Investiture Weekend -- 2009

On October 24, 2009 the Federal Association invested seven new chaplains, 20 Dames and 44 Knights of Magistral Grace at its annual Investiture Mass and Ceremony at St. Matthew’s Cathedral in Washington, D.C. The Most Reverend Donald Wuerl, the Archbishop of Washington and the Principal Chaplain of the Federal Association, was the principal chaplain and homilist.

At the Annual Meeting the Association bestowed its President’s Award to these four members for their dedication to the ideals of the Order and the works of the Federal Association:

• Dr. Harry Johnson, Baltimore, Maryland
  
• Clarence E. (CEM) Martin, Esq., Martinsburg, West Virginia
  
• J. Michael McGarry, Esq., Chevy Chase, Maryland
  
• Agnes Neill Williams, Esq., Potomac, Maryland

Over three hundred people attended the Association’s Annual Dinner that evening at The Mayflower Hotel.

Dr. Harry Johnson of Baltimore, Maryland. Harry has been a member of the Order since 2003 and he has really become a very important member of our Lourdes Pilgrimage Committee and, more specifically, its Medical and Malade Selection Sub-Committee. His service to the Lourdes Pilgrimage and to our Association is most appreciated.

J. Michael McGarry of Chevy Chase, Maryland. Mike was a two-term member of the Board of Directors and also served as the Association’s Chancellor. More recently he has stepped in and done a tremendous job as the Chairman of the Lourdes Pilgrimage Committee. Stepping into the very big shoes of Admiral Bill Callaghan and John Miller, Mike has continued the tradition of excellent leadership of our pilgrimage. Also, all of the wine we will drink this weekend (at The Mayflower, at least) will be from Mike’s vineyard – Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard. We are very grateful to Mike for his great service to the Federal Association.

CEM Martin - Several years ago there were two issues that many in the Order were concerned about. One was the ongoing and spreading problem of false orders – the groups that used the name, symbols, and traditions of the Order for illegitimate and sometimes illegal purposes. The other concern was the Order’s unclear direction with respect to the Defense of the Faith part of the Order’s charism. As it turned out, one of our best and brightest Board members was asked to lead both of these initiatives on our behalf – and he did a great job as the Chairman of the Order of Malta’s North American Committee on False Orders and as the Chairman of the Federal Association’s fledgling Defense of the Faith Committee. CEM MARTIN is a two-term member of our Board of Directors and a member of the Association’s Nominating Committee and Investiture Mass Committee, but it is his legal and committee work against the various false orders and his efforts to form, define, and activate our Association’s Defense of the Faith program that have been most noteworthy. For this dedicated service to the Order and the work of the Federal Association, it is my pleasure to present the 2009 President’s Award to CEM Martin

Agnes Williams - All of the men and women who serve on the Association’s Board of Directors are dedicated to the Order and provide a valuable service. Some provide legal or business counsel, others may have medical or foreign service experience that will help inform the deliberations and decisions of the Board. There are a few that provide a steady and wise counsel to the Board, and oft-times to the president, that is immeasurably valuable. The Federal Association – and the last two presidents – have had a Board member like that. A two-term member of the Board of Directors, and a two-term member of the Executive Committee of the Board – AGNES WILLIAMS has been that person whose intelligence and guidance has been counted on time and time again. A long-time member of the Association’s Investment Committee and its Admissions Committee, Mrs. Williams has been involved with many of the Association’s most important initiatives for the past twenty years. A great supporter of the work of the Order, a great member of the Board, and a great friend to many, it is my pleasure to present the 2009 President’s Award to AGNES WILLIAMS.