Kaye McGarry, a dame with the Order of Malta and chairperson of the board of directors at Holy Angels, blesses Holy Angels resident Landon with holy water. (Photo provided by Shawn Flynn)BELMONT — In a gesture of faith and solidarity, members of the Order of Malta visited Holy Angels Oct. 26 to bless residents and present a grant to fund their ongoing care.
During their visit, the eight members of the Order of Malta toured Holy Angels and blessed many of the residents and staff with holy water from the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes, France.
Order of Malta member Rick Menze said, “Every trip to Holy Angels is special. The residents being blessed with holy water by dames and knights is another ‘mercy moment’ – a deeply meaningful experience and reflective of the special relationship our organizations share.”
The Order of Malta has been one of Holy Angels’ most generous supporters over the years, providing multiple grants that among other things have funded the Bishop Curlin Health Clinic, mechanical lifts, renovations of bathing rooms for Holy Angels’ youngest residents, personal protective equipment during the pandemic and, most recently, specially designed therapeutic recliner chairs.
“It’s another ‘mercy moment’ to see residents using the new chairs that were a result of a previous Order of Malta grant,” Menze said. “One more way that Holy Angels figures out a way, whether it’s a Malta grant, or support from the community, ... to address a major need.”
On this visit, the order presented Holy Angels with another grant of $25,000.
Benedictine Abbot Placid Solari, chancellor of Belmont Abbey, expressed his awe at the spiritual atmosphere and the residents’ resilience. “It’s a blessing to see the continuous expansion and how these residents are flourishing; that’s a sign of support it’s getting from the larger community,” he said during the visit. “There is something so special about Holy Angels.”
Since its founding in 1955 by the Sisters of Mercy, Holy Angels has provided residential services and innovative programs for children and adults with intellectual developmental disabilities and delicate medical conditions.
Kerri Massey, Holy Angels’ president and CEO, shared her gratitude for the meaningful blessings bestowed upon the residents.
“To witness the residents being blessed with holy water is a poignant reminder of the spiritual support that accompanies our mission. Our relationship with the Order of Malta is incredibly special, and these blessings signify the depth of compassion and care that our residents receive. We can’t thank the Order of Malta enough for their financial support, blessing and prayers.”
— Shawn Flynn is the vice president of community relations for Holy Angels.