Soccer Shoot-Out. Congratulations. Grand Knight Wayne Miller Worthy Brothers All:

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1 KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS COUNCIL NEWS Monsignor Thomas M. Wells Council Volume 4, Issue 4 #13008 Silver Spring, MD October 2005 Grand Knight s Message Grand Knight Wayne Miller Worthy Brothers All: Vivat Jesus. It's been and will be an honor and a privilege to have all of you Knights helping make our council great. This last month proves all of you are dedicated and moved by the Knights of Columbus. Special thanks go out to the Officers from last fraternal year, especially Dave Czarnecki who made several parishioners very happy by having the railing completed before the winter. Thanks to Bill Bolin, who helped make the installation of officers was a well attended success. It was praised of by the State and District representatives. Kudos go out to the Installation Team and Reception Team, the Car Raffle Chairman, the Soccer Chairman, the Tootsie Roll chairman, the September 11 Team, the Picnic Team, and all the Knights and family members who assisted them. Msgr. Thomas Wells is smiling on all of us. Keep up the great enthusiasm for the remainder of the year. I would be remiss if I didn't say a big Vivat to our great and all powerful Financial Secretary Jim Lehr for his love and devotion to the Knights of Columbus/Msgr. Thomas Wells Council here at St Andrews for his creativity and for being a worthy Catholic gentleman. I hope all of you had the opportunity to see the Knights of Columbus Logo on the lectern at the installation. Again, I say it s the silent ghost Knight who gets things done unconditionally without praises being expected. Remember it is better to give than receive. I would like to say Great Job in advance for the 1st Degree team for helping other Catholic men appreciate the Knights of Columbus. If I missed anyone that means you are even greater than I thought. Keep up the good work and let us go on to the next quarter full speed.* Congratulations Congratulations to Werner Moeller selected as Knight Of the Month and Tony and Laverne Gatti and daughter Denise, selected as Knights of Columbus Family Of the Month for September. * Soccer Shoot-Out On Sunday, September 25, 2004, the Monsignor Thomas Wells Council #13008 held our local Soccer Shoot-Out competition at St. Andrew the Apostle parish. Thanks to over 30 youth participants and the parents who helped get them to the field! The Knights of Columbus council here at St. Andrew s would like to congratulate the following age group winners: Boys 6& U Boys 7-8 Boys 9-10 Boys Boys Girls 6& U Girls 7-8 Girls 9-10 Girls Calixte Paul Cedric Paul William Bolin Philip Sanneman Peter Sanneman Renee Bond Sarah Smith Gabrielle Costabile Emily Costabile These winners will be receiving a recognition gift from BlockBuster and be invited to the KofC District competition. The Soccer Shoot-Out is a statewide yearly competition, so watch for it again next September. Also, we ll have a Basketball Free Throw contest this winter. Thanks to Brother Knights who helped out: Event Chairman Paul Sanneman, GK Wayne Miller, PGK Dave Czarnecki, Bill Bolin, Dave Keefe, Dennis Salamone, Sean Hardman, Prosper Youm, and Michael Bond.* Knights Of Columbus 1

2 Chaplin's Message Associate Chaplin Rev. Mr. Kevin Mukri Guardian Angels On October 2, we celebrated the 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Each Sunday we come together as the Body of Christ to worship Almighty God and to celebrate and focus on the Resurrection of Our Lord on that first Sunday of Easter. Because of the singular importance of this event in the history of the world and the history of salvation, the Church, in her great wisdom, has set the policy that a feast day of a saint or a memorial celebration of an important event in Church history takes a secondary position to the weekly celebration of the Resurrection. Of course, that is how it should be. But the Sunday celebration on October 2 takes precedent over the normal celebration of Guardian Angels. Our Guardian Angels are important members of the Body of Christ. Each of us was assigned a Guardian Angel to journey with us during our time on earth to assist us in our communication with Almighty God and to protect us from evil. For some reason, few people acknowledge their Guardian Angel or don t believe they have one. I was speaking with a woman in her mid-twenties who had gone to Catholic grade and high school. She was asking my advice on how she could do better on an upcoming job interview. After trying to assist her on what she could say, I advised her to pray to her Guardian Angel to communicate with the interviewer s Guardian Angel to help the process go well and that if it is Almighty God s will, she will be offered the job. She looked at me strangely and then asked that there was really no such thing as a Guardian Angel, is there? I told her, of course there is. She thought there was no such thing as Angels and that they are only in the Gospels at Christmas to make the Christmas story a little nicer. I told her to discuss the reality of Angels with any Catholic who would offer that she is not taking advantage of a powerful friend, who has been assigned to her since birth, and who s only mission is to assist and guide her. How sad. As Knights, our mission is to spread our Catholic faith to all. This unfortunate woman did not receive the religious education she deserved and is alone in her battle with good and evil. Let us remind our family and friends and all who will listen, that they have a Guardian Angel who is in the presence of Almighty God pleading for His mercy and love to be showered on our families and us. Whether we see this powerful spirit or not, they are still a reality and our best friend that we can count on as we journey to our eternal home in heaven. * District Deputy's Report District Deputy Lawrence P. Grayson District Deputy #18 My Brothers and Sisters all: As you read these few thoughts at the beginning of October, call to mind that the 8th day of this month is dedicated to honoring Christopher Columbus, the namesake of our Order and the discoverer of this great land of ours. A Catholic himself, Columbus sailed under the sponsorship of the Catholic monarchs of Spain. Catholics played a significant role in the discovery of this country, and have been prominent in its exploration, and development. For a quick idea of the extent of their contributions, just think of the very many cities, rivers and lakes that contain in their names, the words San, Santa, Saint or a similar Catholic honorific. If you have the opportunity, attend one of the many celebrations devoted to Columbus this month: the blessing of the fleet at St. Clements Island on October 1, the Columbus Day Ball on October 8, the Parade on October 9, and the memorial festivities at the Statue of Columbus at Union Station on October 10. It is a cruel turn that Catholics -- and Christians in general -- who have done so much to develop the American continents must temper their Faith to achieve in what has become a secular culture. On September 14, U.S. District Judge Lawrence Karlton, located in San Francisco, ruled that reciting the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools is unconstitutional, because the reference to one nation "under God" violates school children's right to be "free from a coercive requirement to affirm God." Supreme Knight Carl Anderson quickly stated that the Pledge of Allegiance and the Declaration of Independence both express the same truth: that our fundamental rights come from God, our creator, and not from government. To suggest that the language of the First Amendment prohibits the simple statement of that truth is to stand the Constitution on its District Deputy s Message continued on page 53 Knights Of Columbus 2

3 C O U N C I L #13008 OFFICERS: Chaplain Rev. Joseph Kennedy Associate Chaplain Msgr. Michael Mellone Associate Chaplain Deacon Kevin Mukri Grand Knight Wayne Miller Deputy Grand Knight William Bolin Chancellor David Keefe Warden Dennis Salamone Recorder Prosper Youm Financial Secretary Jim Lehr Treasurer Paul Sanneman Advocate Thomas Murphy Lecturer Michael Bond Inside Guard Sean Hardman Outside Guard Anthony Gatti Trustee David Czarnecki Trustee Gary Yeck Trustee Eugene Cottilli CHAIRMAN: Program Director William Bolin Church Activities Dir. Michael Bond Community Activity Dir Nick Luketic Council Activities Dir Tom Devlin Family Activities Dir Paul Sanneman Youth Activities Dir Bill Taylor Membership Director Prosper Youm Vocations Chairman Dennis Salamone Recruitment Chairman Wayne Miller Retention Chairman Dave Czarnecki Tootsie Roll Chairman Werner Moeller Pro-Life Couple Health Services Tony Gentilcore Columbian Squires Michael Bond Public Relations Chairman David Keefe Newsletter Editor Dave Czarnecki Webmaster David Keefe M E M B E R S H I P M E E T I N G S All general 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 in the rectory basement conference room. 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. October Meetings Oct. 05 Officer s meeting 7:30 PM Oct. 12 Business meeting 7:45 PM Oct. 26 Social meeting (1 st Degree) 7:45 PM Shepherd s Table We had a good turnout for our volunteer night at Shepherd s Table in September. WGK Wayne Miller and brothers Al Tagliaferro and Nick Luketic were on hand as well as members of Blessed Manyanet Council to help with the various duties involved in providing a hot meal to our brothers and sisters in the area who are in need. We will be meeting again on October 19. If you would like to try it out to see if it s the right activity for you, please join us around 5:45PM. You can expect to work no later than 7:45PM. Another way to help provide warm meals for our area s homeless is by donating a pre-cooked frozen casserole to S.O.M.E. (So Others Might Eat.) Lasagna, shepherd s pie and macaroni & cheese are common meals donated by our parish. If you are short on time, you can always stop by Safeway or Giant and pick up a frozen lasagna or two. Typically, Safeway sells them for about $9.95 a piece. Just be sure to drop them off at the school cafeteria by 9:00AM on the 3rd Thursday of every month. If getting them to the school at that hour of the day is difficult, please call me (Nick Luketic) at or me at Nicholas_Luketic@msn.com and we can make arrangements to get it to me to keep in my freezer until I am ready to deliver them. Once again, if you have time and are looking for volunteer opportunities such as these, please call or me. In Christ, Nick Luketic* October Birthdays Alan Kistler on the 1 st ; Dr. Justin Harris on the 3 rd ; Jim Boicourt on the 7 th : John Kominski on the 8 th : Werner Moeller on the 24 th ; John Mahoney on the 29 th ; and Gery Brownholtz and Dillon Allen on the 31 st. Also, Diane, wife of Joseph Zagami on the 12 th ; Eleanor, wife of FS Jim Lehr and Margaret, wife of Werner Moeller on the 19 th ; and Fatima, wife of Albert Janneh on the 28 th. Happy Birthday!* October Anniversaries Treasurer Paul and Connie Sanneman celebrate their eighteenth on the 3 rd ; and PGK Bill and Anne Bolin celebrate their twelfth on the 10 th.* Remember In Your Prayers Joseph Barrett, Joseph Cowley who are ill, and Chaplain Father Joe Kennedy who is recovering from orthopedic surgery, as well as other Brothers who are ill or in need.* Knights Of Columbus 3

4 Monsignor Wells Message [From the Pastor s Desk, Spiritual Reflections by Monsignor, Thomas M. Wells] Blessed Are the Pure of Heart October 15, 1995 We are still several weeks away from November, so perhaps a thought on purgatory might seem to be rushing things a bit. However, the sixth Beatitude, Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God, reminded me of the wisdom of our teaching on judgment. God will not force anyone to go to heaven. He does not send anyone to hell, but He certainly will respect my freedom to choose to reject Him for all eternity. In other words, I can choose hell. In fact, I believe that if God did force everyone to go to heaven, that heaven itself would be hell for those who had rejected Him. Only those who are like God can see God; only those whose hearts are pure can see His face. That purity of heart, of course, is the gift of grace (God s life within us) given in Baptism. That is why, for example, we believe that the baptized baby will be immediately in God s presence: the purity of heart, given in Baptism, is utterly untouched. For those who do not die as infants, there is that struggle that exists as a result of a nature weakened by original sin. Truly we are graced; at the same time, there is within us an attraction to sin. A simple example: I am often surprised at Mass, when I may be holding the very Body of Christ in my hand, by a temptation to anger because of someone or something that irritates me at the time. I want to love God, especially while celebrating Mass, but my heart is torn. That purity of heart, that union with God given at Baptism is alloyed by the tendency to choose self over cooperation with grace. Purity of heart then, is both gift and responsibility. Life is about saying Yes to the gift of God s life within me. Purgatory, looked at from this perspective, is not punishment in the usual sense of the word. It is confrontation with all that God has offered to me at every turn of my life and the realization of how my heart has so weakly responded to Him. Oh yes, my sins have been forgiven in life, but even then, my gratitude has been halfhearted and unfocused; so often I have fallen back into the same fault; so little did I appreciate the Blood of Jesus poured out for my sins. Purgatory is the experience of recognizing how much God has loved me and how pitiful has been my response. Will that process be painful? I suspect that it will be awful, but it surely will purify me of all that is not of God. Does everyone go to purgatory? Certainly, I have no idea. This, however, I do know. Only those who are pure of heart will see God and either here or hereafter, we must be purified.* Insurance Agent's Message Bob Callaway, LUTCF, FICF So, You re Thinking of Investing Some facts to consider before you make your investment: 1. Make sure your investment is placed beyond the reach of your creditors and those of your beneficiaries a judgment proof investment. 2. Make sure that the value of your investment at death will not be subject to probate costs, legal fees and usual delays of court proceedings a probate proof investment. 3. Make sure that your investment guarantees that principle and interest will always be available in the amounts and in the installments called for and that the investment will never go sour regardless of downtrends in the economy a depression proof investment. 4. Make sure that your investment guarantees that you can always borrow % of the value stipulated in your investment without delay or requirement of co-signers. 5. Make sure that, as your investment appreciates each year, the gain will not be subject to federal income tax a favorable tax investment. 6. Make sure that your investment contains a clause which guarantees that proceeds payable upon your death will be delivered free of income tax liability for your beneficiary. 7. Make sure that your investment contains a clause which guarantees that your investment program will stay intact and continue to grow even though you are unable to continue to work and earn as a result of total and permanent disability a guaranteed investment. If you are interested in an investment that contains all of the above features, and more, call me today for an appointment. I want to hear from you.* Fraternally, Bob Callaway, LUTCF, FICF rjcalla@aol.com * Knights Of Columbus 4

5 District Deputy s Report continued from page 2 head." It is good to know that our Order will appeal the decision. This is just one more instance in which the Knights of Columbus is taking a strong stand to protect Catholic beliefs in the public sector. It is one more reason why every Catholic man who is concerned about his Faith should become a Knight. The Supreme Council has asked each Council to conduct a membership blitz during October. While recruiting should not be limited to one or two months a year, this is an opportunity to publicize the Knights of Columbus, what it stands for, and the benefits of membership before large numbers of Catholic men and their families. Some of the Councils in our District already have begun recruiting new members and have held public activities to reach out to their Church communities. I encourage all of our Councils to do the same. If our Order is to continue to thrive and to be a leader in promoting the teachings of the Magisterium and protecting Catholic beliefs from attack in the public sphere, it needs new members and as many as possible. It behooves each of us to recruit one or more people to join our ranks. This is not a job that can be done solely by the Grand Knight or his Membership Chairman, or even only by the Council Officers. It requires each of us to be continually speaking about the Knights of Columbus and this Council, and what they have and can accomplish, and to bring in new members. Working together, we can make a difference. Just a reminder that October 7 is the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. As members of an Order devoted to this prayer, it now is a good opportunity to renew our commitment to say the rosary as often as we can. Vivat Jesus!* Evolution of Religion in Public Life: Lawrence P. Grayson, DD, PGK, PFN Civil War to the Present When the Civil War began, the First Amendment was viewed as defining the role of the federal government, not the states. As a result, the federal government left the role of religion in public life to each state to decide individually. The War caused a shift in governance, with the federal central government, however, remained small and limited the use of its expanding powers. It was a period of significant growth and change in the population due to large-scale immigration, and of rugged individualism with the activities of people and companies unfettered by many laws or regulations. Although social problems existed, America was viewed as a land of unbounded opportunities. Throughout this period, religion remained an important part of public life. Prayer and Bible readings were common in the schools, while Presidents frequently acknowledged the role of God in the nation s affairs. Abraham Lincoln, for example, in his Second Inaugural Address in 1865 as the Civil War raged, stated that God gives to both North and South this terrible war as the woe due for the long history of slavery. In the latter part of the nineteenth century, immigration continued at all-time highs, with the largest contingents coming from Italy, Austria-Hungary, and Poland. From 1880 to 1900, the Catholic population in America doubled to 12 million people. Industry and commerce increased at a great rate, and America was becoming a world power. As the immigrants grew in number, associations and societies were formed to meet their social and economic needs, including fraternal, literary, insurance, death-benefit, and burial. The Knights of Columbus, established in 1882, was one such organization. The public schools included in their instruction general morality and the common tenets of faith common to all Christian religions. The American Catholic bishops viewed this teaching as primarily Protestant and a danger to the faith of Catholic youth. At the Third Plenary Council of Baltimore in 1884, they decreed that a parochial school must be erected at every church All Catholic parents are obliged to send their offspring to parochial schools. As this was a heavy burden on the parishes, a variety of approaches to religious education were instituted in the following years, such as seeking state funds for the parochial schools or having religious instruction in the public schools before or after regular school hours. In the early years of the 20th century, the Catholic school system in the United States began to flourish. With the Great Depression and the election of Franklin D. Roosevelt as President, there was another shift. The philosophy of the federal government changed from creating an environment in which people had opportunities to better government assuming greater authority over the states. The Evolution of Religion continued on page 6 Knights Of Columbus 5

6 Evolution of Religion continued from page 5 themselves through diligent efforts and hard work to providing the basic necessities of life for people. The government created jobs, provided welfare and retirement programs, subsidized farmers, built highways, electrified rural areas, and regulated business, commerce, and communications. The government expanded its powers and size even more with the nation s entry into World War II. The focus of the government s interest was primarily economic, and religion was not affected significantly. Religion in public life remained strong. In many ways, the late 1940s and 1950s were characterized by a strong public morality that was compatible with Catholicism in America. Bishop Fulton J. Sheen was a television star as he lectured on applied philosophy and theology, lightened by quips about his angel. Large numbers of movies depicted nuns and priests as role models of virtue and goodness in everyday life, with Bing Crosby and Barry Fitzgerald epitomizing Hollywood s lovable Irish priests. The film, Our Lady of Fatima, was nominated for an Academy Award in 1952, while the openly Catholic Loretta Young hosted a nationally-viewed family TV show. And in 1947, 70,000 men marched in the Holy Name Parade in Boston, ending up in Fenway Park for Benediction. became less of a family priority. Prayer, Mass and the Sacraments were neglected. Catholics politicians felt they could increase their popular appeal by being opposed to the teachings of the Church, and Catholic voters paid little, if any, attention to the Church s moral positions when casting their ballots. With the continuance of these views, is it any wonder that even minimal adherence to religious matters is being swept away from public life? Since his recent election, Pope Benedict XVI continues to speak of a crisis of culture, in which the Western nations are excluding God from the public conscience. This religious neutrality of the state, he says, is an illusion and will lead to dogmatism, for as we lose sight of God, human dignity will disappear. If one person through moral leadership rather than organizational rank such as St. Paul, St. Francis, St. Theresa of Avila, and more recently Mother Theresa, Mohandas Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr. can have a significant effect on the world, imagine what 1.7 million members of the Knights of Columbus, praying the rosary and living the teachings of our Faith in their daily public and private lives, can do. Lawrence P. Grayson, DD, PGK, PFN* Ironically, the high point of that era, the election of John F. Kennedy as President, the first Catholic to achieve that office, also marked another turning point: the emergence of Catholics who separated their private and public views of religion. Instead embracing their Faith to transform the culture of the United States, Catholics attempted to improve their material success by adapting to the secular world. In a campaign speech to the Greater Houston Ministerial Association, on September 12, 1960, Kennedy said, I do not speak for my church on public matters; and the church does not speak for me. Whatever issue may come before me as President, if I should be elected, on birth control, divorce, censorship, gambling or any other subject, I will make my decision in accordance with these views -- in accordance with what my conscience tells me to be in the national interest, and without regard to outside religious pressure or dictates. And no power or threat of punishment could cause me to decide otherwise. In the past few decades, America has become the dominant nation in the world economically, politically and militarily. As the nation gained power and the economy grew, people began to strive for greater personal materialism. Religion Knights Of Columbus 6

7 October 2005 Monsignor Thomas M. Wells Council #13008 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 Raffle Ticket Sales 2 Raffle Ticket Sales 9 Tootsie 16 Tootsie Officers Meeting 7:30PM Business Meeting 7:45PM Knights at Shepard s Table Social Meeting 7:45PM 6 7 St. A s Golf Tournm. 8 Tootsie Tootsie 20 S.O.M.E. drop off by 9:00AM If you have an address change, 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 Knights Of Columbus 7