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Hibernian of the Year 2007

The Hibernian of the Year for Fr. Kelley Division for the year 2007 is Brother John Rickard. For the year 2007 John was the Vice-President of our Division and also Organizer. He chaired our field trip to Fredericksburg Battlefield and also volunteered to chair our very successful fund raiser drive for the sale of car magnets - “Keep Christ in Christmas”. This man has Fr. Kelley Division branded in his heart. He is always just a phone call away and also very willing and truthful when I would ask him for his help or his opinions. He is a man true to his faith, his family, and his Irish heritage. As I speak about this man you will see the untiring worker that he is spreading the word of the Ancient Order of Hibernians and the work that we do to support our church and our charities. He helped me host our State Meeting in September of 2007.

The Ancient Order of Hibernians

The Protestant Reformation that swept Europe in the 16th century was marked by Royal intrigues over control of the Roman Church's wealth, and conflicts over which religion could be practiced. Violence erupted in many countries. Elizabeth I declared the Church of England the State religion, and considered Ireland part of her state. Most Irish did not agree. The Papacy launched a counter-reformation and Ireland became a battlefield between the two forces as the Irish, who embraced the Church introduced by St. Patrick, became the target of a campaign to reduce Rome's power by converting the masses to Protestantism. The persistence with which the Irish clung to their religion drove the English to extremes in repression. Penal laws disenfranchised Irish Catholics from the political, social, and economic life of their own country, and with their religion outlawed and their clergy on the run, they became an underground society practicing their religion in secret.