October 19, 2008 - Little Rock, AR

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IN ATTENDANCE:

H.E. Dennis Malloy, Lieutenant and Lady Ginny, Houston, TX
Most Rev. Eusebius Beltran, Archbishop of Oklahoma City, OK
(Representing H.E. Daniel Cardinal DiNardo, Grand Prior)
H.E. Dennis Looney, member of Grand Magisterium
(Representing H.E. John Cardinal Foley, Grand Master)
Sir Steve Pinion, Chancellor, Tulsa, OK
Sir Eugene Silva, Secretary, Houston, TX
Lady Raye White, Treasurer, Houston, TX
Lady Blanche Earthman Morello, Lay Mistress of Ceremonies
Lady Michele Malloy, Mistress of Pilgrimages
Section Representatives of the Southwestern Lieutenancy

 

H.E. Malloy introduced Msgr. Robert Stern, President of the Pontifical Mission for Palestine. Msgr. Stern spoke to members about Peace and Justice as it relates to our Order. Some points of his talk:

• The Pope needs each member personally to:

1. Be a witness to Holiness. Human dignity is for everyone; no man is an island. For Justice and Peace we need understanding and communication.

2. Be generous. Protect the Holy Land through general aid.

3. Engage in a courageous struggle for Justice and Peace. Take positive action.

• Concentrating on the third aspect, Justice and Peace, Justice is righteousness and fairness. It is conforming to the law of God. Ingredients for Justice: understanding, communication, pardon and mercy. Ultimately, it comes to forgiveness – this is the Christian point of view. To forgive is empowering. This power can be gained by studying the issues, gathering information from many sources then sharing impartial information. We must mediate with dignity and not be afraid to challenge people to think.

H.E. Malloy called the General Membership Meeting to order and requested Sir Gene Silva, Secretary, to read the minutes from last year’s meeting. It was moved and seconded that the reading of the minutes be waived and the minutes be approved. Motion carried.

H.E. Malloy called on Lady Raye White, Treasurer, to give the Treasurer’s report.

Treasurer’s Report to the Membership Meeting
Southwestern USA Lieutenancy
October 19, 2008

We have received the audited financial report for the Lieutenancy for the calendar year 2007. The audit was performed by the accounting firm of Hidalgo, Banfill, Zlotnick & Kermali, P. C. and was valued at $9,000.00. Sir Harold Hidalgo and Sir James Banfill, both partners in the firm, are members of the Order and have donated their services for this audit. The Lieutenancy thanks them for their generosity.

 

This revenue includes Contributions, Annual Meeting and Investiture Income, Interest and Dividend Income, and Realized and Unrealized Gains on Investments
 

Based on your continued generosity through this year, the Lieutenancy expects to send more than $1,000,000.00 to Rome for calendar year 2008. This will be the third consecutive year for sending one million dollars plus to support our Faith in the Holy Land. This concludes the Treasurer’s Report.


H.E. Malloy called upon Sir Dennis Looney, member of the Grand Magisterium and representing John Cardinal Foley, Grand Master.

Sir Dennis reported that the Grand Magisterium is rather like a Board of Directors whose duties include attending two meetings per year in Rome. At these meetings the members:

• Review the budget (annual income from the world-wide lieutenancies, and expenses, which are essentially monies sent to the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem to support education). Education is a core element of the Order. Every lieutenancy is paired with an individual school. The Order operates 4 schools in Israel, 12 schools within the Palestinian Authority and 22 schools in Jordan. In addition, the Order operates Bethlehem University.

• Review capital expenditures for Special Projects such as repairs to existing buildings or construction of new buildings such as new churches and schools in Jordan which has experienced a great influx of Palestinian Christians over the years. These projects are vetted by the Holy Land Commission in order to sort out those which are most necessary and worthwhile, and whose bids are most accurate so as to get the greatest value for our investment as possible. The Holy Land Commission is made up of several members of the Grand Magisterium plus some Knights from the United States who go to the Holy Land and evaluate proposed projects then report their findings to the Grand Magisterium. Once the Order commits to those projects, the Holy Land Commission returns periodically to make sure the contracts are being fulfilled.

• Make decisions regarding humanitarian aid. This aid is structured in such a way as to respect a person’s dignity; rather than had out money, employment is offered where possible to help those in need to support themselves. If a need is recognized, funds are used to fill it. For example the construction of a maternity ward in the Holy Land to fill a dire need within the Christian community.

Looking ahead five years into the future of the Order. Emphasis will be placed on increasing the spirituality of the membership. Also, assessments will be made regarding education, special projects and humanitarian aid in light of the fact that nobody has been able to stem the immigration of Christians from the Holy Land. How to better address the root causes (i.e. possibly providing housing for Christians, and more opportunities for their employment). The Grand Magisterium will look at ways to be more responsive to the needs of the lieutenancies throughout the world in order to be more effective. In the long run, we will be testing the limits of your generosity and know that you will respond.

H.E. Malloy called upon Lady Michele Malloy, Mistress of Pilgrimages.

Pilgrimage Report

Bishop Corrada of Tyler led a group of 20 pilgrims to the Holy Land and the Greek Islands April 5-19, 2008. The pilgrims visited the sacred places in Israel, as well as Athens, Corinth, Crete, Santorini, Mykonos, Patmos, and Ephesus. The next pilgrimage will be November 3-15, 2008, to the Holy Land. Father Gregory Pilcher from Little Rock will be leading 25 pilgrims.

There are two pilgrimages planned for 2009: the first is tentatively scheduled for late June, since His Eminence, Daniel Cardinal DiNardo is trying to clear his schedule for a Holy Land-only pilgrimage. The second pilgrimage is scheduled for November 2009. Father Stembler has agreed to lead that pilgrimage to the Holy Land and Rome. Archbishop Michael Miller of Vancouver has asked about the possibility of leading a group from Canada to join with our tour. Both of these are exciting prospects, but are dependent on a suitable clearing in the schedules of very busy prelates.

We also have a very special pilgrimage planned already in June 2010: the Holy Land and the Passion Play in Oberammergau, Germany. We are already receiving inquiries about this pilgrimage.

A very short questionnaire was placed on each chair this morning that will help in planning future pilgrimages, particularly to foster more participation. Please consider ways that each of you can encourage the members in your section to participate in the upcoming pilgrimages.

H.E. Malloy's closing comments:

• Begin to think of those you would like to propose for membership in the Order. Nominees must be submitted by March because procedure for membership continues through the summer.
• Congratulations to Promotees. Promotion is earned and reflects your active participation.
• Those who are physically able, but have become less active need to make annual contributions, participate in diocesan meetings and our Annual Meeting and Investiture in order to be promoted. We look forward to promoting people as they earn this honor.
• Robes that are no longer used can be turned into the Lieutenant’s office and will be sent to the Holy Land for use by traveling pilgrims.
• A website, eohssouthwest.com, has been developed during the past year and will continue to be enhanced. On this site you will be able to find information on how your contributions are helping in the Holy Land.

With thanks to the members of the Little Rock Diocese, H.E. Malloy called the meeting to a close at 11:07 A.M.