The Cowboy Bulletin. January 2016 Volume 9, Issue 5 THE WYOMING STATE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS NEWSLETTER. Building the Domestic

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1 Volume 9, Issue 5 The Cowboy Bulletin THE WYOMING STATE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS NEWSLETTER Building the Domestic Church While Strengthening Our Parishes John E. Benedik Jr., Wyoming State Deputy On November 21, 2015 while attending the State Deputies Winter Mid-Year meeting, Supreme Knight Carl Anderson, spoke to us about a message that Pope Francis gave at the World Meeting of Families. That message was that there must be a new alliance between the church and families in order to receive support and encouragement that families need. That will only occur if they can find that support in their local parishes. For that reason, The Knights of Columbus are the best organization to assist in strengthening the parish mission. The Knights are providentially positioned to play a key role in the new alliance between the church and families. Councils must devote greater efforts to Charity, Unity and Fraternity by devoting greater attention to our parishes and family life. To meet this need, Supreme Knight Anderson, stated that councils must become even more active in parish family life and stop the duplication of activities that are more appropriately done at the parish. Councils need to become more focused on Catholic families and their mission as the domestic church. Supreme Knight Anderson then announced the Order wide Initiative called; Building the Domestic Church While Strengthening Our Parishes. In short, it means we need to build up and support the Catholic Family by strengthening our parishes where we get our true Catholic teachings and identity. This initiative will take time to implement, but Supreme Knight Anderson insists that it is the way forward. Councils need to move away from the Home Association System and move rapidly towards Parish based councils. We must no longer spend valuable time supporting home association activities outside the mission of the Knights of Columbus and the Church. It all comes down to the deployment of resources, mission integrity and core principles. Many home associations have been forced into a facility rental business and are now subject to government regulations, market forces and liability issues. The needs of the home association have at times diluted the mission of the council and that must end. Supreme Knight Anderson then announced the Order wide Initiative called; Building the Domestic Church While Strengthening Our Parishes. In short, it means we need to build up and support the Catholic Family by strengthening our parishes where we get our true Catholic teachings and identity. This initiative will take time to implement, but Supreme Knight Anderson insists that it is the way forward. Councils need to move away from the Home Association System and move rapidly towards Parish based councils. We must no longer spend valuable time supporting home association activities outside the mission of the Knights of Columbus and the Church. It all comes down to the deployment of resources, mission integrity and core principles. Many home associations have been forced into a facility rental business and are now subject to government regulations, market forces and liability issues. The needs of the home association have at times diluted the mission of the council and that must end. (See Church, page 2)

2 Page 2 Church (continued from Page 1) To integrate councils further into the parish life and ministries, Councils need to end any programs that compete with Parish Ministries and begin supporting the church, family and youth activities that are best centered and run from the parish. This can be done by integrating council programs into the Parish programs and providing the time, talent and resources needed to make those parish ministries successful. Today our youth need greater, not less, involvement in the parish and the Knights of Columbus and our members can be the ones to make that happen. We need to contact our Pastors and seek ways to work more closely with him and to support his parish based ministries, youth activities and schools. To that end, The Board of Directors decided; (1) that councils will no longer be sponsors of Boy Scout Troops and all councils who currently sponsor a troop need to move to end their sponsorship of the troop as soon as practicable, but no later than All currently sponsored troops are encouraged to become sponsored by the parish under the direction of the Pastor. This is the best way to sustain an authentic Catholic Scouting program. The Knights are then encouraged to support and volunteer for those Troops. (2) The Board decided to integrate Squires into the Parish youth ministry and discourages the starting of any new circles. Instead, councils should be supporting parish based youth ministries and encouraging the Squires to get involved in the parish youth ministry and activities. By giving priority in activities to promoting the Family, Youth and Church, we will be Building the Domestic Church While Strengthening our Parishes. The Parish must be the center of every Catholic family s life and with Knights of Columbus councils based in the parish, we will be the ones to help husbands and fathers and their families become more rooted and United in their Faith, Family and Service for the Glory of God. Happy New Year and best wishes for success in becoming a Star Council this fraternal year. The Mystery of Christmas Fr. Tom Ogg, State Chaplain I was asked recently: What aspect of the Mystery of Christmas is especially meaningful for me this year? After pondering, I said accepting the Word of God inside myself. It is realizing Emmanuel = God with us, is really God within us! Jesus became incarnate through Mary to dwell within each of us by grace. Jesus came to us; to be with us; to remain with us. Yet he rose from the dead and ascended to the Father. So how is He with us? This mystery of the Incarnation is wonder-full yet enticing. God is with us in His Spirit. We believe God is with us in the Sacraments, in the Living Word of God, in the person of the priest. Even as we worship God when kneeling before the crèche, the symbol of the Christ Child, how much more do we worship God present in the Eucharist: Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity! Both have the appearances of being small, helpless, powerless, insignificant. Still, God says I want to dwell within you, to be with you always, to be your sustenance, your food, your very life. You are my (mystical) body now. Take good care of Me in you. The Eucharist symbolizes, expresses, and actualizes the reality of God with us. The Incarnation is not a one-time event. God is enfleshed in us when we say Yes, Amen, and receive Holy Communion. With more reflection, I feel awed, overwhelmed, empowered, humbled, speechless, enveloped, and very, extremely grateful by the Mystery of Christmas. It is so much more than a plastic baby Jesus, or a warm feeling inside, or even a truth to be believed. It is our very purpose, our meaning, our LIFE. Jesus lives in YOU. Blessings to you each day of the New Year.

3 Page 3 Plan for this Tax Day and into the Future April 15 (tax day) is right around the corner. It s become popular this time of year to encourage the opening of an IRA or similar retirement annuity, or the depositing of additional funds into an existing account, as a tax-savings vehicle. Or perhaps someone has tried to convince you to open an account, touting the rate of interest that money in one of these accounts can earn. Let us join the chorus of folks encouraging you to open or add funds to an annuity, but for a different reason. Certainly, contributing money to a Knights of Columbus annuity will allow you to save some money on your income tax return. And, our annuities do pay a very competitive interest rate, consistent with our primary goal of absolute safety of principal. Opening or adding to an annuity for these reasons, however, strikes us as taking a shortterm view of a product that is designed to provide long-term security. How much security? How does retirement income that you cannot outlive guaranteed sound to you? NECROLOGY The following Brother Knights passed away in recent months. Pray that God has mercy on their souls and gives peace and comfort to their families and friends. Edward J. Chaulk, December 8, 2015 Gillette, Council 3477 Louis Jimmy Visca, December Cheyenne, Council 801 Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let the perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Here at the Knights of Columbus, you can open a retirement annuity for as little as $300. Consistent and disciplined savings placed into that annuity over time can guarantee you an income at retirement that you cannot outlive. That guarantee along with the fact that no one has ever lost money left in a Knights of Columbus annuity (remember absolute safety of principal) really will provide you with peace of mind. We are happy to meet with you at your convenience and in your home to explain in detail the benefits of opening a Knights of Columbus annuity, along with the benefits of our top-rated life insurance, disability income and long-term care insurance plans. Brian Dever brian.dever@kofc.org CEREMONIALS UPCOMING DEGREES: January 16, 2016 Confirmed 1 st, 2 nd, and 3 rd Degree 507 W 28th Street, Cheyenne, WY 1st Degree will be at 10:00 (please arrive by 9:30) followed by lunch. The 2nd degree will begin at noon followed by the 3rd degree. February 27, 2016 Tentative 1 st. 2 nd,, 3 rd Degree Casper, WY Jerry Hoefler jerome.hoefler@kofc.org If your council or district would like to host a 2 nd or 3 rd Degree, please contact Brian Dever, Ceremonials Chairman, at or brian.dever@kofc.org.

4 Page 4 Gun-a-Week Raffle Winners Congratulations to the winners of Council 9917 s 5 th Annual Gun-a-Week Raffle: Week Scott Jensen, Casper, WY Week Chris Reilly, Evansville, WY Week Billie Sardetti, Manila, UT Week Micki Gilmore, Green River, WY Active Councils Are Growing Councils Ralph Trotter, Membership Director Gaining membership is a requirement for maintaining an active council. Eventually we will all wear out, whether it is physically or permanently. We always hear that people say one of the reasons men say they had not joined is because they were not asked to join. Do not let anyone say nobody asked me. Very seldom do I have anyone say Yes the first time I ask if they are interested in knowing more about or joining the Knights of Columbus. If you keep watching their reaction to your activities and help them to become involved in those activities you will eventually win them over. Coming from a small council, we always have men step up to help with activities who are not Knights but not yet ready to join. You have to demonstrate that you are something they will be comfortable being a part of. Every function you hold is a job interview and prospective Knights are watching you. Church drives and open houses can be effective tools to build a prospect list. Church drives need to be handled right to be effective because people are in a hurry to get on with their day. Have your packets put together that you can hand out with information on what your council does, this is where your council brochure comes in. Someone recently said to put a prayer card in with the packet to discourage them from being thrown away, I like that idea. Try to have Knights manning the doors that know most of the parishioners so they can mentally build a list of prospects. You can have a sign up sheet for people who want additional information but don t be too disappointed when few people sign up. After your church drive, build prospect lists and assign members to contact each prospect personally. If you work most of your activities as a family, get your wife to help with the married prospects to get their wives interested also. Build the Knights of Columbus family image. Open houses should have a relaxed atmosphere where people can have social conversation before a presentation. Try to have the Council Chaplain & Field Agent present. Use the Supreme Council promotional videos to have playing in the background for information. If your Council Chaplin would like to speak, he could tell them what your council does to benefit the parish. During your formal presentation you can have member testimonials on why they joined the Knights of Columbus and what they have gotten out of it. I personally didn t join the Knights for what I could get out of it but rather what I could give but times have changed. Have your Field Agent give a presentation on what Knights of Columbus benefits are available and the stats on programs that the Knights of Columbus do that benefit those in need. Following your church drive or open house hold a service activity that you can invite the prospects to join you and learn more about what your council is doing. Ask the prospects what activities that they are interested in that the council might be able to help with. New activities can help maintain current member s interest also. Make personal invitations to individuals who are newlyweds, recent RCIA candidates, people who are active in the Parochial School, who provide hospitality for the school or parish. These are all people who would make good Knights of Columbus. Maintain close bonds with your members to keep them active in the Knights of Columbus. If a member is struggling with any part of their life, the council should be aware of it and be there to help. We are the Knights of Columbus family. Membership resources are available from the Supreme Council at: Guide to Recruiting Success: Conducting a Membership Drive.

5 Page 5 Below: Bindl Council Knights work alongside the local power company, Bridger Valley Electric, installing Christmas Lights on the tree in front of St. Helen s Catholic Church in Fort Bridger. Bridger Valley Electric donated employee time and the use of the truck for the activity. The lighting of the tree has been an annual event for many years. Fr. Tim Martinson along with the rest of the parish have a tree lighting ceremony each year on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. The Christmas season in Bridger Valley doesn t really begin until the Christmas tree South of Mountain View and the tree in front of St. Helen s Church in Fort Bridger are lit. It is very spiritual and emotional for all. Above: Knights of Columbus from Bindl Council in Fort Bridger installing new billboard signs for St. Helen s Catholic Church and a prolife sign to go with it. Twenty percent of the council membership assisted with the signs. This sign was installed on the north side of I-80 between exits #39(Mt. View) and #34 (Fort Bridger). Another sign was installed on the south side of I-80 between exits #34 (Fort Bridger) and #30 (TA Truck Stop). Photos and articles courtesy of Chuck Fagnant, District Deputy. Seminarians for the Diocese of Cheyenne Please keep the following seminarians in your prayers. They have all made the decision to take a serious look at whether or not God is calling them to the priesthood in the Diocese of Cheyenne. Contact information can be found on the Diocese of Cheyenne website. Joe Hurdle 2nd Pre-Theology Andrew Kinstetter Theology III St. John Vianney Seminary Clark Lenz Theology St. Meinrad Seminary Dylan Ostdiek Spirituality Year St. John Vianney Linh Vu College Sophomore Kellen Washut College Sophomore