He graciously
forgave us the debt to the school and wants to start his relationship with us
with a clean sheet. We will, however,
donate half of our net profits from the Coffee and Doughnut Breakfasts to the
St. William of York School, at least until we have reached what we promised
them after our St. Patrick’s Day celebration last March.
We continue to plan for the State Convention for July
2009.
Hampton Inn near St William of York offering $85 per
night and a breakfast, estimated needs are 75 rooms.
Bob S. provided an overview of costs for an icebreaker
at the National Museum of the Marine Corps (NMMC). Dates are open in Jul 2009
at the NMMC
Upcoming
Events
The General Meagher Division will host a Coffee and
Doughnut Breakfast the fourth Sunday of each month at St William of York
Church.
September 14-
International Fall Festival at St William of York We will provide corned beef
and cabbage lunches.
October 10 – International Fall Festival at St Mary’s.
We will provide corned beef and cabbage dinners.
To wrap up the year, in December, we have Sgt.
Kirkland Memorial, the Fredericksburg Christmas Parade and our election of new
Officers.
Goals
1. Continue to
promote and support Catholic education in the Fredericksburg area.
2. Continue our
efforts to recruit Catholic men of Irish descent, hopefully increasing our
division size by 20%
3. Continue to
be an ever increasing presence in our community, promoting Irish awareness and
education.
4. Work with
other Catholic organization h the Fredericksburg area to promote and support
the need for Catholic High School facilities in central Virginia.
34.COLONEL THOMAS CUNNINGHAM, JR. DIVISION (ASHBURN)
John O’Hara
(703) 217-5527
The Cunningham Division had an active and eventful
summer. Our Division had booths at both
the Potomac Celtic Festival in Leesburg and Alexandria Celtic Festival, sponsored by the
Ballyshaners. As has become the custom,
the Division provided the color guard for the Potomac Festival’s opening
ceremonial march
and we also sold raffle tickets for our 2008 Trip for
Two to Ireland Raffle. At booth
festivals we provided literature regarding the AOH and advertised for
additional AOH membership. The Division
is also planning on participating at the inaugural Upperville.VA Celtic
Festival, which will take place on the
historic grounds of The Blackthorne
Inn on the
weekend of September 6 & 7.
Color Guard at the Potomac Celtic
Festival
While our members continue to volunteer time each
month at the Interfaith Relief Organization in Leesburg, and in service to the
all of the parishes served by our members, we have been exerting a lot of
energy to ensure our 10th Anniversary Celebration will be a gala
event.
Booth at the Alexandria Celtic Festival
The Division will celebrate its tenth anniversary at
Our Lady of Hope Parish in the Cascades section of
10th
Anniversary Celebration
Saturday
October 11, 2008
7:30 - 11:30
PM
Featuring
Entertainment
by Seamus Kennedy
3 Entrée Dinner
by O’Faolain’s Irish Pub
Irish
Dancers & Bottomless Pint
At Our Lady
of Hope Parish Hall
Potomac
Falls, VA 20165
Tickets
$30.00 per Person
If
Interested Contact John O’Hara at 703 217 5527
or
Jim Sinnott at 571 201 1680
35.FATHER JOHN MUNLEY DIVISION (WINCHESTER)
Jack Rogers
(540) 877-3023
July and August passed uneventfully.
The men and women of the division held their annual
Our Lady of Knock Mass on Aug 23rd in St. Bridget’s of the Field chapel in
Berryville, followed by a cookout across the road at the Clarke county
recreation area. Our new assistant pastor Father Ramon Baez impressed
every one with his knowledge of Hibernian history and organization. Again,
brothers Murphy and Rogers displayed their culinary skills. Over 50 were in attendance.
Please keep Brother Joe McCarthy in your prayers. He has a rough road ahead.
36.MAJOR JAMES H. DOOLEY DIVISION (RICHMOND)
Joe O’Brien
(804) 349-4301
On 24
August, 2008 the Division commemorated the 21 August, 1879 apparition of the
Blessed Virgin Mary in Knock, County Mayo, Ireland with a Mass at St. Paul’s
Catholic Church followed by a pool party at the home of Brother Tom Murphy.
Also in August, the Division distributed
$4,200 in donations from the proceeds of the Division’s sixth annual raffle.
On 14
September, 2008, the Division plans to celebrate the birthday of Commodore John
Barry with a family picnic at the James River at the home of Joe Morrissey, a
member of the Virginia House of Delegates.
On 25
& 26 October, 2008 the Division will participate in the Richmond Highland
games and Celtic festival at Richmond International Raceway.
In November we are planning an Irish pub night
and in December we shall have our annual family Christmas party.
37.JOHN CARDINAL O’CONNOR DIVISION (WILLIAMSBURG)
Jack Cummings
(757) 229-7368
NO
REPORT. (5th TIME IN A ROW.)
38.ST. PATRICK DIVISION (TIDEWATER)
Mark
Monaghan
(757)471-6557
Saint Patrick Division 1 presented scholarship awards
at Catholic High School in Virginia Beach, VA to the most improved young man
and young woman. Making
the presentation this year at the CHS Awards ceremony was Past-President Blake
Cahill. In the Fall, St. Patrick Division will hold a "Halfway to
Saint Patrick's Day” potluck dinner, and participate in the annual Veterans Day
parade in Virginia Beach in November.
39.FATHER JOHN LYNCH DIVISION (ROANOKE)
Matt Duffy
(540) 989-6067
NO
REPORT. (2nd time in a row.)
Paul Yengst, Jr. is a member of the Father John Lynch Division
(Roanoke). 
Paul has served his Division as President twice and as
Vice-President twice. Paul was originally introduced to Irish activities by
being drafted into working on the relaunch of the Saint Patrick’s Day parade in
Roanoke.
Paul is
also president and chief executive officer of his own business, Paul Yengst
& Associates in Roanoke. The company is a process serving service and
covers all of Virginia in the serving of legal process. Paul’s father was an
F.B.I. agent who was assigned to Roanoke and decided that he really liked the
area and wanted to retire there. Paul Yengst, Sr. was offered a position as
special agent in charge of an F.B.I. office.
But that meant he would have to move to a new and different office since
it is F.B.I. policy that an agent who is currently serving in a particular
office cannot be appointed as Agent-in-Charge of that office. Paul, Sr. did not
want to move so he declined the offer and retired from the F.B.I. Paul, Sr.
then got into the process serving business. He and Paul, Jr. bought a small
process serving business in Roanoke. At first the company served process for
every kind of case. The father, however, wanted to work only on white-collar
cases himself and had Paul, Jr. handle all the other cases. Oftentimes when a
client was in their office and the father realized that the case involved other
than clean, white-collar legal issues he would get on the internal office
telecommunications system and ask “Mr. Dirt” (Paul, Jr.) to come into his
office and would arrange for Paul, Jr,. to deal with the case and the
subsequent serving of process. Many clients did not get the joke; when Paul Jr.
would see some clients in other venues, he would be greeted as “Mr. Dirt.”
Paul. Sr. retired from the business and Paul, Jr. became the sole owner of the
business. Currently Paul Yengst &
Associates has five employees.
Paul is
proud of his Irish heritage. The family name is Commey which is Paul, Sr.’s
original family name. Paul, Sr. was adopted out of an orphanage by a German
family and out of respect for them and what they did for him, Paul, Sr. kept
the surname “Yengst.” Paul, Jr. has also kept that Germanic surname. But
anybody who knows Paul knows he is Irish to the core.
Paul is
married and has a son, Paul III, who is currently a sophomore at Old Dominion
University (ODU) majoring in business. Paul himself graduated from Virginia
Tech where he majored in Economics. Paul has a great interest in Irish music
and books-on-tape.
Paul is
blessed with a wonderful positive, optimistic
attitude toward all and everything. It is always, ALWAYS a pleasure to
deal with him. Also, Paul has a wonderful sense of humor and has regaled many
over the years with his stories and his wonderful self-deprecating sense of
humor. Paul is a doer and not just a talker. The Roanoke AOH Division is lucky
to have him as an active member, as is the Roanoke area.
We feature books, fiction and nonfiction, of interest to the Irish and Irish-Americans.
As always for the latest news and reviews
of Irish books go to http://www.readireland.ie.
Also, remember to check http://www.dufoureditions.com.
Do you receive the “Irish Literary Supplement”? It is published in association
with the Center for Irish Programs, Boston College. Cost is only $15.00/year.
Make checks payable to “Irish Studies” and mail to Irish Literary Supplement,
2592 North Wading River Road, Wading River, NY 11792-1404.
Music. Music! MUSIC! And just in time for Christmas.
Our fellow Virginia AOH member and local muse Dominic Preston has just released
a new CD, “Songs of Ireland.” Dominic now has several CD’s for sale. Please go
to his Website, http://www.DPMusicServices.com
and click on “Songs of Ireland”.
The FIRST New York Irish Theater Festival
(1st Irish 2008) is taking place now in everybody’s favorite city,
New York, now until 28 September, 2008. There is plenty of Irish theater in New
York City already of course. This festival features new productions by new
Irish dramatists. Nine companies will present the plays of thirteen writers at
five locations. The full schedule is at www.origintheatre.org.
Even if you cannot get to New York City to attend any performances the Website
will give you many titles you can order and read.
This
section features reviews, good and bad, of Irish-themed pubs and
restaurants. This issue we feature. . .
MURPHY’S
A Grand Irish Pub
Olde Towne, Alexandria
713 King Street
(just West of Washington St. (the main N-S street in Alexandria))
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
(703)548-1717
Fax: (703)739-4583
Rating: Five Shamrocks (Highest Rating)
It had been several years since I had
been to Murphy’s as there are now several Irish pubs closer to where I dwell. I
admit that my absence has been a mistake. I ordered a steak salad for lunch and
was amazed at how good the steak was. Often when I have been in other
restaurants and ordered a steak salad the meat has been grizzly and
unattractive as well as tough. The steak at Murphy’s was of the highest grade
and just about melted in my mouth. It was truly a delight to eat. I instantly
remembered that several years ago I went to Murphy’s often because the food was
so good. And the food is still good. It’s excellent!
I ordered a Jameson Irish
whiskey prior to ordering lunch. The drink was a free-pour and was as large as
a double. The service was excellent. The waitress approached quickly to present
me with a menu and take my drink order after I had seated myself. The waitress
quickly served my drink order and took my luncheon order. The food was served
promptly and was appropriately hot. The waitress checked with me frequently to
see if I needed anything else and if everything was OK.
One of the great things about Murphy’s is
the atmosphere. There is a warm, welcoming feeling to the place. One has to be
careful in Olde Towne, Alexandria as there are several Irish-themed
restaurants. I have found the food in other establishments to be terrible
and/or over-priced. If one wonders into the wrong place in Olde Towne,
Alexandria you might have to endure the caterwauling of a wee, perpetually
annoying man. It would certainly ruin your dining experience.
Murphy’s has music seven days a week with
the upstairs also having entertainment on Fridays and Saturdays. I hope you
receive the services at Murphy’s of excellent waitress Rachel and excellent
barman Dave.
Joe
McCarthy enjoys his position as Treasurer of the Virginia AOH. Those
familiar with his work over the years are impressed with his thoroughness and
competence. Joe is originally from South Boston (a Southie). He grew up in an
apartment in public housing in South Boston and the 
apartment had three generations living in it. Joe’s
father eventually bought a house in Dorchester and the family moved there.
After high school, Joe entered the Coast Guard and served four years in that
service.
Joe went with a Coast Guard buddy to a
nursing school graduation in Baltimore and that is where Joe met his wife,
Mariah (pronounced as if spelled Maria). The first time Joe saw the Shenandoah
Valley he knew that was where he wanted to live as he thought it was very
beautiful. He and his wife settled in the Winchester, Virginia, area. Joe
worked for years and years for the US Postal Service and retired from it. His
wife worked as a school nurse with the Frederick County, Virginia, school
system and retired from there. Joe and his wife have three children, Doug, 32,
a prominent Winchester attorney who has four children; Anne, 30, who also has
four children; and Mary Frances, 27, who
works at Catholic University.
Joe has ALWAYS been an active person
and until recently was working as a supervisor for one of his son Doug’s
companies, a landscaping entity. Joe was primarily the one who hired and
generally oversaw the work of the company.
Joe is that wonderful combination of
Irish and Italian and is also an active member of the Sons of Italy. In
addition to his activities in the Virginia Ancient Order of Hibernians, Joe is
also active in his parish, Sacred Heart. He is thought of as so trustworthy by
the clergy at Sacred Heart that Joe serves as one of the counters of the Sunday
and Holy Day of Obligation collections. Joe was the Charter President of the
Father Munley Division (Winchester) and has served in several offices over the
years in the Division. Interestingly, Joe has never served as Treasurer of the
Father Munley Division.
Recently Joe underwent brain surgery to
remove tumors. Joe is recovering from that operation and facing a thorough
program of radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Joe is facing these medical
programs with his usual calm and complete faith in God’s will. Joe appreciates
all the prayers and good wishes he has received from his Hibernian brothers. He
wants everybody to know he LOVES his Hibernian brothers. Joe mentioned that the
very first time he attended a Virginia AOH state meeting he felt completely at
home and content. He knew immediately he belonged. He especially appreciated
that in the atmosphere of a Hibernian state meeting, he felt free to discuss
matters of religious belief and Irish heritage which he did not feel
comfortable discussing in other venues. Joe stated that if people wish to do
something for him, they continue to pray for him and his family AND remember
the
Tepeyac Family Center,
principal program of Divine Mercy Care
11135 Lee Highway, Suite B
Fairfax,
VA 22030
Anybody who has worked with Joe over the
years always notes his gentleness and equanimity. Joe has been a perfect model
of a loving, giving Catholic. While Joe stated he loves his Hibernian brothers,
I think it is fair to say that we love Joe.
ED MORAN
kerryman@att.net
Telephone: 703.820.2854 (U.S.A.)
Fax: 212.214.0427 (U.S.A.)
3705 SOUTH GEORGE MASON DRIVE
#2618
FALLS CHURCH, VA 22041-3728
U.S.A.