Minutes of the January 8, 2024 Meeting of the Ancient Order of Hibernians
Father Kelley Division
Highlights of the Meeting: The budget for 2024 was discussed was approved. Events in January-March 2024 were discussed.
The meeting was called to order at 7:04 PM at the VFW Hall, 9304 Centerville Road in Manassas by President Greg Gibbons.
President:
- Raps gavel once: “The Division will now come to order. Officers will assume their respective stations.” DO NOT STAND!
- Order: “Sentinel, keep close 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:
- Responds “Worthy President, I find all members to be in good standing.
President:
- Raps 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:
- Our Father
- Hail Mary
- Glory Be
President:
- Worthy Marshal, 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.”
- Rap 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: | Greg Gibbons | P |
| Vice President: | Brian Tumulty | P |
| Chaplain: | Fr. Daniel Reuwer | E |
| Recording Secretary: | Jerry Partsch | P |
| Financial Secretary: | Richard Aleksy | P |
| Treasurer: | Paul Hannan | P |
| Standing Committee: | Douglas Morrison | E |
| Marshall: | Greg Rebbert | P |
| Sentinel: | Jerry Laffey | P |
| Past President: | Pat Sullivan | P |
Minutes of the previous meeting. Jerry Partsch: On December14, 2023 Mike Eggleston distributed the minutes to all members and were posted them online. No changes were received. A motion to approve the minutes was made by Past President Patrick Sullivan, seconded by J.P. McCusker and those members present voted to approve the minutes as posted on the division website.
Presidents Report:
- Scheduling conflict tonight, VFW will pass through. Appreciate it if we don’t get distracted.
- The Budget is necessary to move up in the agenda. Need to pass final 2024 Budget. Distributed last meeting.
- History Reports focus on Irish Saints beginning in February John McLaughlin will lead the discussion.
- Post Meeting Refreshments.
- Great group of AOH Brothers very capable and dedicated individually to our Motto, Friendship, Unity, Christian Charity. Unity is a Key for us.
Budget: Discussion. Brian/Paul
A motion to approve the budget was made by Tom Masarick, seconded by Bart Emmanuel and those members present voted to approve the budget. Membership clarification 70 total members including 60 paying members, 6 clergy,1 National Merit Member, and 3 Honorary Members.
Communications & Correspondence: Jerry Partsch
We received Thank You letters from the following:
- Medical Missionaries
- House of Mercy
- Irish Culture Society of Virginia
- Downs Syndrome Association of Northern Virginia
Propositions on Candidates for Membership: Organizer
- NA
Reports:
- Corporate Communion & Installation of Officers on 1/13 @ 5:30 PM Greg G.
- Raffle Ticket Sales Status (267 sold, 144 in circulation, 589 to sell) JP
- Ticket Sales 13/14 Jan (would like 3 volunteers per entrance) JP/Greg R.
- Cookbook Status (20 remaining) Rich
- Calendar Events/Special Reports concentrated on Jan – Mar Greg G.
- Hosting of 27 Jan Virginia State Quarterly Meeting JP
- 10 folks for set-up on Friday 1/26
- Beer Tasting 2 Feb; next Division meeting is 8 Feb Vince
- Report on Special Committees:
- Chaplain’s Reflection, Father Daniel Reuwer. No Report.
- Charities and Missions, Greg Rebbert. No Report.
- Freedom for all Ireland (FFAI), Dominic Preston: No Report.
- Report on the Standing Committee/Grievance, Doug Morrison: No Report.
- Historian, Mike Eggleston provided his report on The Changling read by Bart Emmanuel
- Hibernian Hunger Project, Bart Emanuel: No Report.
- Immigration, Brian Tumulty provided his report on Immigration Report.
- Project St. Patrick, Rich Aleksy: Continue to remember priests and our seminarians in your prayers. 50 seminarians in the diocese.
- Pro-Life, Paul Huber provided his Pro-Life Report. Read by Jerry Partsch
- Publicity/Webmaster, Brian Tumulty: Efficient way to pay dues on-line.
- Report on the Sick/Visitation, Bill Yochem. No Report.
- Strategic Planner, Mike Riley. No Report.
- Veterans Affairs, Doug Morrison. Veterans Report Read by John Masarick..
- Report from the Treasurer. Paul Hannan – Treasurer’s Report Signature cards signed and will be taken to bank on January 9, 2024.
- Bills and Claims: Rich Aleksy
- $1,018 AOH National Board per capita
- $322.50 AOH Virginia State Board per capita
- $1000 Inisfail Inc. for parade sponsorship
- $56.65 Meeting Refreshments
- $460.99 Beer Tasting
- Receipts of the meeting: Rich Aleksy
- $868 Dues
- $110 Raffle
- $30 Cookbook
Unfinished Business: Budget approved earlier in the meeting.
New Business: Motion to excuse Doug Morrison was made by Tom Masarick and seconded by Patrick Sullivan and was voted excused by the division membership present.
Good and Welfare of the Order — Prayers:
- Prayer Request for Kay Sullivan, Kathleen Tumulty, Bart Emmanuel’s father, Gerry Ulrich’s sister-in-law, John McLaughlin’s friend, and Chris Sozio’s father, uncle, and sister-in-law. Prayer of thanksgiving for John McLaughlin’s sister-in-law on the birth of her child.
Rap the gavel for all to stand:
Prayer to St. Jude:
Saint Jude, glorious Apostle, faithful servant and friend of Jesus, the name of the traitor has caused you to be forgotten by many, but the true Church invokes you universally as the Patron of difficult cases, and of thing almost despaired of. Pray for us who are so helpless and alone. Intercede with God for us that he brings visible and speedy help. Come to our assistance in this great need that we may receive the consolation and help of heaven in all our necessities, tribulations, sufferings and particularly with those mentioned in the Good and Welfare of the Order and those who’s intentions are on our hearts, and that we may bless God and you with the Elect throughout Eternity. Amen.
Rap the gavel to be seated
Adjournment Motion:
A motion to adjourn was made by JP McCusker, seconded by Bill Yochem and those members present voted to adjourn.
President: Raps gavel once, asks all to stand, and leads the division in the closing prayer.
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:
- Refreshments
Meeting Conclusion
President: Raps the gavel saying:
“This meeting now stands adjourned until our next regular meeting on Monday, February 12, except in case of emergency, in which event, you will be duly notified”
The meeting was adjourned at 8:15
