Knight Worthy News. St. Joseph Council 10627, High Bridge, New Jersey

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all, F irst, I send my congratulations to brother Chis Dietrich and his wife Loran. Baby Evelyn Marie Dietrich, was baptized last week at St. Joseph Church!

) Several things are coming up soon so we need everyone s support the Family Week BBQ next Saturday August 5; the annual Soccer Challenge on September 16; and a charter boat fishing trip on September

Please GET INVOLVED! Officers: Grand Knight Tom Corrado 638-0177 Chaplain Fr. Gerard Lair (973) 538-3231 Deputy G. K. Mario Bernardo 638-6318 Chancellor Bruce Teeling, PGK 730-7538 Advocate Jim McCloskey 328-5176 Recorder Steve Bauernfeind 638-4285 Fin.

1 Knight Worthy News St. Joseph Council 10627, High Bridge, New Jersey A Catholic men s organization promoting Charity, Unity, Fraternity, Family and Patriotism August 2017 (Area Code 908 unless otherwise noted) Brothers all, F irst, I send my congratulations to brother Chis Dietrich and his wife Loran. Baby Evelyn Marie Dietrich, was baptized last week at St. Joseph Church! Council leaders met and put together a very busy calendar for the year. (We ll have an opportunity to vote on the budget supporting the calendar at the next membership meeting.) Several things are coming up soon so we need everyone s support the Family Week BBQ next Saturday August 5; the annual Soccer Challenge on September 16; and a charter boat fishing trip on September 23. (Ed. Note: Information about those events is on other pages of KWN and on the council website.) I also ask that if you have any suggestions about what the council should be doing, let me know. Please GET INVOLVED! Officers: Grand Knight Tom Corrado Chaplain Fr. Gerard Lair (973) Deputy G. K. Mario Bernardo Chancellor Bruce Teeling, PGK Advocate Jim McCloskey Recorder Steve Bauernfeind Fin. Sec. Robert Young Treasurer Peter Sandrian Warden Tom Klawunn Inside Guard Jim Codd Outside Guard Andy Kin Past GK Kevin Loughney Trustees: Bill Cerwinski, PGK John Furnari, PGK Kevin Loughney, PGK (732) Directors: Program Mario Bernardo Church Bill Cerwinski (732) Community Robert Young Council Tom Klawunn Family Mark Kucharski Membership Mario Bernardo Culture of Life Rich Mirocco Youth Chris Denis Dist. Deputy: Ed Schilke Ins. Agent: (973) J ohn Fasanello Website: Vivat Jesus Tom 1

Three Saints Dear friends, The month of July ends with the feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola (July 31), and the first week of August introduces us to two more great saints: St.

It is good for us to reflect briefly on each of these giants in spirituality. St.

2 Three Saints Dear friends, The month of July ends with the feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola (July 31), and the first week of August introduces us to two more great saints: St. Alphonsus Liguori (August 1) and St. John Mary Vianney (August 4). All three have left their indelible mark in the Church and in the world. It is good for us to reflect briefly on each of these giants in spirituality. St. Ignatius of Loyola, the Founder of the Jesuits: As a young man Ignatius was inflamed by the ideals of courtly love and knighthood. But in 1521, he was seriously wounded in a battle. While recuperating, Ignatius requested any book of chivalric romances. But there were only two books in the castle where he was recuperating: Life of Christ and The Golden Legend - a book on the lives of saints. These books gradually changed his outlook; visions of knightly glory were now replaced by the desire to do great deeds just as the saints had for the love of God. Ignatius decided to do God s will. His Spiritual Exercises is one of the most influential books on the spiritual life ever written. Many people do not know that Ignatius did this as a layman, and not as a priest! He did this apostolate for 15 years before he was ordained. His Exercises were not a series of pious sermons but prescriptions that were meant to put a person in direct communication with God. It is used for and by lay people, thus bringing spirituality into the marketplace. St. Alphonsus Liguori, the Founder of the Redemptorists: He was very intelligent, even as a young boy, and he became a doctor of civil law at age 17. He resigned from a brilliant career as a lawyer in 1723 when he lost a case because he overlooked a small, but important, piece of evidence. He entered the seminary and was ordained three years later. He soon became a sought-after preacher and confessor in Naples. His sermons were simple and well organized that they appealed to all people, both learned and unlearned. He was a great moral theologian and his famous book, Moral Theology, was published in Thirty years later, he was appointed bishop. He is a doctor of the Church who is widely known for his contribution to moral theology. St. John Marie Vianney, Patron of all Parish Priests/Pastors: He wanted to become a priest. He was dismissed from the Seminary due to his inability to master Latin, but was ordained on the strength of his devotion to Mother Mary! Situations calling for impossible deeds followed him Fr. Abraham Orapankal everywhere. As pastor of a nearextinct parish at Ars, John encountered people who were indifferent and quite comfortable with their style of living. He is best known for his ministry as a confessor. It is mind-boggling to know that he sat in the Confessional for 12 hours in the winter months and up to 16 in the summer months! But still more mind-boggling were the miracles of conversion, reconciliation and healing among the unbelievable number of crowds that came to him for confession! In 1929, Pope Pius XI named him the patron of parish priests worldwide. Saints are good role models for us. The more we know about them, the better we will be inspired to grow closer to God and to one another. Your brother in Christ, Fr. Abraham Orapankal 2

3 The St. Joseph Council supported the Cruisin Bob s Classic Car Show sponsored by Unity Bank and held on the bank s properties in Clinton. Proceeds from the annual event benefit the family shelters, Family Promise of Hunterdon and Family Promise Warren. For several years, council members have supported the event by preparing and serving the food to attendees. Photos by Andy Kin show some of the cars and trucks at the show and several of our brother Knights who helped out. 3

In Nashville, Tennessee, during the first week of January 1996, more than 4,000 baseball coaches descended upon the Opryland Hotel for the 52nd annual American Baseball Coaches Association s (ABCA)

One name, in particular, kept resurfacing, always with the same sentiment John Scolinos is here? Oh, man, worth every penny of my airfare. Who is John Scolinos, I wondered.

4 In Nashville, Tennessee, during the first week of January 1996, more than 4,000 baseball coaches descended upon the Opryland Hotel for the 52nd annual American Baseball Coaches Association s (ABCA) convention. While I waited in line to register with the hotel staff, I heard other more veteran coaches rumbling about the lineup of speakers scheduled to present during the weekend. One name, in particular, kept resurfacing, always with the same sentiment John Scolinos is here? Oh, man, worth every penny of my airfare. Who is John Scolinos, I wondered. No matter; I was just happy to be there. In 1996, Coach Scolinos was 78 years old and five years retired from a college coaching career that began in He shuffled to the stage to an impressive standing ovation, wearing dark polyester pants, a light blue shirt, and a string around his neck from which home plate hung a full-sized, starkwhite home plate. Seriously, I wondered, who is this guy? After speaking for twenty-five minutes, not once mentioning the prop hanging around his neck, Coach Scolinos appeared to notice the snickering among some of the coaches. Even those who knew Coach Scolinos had to wonder exactly where he was going with this, or if he had simply forgotten about home plate since he d gotten on stage. Then, finally... You re probably all wondering why I m wearing home plate around my neck, he said, his voice growing irascible. I laughed along with the others, acknowledging the possibility. I may be old, but I m not crazy. The reason I stand before you today is to share with you baseball people what I ve learned in my life, what I ve learned about home plate in my 78 years. Several hands went up when Scolinos asked how many Little League coaches were in the room. Do you know how wide home plate is in Little League? After a pause, someone offered, Seventeen inches?, more of a question than an answer. That s right, he said. How about in Babe Ruth s day? Any Babe Ruth coaches in the house? Another long pause. Seventeen inches? a guess from another reluctant coach. That s right, said Scolinos. Now, how many high school coaches do we have in the room? Hundreds of hands shot up, as the pattern began to appear. How wide is home plate in high school baseball? Seventeen inches, they said, sounding more confident. You re right! Scolinos barked. And you college coaches, how wide is home plate in college? Seventeen inches! we said, in unison. Any Minor League coaches here? How wide is home plate in pro ball? Seventeen inches! RIGHT! And in the Major Leagues, how wide home plate is in the Major Leagues? Seventeen inches! SEVENTEEN INCHES! he confirmed, his voice bellowing off the walls. And what do they do with a Big League pitcher who can t throw the ball over seventeen inches? Pause. They send him to Pocatello! he hollered, drawing raucous laughter. What they don t do is this: they don t say, Ah, that s okay, Jimmy. If you can t hit a seventeen-inch target? We ll make it eighteen inches or nineteen inches. We ll make it twenty inches so you have a better chance of hitting it. If you can t hit that, let us know so we can make it wider still, say twenty-five inches. 4

5 Don t Widen the Plate (continued) Pause... Coaches... what do we do when your best player shows up late to practice? Or when our team rules forbid facial hair and a guy shows up unshaven? What if he gets caught drinking? Do we hold him accountable? Or do we change the rules to fit him? Do we widen home plate? The chuckles gradually faded as four thousand coaches grew quiet, the fog lifting as the old coach s message began to unfold. He turned the plate toward himself and, using a Sharpie, began to draw something. When he turned it toward the crowd, point up, a house was revealed, complete with a freshly drawn door and two windows. This is the problem in our homes today. With our marriages, with the way we parent our kids. With our discipline. We don t teach accountability to our kids, and there is no consequence for failing to meet standards. We just widen the plate! Pause... Then, to the point at the top of the house he added a small American flag. This is the problem in our schools today. The quality of our education is going downhill fast and teachers have been stripped of the tools they need to be successful, and to educate and discipline our young people. We are allowing others to widen home plate! Where is that getting us? Silence.... He replaced the flag with a Cross. And this is the problem in the Church, where powerful people in positions of authority have taken advantage of young children, only to have such an atrocity swept under the rug for years. Our church leaders are widening home plate for themselves! And we allow it. And the same is true with our government. Our so called representatives make rules for us that don t apply to themselves. They take bribes from lobbyists and foreign countries. They no longer serve us. And we allow them to widen home plate! We see our country falling into a dark abyss while we just watch. I was amazed. At a baseball convention where I expected to learn something about curve balls and bunting and how to run better practices, I had learned something far more valuable from an old man with home plate strung around his neck, I had learned something about life, about myself, about my own weaknesses and about my responsibilities as a leader. I had to hold myself and others accountable to that which I knew to be right, lest our families, our faith, and our society continue down an undesirable path. If I am lucky, Coach Scolinos concluded, you will remember one thing from this old coach today. It is this: If we fail to hold ourselves to a higher standard, a standard of what we know to be right; if we fail to hold our spouses and our children to the same standards, if we are unwilling or unable to provide a consequence when they do not meet the standard; and if our schools & churches & our government fail to hold themselves accountable to those they serve, there is but one thing to look forward to... With that, he held home plate in front of his chest, turned it around, and revealed its dark black backside, We have dark days ahead! Coach Scolinos died in 2009 at the age of 91, but not before touching the lives of hundreds of players and coaches, including mine. Meeting him at my first ABCA convention kept me returning year after year, looking for similar wisdom and inspiration from other coaches. He is the best clinic speaker the ABCA has ever known because he was so much more than a baseball coach. His message was clear: Coaches, keep your players no matter how good they are your own children, your churches, your government, and most of all, keep yourself at seventeen inches. He was, indeed, worth the airfare. Chris Sperry, Baseball/Life, LLC 5

6 Brothers Mark your calendars! Helpers are needed! 6

7 For many years, the K-Club has provided funds for St. Joseph Council charitable activities. Are you a member? 7

8 The success of our council s charitable activities has been bolstered by the companies and individuals who sponsor the council golf tournament. Several sponsors have been with us for years! Let s show our appreciation for their generosity by supporting them! (to be continued!) 8

9 Classified Ads CAT Free to good home: Serious inquiries only. Call (732)

10 10 (If you haven t signed up - please use the council s Sign-up website page)

11 Happy Birthday! Andy Kin August 2 Kassy McGourty August 4 Carolyn Newman August 5 Phil Titus August 7 Carol Ayotte August 7 Kathy Teeling August 8 Cheverly Richardson August 9 Susan Young August 11 Matt Furka August 14 Kathryn Van Nest August 15 Fr. Hugh Grace August 17 Tom Newman August 18 Tony Sorgi August 18 Rich Nacamuli August 19 Christopher Denis August 20 James Richardson August 25 Greg Springstun August 26 Dennis Noonan August 26 John Hanly August 27 Fran Rapp August 31 Happy Anniversary! Jim & Kathy Wilmott August 2 Kevin & Debbie Loughney August 4 Charles & Emily Bruton August 10 Tom & Harmony Waldron August 12 Tom & Robin Corrado August 20 Jim & Dawn Simila August 28 Only ONE Membership Meeting this month Thursday August 24 K of C Family Week BBQ Saturday, August 5 Lyons Masses August 6, November 5, December 10 Soccer Challenge Saturday September 16 Fishing Trip Saturday, September 23 Installation of Officers Thursday September 28 Chapter 4 Degrees Admission (First): October 6 East Brunswick Formation (Second): October 6 East Brunswick Knighthood (Third): None Patriotic (Fourth): None See latest statewide degree information at: and click the Degrees Tab All the News That Fits. Knight Worthy News is published monthly and distributed via . Send letters & comments to: comcast.net Find St. Joseph Council at: 11

12 ~ August 2017 ~ Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Family Week BBQ 6 Lyons Mass K-Club Begins (to 12/17) Assumption of Mary Membership Meeting SJN Spirituality Breakfast th Degree Meeting ~ September 2017 ~ Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Labor Day St. Joseph Parish Picnic 17 St. Joseph- Membership Drive 11 Patriot Day 9/ Membership Meeting International Day of Peace Soccer Challenge St. Joseph- Membership Drive 22 Fall Begins 23 Family Fishing Trip 24 St. John Neumann Parish Picnic 25 4th Degree Meeting Days for Life Begins (to November 5) 28 Installation of Officers & Social Meeting SJN Spirituality Breakfast SJN Golf Outing Calendar updates available at 12

From your President SEV-EN-TEEN INCHES!

From your President SEV-EN-TEEN INCHES! In Nashville, Tennessee, during the first week of January, 1996, more than 4,000 baseball coaches descended upon the Opryland Hotel for the 52nd annual ABCA's convention.