As Lent has drawn us prayerfully and ever hopefully to Easter, the Knights and Dames of the Order of Malta Boston Area have marked principal Masses that have been celebrated in the Archdiocese of Boston by Cardinal O’Malley, Archbishop of Boston, at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross. It has been an outstanding blessing to gather together regularly again after the past few difficult years.

Most recently, on Tuesday of Holy Week, the Order of Malta Boston Area enjoyed the invitation and great privilege of being present at the annual Chrism Mass. Cardinal O’Malley celebrated the Chrism Mass with nearly 200 priests from the archdiocese, and was joined by the auxiliary bishops of the archdiocese, and Archbishop Gintaras Grušas of Vilnius, Lithuania. The Greek Orthodox Metropolitan Methodios of Boston was also present.

HE Seán Cardinal O’Malley OFM Cap., BGCHD blesses the oils and prepares to consecrate the Chrism.

Boston Area Dame of Malta MaryJo Kriz, greeting many of the archdiocesan priests and seminarians she has come to know over the years, exclaimed simply, “I love the Chrism Mass.” Indeed, Boston Area Order members could not help but be outstandingly moved by the enormous number of priests, deacons, and seminarians all assembled. Preparing to renew their priestly promises, Cardinal O’Malley closed a particularly touching homily by wishing the hundreds of priests assembled a “happy fathers’ day!”

Just two weeks earlier, on the Feast of the Annunciation, members of the Order of Malta and Auxiliary were present at Boston’s Cathedral of the Holy Cross for the worldwide, extraordinary Consecration of Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary by Cardinal O’Malley.

Cardinal O’Malley joined the Pope and bishops throughout the world in Consecrating Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary in keeping with Our Lady’s request at Fatima. Very Rev. Fr. Nalysnyk, Msgr. O’Leary, and Bishop Robert P. Reed (facing away) celebrated the Mass with him.

Vito Nicastro of the Archdiocese of Boston, a representative of the USCCB to the North American Orthodox-Catholic Dialogue, wrote to Boston Area Chair Thomas Driscoll for the Boston Area “making it possible for the Ukrainians themselves to bring words of peace and truth” to the Consecration Mass. Very Reverend Archpriest Yaroslav Nalysnyk, MD, DMin, of Christ the King Ukrainian Catholic Church spoke at the Mass through the outreach of the Boston Area Order of Malta. Nicastro continued, “[t]he [Order of Malta has] shown the ability to see the significance of this moment. As Cardinal Sean made clear at the service Friday, this crisis will cascade. On the human level, it will cause famine in multiple countries. It will also change world order to orient resources away from human development and towards militarization. And theologically, what is at stake in the Ukrainian Catholic Church is no less than our Catholic inheritance and our bridge to the Orthodox. For all these reasons, everything the [Order of Malta] did on Friday and everything the [Order of Malta] can do going forward is of multiplied value.”

Myron Kravchuk, a representative of Ukraine Forward, an outgrowth of a ministry at Christ the King, gathering and transporting tactical first aid and safety items to Ukraine with support of Boston Area Knights, Dames, and Auxiliary, also spoke at the Mass through the outreach of the Boston Area Order. Ukraine Forward is online at ukraineforward.org.

Boston Area Knights, Dames, and Auxiliary are assisting Ukraine Forward, to acquire and transport specific tactical first aid and safety supplies.

The Order of Malta Boston Area looks forward to being present at the Ordination of the Priesthood in a Mass on May 21st at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross. Boston Area Chair Tommy Driscoll askes that Order members who would like to participate kindly RSVP to Boston Area Hospitaller Christopher Carter Lee.