Legatus chapters charter on both coasts

Santa Barbara and Savannah charter new chapters five days apart . . .

Santa Barbara’s charter members pose for a photo

Legatus is riding a wave of growth into 2015, with new chapters chartering coast to coast. Last year, Legatus’ board of governors put new chapter development high on the priority list, and the fruit of that decision is ripening with a bump in membership — and a bouquet of new chapters.

In June, chapters chartered in South Bend, Ind., and Lafayette, La. Santa Barbara and Savannah chartered this fall, and Oklahoma City and Atlanta will charter in December.

West coast wonder

On the west coast, the Santa Barbara Chapter hosted the third of this year’s six chartering ceremonies. Only 13 months after its first meeting, the chapter chartered on Oct. 30 at the Bacara Resort and Spa in Goleta, Calif.

Chapter president John Klink, president of the International Catholic Migration Commission, said the chapter began as a twinkle in Tim Busch’s eye. Busch, a longtime member of Legatus Orange County Chapter, is credited with establishing at least six West Region chapters.

“He said, ‘We need to establish a chapter in Santa Barbara,’” Klink said. “I said, ‘Great idea. I would be more than supportive.’ Tim said, ‘You need to be more than supportive. You need to really help!’”

In his remarks to the newly chartered chapter, Legatus founder Tom Monaghan honored Busch for his passion for Legatus.

Thomas Monaghan

“Like Tim, so many people really start to get going in their faith after they join Legatus,” he said.

Klink concurred.

“Members are very happy to be participating and they look forward to it every month,” Klink said. “We’ve had a lot of great meetings here at Bacara, looking out on the Pacific Ocean.”

Chaplain Fr. John Love, pastor of St. Mark’s University Parish in Isla Vista, Calif., has championed the chapter’s growth from the beginning.

“Legatus makes the connection between business and Church,” he said. “It helps me as a priest to see in those who are businessmen and women that they have a valuable contribution to make to the health of the Church.”

Deacon Chris Sandner, who joined the chapter in 2013, said it took him a few months to get used to the fact that Legatus’ only project is helping members to learn, live and spread the faith.

“It’s almost counterintuitive to join something where they don’t want you to do anything but take it all in,” he explained. “The monthly meetings are not supposed to be for me to propose and do, but for me to act like a sponge so I can go out into my life and deaconate and make use of that formation and encouragement.”

Southern Catholic charm

Savannah Legates pose with Bishop Hartmayer

Marty Hogan had been an At-Large Legate since 1997. Ever since then, the New York City native has been bound and determined to plant the Legatus flag in Savannah, where he has lived since 1993.

Hogan, who hails from Manhattan’s Greenwich Village, teamed up with another longtime At-Large member, John Roth, shortly after Bishop Gregory J. Hartmayer, OFM Conv., was installed in 2011.

“John and I had a meeting with the bishop, and we talked to him about Legatus,” Hogan explained. “Within a few minutes, he wanted to establish a chapter. The first meeting was at his residence in December 2012.”

Despite being in the South, Savannah is a port city with an ethnically diverse population, Hogan said. “On the southern east coast, Charleston is known as the Episcopalian city, whereas Savannah is known for its Catholicism. Justice Clarence Thomas is from Savannah, and he’s Catholic.”

Savannah Bishop Gregory J. Hartmayer, OFM Conv.

Hogan, 46, also pointed to the chapter’s youthful membership as a unique feature of Legatus’ newest chartered chapter.

“Although we have wonderful attendance every month, it’s a challenge and sacrifice for some of our members — moms and dads who are still picking up kids from ballet and basketball and football,” he explained. “We still have children in grammar school and making their First Communion. You have to pick and choose what you do with your time, and for so many of us, Legatus has become very important.”

In his homily at the chapter’s Nov. 4 chartering Mass, Bishop Hartmayer thanked Legatus for putting their faith first.

“Thank you for accepting the invitation and being the strong witness of the Catholic faith in your career and marriage and family life,” he said at the historic Cathedral of St. John the Baptist.

Roth said Bishop Hartmayer has been one of the chapter’s best assets.

“He has been one of our biggest recruiters, right along with the man he named to be our chaplain, Fr. Dan Firmin,” he said. “They are both at most of our meetings.”

Father Firmin, who also serves as diocesan chancellor and vicar general, said building a Legatus chapter was a no-brainer for the diocese.

“I want to make sure we provide the people of our diocese with every possible avenue for them to grow in holiness and grow closer to Christ and the Church,” he explained. “Legatus does that, so I wanted to support whatever the Holy Spirit brought though the doors for that purpose. It’s been a blessing from Day One to be the chaplain of this group and see it through to its chartering.”

PATRICK NOVECOSKY is Legatus magazine’s editor-in-chief.