As we head into the Independence Day holiday, I hope all are well and finding more and more bits of normalcy as our world slowly reopens. Here’s hoping that we can do it as quickly as possible while maximizing the safety of all and avoiding any backsliding. 

As the joke goes, it’s hard to believe the first three years of 2020 are already over – it’s been quite the slog.  We have continued to try to conduct what division business we can virtually or creatively. Please see the follow-up story on delivery of scholarships to this year’s winners. Also, as an organization, we have continued to focus on charities in support of relief efforts around the pandemic, especially those delivered by Catholic organizations – see the article that follows on distribution of some charity dollars that you, as members of this organization, have raised.

Our latest Division 3 and Hibernian House officers’ meeting focused on how we continue to fulfill our mission as a fraternal organization and eventual restart all activities in a responsible manner. In the short run, that means opening the pub. A team of members met at the Hibernian House several weekends ago and did a thorough clean-up of the outside grounds. This was done in memory of Phil Sheridan who would always organize such an effort each spring – if I started naming them, I know I’d forget someone (suffice to say, they picked possibly the hottest day yet this year, God bless them). In the longer run, reopening considerations include re-starting division meetings and even considerations like running the Pot O’ Gold in a post-COVID world. As always, I thank the officers and other volunteers for their efforts and consideration. 

Good & Welfare – Please remember John Crilley, Larry Cronin and Gene Flood, all fighting various medical issues, in your prayers. Please also continue to remember all those in our community affected by the pandemic.  Please also say a special prayer for our law enforcement professionals. Amidst all the unrest, they continue to show up and do their jobs despite all sorts of criticism and increased risk. Their fortitude demonstrates that for them, this truly is a vocation, not just a job.   Finally, with the Fourth of July this weekend, please remember all our uniformed service members who continue to protect our lives and our freedoms.

Yours in Friendship, Unity and Christian Charity,

Chuck Parnow