Knights Conduct Fall Membership Blitz. Grand Knight's Message. Gabriel Project Fundraiser Underway. Monsignor Wells Message

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1 KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS COUNCIL NEWS Monsignor Thomas M. Wells Council Volume 8, Issue 1 #13008 Silver Spring, MD November 2008 Grand Knight's Message Grand Knight John O Donnell Worthy Brothers All: We did it! We had a great fall, starting with the car raffle which raised $600 for our programs. We then followed through with a great send off for our seminarian Anthony, and jumped in with both feet to raise the money for the mentally handicapped with our tootsie roll drive, raising over $2,000. The tootsie roll campaign brought out a lot of brothers we do not see often, and Sean did double duty working many weekends at the Giants. Great job everyone! We now go into November, the time of thanks: -Thanks to Bill Bolin for all his work calling and scheduling the workers and for the tootsie roll drive, for a great membership blitz, and for always being the good trustee with just the right advice. -Thanks to Sean and Tony Gatti for all their work on the tootsie roll drive. -Thanks to Harold Tarver for his chairing the tootsie roll drive work with the Adopt a Road Program and the great presentation on Africare at the social meeting. -Thanks to Coach Bill Taylor and Wayne Miller for running the Soccer Shootout (both council and district), and cooking at the church picnic. -Thanks to Nick and his brother knights for their work at Shepherd s Table. -Thanks to Werner for getting the badges, cooking, and being a great recorder. -Thanks to Dave for doing the newsletter. -Thanks to Chris Farrell for working our Adopt a Road project. -Thanks to the knight ushers for all your help after the Masses. To this end the December month s social meeting will be our pot luck supper, always an event with great attendance. It will be our time to say thanks and socialize with our brother knights and Knights Conduct Fall Membership Blitz The council held its fall Membership Blitz after Masses on the weekend of October 11 and 12. Thanks to the efforts of the council, we received six complete Form 100s and several other men expressed interest in joining. In addition to conducting the Blitz, the council served refreshments after Sunday morning Masses for the parish s Community Sunday.* Gabriel Project Fundraiser Underway The bassinet was emptied as members of the council distributed baby bottles to parishioners as part of the Project Gabriel Fundraiser. Parishioners are asked to fill the bottles with change and place them in the green bins at the back of the Church. These donations provided needed assistance to mothers with young children in the Wheaton/Silver Spring area. The drive will continue this fall.. * Monsignor Wells Message [From the Pastor s Desk, Spiritual Reflections by Monsignor, Thomas M. Wells] Why Purgatory? Understanding What Christ Has Done for Us November 3, 1996 Scholars have argued since the Reformation about whether the Catholic doctrine of purgatory is found in the Scriptures, but I, for one, think our belief in purgatory is one of the most common sense things taught by the Church. Like all that the Church teaches, this doctrine is linked with the rest of the fabric of faith. So often today we hear at the time of death, We need not pray for this person; we will only remember their goodness. I am not so sure. First of all, God does not treat us like children. He has given us the dignity of being brothers and sisters of His Son, the Lord Jesus, and He expects us to take that dignity seriously. Grand Knight Message continued to page 2 Monsignor Wells Message continued to page 6 Knights Of Columbus 1

2 Grand Knight Message continued from page 1 soon to be knights as we had a great blitz. Thanks to everyone else who stepped in quietly to help. For November, we have the business meeting on the 12th, and our social meeting is on the 19th (*note the date change*). We will start our Keep Christmas at the Holiday Bazaar on Nov 15th and do our Adopt a Road cleanup on the following weekend, November 22nd at 9:15 A.M. (for this we will meet in the parking lot by the basketball hoops). Our last alternate monthly trash pickup for Arcola Adaopt-A-Road project occurred on Labor Day. Hope to see more students on our next pickup in November Finally, I want to talk about a program I will bring up at the next business meeting; Covert Santa. Two volunteers at Walter Reed Medical Center noticed that many of the wounded soldiers being cared for were anxious as the holiday season approached. Not only will they be in a hospital away from home, but they can't go shopping for gifts for their wives and young children. And if they could go shopping, they can't afford to buy what they see. These two anonymous volunteers got together and hatched a plan. The "on-site volunteer" would try to identify patients who had very modest means and severe injuries. Quietly and discretely the on-site volunteer would ask the soldier what was on his or her Christmas list. Of course, the first item was always "my legs" or "my arms", but then the volunteer would hear about a couple of specific toys for the kids, a dinner out with the wife, some books to read in the hospital. Occasionally the volunteer hears something like "my mother is ill; I sure would like it if she could visit me and see how well I'm being cared for". So they get the list directly but "covertly". Then "Santa" tries to match volunteers with a list they can afford. Some volunteers prefer to just make a tax deductible contribution while others take a list for a family, buy and wrap all the presents, and ship them to "Santa's workshop" -- another volunteer's garage. A few days before Christmas the presents are taken to Walter Reed and distributed by on-site volunteers. They insist that all contributions are anonymous and all recipients remain anonymous. Thank you notes will be posted on the Covert Santa site -- anonymously, of course. They would appreciate your help and support for some very worthy service men and women and their families. Let s talk about how we can make this a service project Vivat Jesus * Chaplain's Message Assoc Chaplain Rev. Mr. Kevin Mukri Knights Can Demonstrate Thanksgiving by Action We all look forward in a few days to the great American Thanksgiving Holiday. It is certainly a special day when we can gather with family and friends and give thanks to Almighty God, have a terrific meal, and maybe watch a little football. Knights have a special mission. We dedicating ourselves to spreading our Catholic faith to all we encounter. We give thanks to Almighty God for every blessing He has given us through action. Part of our mission of spreading our faith is education. I appeal to Knights to take a few minutes to discuss with others a specific item of our faith. That specific item is indulgences. Our Parochial Vicar, Father Greg Shaffer, spoke at all the Masses on All Souls Day saying that the faithful can merit a plenary indulgence through specific actions. After Mass, a couple of very faithful parishioners came to me and said, I thought indulgences were bad. We all know that they are not very bad, but in fact, very, very good. The word indulgence comes from Latin and originally meant kindness or favor. The Church tells us that an indulgence is a remission of the temporal punishment due to sin. In the Sacrament of Reconciliation, Christ, through the actions of the priest, forgives our sins. An indulgence takes away all (plenary indulgence) or a portion (partial indulgence) of the temporal punishment that our sins merit in order to satisfy Divine justice. If we die in the state of grace, without satisfying the temporal punishment our sins have incurred, we must satisfy that punishment in Purgatory. We can earn indulgence for a soul in Purgatory because all the faithful, those in heaven, in Purgatory, and on earth, are united in the communion of saints. When we earn an indulgence, we tap into inexhaustible treasury of the Church; the satisfaction earned by Christ, the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Andrew, and all the saints. The treasury of the Church is vastly more than sufficient to cover the indebtedness Chaplain s Message continued to page 4 Knights Of Columbus 2

3 C O U N C I L #13008 OFFICERS: Chaplain Chaplain Emeritus Associate Chaplain Grand Knight Deputy Grand Knight Chancellor Warden Recorder Financial Secretary Treasurer Advocate Lecturer Inside Guard Outside Guard Trustee(3) Trustee(2) Trustee(1) CHAIRMAN: Program Director Church Activities Dir. Community Activity Dir Council Activities Dir Family Activities Dir Youth Activities Dir Membership Director Vocations Chairman Recruitment Chairman Retention Chairman Tootsie Roll Chairman Pro-Life Couple Health Services Public Relations Chairman Newsletter Editor Webmaster Msgr. Michael Mellone Rev. Joseph Kennedy Deacon Kevin Mukri John O Donnell Prosper Youm William Taylor Harold Tarver Werner Moeller Paul Sanneman David Keefe Thomas Murphy Deacon Michael Bond Sean Hardman Thomas Devlin III David Czarnecki, PGK Wayne Miller, PGK William Bolin, PGK Prosper Youm Deacon Michael Bond Harold Tarver David Keefe Nicholas Luketic William Taylor Wayne Miller, PGK William Taylor William Bolin, PGK John O Donnell Harold Tarver Stephen & Beth Nichols Tony Gentilcore Dave Czarnecki David Keefe M E M B E R S H I P M E E T I N G S All council meetings are held in the Teachers' Lounge of the school. Officer s meetings are held at 7:30 on the first Wednesday of the month. Business meetings are held at 7:45 on the second Wednesday of the month. Social meetings are held at 7:45 on the fourth Wednesday of the month. November Meetings Nov 05 Officer s meeting 7:30 PM Nov 12 Business meeting 7:45 PM Nov 19 Social meeting 7:45 PM (Revised Date) October Knight of the Month Bill Taylor for the outstanding work with the Soccer Shootout, help with the Knight activity at the masses and with Tootsie Rolls.* October Family of the Month The Harold Tarver Family for all their work and support to the Knights and Africare.* November Birthdays Chancellor Bill Taylor and Trustee Bill bolin on the 17 th ; Brother Tony Gatti on the 20 th ; and, Advocate Tom Murphy on the 26 th. Also, Connie, wife of Financial Secretary Paul Sanneman on the 19 th.* November Anniversaries Brother Norman Marshall and his wife Hema celebrate their seventh on the 17 th ; Brother Jeffery Sylvester and his wife Erin celebrate their tenth on the 22 nd ; and, Brother Stephen Nichols and his wife Beth celebrate their seventh on the 27 th.* Car Raffle Winner At the Knights of Columbus - Columbus Day Ball Worthy State Chaplain, Fr. Donald drew the winning tickets for our Car Raffle. The winner of the TV is Josephine Muhler of Baltimore, MD. The winner of the car was Pat Russell of Baltimore, MD Congratulations and thanks to the winners and all of the parish members who participated in our fund raising raffle. Through the efforts of our council and support of the parish we succeeded in raising close to $600 support our local service activities.* Soccer Shoot Out Congratulations to the 2008 Monsignor Wells Council Shoot- Out winners who advance to the District Championship. 10 year old (and under) Girls (a tie) Mary Kate Ford Alexis Von Utter 10 year old Boys Jonathan Wanat 11 year old Boys Brian Garner 12 year old Girls Kelly Amann 12 year old Boys Phillip Tolentino 13 year old Boys Chris Cerullo Knights Of Columbus 3

4 Chaplain s Message continued from page 2 contracted by our sins and of all who will ever live. The treasury of the Church has been entrusted to St. Peter, the key-bearer, and his successors who can distribute the treasures to the faithful for just and reasonable causes. The Holy Father sets the criteria of how once can earn an indulgence and tap into the treasury of the Church. Many consider indulgences bad because of the abuses by some centuries ago. However, the fact that some people misused the trust that was placed in them does not diminish the wonder and incredible effect of an indulgence. The fact that we can apply the indulgence to remit the temporal punishment of a loved one who may be in Purgatory means that although that person has passed, we are always part of their lives and they are with ours. There is a great deal of confusion and misunderstanding of some of the most magnificent part of our faith. As Knights, we can best express our thanks to Almighty God by practicing the corporal act of mercy of instructing those in the truths of our faith.* District Deputy's Message District Deputy Dr. Celso Barrientos, PGK. PFN Worthy Grand Knights of District 11 and Dear Brothers We are in difficult times in our country. The future looks so uncertain. We are all concerned that our prosperity and our way of life may be changing not for the better. However, with our faith, belief and prayers, we need not be overly worried. Early this month, we are faced with big decisions. We will be voting for our local and national leaders. As good citizens, we should study all the issues, examine ourselves as to our convictions and with the Grace of God make our decisions. Let s all pray and be thankful that we live in America. November is when we remember all our departed loved ones. We pray that they are in God s loving care. It is also the month when we honor our veterans of wars and conflicts. Living, disabled, and dead, we owe a debt of gratitude to our veterans. Let s assist them spiritually, physically and financially and honor them with any kind of special activity. In this regard, I ask that the Grand Knights and the Financial Secretaries submit to the State Council the necrology list to be read during the State s Memorial Mass on November 16, A similar list should also be submitted to the McNamara Chapter of Grand Knights to be remembered in their Memorial Mass. November is also the Happy Month Thanksgiving, a truly American Holiday. Before we settle into family gatherings, lots of food and football, we should first attend Mass to thank the Almighty for our many blessings during the past year, individually, family, community and country. Let s look forward to the coming year under Our Lord s care. The Columbus Day Ball that just passed has been very successful. The incentive car raffle continues to be a big source of revenue for the State s scholarship program. Although there are only two prizes, the State and the councils that participated are all winners. Thank you all for your dedication. The Tootsie Roll Drive is also winding down. Again, thank you for all your help. The individuals and organizations that will be helped by the program are most deserving. We are now approaching the Holiday Season, with Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year. It is during this time when we should care more for each other. Many get depressed and lonely during the holidays. Let s make an effort to help whenever and wherever we can. Remember, we are knights, we are called to serve... Jesus we trust in You!* Adopt a Road Clean Up in November Mark your calendars! The next Adopt a Road Clean Up will take place on Saturday, November 22. Meet in the St. Andrew s parking lot at 9:30 AM and bring gloves. The Council will pick up trash along Arcola Avenue between Kemp Mill and Georgia Avenues. This is also an opportunity for students to get student service learning hours and family members are welcome. * Knights Of Columbus 4

5 Reflections Lawrence P. Grayson Faith and the Ballot With national elections occurring on November 4, we have complementary responsibilities. The Maryland Catholic Conference, in Election & Political Activities Guide: A Handbook for the 2008 Elections, states: As Catholics, we are called upon to carry the values of the Gospel and the teachings of the Church into the public square. As citizens, we have a duty to participate in the framing and the debate of public issues and in the selection of those who occupy positions of civic leadership. Casting a ballot is an act with moral consequences because we are choosing representatives and expressing our voices on issues that shape society. Hence, voting must be done with consciences formed by faith. The central tenet of Catholic moral and social teaching is respect for the dignity of every person. This is more than religious dogma. While it is reinforced by faith, respect for human dignity is a principle embedded in human nature itself, and therefore common to all humanity. It is fundamental to our nature as having been created in the image and likeness of God. Numerous issues affect human dignity, including immigration policies, adequate health care, affordable housing, fair wages, and quality education, among others. All issues, however, are not morally equivalent. On some, such as those just mentioned, Catholics may have legitimate differences in the judgments they make, and may even have morally-acceptable opposing views. Choices in these instances often reflect different approaches to implement a good end, rather than stand in opposition to the good itself. Morality thus rests not on what is done, but on how it is done, on the motives, means and circumstances involved. There are, however, certain issues that stand in direct opposition to the human good. Rather than present various morally-acceptable alternatives to a good end, they are of themselves intrinsically evil, that is, they are evil regardless of means, motives or circumstances. These issues are so detrimental to humanity that there can be no allowance for diverse views. The Church deems its positions on them as non-negotiable -- they can never be supported or condoned for any purpose or any situation. young or old, born or in the womb. The right to life is the most basic right and the foundation of all other personal rights. America s Founding Fathers recognized it as so essential that, in the Declaration of Independence, they presented it as the first of a series of inalienable rights. Without the right to life, all other rights are meaningless. Abortion, euthanasia, physician-assisted suicide, human cloning, and embryonic stem-cell research are major threats to the sanctity and dignity of human life in society today. In Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops made it explicitly clear that: Abortion, the deliberate killing of a human being before birth, is never morally acceptable and must always be opposed. Cloning and destruction of human embryos for research or even for potential cures are always wrong. The purposeful taking of human life by assisted suicide and euthanasia is not an act of mercy, but an unjustifiable assault on human life. When a candidate s or party s position violates an inalienable right and a founding principle of government, it is more than ordinary political disagreement. As Pope John Paul II stated in the encyclical, Evangelium Vitae (The Gospel of Life ), if the right to life is denied because of a vote, even if cast by a majority of the people, the right ceases to be such, because it is no longer firmly founded on the inviolable dignity of the person, but is made subject to the will of the stronger part of the electorate. It becomes a question of who is the ultimate authority God or government. Closely allied with the right to life is the recognition, defense and promotion of the natural structure of the family. The Church is resolute in defining the family as a lifelong union between a man and a woman based on marriage. The family is the primary and indispensable unit of society, the sanctuary for the creation and nurturing of children. A society can only be as healthy as the family and the institution of marriage are strong. Marriage must be protected, as Pope Benedict XVI said in a 2006 address to the European Peoples Party, from attempts to make it juridically equivalent to radically different forms of commitment, which in reality contribute to its destabilization, obscuring its true character and irreplaceable social role. Elections should not be about the personalities of the candidates, but about their characters, the values they exhibit and the positions they hold on important issues. While a candidate s stand on a single issue may not be sufficient to Preeminent among these non-negotiable issues is the protection of human life in all its stages, from conception until natural death. This holds for every condition of the person, whether healthy or sick, whole or handicapped, Reflections continued to page 6 Knights Of Columbus 5

6 Insurance Agent's Message Bob Callaway, LUTCF, FICF ARE VALUES IMPORTANT? The Knights of Columbus and their INSURANCE PROGRAM think so. Thousands of our policyholders enjoy the peace of mind knowing that our profits go to help our Church, the community, the sick, the elderly, the unborn, etc. Many well know commercial insurance companies sponsor organizations that conflict with our Catholic values. So if you have an insurance need why not bring it to your value organization - the Knights of Columbus? Reflections continued from page 5 guarantee a voter s support, the Church makes clear that a position on a single issue that favors an intrinsic evil should disqualify that candidate from receiving one s vote, regardless of the candidate s views on other issues. To knowingly vote for a person who takes a stance that promotes abortion, euthanasia, procedures which destroy embryos to obtain stem cells, alternative forms of marriage, or other intrinsic evils, if there is a morally-acceptable alternative candidate, makes one guilty of formal cooperation in the evil. In casting a vote, we are obliged to do so with a well-formed conscience in order to bring about the most morally-acceptable results possible. Vivat Jesus!* Not only do you get one of the very best plans of protection in the entire insurance industry but also help the Order to continue with our support system to help those that need it the most. Call your brother Knight Bob Callaway, your Council Field Agent today and ask for a general review of your insurance needs. His help is only a phone call away. Fraternally, Bob Callaway, LUTCF, FICF (301) rjcalla@gmail.com * Monsignor Wells Message continued from page 1 So, for example, Jesus says the two great commandments are to love God with our whole being and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. I think it is safe to say these are not throwaway lines; He means them. Yet who can say, Oh sure, I have obeyed those two commandments 100%. I am not interested in generating feelings of guilt, but when I have free time and I give it to TV rather than trying to pray, for example, am I not violating that commandment? When I say that God will not treat us like children, I mean that at some point He will confront us with how lightly we took our responsibility to love Him and our neighbor. He will want us to know, at the deepest possible level, how our sinful choices affected others. As a priest, for example, I pray that, when I am in purgatory, I will not be shown a soul in hell, who, had I treated that person differently, might have made different choices with his life. Pray God, I do not have to face such a vision, but can I pretend that God would want to spare me knowledge of the consequences of my selfishness? Purgatory then, is not God punishing our sins. It will be intensely painful, I am sure, but the pain will come as I experience, on the one hand, the depth of God s love for me, and on the other hand, how badly I responded to that love with my life. In a certain sense, the pain of purgatory is the pain of honest self-knowledge. I would not want to be in heaven unless my self-deception (for example, It s been two years since my last confession, but I ve been a good person, Father ) had been purged away. In His great mercy, God has long since forgiven my sins; but because He respects me so much, He wants me to understand just what He has done for me. The practice of praying for the faithful departed is valid because ultimately, we will go to heaven when we obey those two great commandments. The soul in purgatory will experience pain in self-knowledge; but the focus cannot remain on me the sinner, but must turn to God, who loves me despite my sin. Because my prayer for the soul in purgatory comes from my love for that person, I believe it is somehow united with the Holy Spirit of God s love and it is that which ultimately draws the soul from purgatory into bliss of heaven* Knights Of Columbus 6

7 November 2008 Monsignor Thomas M. Wells Council #13008 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Officers Meeting 7:30PM Business Meeting 7:45PM 16 Christmas 23 Christmas Social Meeting 7:45PM (date change) Thanksgiving Holiday Bazaar Christmas Adopt a Road Pickup Event 9:30AM Christmas If you have and address, please send it to the editor at: david@czarnecki.com Council Newsletter Msgr. Thomas M. Wells Council # Claybrook Drive Silver Spring, MD Change Service Requested ««AddressBlock»» Zip code not valid! Knights Of Columbus 7