ETERNAL WALL
As you may remember, PEUSA had a diplomatic Mission to Malta just as we suffered the death of Chev. Chris Bohlman. This loss was heavy on our hearts as we arrived in Malta. Dame Isabelle Paul made the suggestion and donated the money for a memorial marble wall which will be in the garden of the Headquarters building in Malta. It will be engraved with these words:
”Blessed indeed’ said the Spirit “that they may rest from their labors for their deeds follow them”.
PEUSA has made this a gift to all OSJ Priories and Commanderies worldwide. Any Knight or Dame of the Order who passes away will have their name inscribed on this wall.
Dedication of ‘The Wall’ is expected this year.
PRIORY EXECUTIVES
It gives me great pleasure to announce the officers who have volunteered to manage the Priory Corporation, plus met all other executive needs for you.
The Priory corporate officers are: President Josephine Hall, Vice President Desmond Towey, Secretary Clive Banfield, and Treasurer Justin Towey.
The ‘Priors Council’ officers are: Prior Josephine Hall, Vice Chancellor [vacant], Hospitaller H.E. Bailiff Joyce Piersanti GCSJ, Superintendent [vacant], and Marshall Chev. Desmond Towey KHSJ. We will soon hold elections to fill the vacancies. Any officer in the Priory who wishes to be considered for one of these important positions please contact me.
Some of these new officers may be calling you on behalf of the Priory.
We have also had four elections for four new Commanders who were all elected by a signed ballot and by the majority of their own Commanderies:
1 – Commander Janet Hall, DSJ the Commander of Houston 04-07
2 - Commander Claude Rosinsky, DCJSJ the Commander of Palm Beach 12-07
3 – Commander Al Heath, KCSJ the Commander of the Commandery of the West Indies.01-08
4 – Commander James Murphy is the Commander of the Military Commandery.11-07
OBLATIONS
We have just successfully completed the task of collecting the 08 Oblations. We have 5 Active Commanderies + Nicaragua:
· Houston - 25 members
· Palm Beach – 39 members
· New York - 37 members
· The Military - 7 members
· West Indies - 31 members
· Nicaragua –2 members
SERVICE TO THE SICK AND POOR
This is the ‘Service’ accomplished since our last report September 07. .
As you know the PEUSA works on 3 levels:
1 The local level [Commandery]
2 The Prior Level
3 – And on the worldwide level - within the worldwide organization
These projects demonstrate clearly how we work on 3 levels.
Commander Claude Rosinsky has been working with H.E. Conventual Bailiff Thorkild Hagn-Meincke of Denmark [and the government of Denmark] to organize a 50 foot container of Hospital equipment for Nicaragua. Claude is also working with our members in Nicaragua Chev. Carlos Gerri. Carlos is the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nicaragua and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Central America. Claude made one trip to visit the hospitals and access the needs, then requested equipment to fulfill the needs from Thorkild. Thorkild then organized the equipment though the efforts of the members of Commandery of Denmark. He then also met with the government of Denmark who paid for the transportation to Nicaragua.
Claude and Dame Josephine Shore also traveled to Nicaragua to access the medical needs or the indigenous Indians on the East Coast of Nicaragua. Following that visit a hurricane hit that area. Palm Beach filled a 50 foot container with: generators, computers, food, blankets, clothing and toys. Purchased over 600 pounds of sugar, flour and cooking oil. In Palm Beach individuals packaged everything from bulk and into 10 pound bags.
Claude asked the Prior to ask all Commanderies to help with transportation cost of this 50 foot container from Palm Beach. Every Commandery responded to help these poor hurricane victims. Claude and Josephine Shore personally handed out the contents of this container to the hurricane victims.
Claude and Josephine Shore just returned from their third trip from Nicaragua. They cleared the container from Denmark from Customs. The hospital equipment has now been delivered to 4 hospitals.
‘Tea with Old Bags’, the Commandery of the West Indies.
The Prior organized support from all Commanderies and over 100 handbags were collected from Houston, New York and Palm Beach Commanderies to send to the fund raising event in St. Croix. FYI, Claude Rosinsky paid for the shipping of all the handbags so they would all arrive in time for the event. Thank you Claude for all your do.
We look forward to soon reporting on the Charity and Investiture news from New York, the Military, and Houston.
INVESTITURES
The officers of the PEUSA are scheduled to attend - Houston, Italy, Malta, Palm Beach, and January 09 West Indies.
