Highlights: Membership was discussed, and two new members were approved. Fund-raising activities and recruiting opportunities were discussed. The calendar of events was updated and the Nominating Committee for the election of 2024 division officers was established.
The meeting was called to order at 7:10 PM at the VFW Hall, 9304 Centerville Road in Manassas by President Pat Sullivan.
Recitation of the Opening Prayer & Pledge of Allegiance:
President:
- Wraps gavel once: “The Division will now come to order. Officers will assume their respective stations.” DO NOT STAND!
- Order: “Sentinel, keep closed the meeting room door until the meeting is duly open.”
- Order: “Marshal, check membership cards and ascertain if all present are duly qualified to remain”
Marshal:
- “Worthy President, I find all members to be in good standing.
President:
- Wraps gavel once: “All members please stand.”
Opening Prayer
“In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Amen. And in the name of St. Patrick, the Glorious Apostle of Ireland, I open this meeting and beseech our Heavenly Father to watch over us and protect us. May He grant us that peace and harmony will always prevail among us, and that Friendship, Unity, and Christian Charity will inspire all our deliberations, through Christ our Lord, Amen.”
President: Say one Holy Mary.
President: Worthy Recording Secretary, please lead the division in the Pledge of Allegiance.
President: Singing of Opening Ode, “O’Donnell Abu”
- We will suspend the singing of the Opening Ode
President: “I now declare this meeting duly open for the transaction of such business as may properly be brought before it.”
Wrap the gavel once “all please be seated.”
Meeting Agenda:
Recording Secretary accomplished the call of the Roll of Officers:
P: Present; E: Excused; A: Absent
| President: | Patrick Sullivan | P |
| Vice President: | Greg Gibbons | P |
| Chaplain: | Fr. Daniel Reuwer | E |
| Recording Secretary: | Michael Eggleston | P |
| Financial Secretary: | Richard Aleksy | P |
| Treasurer: | Brian Tumulty | P |
| Standing Committee: | Douglas Morrison | E |
| Marshall: | Greg Rebbert | P |
| Sentinel: | Paul Hannan | P |
| Past President: | Tom Masarick | P |
Minutes of the previous meeting. Mike Eggleston: On 1 September minutes were distributed to all members and were posted online. No changes were received. A motion to approve the minutes was made, seconded and those members present voted to approve the minutes as posted on the division website.
Presidents Report: Nominating Committee set: JP Chair, Tom Masarick and Vince assisting. The Next State Convention: 21 October hosted by Dooley Division at St. Mary’s in Glen Allen, Richmond. The Veteran Affairs Chair still needs Veteran Stories. Please make all committee and officer reports short to make time for our Barbecue.
Propositions for Membership, Pete Hawkins:
John O’Mara, who was approved to join our division at the last meeting, was welcomed.
Matt Driscoll: Vince recommended acceptance and Matt was unanimously approved to join our division.
Tim Mayer: Pat Sullivan recommended acceptance and Tim was also unanimously approved to join our division.
Reports on Candidates for Membership, Pete Hawkins: Brian Walker is a candidate.
Communications & Correspondence, Mike Eggleston: No communications or correspondence has been received.
Reports:
Cookbook Status, Mike Eggleston: We received 226 copies of the cookbook from the publisher and have 44 remaining. Copies are available for sale after this meeting (One was sold). Pat Sullivan mentioned that other items for sale such as bracelets should be brought to our meetings.
Calendar Events/Special Reports, Pete Hawkins reviewed the calendar:
17 Sept: Half-way to St. Patrick’s Day is at the Old Town Sports Bar (OTSB) and is a great opportunity to sell Trip to Ireland tickets. JP McCusker is picking up the tickets. We will be there 12:30-4:00 PM. We should have our banner and table set up at OTSB. It is also a good opportunity for recruiting.
22 September is the Golf Tournament. Vince has us registered and people have signed up. Fall is a busy time for golf and spring might be a better time for our tournament.
24 Sept: Ministry Fair on Sunday, 8:00 AM – 11:00 AM. A signup sheet was circulated. Pat Sullivan will help set up. Folders to help with recruiting will be laid out on tables for use after Mass.
1 Oct: Downs Syndrome Walk. Pat Sullivan has signed us up to provide two people to help.
7 Oct: Manassas Fall Jubilee, 10AM to 5PM, is a major opportunity to sell our Trip to Ireland tickets and other items. Vince Fitzpatrick has arranged a spot for us but is unavailable for this event. Tom will follow up.
9 Oct: Shamrock Degree will be accomplished currently planned for the October regular meeting. Greg Gibbons has the lead.
TBD Oct: Hunger Project food collection will be accomplished by Bart Emanuel.
21 October is the Virginia State AOH Meeting.
4 November is Veteran’s Day Parade. Pat Sullivan will be the lead. The application form has been submitted.
Special Committees:
1.Chaplain’s Reflection,Father Daniel Reuwer. No Report.
2.Charities and Missions,Greg Rebbert: We need to start putting our list of charities together. Greg will email the list to officers for review and comment before the October Officers meeting.
3.Freedom for all Ireland (FFAI),Dominic Preston:No Report.
4.Report on the Standing Committee/Grievance,Doug Morrison: No Report.
5.Historian,Mike Eggleston: provided his report on the Coffin Ships.
6. Hibernian Hunger Project,Bart Emanuel: No Report.
7.Immigration,Brian Tumulty: Below is his Immigration Report. Pat will have AOH National call Brian to get more details on his report.
Permanent admissions to the United States are dominated by two immigration pathways: family sponsored immigration and employment-based immigration. These pathways account for most foreign nationals who annually receive lawful permanent resident status (also referred to as green-card holders). This trend reflects two core principles of U.S. policy on permanent immigration: reunification of families and the admission of immigrants with needed skills. There are two subgroups of family-sponsored immigrants: (1) immediate relatives of U.S. citizens and (2) family-sponsored preference immigrants.
The AOH’S national immigration policy is focused on passage legislation that has zero chance of passage in the current Congress. Th E3 Visas for Ireland Bill is a worthy cause, but the prospect for enactment anytime soon is hopeless. As I mentioned last month, the E3 Visa provides Australian citizens with access to 10,500 U.S. work visas annually, but many visas go unclaimed. The E3 Visas for Ireland Bill would have granted the unused Australian visas to Irish applicants.
A more pragmatic approach by the AOH would be to 1ook at the current immigration laws and the opportunities within that framework to encourage Irish immigration. Why not encourage AOH members to check with their family members in Ireland on their interest in living here? How about providing a guide for how to legally make the transition? How about encouraging AOH members to look at their employer’s staffing needs that might be filled by Irish citizens? There also are exceptions allowed under U.S. nonimmigrant VISAs for people who want to stay here permanently.
Most prospective nonimmigrants must demonstrate that they are not coming to reside permanently. However, there are three nonimmigrant visas for which dual intent is allowed, meaning that the prospective nonimmigrant is permitted simultaneously to seek admission to the United States on a nonimmigrant visa and lawful permanent resident status (also referred to as green-card holders). The three categories are for nonimmigrants seeking:
- H-1B visas (specialty occupation workers),
- L visas (intracompany transferees), or
- V visas (family members of LPRs awaiting immigrant visas) are exempt from the requirement to show that they are not coming to the United States to live permanently.
8.Project St. Patrick, Rich Aleksy: Continue to remember our seminarians in your prayers.
9.Pro-Life, Paul Huber: provided his Pro-Life Report. Pat asked Paul to send him a summary of this report. Pat will add to it and have it sent to the division.
10. Report on the Sick/Visitation, Bill Yochem: We had an excellent turnout for Chuck Kelleher’s funeral.
11.Publicity/Webmaster, Brian Tumulty:No Report.
12. Strategic Planner, Mike Riley: No Report.
13. Veterans Affairs, Doug Morrison: No Report.
14. Bills and Claims: Rich Aleksy:
Income
Cookbooks: $285.00
50/50 Raffle: $17.50
Golf Tourn: $960.00
Dues: $24.00
Init Fees: $10.00
Expenses
23-015: Manassas Fall Jub: $100.00
23-016: Road Clearance: $38.81
15. Report from the Treasurer. Brian Tumulty provided the Treasurers Report.
It was decided that in future meetings Bills and Claims will be presented before the Treasurer’s Report. Rich will follow up on dues collection through a courtesy call to members.
Unfinished Business:
Pat Sullivan will take over as Organizer after Pete’s move.
Joe Martin will run the 2024 Veteran’s Beer Tasting Fundraiser.
New Business: Vince mentioned that coordination for St. Patrick’s Day next year starts early. The first meeting is on 20 October.
Good and Welfare of the Order — Prayers:
JP and his wife Maggie
Brian Tumulty’s wife Kathleen
Agnes Aleksy and Rich Aleksy
Kay Sullivan
Mike Eggleston requested prayers for his sister-in-law, Frances Rogers who is scheduled for surgery in two weeks.
Chris Sozio asked for prayers for his uncle and other family members.
Greg Gibbons asked us to remember 9/11 victims and pray for them, the 9/11 first responders and others who have served in our wars.
Vince Fitzpatrick is having neck surgery in October and asked for our prayers.
Paul Huber has prostate cancer and asked for our prayers.
Pat Sullivan is having knee surgery and asked for prayers.
Wrap the gavel for all to stand:
Say 1 Our Father for all in need.
Wrap the gavel to be seated.
Adjournment Motion:
President: “Is there a motion to Adjourn?”
- Motion
- Second
- Discussion
- Vote
President: Wraps gavel once, asks all to stand.
Closing Prayer
“In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And in the name of St. Patrick, the Glorious Apostle of Ireland, I declare this meeting closed. Grant, O Lord, who makes the minds of the faithful to be of one will, that we, Thy people may love what Thou has commanded, and desire what Thou has promised, and that amid the changes of the world our hearts may ever love and obey Thee, through Christ Our Lord, Amen.”
Chaplain or President: “Let us pray for our deceased Brothers” All say:
- Our Father
- 3 Hail Mary Mary’s
- Glory Be
Chaplain or President: “Eternal Rest grant to them, O Lord”
Members: “And let perpetual light shine upon them”
Chaplain or President: “May they rest in peace.”
Members: “Amen”
PRAYERS FOR VOCATIONS
President: Lead division in saying 3 Hail Mary’s
- Hail Mary
- Hail Mary
- Hail Mary
President:
“Brothers, you are cautioned against speaking of anything that has transpired at this meeting to any but those who you know to be members in good standing and bound by the same fraternal ties of Friendship, Unity, and Christian Charity.”
- Closing Ode: Skip
- 50/50 Raffle Drawing: Bill Yochem won the drawing.
- President’s Drawing: Vince Fitzpatrick won the President’s drawing.
Meeting Conclusion
President: Wraps the gavel saying:
“This meeting now stands adjourned until our next regular meeting on Monday, October 9th, except in case of emergency, in which event, you will be duly notified.” The meeting was adjourned at 8:05PM.
