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1 The Knights Line 2207 Viento ST Orlando FL The Knights Line MAIL TO: DATED MATERIAL PLEASE DO NOT DELAY KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS Blessed Theodore G. Romzha Assembly 2279 P.O. Box 1391 Windermere, FL VOLUME 22, No. 6 June 2016 Our Domestic Church Guidebook 5/1/2016 Pope Francis' new document provides us sure guidance for building up family life LAST MONTH, Pope Francis released one of the most important documents of his pontificate: Amoris Laetitia (The Joy of Love). In the coming days, much will be written about this post-synodal apostolic exhortation, but this much can be said now: Amoris Laetitia is our guidebook to building up the Catholic family as a domestic church. Moreover, it is the guidebook for our Order s new initiative, Building the Domestic Church While Strengthening Our Parish. Carl A. Anderson In the document, Pope Francis reminds us to view the family as that sanctuary of life and love which is at the heart of the domestic church: The ability of human couples to beget life is the path along which the history of salvation progresses, he writes. Seen this way, the couple s fruitful relationship becomes an image for understanding and describing the mystery of God himself, for in the Christian vision of the Trinity, God is contemplated as Father, Son and Spirit of love. The triune God is a communion of love, and the family is its living reflection. St. John Paul II shed light on this when he said, Our God in his deepest mystery is not solitude, but a family, for he has within himself fatherhood, sonship and the essence of the family, which is love. That love, in the divine family, is the Holy Spirit (Amoris Laetitia, 11). Pope Francis also strongly reaffirmed the teaching of Blessed Paul VI in Humanae Vitae on the intrinsic bond between conjugal love and the generation of life (68). The Holy Father further recalled the teaching of St. John Paul II, in his catecheses on human love, in his Letter to Families and in Familiaris Consortio, saying that through these documents his predecessor had defined the family as the way of the Church (69). Clearly, Pope Francis, too, is presenting the family as the way of the Church while also emphasizing the need for greater pastoral care of families. In Amoris Laetitia, he describes the Church as a family of families (87). This is especially true of our parish churches, and this is the fundamental premise underlying our Building the Domestic Church While Strengthening Our Parish initiative. Last December, when the supreme chaplain and I discussed our Building the Domestic Church program with Pope Francis, he encouraged us to continue this initiative to strengthen family life, especially by encouraging more families to be active in their parishes. Knights of Columbus parish-based councils are ideally positioned to do this. Amoris Laetitia calls us to a new family apostolate based upon families joy-filled witness as domestic churches (200). This is especially important for young husbands and fathers. Pope Francis is encouraging all of us to redouble our efforts to strengthen family life. Central to those efforts is our new initiative of family consecration to the Holy Family. Amoris Laetitia concludes with this prayer: Holy Family of Nazareth, grant that our families too may be places of communion and prayer, authentic schools of the WEB SITE: Assembly - romzha@hotmail.com

2 Gospel and small domestic churches. Holy Family of Nazareth, may families never again experience violence, rejection and division; may all who have been hurt or scandalized find ready comfort and healing. Holy Family of Nazareth, make us once more mindful of the sacredness and inviolability of the family, and its beauty in God s plan. I ask that we make this prayer our own and also add: Holy Family of Nazareth, grant that the Knights of Columbus may be a place where families experience the joy of the Gospel, grow as sanctuaries of love and life, and as true domestic churches witness to the beauty of the family in God s plan. Vivat Jesus! Global Human Rights and International Organizations of the Committee on Foreign Af fairs 5/26/2016 BLESSED THEODORE G. ROMZHA ASSEMBLY 2279 The Nominating Committee appointed by Faithful Navigator Matthew Abbott has presented the following slate of candidates for elective Assembly Officers for the fraternal year: Faithful Navigator Matthew Abbott Faithful Admiral John Adams Faithful Captain John L. Butcher Faithful Pilot William Fischer Faithful Purser Michael Crawford Faithful Comptroller Peter Shine Faithful Scribe Henry Abbott Inner Sentinel Scott Kilwein Outer Sentinel James Cushing 3 Year Trustee Vincent S. Samosky 2 Year Trustee Donald Abate 1 Year Trustee Joseph Chenette Nominations may also be made from the floor at the next general meeting prior to elections. Opening Statement of Mr. Carl A. Anderson Supreme Knight Knights of Columbus Before the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health Global Human Rights and International Organizations of the Committee on Foreign Affairs U.S. House of Representatives At a hearing titled The ISIS Genocide Declaration: What Next? May 26, Thank you for the opportunity to appear before this subcommittee to discuss the next steps needed to protect the survivors of genocide in Iraq and Syria. The House of Representatives, the State Department and the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom are all to be commended for declaring the situation confronting Christians and other religious minorities in the Middle East, genocide. The world s greatest humanitarian crisis since World War II is unfolding now in the Middle East. In addition to millions of refugees, many of the region s indigenous communities now face extinction. These communities may disappear in less than a decade. But their fate is not inevitable. The United States can avert this unfolding tragedy with a policy that contains the following six principles: (1) Increase aid and ensure that it actually reaches those most in need; We are reliably informed that official government and U.N. aid does not reach the Christian genocide survivors in Iraq and Syria. Repeatedly, we hear from Church leaders in the region that Christians and other genocide survivors are last in line for assistance from governments. Significantly, the Archdiocese of Erbil, where most Iraqi Christians now live, receives no money from any government whatsoever. If assistance from outside Church affiliated agencies ends in Erbil, Christians there will face a catastrophic humanitarian tragedy within 30 days. The situation is similar in Syria, according to Christian leaders there. Those who face genocide are a tiny fraction of the population. They often must avoid official refugee camps because they are targeted for violence there by extremists. As a result, these minorities often do not get official aid. This will continue to be the reality unless specific action is taken to bring the aid to where these minorities are forced to reside by continuing violence. The Knights of Columbus and others private sources have responded to this situation. But non-governmental organizations can only do so much. It is essential therefore that government aid is increased and reaches those most in need even if special emergency appropriations are required. (2) Support the long-term survival in the region of these ancient indigenous religious and ethnic communities; In Iraq, the Christian population has declined by more than 80 percent, and in Syria by nearly 70 percent. American policy should recognize the important differences in the situations of those fleeing violence and those targeted for genocide. And we should prioritize the latter. Consider this analogy. After World War II, there were approximately 50 million refugees, and only a small fraction were Jews. Yet the world understood that Jews, who had survived genocide, faced a qualitatively different situation, and deserved heightened consideration. The same is true today for the indigenous minorities of the region. They have an indisputable right to live in their country in whatever region of it they wish. Depending on the circumstances, this may mean where they are originally from, or where they find themselves now. But as survivors of an ongoing genocide, they deserve to be prioritized in American policy-making decisions. (3) Punish the perpetrators of genocide and crimes against humanity; The United States should support action by the U.N. Security Council to refer key perpetrators of genocide for prosecution. Equally important, we should support the Iraqi Central Government (Continued on Page 8)

3 Some Lessons from Genesis by Fr. Bruce Vawter, C. M. PART 5 THE NATURE OF SIN You will be like God. In a sense, this describes what the sinner tries to do in committing any sin. Man was already created like God in the way God had intended him to be, and he had been admitted into God s friendship. But now, on his own, as master of his own destiny, he must be like God, as he would have it, that is to say, independent of God, a god unto himself. At any rate, the deed was done, and mankind has never been the same since. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they realized that they were naked.the man and his wife hid themselves from the Lord God (3:7-8). Now we begin to understand what is meant by the punishments which God is pictured as visiting upon man as a consequence of sin. A while ago I said, sin cannot be committed without doing violence to one s own nature. The pain and suffering which follow in the history of mankind are not really an act of divine vengeance. Rather they are evils that man has created for himself. I might also add that while the fact of original sin has been made known to us through revelation, and while many of its circumstances necessarily remain mysterious to us, it nevertheless corresponds to much of what history and experience teach us about man. MAN THE ENIGMA Man has always been a riddle to the philosophers who have studied him. He is a creature who can literally scale the most sublime heights and almost in the same instant sink to the lowest depths. He is capable of great poetry, music, and art, of scientific achievements that bespeak a mind of subtlety and depth, of selfless acts that ennoble him while he is ennobling others. He is also capable of the utmost in degradation, of acts more vile than any brute beast could perform, of complete degeneracy of soul. Some observers of man have been given to the greatest optimism over his prospects: they have put their trust in man, only to have their trust betrayed time and time again and to see all their illusions shattered. Others have been no less wrong in adopting a completely pessimistic attitude, a despair of any good in mankind at all which has been obviously contradicted by many facts of human history. A great convert to the Catholic Faith, Gilbert K. Chesterton, wrote that when he first heard of the doctrine of original sin it was then that all the apparently discordant facts that he knew about man 3 began to click into place like the pieces of a Chinese puzzle. It is this that explains both the good and the bad in man created good and destined for a high purpose from which he has shut himself off; selffrustrated in his better aspirations; able to go bad all the way or to work his way back to the stars. Several questions remain. One of them, though perhaps it is not too important, is with regard to the figure of the serpent in the story of the Fall of man. Just who is he supposed to be? Surely the Biblical author does not intend to tell us that there was a time when serpents walked and talked? The serpent in this story appears to be much more clever than the man and woman he is dealing with. Yet in the story of Genesis no intelligent creatures have been spoken of other than man. The author of Genesis certainly intended to personify the power of evil by means of the figure of the serpent: he is portrayed consistently as a highly intelligent being. Much later on, another inspired writer would put the same teaching in language with which we are more familiar: God formed man to be imperishable; the image of his own nature he made him. But by the envy of the devil, death entered the world, and they who are in his possession experience it (Wis 2:23-24). So also in the New Testament: The man who sins is a child of the devil, for the devil has been a sinner from the first; and the Son of God appeared for the very purpose of undoing the devil s work (1 Jn 3:8). DO ANGELS EXIST? The Genesis story does not dwell on the creation or the existence of angels, for it is concerned only with the visible creation of which man is a part and which has been placed under his dominion. Furthermore, the Old Testament learned of the existence of an angelic order only by degrees, as God saw fit to reveal this knowledge. Both the Old and the New Testaments, however, leave us in no doubt about the existence of angels, and we also have been given some information about what they do.the word angel originally means messenger, and it is in this way that the angels are usually represented in Scripture, as the messengers or ministers by whom God governs the universe and sometimes deals with men. The Psalmist says to the man who trusts in God: To his angels he has given command about you, that they guard you in all your ways (Ps 91:11). Such texts are the basis for our belief in guardian angels. Despite the fact that we and the Bible usually depict angels in human form, we know that angels are what we call pure spirits, that is, spirits only, without bodies, just as God is purely spiritual. In order to indicate the difference between them and man, the artist usually pictures them with wings or in some other extraordinary form, though, of course, they have no wings, just as they have no bodies. Like man, they are intelligent beings, but unlike man they are pure intelligences. They are, therefore, creatures of God a stage above that of man the creature.

4 We are also told that the angels, like man, have been put to the test by God and that some of them, like man, have fallen. The fallen angels are known as demons. Their leader we know as the devil (a word that means attacker ) or by the proper name Satan (meaning adversary ); sometimes we use the same words to designate the whole order of evil. For just as God uses the angels as His agents in the world, the demons are the ministers of evil, striving to bring about the frustration of God s good plans. Depart from me, accursed ones into the fire prepared for the devil and his angels (Mt 25:41). MANKIND BEFORE CHRIST I have referred several times to the work of salvation effected by Jesus Christ by which the life of grace has been restored that was lost by original sin. Where does that leave all those uncounted millions and billions of people who must have lived between the time of the Fall of man and the coming of Jesus Christ? It leaves them where we ourselves are, within the history of salvation. For God did not abandon the man whom He had created and destined for life with Himself. Man had failed the test, but God remained faithful to the plan which He had freely chosen for Himself. In the same breath in which God utters the punishments of mankind that are the consequence of original sin, we also hear Him say to the serpent: I will put enmity between you and the woman, between your seed and her seed; it shall crush your head, and you shall bruise its heel (Gn 3:15).What did the Biblical author mean by these enigmatic words? Certainly this: that God will not allow this to be the final round in the battle between good and evil for the possession of man s soul. He puts enmity between the serpent and the woman, just as He put man in the garden He continues to intervene in the affairs of history for his own beneficent purposes.there will be continuous struggle between the human race the seed of the woman and the order of evil personified in the serpent his seed. And since God takes a part in this struggle, it will not be unequal, weighted on the side of Satan and his minions. It shall crush your head, and you shall bruise its heel. The progress, or the issue, of the struggle is graphically illustrated by the figure of a man crushing the head of the serpent into the dust, whose fangs are fixed in his heel. The author of Genesis did not know precisely how the battle would progress and finally end in victory; this we learn from the New Testament revelation. It was in Jesus Christ that mankind rose triumphant over sin and the devil the part of mankind, that is, which is willing to receive the salvation which He has won for it. How the victory was prepared for, however, through the many long centuries that were to come, is the history of salvation both of the Old and the New Testaments. It is a history which we can only summarize most briefly here. The rest of the Book of Genesis tells its initial phases. After several chapters that show how the remote ancestors of the people of Israel would, if left to themselves, have simply been lost in the sea of the nations of man, we are told how God s providence eventually settled on a man called Abraham whom He called away from idolatry to become the ancestor of those who would eventually become His people. Archeologists can help us to date the age of Abraham with some certainty roughly around the eighteenth century B.C.What God may have done within the intervening centuries and millennia, the Bible does not say: the history of Genesis does not pretend to be complete, but only a record of God s saving activity with regard to the people of Israel and its ancestors. He could, of course, have revealed Himself to others before the time of Abraham. But at least from the time of Abraham His divine plan is worked out within a single family and people. The promise which God made to Abraham was to make a nation of his descendants, which would somehow prove to be a blessing for all mankind: I will make a great nation of you. In you shall the nations of the earth be blessed (Gn 12:23). Genesis tells the story of his immediate descendants and leaves the history at the point where one of the families descended from Abraham, the Israelites or sons of Israel, have migrated to Egypt. In Egypt, as the rest of the Pentateuch tells us, they are formed into a people.they are oppressed, and eventually God saves them from the slavery of Egypt and leads them to Palestine, the land of promise. Meanwhile, He makes a covenant with them, that is, chooses them as His own special people and gives them His law. It might be said that the entire Old Testament, in some way or other, is the record of the subsequent history of the covenant (actually our word testament in this sense really means covenant, referring to this unique relation between God and a people). Still, not even the Old Testament in its entirety can explain the full meaning of the covenant. For that we need the New Testament revelation, from which we learn that the covenant of Sinai was to serve as a preparation for the coming of Jesus Christ, the universal Savior of mankind. SALVATION BEFORE CHRIST But if salvation came only with Christ, by what means, if any, could those who lived before the time of Jesus be saved? They were saved as we all are, or can be, saved, namely through faith. In telling of Abraham s acceptance of God s promise, Genesis says: Abraham believed the Lord, who credited the act to him as justice (15:6). Commenting on this, St. Paul wrote: These words were written not for Abraham s sake alone, but for our sake also. It will be credited to us in the same way who have faith in the God who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up for our sins and raised to life for our justification (Rom 4:23-25). The history of salvation, you see, is a history of grace. Just as grace was not due to man from the beginning, but was God s free gift, so has it been ever since. Abraham was not chosen by God because he had merited God s consideration, but only as an act of God s mercy. This mercy, this revelation of Himself that God made to him, he accepted: this is faith. Similarly, the election of Israel to be God s Chosen People through the revelation mediated by Moses in the thirteenth century B.C., was purely the grace of God. Israel knew this: It was not because you are the largest of all nations that the Lord set his heart on you and chose you, for you are really the 4 (Continued on Page 8)

5 I have fought in every battle of every war for more then 200 years. I Am the Flag of the Of America I am the flag of the United States of America. My name is Old Glory. I fly atop the world s tallest buildings. I stand watch in America s halls of justice. I fly majestically over institutions of learning. I stand guard with power in the world. Look up and see me. I was flown at Valley Forge, Gettysburg, Shiloh and Appamatox. I was there at San Juan Hill, the trenches of France, in the Argonne Forest, Anzio, Rome and the beaches of Normandy. Guam, Okinawa, Korea and KheSan, Saigon, Vietnam know me. I was there. I led my troops, I was dirty, battleworn and tired, But my soldiers cheered me and I was proud. I have slipped the bonds of Earth and stood watch over the uncharted frontiers of space from my vantage point on the moon. I have borne silent witness to all of America s finest hours. But my finest hours are yet to come. When I am torn into strips and used as bandages for my wounded comrades on the battlefield, When I am flown at half-mast to honor my soldier, Or when I lie in the trembling arms of a grieving parent at the grave of their fallen son or daughter, I stand for peace, honor, truth and justice. I stand for freedom. I am confident. I am arrogant. I am proud. I am flown with my fellow banners, My head is a little higher, My colors a little truer. I have been burned, torn and trampled on the streets of countries I have helped set free. It does not hurt for I am invincible. I have been soiled upon, burned, torn and trampled in the streets of my country. And when it s done by those Whom I ve served in battle - it hurts. But I shall overcome - for I am strong. I am proud. I bow to no one! I am recognized all over the world. I am worshipped - I am saluted. I am loved - I am revered. I am respected - and I am feared. 5 PRAY FOR OUR MILITARY!

6 Our Flag: Did you Know? Do you know that at military funerals, the 21-gun salute stands for the sum of the numbers in the year 1776? The 6th fold is for where our hearts lie. It is with our heart that We pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States Of America, and the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all. Have you ever noticed the honor guard pays meticulous attention to correctly folding the American flag 13 times? You probably thought it was to symbolize the original 13 colonies, but we learn something new every day! The 1st fold of our flag is a symbol of life. The 7th fold is a tribute to our Armed Forces, for it is through the Armed Forces that we protect our country and our flag against all her enemies, whether they be found within or without the boundaries of our republic. The 2nd fold is a symbol of our belief in eternal life. The 8th fold is a tribute to the one who entered into the valley of the shadow of death, that we might see the light of day. The 3rd fold is made in honor and remembrance of the veterans departing our ranks who gave a portion of their lives for the defense of our country to attain peace throughout the world. The 9th fold is a tribute to womanhood, and Mothers. For it has been through their faith, their love, loyalty and devotion that the character of the men and women who have made this country great has been molded. The 4th fold represents our weaker nature, for as American citizens trusting in God, it is to Him we turn in times of peace as well as in time of war for His divine guidance. The 10th fold is a tribute to the father, for he, too, has given his sons and daughters for the defense of our country since they were first born. The 11th fold represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon and glorifies in the Hebrews eyes, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The 5th fold is a tribute to our country, for in the words of Stephen Decatur, Our Country, in dealing with other countries, may she always be right; but it is still our country, right or wrong. The 12th fold represents an emblem of eternity and glorifies, in the Christians eyes, God the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit. 6

7 The 13th fold, or when the flag is completely folded, the stars are uppermost reminding us of our nations motto, In God We Trust. of the United States, preserving for us the rights, privileges and freedoms we enjoy today. There are some traditions and ways of doing things that have deep meaning. In the future, you ll see flags folded and now you will know why. After the flag is completely folded! and tucked in, it takes on the appearance of a cocked hat, ever reminding us of the soldiers who served under General George Washington, and the Sailors and Marines who served under Captain John Paul Jones, who were followed by their comrades and shipmates in the Armed Forces Share this with others who love the symbol of Liberty and Freedom If you can read this, thank a teacher... If you are reading it in English, thank a soldier. THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Red Skelton had a favorite teacher in school and that teacher once explained the origins and meanings of the Pledge of Allegiance to the class. Red Skelton never forgot it and recorded it as he remembered his teacher saying it. Here is a transcript of that recording. I Me, an individual, a committee of one. Pledge Dedicate all of my worldly goods to give without self pity. Allegiance My love and my devotion. To the Flag Our standard, Old Glory. A symbol of freedom. Wherever she waves, there s respect. Because your loyalty has given her a dignity that shouts freedom is everybody s job. United That means that we have all come together. States Individual communities that have united into Forty eight great States, forty eight individual communities with pride and dignity and purpose. All divided with imaginary boundaries, yet united to a common purpose. And that s love for Country. And to the Republic Republic; A state in which Sovereign power is invested in representatives chosen by the people to govern. And government is the people. And it s from the people to the leaders, not from the leaders to the people. For which it stands, one Nation One Nation; meaning so blessed by God. Indivisible Incapable of being divided. 7 With Liberty Which is freedom. The right of power to live ones own life without threat, fear, or some sort of retaliation. And Justice The principle, equality, for dealing fairly with others. For All For all; which means boys and girls, it s as much your county as it is mine. And now boys and girls let me hear you recite the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Since I was a small boy two States have been added to our Country and two words have been added to the Pledge of Allegiance Under God. Wouldn t it be a pity if someone said that is a prayer, and that would be eliminated from schools too? ( Note: I have placed the audio and a video of this from the old Rush Limbaugh TV show on our web site Assembly Home Page)

8 (Continued from Page 4) smallest of all nations. It was because the Lord loved you (Dt 7:7-8). With God, of course, there is no time, though He deals with man in the time that is proper to him. The faith which Abraham had, the faith which any true Israelite could have, is the same faith that we possess. Times have changed, but God remains the same. His divine plan has developed as far as man is concerned, but it was always the same in His own eternal today. By believing in the God of revelation and salvation to the extent that they knew Him, the people of the Old Covenant had at their disposal His saving grace which would be exemplified in Jesus Christ only many years later. Thus Christ is the Savior of Abraham and Moses in the same way that He is our Savior. And while many things have changed with the fulfillment of the divine plan in Jesus, still we should not minimize the importance of the religion of the Old Testament. There cannot be a fulfillment without an anticipation; history cannot come to a successful conclusion unless it has a beginning. Such is the condition of man s nature, the nature to which God has graciously condescended and upon which He has built in the order of salvation. Just as we are what we are at least in part because of what our natural ancestors were, so too we are indebted to our ancestors in the Faith, of both the Old and the New Testaments.. Next Month - God's Story of Creation - Part 1 The HHS Mandate Has Brought Together a Diverse Group of Opponents Fr. Frank Pavone, National Director, Priests for Life Thanks to 's action by the Supreme Court, it is more important than ever to realize that Zubik vs. Burwell, a challenge to the Affordable Care Act s mandate on contraception, is a complex mix of seven cases, to be argued, again, in four Courts of Appeals, and involving 37 petitioners. Though we all oppose the HHS mandate for essentially the same reasons, nevertheless, there are important differences between the cases, including the legal structures of the groups in fact, some petitioners are individuals, including myself the type of "preventive services" to which they object, and the way they provide insurance. The degrees to which our respective cases and courts argued or reached conclusions on three key points of the case are also important. Those three points are: Whether the HHS mandate poses a substantial burden on religion; whether the government has a compelling interest to pursue this mandate, and whether the government, in order to pursue that interest, is utilizing the least restrictive means necessary to accomplish its goals without infringing on our right to practice our religion. The variety of the cases and plaintiffs matters because the Supreme Court has called the four lower courts from which they came Third, Fifth, Tenth and D.C. Circuit - to take them up again. Whether there will be a unified outcome, or more division among the courts, is now an open question once again, as each of these four courts, in the unique circumstances that their cases and petitioners present, take up the arguments again. Now there is additional information provided in the briefings the Supreme Court requested from the petitioners and from the government after our March 23 oral arguments. Catholic priests (Priests for Life) and nuns (Little Sisters of the Poor) are some of those who are suing. But other petitioners include Baptist and non-denominational Christian universities in Texas and Oklahoma, a Presbyterian college in Pennsylvania, Catholic Charities in Washington, D.C., Pittsburgh, and Erie, Pennsylvania, and numerous religious high schools. Then there s Reaching Souls International, a non-denominational Christian group that comes to the aid of African children left orphaned by civil war, HIV/AIDS, and malaria. Reaching Souls bases its work on the biblical definition of religion that is pure and undefiled before God that is, to visit orphans and widows in their affliction. And there s AWESOME Assistance With Education, Shelter, Organization, Money management, and Employment a program run by the Prince of Peace Center in Farrell, Pennsylvania, that helps people achieve independence. Southern Nazarene University boasts a winning NCAA Division 2 basketball team, a 2,000-strong student body majoring in everything from business to theology, and an inviolable belief in the sanctity of life. The university is not opposed to contraception but does oppose the mandate s demand that the school provide morning-after contraception; ella, a drug that can be taken up to five days after unprotected sex, and two types of intrauterine devices that prevent an embryo from implanting in the womb. We do provide contraception for our employees, Southern Nazarene President Dr. Gresham told Priests for Life. We don t provide pregnancy-ending drugs or devices. A look at the friend-of-the-court briefs filed in support of the petitioners affords an even better understanding of how seriously religious liberty is threatened by the HHS mandate. Briefs were filed by World Vision; the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America; the National Jewish Coalition on Law and Public Affairs; the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints; the International Society for Krishna Consciousness; the Orthodox Church in America; the American Islamic Conference and the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. Likely without meaning to, the Obama administration has brought together a diverse group of people representing a wide array of religious beliefs, all united by the proposition that the government should not be instructing us in our faiths. We do not believe a federal bureaucrat should be telling us what is and what is not allowed by our churches teachings. Now we need four Courts of Appeal to agree, or all of us will end up back at the Supreme Court a court whose ideological makeup is dependent on this year s presidential election. (Continued from Page 2) and the Kurdish Regional Government s adjudication of the cases of thousands of ISIS fighters and supporters who remain in local detention centers. This will assist in the important work of obtaining and preserving evidence of genocide. (4) Assist victims of genocide in attaining refugee status; A news report as of last week indicated that of the 499 Syrian refugees admitted to the U.S. in May, not one was explicitly listed as being Christian or as coming from any of the groups targeted for genocide. How long will this situation be allowed to continue? The U.S. should appropriate funding and work with the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees to make provisions for locating and providing status to individuals such as Yezidis and Christians that have been targeted for genocide. Many of these genocide survivors fear going into official U.N. refugee camps, where they are targeted. Thus they are overlooked, and find it nearly impossible to acquire official refugee status or immigrate. Congress should act now. Senator Tom Cotton has introduced the Religious Persecution Relief Act, S. 2708, to provide for overlooked minorities in the prioritization of refugees. We support this bill 8

9 and urge its passage. (5) Prepare now for foreseeable human rights challenges as ISIScontrolled territory is liberated by ensuring that Christians and other minorities have equal rights to decide their future; We should prepare now for the consequences of the liberation of ISIS controlled areas, including Mosul and the Nineveh Region, as well as regions in Syria. We are likely to see another humanitarian crisis as civilians flee the fighting or return to their former communities when fighting ceases. There has been much debate concerning plans for victims of genocide in Iraq. Some have argued for returning people safely to the Nineveh Region, others that they should be allowed to stay in Kurdistan, still others that they be allowed to immigrate. But these are not necessarily mutually exclusive, competing proposals. People should be allowed to decide their own future. And when they do, we should work to ensure they are treated with fairness, dignity and equality. This also means that it will be increasingly important to ensure that the property rights and claims of minority groups are respected. (6) Promote the establishment of internationally agreed upon standards of human rights and religious freedom as conditions for humanitarian and military assistance. The United States should advocate for full and equal rights for religious and ethnic minorities in the region in exchange for our military and humanitarian aid. A necessary first step to prevent genocide is to overcome the social and legal inequality that is its breeding ground. We should not accept one standard for human rights in the region and another standard for the rest of the world. The rich tapestry of religious pluralism in the region must be preserved now or it will be lost forever. With its loss will come increased instability and threats to our own security and that of the world. We have a unique opportunity and some would say, unique responsibility--to protect the victims of genocide. The United States can provide such protection with a policy that includes the principles outlined above. Mr. Chairman, thank you very much for your leadership and that of the members of this subcommittee. REPORT FROM OUR INSUR ANCE AGENT ARE YOUR BENEFICIARIES CURRENT? Sometimes it is easy to overlook the simplest of things. Take the beneficiaries on your life insurance policies. If your policy was applied for and issued several years ago, it could very well be that the beneficiary originally designated to receive the proceeds from that policy needs to be updated. If you bought the policy when you were single, for example, you may have named your parents as beneficiaries. If you have since been married, that could be updated to reflect your spouse, and even your children. Most people list a primary beneficiary that person is specifically designated as the first in priority to receive policy proceeds. We also encourage the naming of a contingent beneficiary an alternate person designated to receive policy proceeds, usually in the event that the original beneficiary predeceases the insured. When I call to arrange your annual insurance check-up, one of the matters that we can discuss is the status of your beneficiary designations. If they need updating, and they often do, I can usually complete the paperwork during the appointment. I look forward to meeting with you to review all your life insurance policies. By the way, in most cases you should never name the beneficiary of your policy the estate of the insured. This opens it up to creditor claims. Always name a family member of a class, i.e. equal to all children. Call Alvin T. Smith at for my assistance in setting up a lan that will protect your wife and family. ( alvin.smith@kofc.org) BLESSED BISHOP ROMZHA ASSEMBLY OFFICERS Faithful Navigator Matthew Abbot Faithful Captain Joseph Grelish Faithful Admiral John Adams Faithful Pilot Michael MacMenimin Faithful Comptroller Peter Shine Faithful Purser Michael Crawford Faithful Scribe Henry Abbott Faithful Friar Fr. Sal Pignato Yr Trustee Joseph Chenette Yr Trustee Donald Abate Yr Trustee Vincent S. Samosky To request Honor Guard please contact the Faithful Navigator 9

10 Dates to Remember JUNE :30 P.M. Assembly business meeting 19 FATHER S DAY Tuesday Sunday JULY FLAG DAY All articles and reports due for next month s newsletter INDEPENDENCE DAY 11 7:30 P.M. Assembly business meeting Saturday 6 TRANSFIGURATION OF OUR LORD 15 AUGUST 2016 All articles and reports due for next month s newsletter 8 7:30 P.M. Assembly business meeting 29 BEHEADING OF JOHN THE BAPTIST 29 Transfiguration of Our Lord DORMITION OF THE MOTHER OF GOD All articles and reports due for next month s newsletter Dormition of the Mother of God If anyone knows of a member or family member that should be listed in our Pray For column please contact Michael P. Krochmalni at so that we can add their names. You can send this information by mail to: Michael P. Krochmalni 2207 Viento St. Orlando, FL or to: mpkmak2@me.com Pray For HEALTH: Robert Spencer Fr. Peter Boutros IN MEMORY OF: Marika A. Krochmalni George Molchan Michele Fencik John Wisdo 10 Charles Leppert Joseph Obuch Eugen H. Hawk Shirley Hawk Mary Jane Spencer Ed Podugal Thomas Prebee