VIRGINIA AOH NEWSLETTER
Winter, 2008
Next state meeting:
Saturday, 19 January 2008
10:00 am SHARP
12:30 pm: Major Degree Conferred
St. William of York Catholic Church
3130 Jefferson Davis Highway (US Route 1)
Stafford, Virginia
Directions:
On Interstate 95 (I-95) take Exit 143-A (toward Aquia) and turn left (north) at the first traffic light. WARNING: the first traffic light comes up on you very, VERY quickly so get in the left lane ASAP.
After turning left (north) on Jefferson Davis Highway (US Route 1) drive for almost exactly one (1) mile north to the first traffic light and turn right, which will put you in the parking lot of Saint William of York Catholic Church complex.
NATIONAL PRO-LIFE MARCH
Tuesday, 22 January, 2008
Washington, DC
Rendezvous with Brother Larry O'Brien at the Ellipse
behind the White House, 11:00 am-Noon.
Larry's cell phone number: (703) 201-2072
This is the Winter, 2008, Virginia AOH
Newsletter, the second edition of our new, revamped, revised State newsletter.
If you have suggestions as to topics you would like to see covered,
please let me know. Also, please, please give me your feedback, good and
bad, on the Newsletter. We are publishing four times a year. I was
overwhelmed by all the emails and phone calls praising the first edition.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I hope you enjoy this second
edition as much.
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 (VIRGINIA BEACH) 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
Dear Brother Hibernians,
“No one has ever seen
God. The only Son, God, who is at the Father’s side, has revealed Him.” ---John 1:18
This is the core of our Christian Faith: Jesus
is the revelation of God. Though the Gospel of John simply states it, Christian
faith is not always easily embraced. Those of us who gladly call
ourselves Christian may at times struggle with the truth as much as any
nonbeliever.
In times of uncertainty, we are drawn back to the
person of this Jesus and asked, “Who do you say that I am?” Why, we may
even wonder, would God ask that question of me? What difference can it
make to the Creator of Heaven and Earth?
The incarnation came about simply because God wanted
to make a point and show that it could be done. God wanted to be
revealed, to be known by you and by me. Jesus was born one day many years
ago, and the Holy Spirit gives us His life within us again and again.
God’s work of revelation goes on and on, through every passing day, with every
passing year.
Lord, I believe that you reveal yourself to us.
Help me to accept the gift of faith and respond to your love.
May you and your families have a truly Happy New Year!
Father George
2. S T A T E P R E S I D E N T
Pat
Naughton
(804)
360-2969
Bliain úr faoi shean is faoi mhaise duit (Happy New Year to
you).
This is the time of year we reflect back and set new
goals to improve our health and/or relationships. Benjamin Franklin
summed all New Year’s resolutions into one simple phrase:
“Be
always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new
year find you a better man.”
I hope your resolutions bring peace to you and joy to
those you love.
The next quarterly State meeting will be January 19th
in Stafford. The date was changed to offer the Round Tower degree
following the meeting. If you have not taken this degree, I urge you to
take advantage of this opportunity. We have one of the best degree teams
in the country. In fact our degree team was asked to perform the degree
at the next national convention in New Orleans. Members that take the
degree are more likely to stay in the Order and become officers.
St. Patrick’s day comes quickly after the first of the
year. The parades and socials don’t just happen. They take planning
and work. I urge all members to attend your Division meetings and take an
active role in preparation for feast day of the patron saint of Ireland.
You’ll enjoy these events twice as much if you get involved.
In our motto,
Pat Naughton
3. V I C E—P R E S I D E N T
Rich
Aleksy
(703)
369-3189
NO
REPORT.
4. S E C R E T A R Y
Chuck
Curran
Brothers –
At the last State Meeting, all divisions were requested to forward complete
division rosters so that the State may maintain current information on the
membership of your divisions. So far, many divisions have not forwarded
rosters to me. If your division roster has not yet been provided, please
do so at your earliest convenience at the address below. It would be very
helpful if you would include e-mail addresses for those Brothers who receive
e-mail. This will increase the efficiency of providing information to the
divisions and reduce the cost of postage. Your cooperation in meeting
this request is truly appreciated.
All divisions should have held elections of officers for the coming Hibernian
Year. Please forward copies of the Form 9, Report of Election of
Officers, to my attention either by e-mail, or by regular mail at—
6537 Novak Woods Court,
Burke, Virginia 22015
Good luck to all the newly elected officers of the
divisions.
A notice announcing the January 19, 2008, State Board Meeting to be held at St.
William of York Parish in Stafford, Virginia was sent out last month.
Please remind the members of your division that this Meeting is open to all
members of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, provided that they hold a current
membership card. The Virginia State Board seeks to serve the members in
Virginia and benefits from the attendance and participation of individual
members. Please plan to attend if you can.
Remember that the Brian Boru Major Degree Team will
present the Tower Degree of the Order at the January State Meeting for all
those who have not yet taken the Major Degree of our Order. Plan to come
and take the Major Degree if you have not done so; plan to observe the only
Major Degree Team south of the Mason-Dixon line if you are already a Fourth
Degree member.
In Friendship, Unity, and Christian Charity,
Chuck Curran
5. T R E A S U R E R
Joe
McCarthy
(540)
888-3664
NO
REPORT.
6. P A S T P R E S I D E N T
Dan
Brennan
(757)
471-7274
Once
again, NO REPORT. (Second time in a row.)
7. P A R L I A M E N T A R I A N
Arthur
Grimley
(703)971-3861
Once
again, NO REPORT. (2nd time in a row)
"Have
just opened my email. Will have something within a few days." 27
December, 2007.
8. I N S U R A N C E A D V I S O R
Dave
Zerby
(540)
374-1982
I have just been informed that our liability policy
will not be renewed in March. At this time the only thing I can do now is
to locate a new carrier and have them give us a
quote.
9. C H A R I T I E S A N D M I S S I O N S
NO
REPORT.
10. O R G A N I Z E R
Rich
Alesky
(703)
369-3189
NO
REPORT.
11.
P R O—L I F E
Larry
O'Brien
(703)
201-2072
Parishes and other groups hold respect-for-life activities.
Feel free to email me details about activities you’ve done or are connected
with. Brother Ed Moran joined me at the Respect Life Mass at St. Rita’s
Catholic Church and the attendant Holy Rosary devotions at the abortion
facility just after Thanksgiving. The monthly Respect Life masses are
generally on the fourth Saturday of each month at 8:00 am, and the next
one will be January 26, followed by February 23, March 22, and April 26.
St. Rita’s is located at 3815 Russell Road at the corner of West Glebe Road,
Alexandria; phone number (703) 836-1640.
Brother
Larry O'Brien, on the right, prays the complete rosary in front of an
Alexandria
abortion clinic with Father Paul Scalia (with the black beret hat) and others.
The upcoming
Pro-Life March on January 22 is literally the time to not only talk the talk
but to walk the walk. We’ll gather in , or as close as possible, to the
Ellipse behind the White House. Depending upon transportation, it will be
between 11:00 am and noon. Because we won’t have our own bus, marchers
are encouraged to travel to our rendezvous by buses that would be provided by
your parish, which should be preceded by a pro-life mass you’ll have at your
home parish. Otherwise, you can use Metro. The actual Pro-Life
rally normally begins between noon and 12:45 pm; and the march from the Ellipse
to the U.S. Supreme Court occurs, depending upon logistics, between 2:30-3:00
pm. You should expect to arrive back at your home parish, depending on
your selected mode of transportation, between 4:15-5:00 pm. Dress warmly,
assuming the Washington weather is what it normally is in January, but keep an
eye on the weather reports a day or two before the march. It’s also a
good idea to bring a bag lunch including bottled water. Port-a-Potties
will be located in the area. Feel free to call me if you can’t locate our
group (703) 201-2072.
12.H I S T O R I A N
Bruce Denault
(540) 446-9123
This is the second in a series of articles highlighting
the namesakes of our Virginia AOH Divisions. I believe it’s important
that we not only honor these men, but also remember the contribution they have
made as Irishmen, as Virginians, and as Americans. As a fellow
Irish-American Marine Officer, LtCol John A. Dowd USMC is this month’s subject
of a biography. (If the remaining divisions would, please, forward to me
a biography of your namesake, I’d appreciate it.)
John A. Dowd
(1931-1969)
John Aloysius (Jack) Dowd was born September 23, 1931,
in East Orange, New Jersey, and was raised in a strong Irish-Catholic
family. After graduating from Seton Hall Prep, he attended the U.S.
Merchant Marine Academy; then in June, 1952, he joined the U.S. Marine Corps as
a private during the Korean War. His leadership skills were soon
recognized, and he was recommended for Officer Candidate School; he earned a
commission in August, 1953. The next day, he married the love of his
life, Barbara Lee Hebbe. The Dowds went on to have six children.
Jack was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1967, 16
years after enlisting. Eight months later he went to Viet Nam as
assistant G-2 (intelligence) with the 1st Marine Division. He
was killed in action August 13, 1969, while leading his battalion in
combat. He was 37 years old and left Barbara and his six children in
Woodbridge, Virginia. Lance Corporal Jim Nelson, a radio operator with
Delta Company, remembers him this way:
“I know of no action of greater bravery than that
performed by Colonel Dowd. From the moment on throughout my Marine
career, I measured my actions by how I thought he would view them if looking
over my shoulder.”
Jack Dowd was awarded the Silver Star in April, 1969,
and the Navy Cross, Purple Heart, and Legion of Merit posthumously. The
Navy Cross is the highest award given for extraordinary heroism second only to
the Medal of Honor. His citation for the Navy Cross is printed
below. After a Requiem Mass at Fort Myer Chapel, Jack was laid to rest
across from the Amphitheater at Arlington National Cemetery.
13.C AT H O L I C A C T I O N
Jack
Devaney
(703)
278-8352
FOCUS: ABORTION
Actions speak better than words. In three days we
will have an opportunity to put action in the forefront. This is an issue
of concern for all Catholic gentlemen of Virginia. The abortion issue is
an issue Catholics cannot and must not avoid. The concept put forth by
the national editor is wrong. The idea that there are other political
issues to consider than abortion is frankly—heresy.
There are no other issues
more compelling than the issue of abortion.
If you cannot attend the
Right to Life March,
Email your Senator and
your Congressperson.
Let him or her know what
you think.
FOCUS: TROOP
SUPPORT
Here is a letter summarizing what Catholic Action can
mean:
Construction Management Section
LSA Anaconda, Balad, Iraq
APO, AE 09391
4 December 2007
To: St. Mary of Sorrows
The Hibernians
RE: Thank you for your Support
of the Soldiers of the Brigade
On behalf of the soldiers of the 20th Engineer Brigade
(Combat) (Airborne), I wish to thank you for your generous gift of snacks,
goodies, and other essential items that you sent to us. Your support of
our American Soldiers is commendable and is greatly appreciated
As we enter the holiday season, I am reminded of the
blessings we have both as Soldiers and Americans. Living amongst the
Iraqis, we are all reminded that we are blessed to live in a nation that has
such freedoms as the freedom from fear and freedom from want. As we
recall the Christmas message, we need to be reminded,\more now than ever, of
the need to recognize the special gifts we are given, and how we are obligated
to share them with others, especially those in need.
As we go through our duties here in Iraq, it is
wonderful to know that there are caring communities that are praying and
supporting us as you have. It is our hope that our efforts here in Iraq
will be worthy of the support you have shown to us.
We wish you a safe and happy Christmas back in
Northern Virginia, and ask for your continued prayers and thoughts as we
continue to serve half-way around the world. Thank you again for your
support.
Sincerely,
Erik
C Bachus, P.E.
Major, US Army
Lead Design Engineer
FOCUS: ST. PATRICK’S DAY 2008
WASHINGTON (Catholic News Service)
--- In contrast to the decision of the Irish bishops' conference to request Vatican
permission to move the liturgical celebration of St. Patrick's Day in 2008 to
avoid a conflict with Holy Week, the feast day "will not be commemorated
liturgically" in most U.S. dioceses next year, according to the U.S.
bishops' Secretariat for the Liturgy. Because March 17 falls on the Monday of
Holy Week next year, the Irish bishops' conference requested and received
permission from the Vatican's Congregation for Divine Worship and the
Sacraments to move the solemnity of St. Patrick, Ireland's patron saint, to the
nearest Saturday, March 15. But an earlier decision by the Vatican congregation
to transfer the feast of St. Joseph in 2008 from March 19, the Wednesday of
Holy Week, to March 15 "impedes the transfer of the solemnity of St.
Patrick to March 15" in the United States, said an article in the liturgy
secretariat's newsletter for April. The feast day may be moved to Friday, March
14, 2008, in dioceses "where St. Patrick is the principal patron of a
particular church" and where "it is customarily commemorated as a
solemnity," the newsletter said. The U.S. bishops have not requested such
a transfer as a conference, however.
14.F R E E D O M F O R A L L I R E L A
N D
NO REPORT.
15.P O L I T I C A L E D U C A T I O N
NO REPORT.
16.I M M I G R A T I O N
NO REPORT.
17.B U Y I R I S H
Hugh
P. O'Brien
(540)
786-4214
NO
REPORT.
18.I R I S H A W A R E N E S S
John
O’Hara
(703)
217-5527
Irish Awareness
Hope this
article finds everyone in great spirits after enjoying a wonderful Christmas
and New Year’s Day holiday. Now
that we have these holidays behind us and the New Year is upon us, it’s time to
start looking at the Irish events for 2008; after all the biggest event of the
Irish calendar year, St Patrick’s Day, will be here before we know it.
This year the St. Patrick’s Day feast day happens to fall at the same time as
Holy Week and as such we face a liturgical dilemma that happens every so
often. As we know being Hibernians, while St. Patrick’s Day has become a
widely celebrated holiday for the masses in the United States, it is also first
and foremost the feast day of the Patron Saint of Ireland. As such this
created an issue for our brothers in Ireland where up until recent years, the
celebration traditionally has had a more religious connotation and is actually
a holy day of obligation always celebrated on the actual feast day, March 17.
As these conflicts in the liturgical calendar became apparent, the Irish bishops asked for and received permission from the Vatican to move the 2008 feast of St. Patrick to March 15, the Saturday before Holy Week. It is the first time in almost 100 years that the feast of St. Patrick will not be celebrated March 17. In 1913, the same conflict occurred, and in that case the church marked the feast April 1. According to historians, March 17 is the traditional date given for the death of St. Patrick, and his feast has been celebrated on this day since the seventh century. A spokesman for St. Patrick's Festiv