Marianne Luthin, the director of our Pro-life Office, and Father Kevin O'Leary, who is their state chaplain, were also present there. We were able to thank the women for this very significant gift and assure them that it will be put to very good use, to support the pro-life ministry of the archdiocese.

Farewell to Bishop Reilly

On Sunday (July 24), I went to a state gathering of the Knights of Columbus. They had a banquet to honor Bishop Dan Reilly, who is retiring as their state chaplain. He is the Bishop Emeritus of Worcester and has been in the Knights for about 50 years. He is probably the only person who has ever been the state chaplain in three different states -- he has been the chaplain in Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts.

New emergency room

On Tuesday (July 26), I went to Methuen to visit Holy Family Hospital, which is part of the Caritas system, for the dedication of a new emergency room.

I was invited to the ribbon cutting for the new facility.

It is beautiful and state of the art, much along the fashion of the new emergency care center they constructed at St. Elizabeth's Hospital. This is a great blessing for the people in the area and will assure they get the highest level of care.

Of course, one of the things that has allowed us to do this, is the investment that Steward Health Care has made in the Caritas system. Just recently, it was announced that Saints Medical Center in Lowell is becoming part of Steward Health Care.

We are all very enthused about the benefits this can have for Saints Medical Center and that they are committed to maintaining their Catholic identity.