Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians

LADIES’ ANCIENT ORDER OF HIBERNIANS ELIZABETH FAGAN DIVISION SEPTEMBER, 2010 NEWSLETTER SHERRY BRENNAN, PRESIDENT [email protected] 734-455-5654

Sisters,

What a great turnout for the Chocolate Affair! It was an outstanding event, from the Garden Luncheon to the event itself. The baskets were unbelievable and we received so many positive compliments! I’m not sure it could have been done any better! Thanks to all the vendors, donors, participants and all of you who made this event so memorable! Our Chairwoman, Barb Weir, did an outstanding job promoting, orchestrating and making this a gala event for First Step.

But our year is just beginning, and we have many more upcoming events to look forward to. Many of you will be participating in the Souper Bowl this upcoming weekend as well as the Memorial Mass in November and the bazaar at St. Thomas a’Becket in December.

Let us remember and pray for all of us who have lost loved ones this year, have family and friends who are sick, lonely, and without housing or jobs. These times are rough, and we need to be thankful for what we have and look out for each other. Please keep Karen’s family in your prayers during this time of mourning for her nephew. Let each day be renewed for each of you during these harvest days.

My new motto is, “A silent mouth is sweet to hear.”

Yours in Friendship, Unity and Christian Charity,

Sherry

FUTURE DIVISION MEETINGS:

Our October meeting will take place at the home of Kittie Higgins, 17518 Oak Hill Drive, Northville, at our usual time of 5 pm. If you need directions, you can reach her at 248-449-6570. Usually, meetings are held in the Adult Formation classroom at St. Thomas a’Becket Church, 555 South Lilley Road, Canton (Southeast corner of Cherry Hill and Lilley) at 5:00 p.m.

DATE REFRESHMENTS RAFFLE ITEM

October 17, 2010** Phyllis Richards & Kittie Higgins Kittie Higgins November 21, 2010 Mary Ann Harkins Katie Bradford December 19, 2010 Kathy Inman January 16, 2011 Patti & Donna McGovern February 20, 2011 Barb Weir & Maureen Fagan Barb Weir & Maureen Fagan March 20, 2011 April 17, 2011 Kittie Higgins May ??, 2011

**Please bring a staple item, such as peanut butter, baby formula, dry milk, cereal/oatmeal, diapers, etc. to our October meeting to be donated to a local shelter as part of LAOH Michigan’s Famine Walk. You can also bring your empty inkjet cartridges, digital cameras and cell phones to our meetings for recycling. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR MEMBERS WHO CELEBRATE BIRTHDAYS IN OCTOBER!!

Katie Herzog October 12 Mary Ann Harkins October 17 Annie Marx October 23 A Chocolate Affair

A HUGE thank you to everyone in our Division who helped make this year’s “A Chocolate Affair” and Garden Luncheon such a big success. Many hours were spent making baskets, securing donations, sponsors and vendors, selling tickets and hosting the event. Your contributions are very much appreciated by the entire Division and mostly by the people who use the services of First Step.

FIRST STEP

A candlelight vigil is scheduled for Thursday, October 21, 2010 at 7 pm at First Step, 4400 South Venoy in Wayne, and we have been invited to join them for a commemorative moment in remembrance of domestic violence victims.

SOUPER BOWL

Fr. Solanus Casey Souperbowl for the Capuchin Soup Kitchen will be held Sunday, October 17, 2010 from noon – 8 p.m. Members of our Division volunteer for the first serving shift from 12 Noon to 2:30 p.m. Again this year our Division will be donating 8 to 10 gallons of our “famous” Corned Beef and Cabbage Soup. Those attending our October meeting will get a report from our volunteering members.

CATHOLIC ACTION

Once there was a time, according to legend, when Ireland was ruled by a king who had no son. The king sent out his couriers to post notices that all such candidates must have these two qualifications: they must love God and love their fellow human beings.

The young man about whom this legend centers saw the notice and reflected that he loved God and his neighbors. However, he was extremely poor with no funds to buy provisions for the long journey to the castle. So the young man begged here, and borrowed there, finally managing to scrounge enough money for the appropriate clothes and the necessary supplies.

Properly attired and well-suited, the young man set out on his quest, and had almost completed the journey when he came upon a poor beggar. The man extended his arms pleading for help. Moved by this beggar’s need, the young man stripped off his new clothes and put on the tattered threads of the beggar. Then, somewhat hesitantly, he continued his journey. Upon his arrival at the castle, a king’s attendant showed him in to the great hall. The young man bowed low before his majesty. When he raised his eyes, he gaped in astonishment. You’re the beggar by the side of the road."

“Yes,” the king replied with a twinkle, “I was that beggar. I knew that if I came to you as king, you would have done anything I asked of you because of my regal character. Then I would never have known what is

2 truly in your heart. I came to you as a beggar with no claims on you except for the love in your heart. And I discovered that you sincerely do love God and your fellow human beings. You will be my successor,” promised the king. “You will inherit my kingdom.”

UPCOMING FUNDRAISERS

Don’t forget our On the Border fundraiser October 19. Please pass along the coupon to friends and family, as they will need to use it for us to get the percentage of sales that day. The coupon is good all day, so stop for lunch or dinner, whatever is most convenient!

The BORDERS BOOKS fundraiser will be December 10 and 11. Again, a coupon must be used for the Division to get the percentage of sales. We should have them by the next Division meeting, and we will also have an electronic version that can be emailed to family and friends. The coupon can be used at the Canton, Livonia, Farmington and Novi stores as well as Borders.com on those two days. So save your Christmas book shopping for then!

IRISH HISTORIAN

An Gorta Mor The Great Hunger

It began as a fungus that traveled in crates of potatoes from America to Belgium in 1843. Within one and a half years the wind-borne blight had converted Ireland’s once abundant potato crop into acres of rotted vegetation, precipitating one of the worst social disasters of the 19th century, An gorta mor, The Great Hunger.

Between 1845 and 1850, when the blight devastated the potato crop, in excess of two million people – almost ¼ of the population – either died or emigrated. Most emigrated to the United States, Canada, and Australia.

The Irish in America today “honor the people who came before us and gave us a lasting legacy of generosity for those in greater need than ourselves.” (AOH National President Ned McGinley, 2003)

Several yeas ago, a memorial to An gorta mor was dedicated at St. Joseph’s Shrine in the Irish Hills. The next annual memorial Mass will be Sunday, May 15, at 1:00 p.m. at St. Joseph’s.

IMMIGRATION AND LEGISLATION

The following is the report presented by the LAOH Michigan Immigration and Legislation Appointee (our Vice President) at the last LAOH Michigan State Board Meeting:

Dear Reverend Father, Madam President, and Sisters,

I attended the Immigration Committee Meeting on July 9, 2010 at 1:30 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom at the Millennium Hotel in Cincinnati, Ohio at the 95th Biennial National Convention. Anne-Marie Nylan-Doherty, National Immigration and Legislation Appointee, reported to the delegates the status of Immigration Policies of the US Government. The LAOH has been advised that we Can Not lobby as a group or represent ourselves as a spokesperson for the LAOH. You can not have a “call to action” type statement to our fellow members, as an immigration appointee, I can ask you to “search your heart” about or to “please pray about” the situation. Lobbying would be in violation with the regulations imposed by the 501(c)3 status we enjoy. Although, we as individual citizens can lobby for legislative reform and are also encouraged to contact our legislators on an individual basis. The AOH is able to lobby and has been supportive of our desire to get the message out for immigration reform legislation. It was asked that we as individuals educate ourselves about relative issues, 3 namely the revisions to the E-3 Visa. I am also to compile a list of the Immigration & Legislation Division Appointees for Michigan.

During the LAOH Immigration Committee meeting we were introduced to Mr. Ciaran Stauton from Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform (ILIR). In 1965 the Immigration Act, spearheaded by Ted Kennedy, limited Irish immigration to immediate family members of naturalized citizens currently living in the US. So over time it became very difficult for Irish citizens to legally immigrate to the United States. Mr. Stauton spoke of many interesting facts such as the current debate over Irish immigration that affects 50,000 undocumented Irish currently living and working in the US. In 2005 Ireland only received 2,088 visas (this is to include lottery, marriage, and employment sponsorships). This accounts for less than .2% of all the U.S. green cards issued for 2008, and in the past five years Irish citizens have received a total of only 7,505 visas of the 4,902,056 issued to citizens from around the world. In the 2000 US Census, Massachusetts reported the highest percentage of Irish Americans in the US, with 25.5% while Michigan reported 14%. For more information about the work the ILIR is doing please go to www.irishlobbyusa.org or you can also follow them on Facebook at -search “Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform”.

We as a country of immigrants, and children of immigrants, should not restrict opportunities for immigration to law-abiding Irish citizens whom aspire to the same opportunities that were afforded to us by our immigrant ancestors.

Respectfully submitted,

Kittie Higgins Michigan State Immigration and Legislation Appointee

DEGREES OF OUR ORDER

CONGRATULATIONS to Katie Bradford who received her Degree on Saturday, September 18, as well as Cinda Riley and Laura Scanlan who received their Degrees at the National Convention last July.

St. Brigid Degree Team will be conferring Degrees on Saturday, November 6, 2010 at 1:00 pm at St Jude Parish, 1120 Four Mile Rd. NE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49525. The Sr. Annette Marie Byrne Division of Grand Rapids is hosting this ceremony. Reservations must be made by Saturday, October 23, 2010 to Mary O’Connell, [email protected].

The cost for taking Degrees is $10.00, observer is $5.00 and lunch is $8.00. Please make checks payable to the St. Brigid Degree Team.

IRISH HISTORY WRITING CONTEST

The topics of this year’s Irish History Writing Contest have been decided, and our Historian will have details at our October and November meetings. If you are not able to attend either of those meetings and would like more details, please contact Barb Weir at 734-453- 1459 or [email protected].

UPCOMING EVENTS

October 17, 2010 5 pm LAOH Elizabeth Fagan Division Meeting **At Kittie Higgins’s house: 17518 Oak Hill Drive, Northville 248-449-6570

October 17, 2010 12 Noon to 8 pm Souper Bowl to benefit Capuchin Soup Kitchen 4 AOH Casey and O’Kennedy Divisions and LAOH Ethel Kennedy Division $20 Donation gets you the famous “Unlimited Soup Bowl” American Polish Century Club, 33204 Maple Lane, Sterling Heights

October 19, 2010 ALL DAY!! On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina, 21091 Haggerty Road, Novi 10% of food and beverage purchases with flyer donated to our Division

October 21, 2010 7 pm Candlelight Vigil at First Step, 4400 South Venoy in Wayne

October 21, 2010 8 pm United Irish Societies meeting at AOH Hall, 24242 Grand River, Detroit

October 23, 2010 AOH Stephen Walsh Division Charity Ball at Monaghan Knights of Columbus

October 30, 2010 11 am LAOH Michigan State Board Meeting Siena Heights University, Dominican Hall, Adrian

November 7, 2010 11 am AOH/LAOH Memorial Mass, Most Holy Trinity Church, Detroit (This is the parish’s regular Sunday Mass)

November 18, 2010 8 pm United Irish Societies Meeting at Gaelic League, Detroit

November 20, 2010 7 pm Dinner Show hosted by LAOH Rose Kennedy Division featuring Lil’ Darlins’ Musical Variety at AOH Hall, 24242 Grand River, Detroit $25

November 21, 2010 5 pm LAOH Elizabeth Fagan Division Meeting

December 10 & 11, 2010 Borders Books in Canton, Livonia, Farmington and Novi as well as at borders.com Percentage of sales with coupon donated to our Division

May 21-22, 2011 Joint State Convention (LAOH/AOH) in Brighton, Michigan More information to follow

June 3-5, 2011 Motor City Irish Fest at St. Valentine Church, Redford More information to follow

Check out our new LAOH web site (www.laohmich.org) where you can go for updated local, state and national news. .

PLEASE REMEMBER IN YOUR PRAYERS:

David Burleigh Anne Burns Jim Buzard Joan Donovan, O.P. Barb Dowling’s Father Ken Eaves Mike & Gloria Fagan Betty Fayden Doug Fayden Gene Hennigan Family of Erin Kurtz Tom Lazondek Duane Lucas Jack Lucas Kathy & Terry Lynch Eileen & Herman Marshall Molly McCarville Catherine McDermott Pat McDermott Lisa McDonald Family of Kevin McManamon Mary Morand Keith Murray Ed O’Connell Kristen Piateck George Richards Peggy Seery Jack Smith Chris Sweeney Kathleen Sweeney Fred Tanari Barb Weir Our Families

Patrick Lynch, Joe Barnes (Marna’s nephew), Sgt. William E. McCarville, 5 Capt. Shannon Schuerger, Capt. Jason Schuerger and all those serving our Country in the military