PROVINCIAL PRESIDENT PGP MIKE O'MALLEY AT 50

The presentation of a scroll to acknowledge Mike's fifty years in the Association was done in an unconventional way recently.  Normally the National President would talk about the recipient before handing over the scroll but in the case of Past Grand President (PGP) Mike O’Malley of Lytham St Annes (LSA) Circle the accolades were given by his two fellow PGPs Tony Godden and David Rowley also of LSA Circle prior to the presentation.  Mike, a Yorkshire man, joined Oldham Circle whilst a practising GP and took on various roles at a local and provincial level before being elected to the Grand Council and ultimately became Grand President in 2006.  In his retirement he and Anne-Marie moved to St Joseph’s parish, Lytham where he again has taken on various roles and is currently Provincial President, Province 10.  Mike’s life has been one of service to the Church, to Medicine and the Catenian Association combined with love and support for his family.

 

PGP Tony Godden, PGP Mike O'Malley, GBNP Mark Conroy, PGP David Rowley

TOP DOG FIGHT

The two principal officers of Province 10, Provincial President PGP Mike O’Malley and Director Terence Donnelly, staged a verbal re-enactment of the War of the Roses at Huddersfield Circle’s Yorkshire Neet.  With much information being given to fill an encyclopaedia with Freddie this and Freddie that (Flintoff and Trueman), castles here and mills there, inventors on both sides of the Pennines, it was difficult to say who won.  I can say however that despite the rivalry everyone had a most enjoyable evening.

 

Brother Deacon David

The latest Brother of Lytham St Annes Circle to become a Deacon is Bro. David Pope.  The Circle presented him with a two-sided stole, green and white, to celebrate the event.  As you will see from the foot of the stole it has been embroidered with the Catenian logo. 

 

Special Celebrations for Preston 14 Circle

On Sunday July 23^rd the members of Preston 14 Circle with their families and friends celebrated two special occasions and both took place at St. Clare’s Fulwood.

The Circle President, Barry Clayton and his wife Louise, arranged to have his President’s Sunday Mass celebrated by Fr Talbutt at 11.00 a.m.

After the Mass and presentation everybody enjoyed lunch at Ferrari’s Restaurant in Longridge.

At the Mass there was a presentation to a former altar server of St. Clare’s, Isaac, son of Louisa and Michael Swift, of a Bursary Award from the Catenian Association. Michael was the immediate past President of the Preston Circle.

The presentation of the award was performed by the Trustee/Secretary of the Fund, Terence Donnelly, who is also a member of the Preston 14 Circle.

Isaac had applied for an award from the Fund to help his individual project in taking part in a challenging and cultural project between Stonyhurst College and St. Ignatius’ college in Sydney, Australia for a nine month period. This will involve teaching in the Junior school on a full-time basis both in the academic and sporting activities offered by the college in Sydney.

The Catenian Bursary Fund receives its donations from money raised by the members of the Association and it supports young Catholics between the ages of 16 and 25 who wish to go on pilgrimage to Lourdes or who wish to help others, like Isaac, to make a difference in our world.

Terence suggested to Isaac that with the help of his supportive parents and the Bursary Fund he was being given the opportunity to go where he wouldn’t normally be able to go and to do what he wouldn’t normally do and in that way he would find out what he was truly capable of doing. Everyone in church gave their best wishes to Isaac as he set out to carpe diem (seize the day) or in the words from Stonyhurst Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam.