The Knights Line. In Memoriam

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1 KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS Blessed Theodore G. Romzha Assembly 2279 P.O. Box 1391 Windermere, FL The Knights Line MAIL TO: DATED MATERIAL PLEASE DO NOT DELAY BLESSED BISHOP THEODORE G. ROMZHA VOLUME 20, No. 2 February 2014 In Memoriam The Knights of Columbus Blessed Bishop Theodore G. Romzha Assembly 2279 wish to extend their deepest sympathy to the family of Sir Knight Robert Spencer whose wife Mary Jane, passed away on January 31, 2014 Grant, O Lord, eternal rest to the soul of your departed servant Mary Jane and remember her forever. 1/1/2014 Mission to the Frontiers Pope Francis challenges all Knights to embrace a missionary spirit of charity that reaches the peripheries In his new apostolic exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel), Pope Francis has written of the need to foster within the Church a greater missionary spirit and for Catholics to take more seriously their calling to missionary discipleship. In the brief time that he has been pope, we have seen that this missionary spirit is central to Carl A. Anderson Francis pastoral focus. In his 1990 encyclical letter on the Church s mission, Redemptoris Missio, Blessed John Paul II wrote about what is at the heart of this missionary spirit. He said that a true missionary is a person of charity. He is a sign of God s love in the world (89). In this way, too, we see an extraordinary witness by Pope Francis of his love for the sick, the suffering and the poor. It is a witness that has captured the imagination of the world. As an organization, the Knights of Columbus stands shoulder to shoulder with our Holy Father in making this witness. In thousands of different ways, our councils offer the opportunity for nearly 2 million Catholic men to be persons of charity and missionaries after the example of Pope Francis. And in doing this, we answer the call of Blessed John Paul II for a charity that evangelizes. Many of our brother Knights would hardly think of themselves as WEB SITE: Assembly - romzha@me.com

2 missionaries or evangelists. Instead, most would say with humility, We just see where a need exists in our parish or community and we act to meet that need. But when we act to meet that need, we are personifying a charity that evangelizes. In this way, we are realizing a form of missionary discipleship a discipleship that is central to the vocation of the laity to transform society according to the Gospel. At this moment in the history of our Church, the Knights of Columbus has an extraordinary opportunity to serve on the frontline with Pope Francis in his witness of charity. St. Ignatius of Loyola once told a group of Jesuits that no commonplace achievement will satisfy the great obligations you have of excelling. The same can be said of today s Knights of Columbus. For this to become a reality, we must not be content with the status quo. We must embrace a missionary spirit one that extends the limits of what we do in service to our neighbors. We must be willing to go to the frontiers and reach out to those on the margins. In an address to pilgrims last June, Pope Francis asked, Are we really a Church united to Christ in order to go out and proclaim him to everyone, also and above all in what I call the existential peripheries? Or are we closed in on ourselves, in our own groups, in our own little churches? Or do we love the great Church, Mother Church, the Church that sends us out on mission and brings us out of ourselves? Pope Francis has also said that an aspect of Jesuit life that attracted him as a young man was St. Ignatius fourth vow of obedience: Jesuits should always be ready to be sent on a mission by the pope. But why should this be a challenge only for Jesuits? Should not every Catholic listen attentively to the words of our Holy Father? And if we listen carefully to Pope Francis, will we not hear that we are all being sent on a mission? This is especially true of the Knights of Columbus. In a private audience with the supreme officers and directors Oct. 20, the Holy Father praised the quiet strength, integrity and fidelity of our Order. He thanked us for our commitment to charity, and he challenged us to continue this great work. As a new year begins, let us adopt a new missionary spirit and reaffirm with quiet strength, integrity and fidelity our commitment to a charity that evangelizes. Let us proceed in this great work in the tradition of the Knights of Columbus: as a Catholic brotherhood building greater communities of charity, unity and fraternity. Vivat Jesus! 2/1/2014 A Personal Challenge Pope Francis urges us to radiate fraternal communion and missionary fruitfulness In my column last month, I began a reflection on Pope Francis new apostolic exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel). I focused on the pope s challenge to Catholics to embrace a new missionary spirit that brings the Gospel to the peripheries of society. At Carl A. Anderson this moment in history, the Knights of Columbus has an extraordinary opportunity and, I would add, an extraordinary responsibility to join Pope Francis on the front line in this witness and to meet Blessed John Paul II s challenge to engage in a charity that evangelizes. This month, I would like to continue reflecting on Evangelii Gaudium and show how it should serve as a guide for our work as Knights of 2 Columbus. Our Holy Father sees the Church opening a new chapter of evangelization, one characterized by The Joy of the Gospel and carried forward by those who wish to share their joy. In this mission echoing the words of Pope Benedict XVI to the bishops of Latin America at Aparecida, Brazil, in 2007 Pope Francis writes, It is not by proselytizing that the Church grows, but by attraction (15). Evangelii Gaudium is the pope s response to the 2012 Synod of Bishops, which met on the topic The New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith. In his document, the Holy Father takes up a central theme of the synod: In virtue of their baptism, all the members of the People of God have become missionary disciples. And he emphasizes, The new evangelization calls for personal involvement on the part of each of the baptized (120). In order to be faithful missionary disciples, however, Pope Francis says that it is necessary to go beyond our comfort zones (20) and abandon the complacent attitude that says we have always done it this way (33). He also says that places of fraternal communion and missionary fruitfulness are essential in the Church today (89). Pope Francis then reminds us of the key to this communion and fruitfulness by again quoting Pope Benedict: the service of charity is a constitutive element of the Church s mission and an indispensable expression of her very being (179). Our Holy Father urges us to rediscover our need as Catholics to live in fraternity and to grow in a fraternal love capable of seeing the sacred grandeur of our neighbor, of finding God in every human being (92). In this light, Pope Francis writes: I especially ask Christians in communities throughout the world to offer a radiant and attractive witness of fraternal communion. Let everyone admire how you care for one another, and how you encourage and accompany one another (99). Undoubtedly, some Catholics will read these passages and ask, What does such a witness of fraternal communion look like, and how are we to enter into it? Yet it is impossible for any brother Knight to read the words of our Holy Father and not recognize a profound and personal challenge. We have the great privilege of being heirs to the spiritual vision of Venerable Michael McGivney, who set out a path of fraternal communion based on charity and unity more than 130 years ago. Because of our founder s inspiration, we don t have to invent new associations or experiment with new structures in order to find a fruitful form of fraternal communion. Every Knight already belongs to an Order that personifies one of the most fruitful expressions of fraternal communion ever to exist in the countries where we are active. The challenge, then, facing every brother Knight today is to ensure that the Order and every one of our councils are places whose doors are open and whose members invite their fellow Catholics to a life of fraternal communion and charity. It is also the responsibility of every Knight to deepen his fraternal communion with true charity and unity, so that whoever encounters the Knights of Columbus will encounter a community of brothers motivated by The Joy of the Gospel. Vivat Jesus! District Deputy s Report No Report available from DD John Adams for this newsletter 4th Degree Assembly 2279 Faithful Navigator s Report No Report available from FN John Adams for this newsletter

3 Christ: Lord and Savior by Fr. John Baptist KU,O.P PART 3 PART III: HOW DO WE MEET CHRIST? The Christian life is not simply one of learning about Christ or Church doctrine. Rather, our purpose is eternal life: And this is eternal life, that they know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent (Jn 17:3). This personal knowing of Christ, and of God the Father in him, is not a goal that lies off in the distant future. Rather, while it is true that we will only see God face to face in heaven, Christ has come precisely so that we might be made the friends of God here and now. Eternal life begins here on earth. To appreciate the gift of eternal life, we must recognize that there are two major gaps to be bridged before we can come to God. First, there is the chasm caused by sin our personal offenses (actual sin) and the general state of original sin brought about by the sin of our first human parents, Adam and Eve. Second, there is the chasm that naturally lies between the Creator and all creatures. The only natural sharers in the divine life are the Father, Son and Holy Spirit that is, only the Persons of the Holy Trinity are each other s natural intimates. However, the divine persons have desired to share their life with created persons, with beings naturally utterly inferior to themselves. If we (and the angels) are to share in the divine life, it will only be because God has some practical means of accommodating himself to our nature and of elevating us to a supernatural condition. In Jesus Christ, and in him alone, God overcomes both obstacles to our sharing in the divine life. His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted us his precious and very great promises, that through these you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of passion, and become partakers of the divine nature (2 Pet 1:3 4). The obstacle of sin is overcome by the sacrificial death of Christ. First, all sin (original and personal) is washed away through baptism: We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life (Rom 6:4; cf. 2 Cor 5:17, Gal 6:15, Col 2:12). Second, sins committed after baptism are forgiven through the power Christ gave his apostles after the resurrection when he said, Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained (Jn 20:22 23; cf. Mt 16:19). Now while the mercy of God is, we might say, the beginning of our salvation in Christ, we must remember that entering into the divine life involves more than being set free from sin. Again, since intimacy and friendship with God is something natural only for the persons of the Trinity, man must receive elevating and transforming gifts from God in order to join in that heavenly communion. And just as Christ our savior became man and was born of the Virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit, so too do we rely on the active power of the Spirit for our new life (cf. Jn 3:3 5). No one can say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit [1 Cor 12:3]. God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba!,Father! [Gal 4:6]. This knowledge of faith is possible only in the Holy Spirit: to be in touch with Christ, we must first have been touched by the Holy Spirit. He comes to meet us and kindles faith in us. By virtue of our Baptism, the first sacrament of the faith, the Holy Spirit in the Church communicates to us, intimately and personally, the life that originates in the Father and is offered to us in the Son. 11 To be in touch with Christ, we must first have been touched by the Holy Spirit. For some, being touched by the Holy Spirit is a dramatic moment causing a complete change in lifestyle. This is especially the case when a person has been living in serious sin. For others, being touched by the Holy Spirit is manifested more silently in a person s life, confirming him in doing good and giving him the courage to confess his sins and repent of them. Whenever the sinner stops willing evil and begins to will good, it is a sign of grace. Indeed, the Holy Spirit is at work hour by hour, drawing and inviting even those who despise God to turn back to him and be saved. The response required of us is fidelity that is, the willing acceptance of God s gifts of light or knowledge, and of the Spirit s impulses to goodness, love, and holiness of life. The Way of Transformation in Christ Coming to know Jesus Christ means being transformed in him by the power of the Holy Spirit and made holy. This work is, necessarily, a work of God it is not in our human power to bring it about. However, God s grace is such that it perfects and elevates us, so that our human works are taken up into the designs and accomplishments of God. He works through and in us. Thus God enables us to do what is beyond our natural power: to know and love him in a way that is truly suitable to our nature as men and to his nature as God. This coming to know and love God in Christ does not depend on seeing Jesus physically. Indeed, many people who saw Christ during his earthly life failed to recognize him (cf. Lk 23:39 43, Jn 18:28 19:22, 1 Cor 2:8). As we have already said, our knowledge depends on the invisible working of the Spirit. Nevertheless, in his wisdom God has chosen to employ many visible, material means for the purpose of teaching us and communicating to us the life of grace. Our fidelity to the Lord entails a faithfulness to these practical means established for our salvation. Of these practical means, we should mention the visible Church, the liturgy and sacraments, the Scriptures, charity (especially love for the poor and the suffering), and asceticism. The Visible Church Almighty God, desiring to bring each of us into communion with himself and with one another in him, was not willing to leave us to ourselves in this life. Instead, the Lord has adopted a visible group of people first Israel, then the Church as a sign and instrument of his own life. As the Second Vatican Council put it: At all times and in every race, anyone who fears God and does what is right is acceptable to him. He has, however, willed to make men holy and save them, not as individuals without any bond or link between them, but rather to make them into a people who might acknowledge him and serve him in holiness. He therefore chose the Israelite race to be his own people and established a covenant with it. He gradually instructed his people. All these things, however, happened as a preparation and figure of that new and perfect covenant which was to be ratified in Christ the New Covenant in his blood; he called together a race made up of Jews and Gentiles, which would be one, not according to the flesh, but in the Spirit.12 This new people is united into a body that has Christ himself as its head (cf. Col 1:18). This body, the Church, is also called Christ s bride because of the love he has for her and because it is Christ who makes the Church fruitful with new life (cf. Mt 22:1 14, 25:1 13; Mk 2:19; 1 Cor 6:15 17; 2 Cor 11:2, Eph 1:4, 5:25 32; Rv 22:17). Finally, Christ s body and bride, the Church, is also the temple or dwelling place of the 3

4 Holy Spirit: To this Spirit of Christ, as an invisible principle, is to be ascribed the fact that all the parts of the body are joined one with the other and with their exalted head; for the whole Spirit of Christ is in the head, the whole Spirit is in the body, and the whole Spirit is in each of the members. 13 By God s gift and design, the Church has the mission of preaching the Gospel of Christ to the whole world.the work of teaching, of sanctifying, and of governing the People of God was entrusted by Christ to the Apostles and to their successors, so that throughout the ages Christians may receive the Gospel and graces of Christ just as God has seen fit to deliver them. The Liturgy and Sacraments At the center of the Church s life is Christ, present in his mysteries that is to say, in the sacraments Jesus himself instituted. The mysteries of Christ s life are the foundations for what he would henceforth dispense in the sacraments, through the ministers of his Church, for what was visible in our Savior has passed over into his mysteries. 14 The public prayer life of the Church revolves around the sacramental mysteries, especially the Holy Eucharist. 15 Here, in the sacraments, Christ himself acts in and through the Church to sanctify his people, to unite them in himself, and to glorify his Father. In all, there are seven sacraments instituted by Christ: Baptism (by which we are freed from sin and reborn in Christ), Confirmation (which strengthens the baptized with a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit), the Holy Eucharist (the supreme sacrament, in which we are fed with the true Body and Blood of Christ and truly united with him in his perfect act of worship), Penance (by which we are freed from sins committed after Baptism), the Anointing of the Sick (by which the sick and the dying are strengthened and united to Christ), Holy Orders (by which bishops, priests, and deacons are ordained to their different levels of participation in the work of teaching, governing, and sanctifying which Christ gave his Apostles), and Matrimony (by which Christian spouses are united until death). The sacraments are celebrated within the liturgical sphere of the Church s life that is, within her round of daily, weekly, seasonal, and annual public worship. Besides the Holy Eucharist and the other sacramental rites, the Church throughout the world marks each day through the Liturgy of the Hours distinctive prayers for morning, evening, and several other fixed hours throughout the day. These hours consist mainly of psalms, hymns, and readings from the Bible and other traditional sources,such as the writings of the saints. The Liturgy of the Hours is like an extension of the Eucharistic celebration 16 which sanctifies the entire day through its constant return to the one priestly prayer of Christ. The liturgy is the most holy and effective activity in which Christians take part. In the Church s public worship where each person is spiritually joined with Christ, with the entire Church on earth, and with all the angels and saints Christ s own perfect sacrifice is offered to God the Father. Even when a person celebrates the liturgy without others visibly present, Christ and the whole Church pray together. The liturgy then is rightly seen as an exercise of the priestly office of Jesus Christ. It involves the presentation of man s sanctification under the guise of signs perceptible by the senses and its accomplishment in ways appropriate to each of these signs. In it full public worship is performed by the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ, that is, by the Head and his members. From this it follows that every liturgical celebration, because it is an action of Christ the priest and of his Body which is the Church, is a sacred action surpassing all others. No other action of the Church can equal its efficacy by the same title and to the same degree. 17 We should note that encountering Jesus Christ and being transformed by him through the liturgy and sacraments does not have to mean that we have an especially emotional experience every time we participate in the Church s worship. It is possible that our personal experience of the liturgy be unremarkable, dry, or even boring. The liturgy, in its veiled reality, does not in essence depend on our experience for its worth or power. Even so, it is also true that we will normally benefit most from participating in the liturgy when we lay aside distractions and give our full attention to the liturgy, listening with devotion. And excellent music and preaching in a community that lives the gospel is truly uplifting to the spirit. Often enough, the fruit of our regular participation in the liturgy will be detected over a long period of time, and it is only afterwards that we see, in retrospect, something of how Christ drew so near to us. Sacred Scripture Whether in the liturgy or in private reading, Christians also hear and encounter Jesus Christ in the Bible. Indeed, our undying interest in the Bible arises from the fact that it is a single book authored by God about Christ. All Sacred Scripture is but one book, and this one book is Christ, because all divine Scripture speaks of Christ, and all divine Scripture is fulfilled in Christ. 18 Obviously, God used human authors and languages to write the Scriptures. (This is why it is useful to know about life in the ancient world, to appreciate the Bible s original languages, and to work on understanding what the inspired human writers had in mind. And since the texts of the Bible were handed down over many generations, it is useful to study the development and transmission of the texts as well.) However, to interpret Scripture correctly and to grasp what its main author God wants to show to us, we must observe, among others, three practical criteria. First, we must take the Bible as a whole and not interpret passages in isolation. Second, we must read the Bible in its proper light, namely the living tradition of the Church this means we cannot expect to understand the Bible apart from the Church for whom it was written. Third, we must remember how the whole Christian faith is integrated, and avoid stressing one point to the detriment of the balanced whole of the Gospel. 19 Receiving the Bible in this way, we look through the written pages of Scripture to the person, Christ, whom the Bible reveals. This revelation is not automatic or the product of merely human intellectual striving instead, it is something God accomplishes by means of the Scriptures as they are read in faith. For this reason it is true to say that the Christian faith is not a religion of the book. Christianity is the religion of the Word of God, a word which is not a written and mute word, but the Word which is incarnate and living. If the Scriptures are not to remain a dead letter, Christ, the eternal Word of the living God, must, through the Holy Spirit, open [our] minds to understand the Scriptures. 20 Charity Since God s plan to save us involves uniting us with himself and with each other in him, it should come as no surprise that getting to know Christ requires love for other people.although this love is active in prayer and good will alone (indeed, if one is gravely ill or stranded on a desert island, there may be few other ways to love), it is normally effective in practical goodness and mercy toward people around us. And while charity begins at home, Christ tells us to make a point of loving sinners and those in need. When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as 4

5 a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left. Then the King will say to those on his right hand, Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me. Then the righteous will answer him, Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink? And when did we see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or naked and clothe thee? And when did we see thee sick or in prison and visit thee? And the King will answer them, Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me. Then he will say to those at his left hand, Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me. Then they also will answer, Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison,and did not minister to thee? Then he will answer them, Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me (Mt 25:31 45). Asceticism The word asceticism refers to ascesis, that is, exercise or training as in the daily discipline of athletes, soldiers, and everyone devoted to demanding work (see 2 Tm 2:4 7). While intimacy with Christ does not require any unusual physical prowess, we do need to gain, by practice and God s grace, a holy self-mastery. Thanks to sin and human frailty, we all have unruly appetites and desires that, left unchecked, will constantly pull us away from a life of prayer and holiness. Scripture and tradition recommend numerous forms of asceticism sometimes as penances (practiced in sorrow for sin), but always as means of remaining attentive to God. In particular, the New Testament gives us examples of fasting, vigils (i.e., spending nights or the very early morning in prayer), celibacy, penitential dress, and various deprivations. 21 Even more important than voluntary self-denial is our acceptance of hardships and difficulties that come unsought, in the workings of Divine Providence. 22 By accepting and enduring all that God may ask us to suffer, we follow Christ s own example and instructions, and so are purified and detached from the things of this life. The ultimate asceticism, of course, is to surrender one s very life at the time of death, especially when love or fidelity to God s will is at stake. While we ought to pray for deliverance from evil, we must at the same time be willing to say with Jesus, My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt (Mt 26:39). Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant; later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. Strive for peace with all men, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one fail to obtain the grace of God; that no root of bitterness spring up and cause trouble, and by it the many become defiled; that no one be immoral or irreligious like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal (Heb 12:3 16). 5 THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free (Jn 8:31 32). Knowing the truth about Christ is inseparable from knowing Christ who is the Way, the Truth and the Life (Jn 14:6). In this life, we do not have the joy of seeing Jesus Christ face to face. In his Church, however, we hear him preached, we are joined to him in the sacraments especially the Holy Eucharist, where Christ feeds us with his own true Body and Blood and we learn the way of life that leads to the vision of love that never ends. For now, we know and love Christ incompletely, looking forward to the day when God s gifts and sacraments will be replaced with the vision of God himself: For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face (1 Cor 13:12). Next Month - Our Lady of Fatima- Part 1 Notes 11 Catechism of the Catholic Church,n Second Vatican Council, Dogmatic Constitution Lumen gentium n. 9; cf. Acts 10:35, 1 Cor 11:25. See Catechism of the Catholic Church n Pope Pius XII, Encyclical Mystici Corporis Christi.Cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church,n Catechism of the Catholic Church,n Cf. St. Leo the Great, Sermon 74, See Catechism of the Catholic Church,n Catechism of the Catholic Church,n Second Vatican Council, Constitution Sacrosanctum concilium, Cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church,n Catechism of the Catholic Church,n Cf. Hugh of St. Victor, De arca Noe 2, See the Second Vatican Council, Constitution Dei Verbum 12, and the Catechism of the Catholic Church nn Catechism of the Catholic Church,n Cf. St. Bernard of Clairvaux, S. missus est hom. 4, 11; Lk 24: Examples include Christ (cf. Mt 4:2, 21:17; Mk 1:35; Lk 6:12, 21:37), St. John the Baptist (cf. Mt 3:1 4; Mk 1:4 6), Anna the Prophetess (Lk 2:26 37), and St. Paul (Acts 13:1 3, 14:23, 16:25; 1 Cor 9:27, 1 Thes 3:10). See also Mt 10:9 10, 26:41; Mk 6:8 9, 13:37; Lk 14:33, 21:36; Heb 11:37b 38; 1 Pet 4:7, etc. 22 Cf. Mt 5:38 41, 2 Cor 6:4 5, Heb 11:35b 37a, etc. 4th Degree Vice Supreme Master's Report Worthy Masters and All Sir Knights: I would like to thank all the Assemblies in the DeSoto Province that completed the ceremony of the Reobligation of Vows in January. It is a time to reflect the vows we all took in the Four Degrees and the responsibilities we all share as members of this Order. My thanks also to the Assemblies that submitted their Fraternal Activity Reports in a timely manner. This Report was due in Supreme by January 31, 2014, with copies to the Vice Supreme Master, District Master and Assembly. REMEMBER: ALL ASSEMBLIES MUST COMPLY WITH THIS REPORT. On January 18, 2014, an Exemplification was held in Savannah, Georgia, where 66 men received their Fourth Degree, including one Priest. The next Exemplification is scheduled for Columbia, South Carolina on February 15, Assemblies should have their paperwork into the Master by now. On March 1, 2014, an Exemplification will be held in Navarre, Florida where the Honoree will be Most Rev. Gregory L. Parkes, Bishop of Pensacola/Tallahassee Diocese. We would like to see large classes at both of these upcoming Exemplifications. Once again, I ask all in the Province to follow the chain of command. Please do not call the Supreme Master s office to find out information that could be achieved by contacting your District Master. If he is unable to answer your inquiry, he will contact me

6 and and if I do not have the answer then I will contact the Supreme Master s office for an answer. Additionally, everyone will be notified when a new Assembly receives its assigned number. Also, it takes time for Assembly name changes and the reception of routine correspondence. Your repeated telephone calls to the staff of TWO only distracts them from their assigned duties. Patience is a virtue. Additional information will be coming from the Supreme Master s office concerning this year s Flag Day ceremony. He is attempting to make the ceremony uniform. It will not be long or impossible to make these changes to your current activity. I would like to see our Assemblies participate in this Program throughout the Province, not just in the State Capitols. Please be advised that if any Assembly has not completed its Annual Audit and forwarded it to Supreme with copies to the Vice Supreme Master, District Master, and Assembly for the last two audit periods, then that Assembly has lost their bonding from Supreme. This makes the Assembly liable. Sooooo Faithful Navigator you might want to take care of this requirement immediately if it applies to your Assembly and get your Audits completed and submitted as required. This year the Supreme Convention will take place in Orlando, Florida, at the World Center Marriott Resort from August 5-7, The Fourth Degree will participate in the Masses throughout the Convention and stand watch at the Adoration Chapel. We will need volunteers for these duties and details will be coming in the future. For those attending the Convention and are members of the Color Corps, please consider bringing your Regalia. You will NOT need your swords for the Convention. I am happy to report that as of January 15, 2014, we have collected $615, toward the Military Chaplain s Scholarship Program. That leaves only $384, to go for our goal of $1,000, I am also very pleased with the amount of donations that the DeSoto Province has made to this Program. However, we must continue with our generosity to provide Catholic Chaplains to our military men and women. The goal is attainable. Please send your checks to Gary L. McLain, PSD, Vice Supreme Master, 36 Currant Avenue, Middleburg, FL The check should be made payable to Knights of Columbus Charities and Military Chaplains Scholarship Fund placed on the memo of the check. If you have any questions, please contact me at (904) or garymc36@comcast.net. Joan and I wish all a Happy Valentine s Day. Fraternally, Gary L. McLain, PSD Vice Supreme Master DeSoto Province New Survey Finds 84% of Americans Support Significant Abortion Restrictions 6 The Nuns and the Priest Fr. Frank Pavone National Director, Priests for Life 1/21/2014 This includes nearly 6 in 10 of those who identify as strongly pro-choice More than four decades after the Supreme Court s decision in Roe v. Wade, the vast majority of Americans are still very uncomfortable with the reality of widespread abortion in the United States. A new survey of Americans finds strong support for abortion restrictions including among those who identify as strongly prochoice. Eighty-four percent of Americans would limit abortion to, at most, the first three months of pregnancy, with 58 percent of strongly pro-choice Americans supporting such limits. The Knights of Columbus/Marist Poll also found that almost three-quarters of Americans (74 percent) favor a ban on abortions af- A lot of attention was given recently to the Little Sisters of the Poor, and the way that the Obama Administration wants to force them to cooperate in its plan to expand access to contraceptives, abortioninducing drugs, and sterilization. They are rightly saying No, and, like us at Priests for Life, have said it through a federal lawsuit. Like the case of Priests for Life, their lawsuit initially resulted in a judgment against them, with the court saying that the mandate did not in fact pose a substantial burden to their religious freedom. And like us, the Sisters went to the appellate court for an emergency injunction against the mandate, which otherwise would have been enforced against them starting on January 1. This past New Year s Eve, the Little Sisters of the Poor and Priests for Life had very similar experiences. December 31 came with no immediate protection from the mandate, and the prospect of having it go into effect the next day. December 31 also came with both groups having a request for an emergency injunction in the hands of two different federal courts. And the hours ticked by while we waited. As morning turned into afternoon, our attorney reminded us that in case the injunction were denied, one of the things we could do was to send an emergency appeal to the Supreme Court, and it would be assigned to one of the Justices to either grant the injunction or not. As things turned out, the Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit granted the request of Priests for Life for emergency injunction, just before 5pm. (Phone calls to the court just before that said they were closed for the holiday, but we reached someone who told us that everyone had left except the judges that were working on our case, along with their clerks!) For the Little Sisters of the Poor, the request for emergency injunction was denied and hence, they had to take that second emergency step that we would have also had to take: to go to the Supreme Court for the emergency injunction. And before the day was over, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor granted the temporary, emergency injunction for the Sisters. (In an odd twist of appropriateness, a few hours later, we saw her on TV right here in NY City pressing the button to lower the famous New Year s Eve ball in Times Square.) I relate all this to paint a simple picture: two Catholic groups, one run by religious sisters and one by priests, having to demand, through emergency measures, that they not be forced to violate their consciences. The group of sisters serves the poor; the group of priests serves the poorest of the poor, the unborn. And both simply want to do their work while worshiping God in the way they see fit. Both of us got what we needed, at least for the moment. But the fact that we had to fight for it and still have to fight in the months to come is a sign of the fact that all of us always have to fight for freedom. It can never be taken for granted. ter 20 weeks except to save the life of the mother, a majority of Americans (53 percent) believe life begins at conception, and more than 6 in 10 (62 percent) think abortion is morally wrong. More than 8 in 10 Americans (84 percent) do not see the abortion debate as an all or nothing proposition, saying that laws can protect both the well-being of a woman and the life of the unborn. Other key findings of the survey include: 80 percent support parental notification before a minor can obtain an abortion. 79 percent support a 24-hour waiting period prior to having an abortion.

7 76 percent oppose allowing abortions to be performed by nondoctors. 62 percent want to change laws to allow for some restrictions on abortion. 58 percent support showing a woman an ultrasound image of her baby at least a day before an abortion. 57 percent believe abortion does a woman more harm than good in the long run. 55 percent including 6 in 10 Millennials (adults 18 to 32) want continued debate on the abortion issue. On a related note, the survey also found that more than 7 in 10 Americans (71 percent) also believe that freedom of religion should be protected above government laws. Four decades after Roe v. Wade, abortion remains at odds with the conscience and common sense of the American people, said Knights of Columbus CEO Carl Anderson. The American people understand that abortion is bad for everyone, and even those who strongly support abortion want it reduced significantly, so it is time that our lawmakers and our courts reflected this reality. This survey of 2,001 adults was conducted Dec. 10, 2013, through Dec. 15, 2013, by The Marist Poll and sponsored by The Knights of Columbus. Adults 18 years of age and older residing in the continental United States were interviewed by telephone using live interviewers. Results are statistically significant within ±2.2 percentage points. The error margin increases for cross-tabulations. For more details about the survey results and methodology visit The Knights of Columbus has worked with the Marist Poll to survey Americans on moral issues since (407) cmkdtk1@embarqmail.com REPORT FROM OUR INSUR ANCE AGENT THE SPOUSE S RIGHT TO APPLY FOR INSURANCE UPON THE KNIGHT S DEATH The laws and rules of our Order, as well as state (provincial) laws, specify that the Knights of Columbus may accept insurance applications from members only. As a member, you may apply for insurance on yourself, your wife and your minor children. The Order s Board of Directors has taken action, though, to assure that a Knight s widow maintains the right to purchase additional insurance for a limited time. This can be of great benefit and comfort to those we leave behind. This right to apply is available only to the widows of insured members. If a member has not availed himself of our highly rated life insurance program, or purchased an annuity or long-term care policy, this benefit is not available to his widow. But if the member was an insured member, his widow has the right to apply for additional insurance on her life and on the life of the member s minor children. This right must be exercised within one year following the Order s receipt of proof of the insured s death. Know two things. First, I ll assist your widow and children in any way possible if you should die, both with your Knights of Columbus insurance and any other life insurance you may have. Second, I ll provide them my best professional advice and service, to assure that they have adequate insurance protection. I have no greater responsibility. Call Alvin T. Smith at for my assistance in setting up a plan that will protect your wife and family. ( alvin.smith@ kofc.org) Donald T. Kahrer, Jr. State Treasurer Knights Of Columbus Florida State Council 829 Grovesmere Loop Ocoee, FL happy birthday! To all brother Knights who were born during the month of February some years ago: Rev. Peter F. Boutros Carl J. A'Amario David Del Gardo Ronald Indelicato Al E. Kravchuk Edwar P. Martin Marty R. Moore Leon J. Noga BLESSED BISHOP ROMZHA ASSEMBLY OFFICERS Faithful Navigator John Adams Faithful Captain John Butcher Faithful Admiral Michael Crawford Faithful Pilot Pris Romanillos Faithful Comptroller Michael Krochmalni Faithful Purser Peter Shine Faithful Scribe Henry Abbott Faithful Friar Fr. Sal Pignato Yr Trustee John Long Yr Trustee Joseph Chenette Yr Trustee Donald Abate To request Honor Guard please contact the Faithful Navigator 7

8 Dates to Remember FEBRUARY 2014 Monday 10 7:30 P.M. Assembly business meeting Wednesday 12 LINCOLN S BIRTHDAY Friday 14 VALENTINE S DAY Monday 17 PRESIDENT S DAY Thursday 20 All articles and reports due for next month s newsletter Saturday 22 WASHINGTON S BIRTHDAY MARCH 2014 Wednesday 5 ASH WEDNESDAY Monday 10 7:30 P.M. Assembly business meeting Monday 17 ST. PATRICK'S DAY Tuesday 25 FEAST OF THE ANNUNCIATION Saturday 29 FOUNDER'S DAY APRIL 2014 Sunday 13 PALM SUNDAY Monday 14 7:30 P.M. Assembly business meeting Friday 18 GOOD FRIDAY Sunday 20 EASTER Monday 21 All articles and reports due for next month s newsletter THE ANNUNCIATION PALM SUNDAY Fr. McGivney 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: romzha@me.com Pray For HEALTH: John Wisdo Henry Dugan Robert Spencer Thomas Prebee Fr. Peter Boutros Eugene & Shirley Hawk James Schonefeld IN MEMORY OF: Marika A. Krochmalni Charles Leppert Mary Jane Spencer George Molchan Joseph Obuch Ed Podugal Michele Fencik 8