Grand Knight's Message. Alan Kistler Laid to Rest. Officer Elections

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1 KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS COUNCIL NEWS Monsignor Thomas M. Wells Council Volume 6, Issue 11 #13008 Silver Spring, MD Grand Knight's Message Grand Knight Dave Czarnecki Worthy Brothers All: Congratulations worthy brothers we made it through another Fraternal Year. The Council can be very proud of the accomplishments of the past year. At the State convention in Ocean City last month, we received a Certificate of Merit, for the performance of our Christmas Card Program - placing second in Division D. There is news to report from the State Convention. A new slate of State Officers was elected and will be installed in the coming month. The current State Secretary Richard Siejack was elected as the new State Deputy and State Treasurer Peter Davio will advance to the State Secretary chair. While at the convention I learned that a reassignment of several councils to different districts will impact Council As of the new fraternal year we will be a part of District 11, which is where we originally started some 6-7 years ago. Celso Barrientos will be our new District Deputy; as soon as schedules permit, introductions will be made at a future meeting. This next meeting, 11 is a very important meeting for several reasons. It is the annual business meeting where we elect our council officers for the coming year. Your participation is urgently needed; please support the proposed slate with your vote. In addition to the elections, we will be honored with a visit from the State Deputy, Edgar Haynes. The Worthy State Deputy will be calling to honor the officers who under PGK Bill Bolin earned Star Council award. So it will be an eventful evening. I would like to close my report by summarizing the events and milestones of the past year. Our performance during the course of the year was nothing short of exemplary. Here is a brief listing of events and their focals that occurred over the last twelve months. These are accomplishments of which the Council can be very proud. Quarter 1: July 07, Aug 07, Sept 07 July 21 - Installation & Dinner (PGK Bill Bolin); July 21 - Continued on page 2 Alan Kistler Laid to Rest Brother Sir Knight Alan Kistler, who passed away on May 9 th, was laid to rest on Thursday, May 12 th. Members of the council gathered at the Collins funeral home Wednesday evening to recite the Rosary and to convey their sympathy to the family. The funeral Mass on Thursday was well attended by many of Alan s former associates. A moving eulogy was given by John Sweeny of the AFL/CIO who stated that the union s training institute would henceforth be known the Alan Kistler Institute. An excerpt of his remarks can be found at: He will be sorely missed. Requiescat in Pace.* Officer Elections The Council will be voting on its slate of officers for the fraternal year at the June Business Meeting. That is why it is important for you to be there! The meeting is on Wednesday, June 11 th at 7:45 PM in the St. Andrew s Teaches Lounge. Our business meetings are usually an hour in duration, and a great chance to get involved in the council. Put it on your calendar! Candidates Nominated for the slate of officers were be announced at the May 14 th Business Meeting and are listed below. A candidate for the position of Recorder has not as yet been nominated; nominations for this position will be received from the floor at the business meeting.* Chaplain Msgr. Michael Mellone Chaplain Emeritus Rev. Joseph Kennedy Associate Chaplain Rev. Mr. Kevin Mukri Grand Knight John O Donnell Deputy Grand Knight Prosper Youm Chancellor William Taylor Warden Harold Tarver Treasurer David Keefe Advocate Thomas Murphy Inside Guard Sean Hardman Outside Guard Thomas Devlin Trustee (3) David Czarnecki Trustee (3) Wayne Miller Trustee (2) William Bolin

2 GK s Message Cont d from page 1 Fun in the Sun Concert (Fr Greg, Deacon Mike Bond, John O Donnell); July 25-1st Degree (Paul Sanneman and the 1 st Degree Team). July 28 Aug 26 - Car Raffle Tickets (Tony Gentilcore 925 tickets sold with $440 proceeds to the Council, $106 goal); Aug 4 - Semi Annual Audit (Paul Sanneman, David Keefe, GK and Trustees); Aug Montgomery County Fair, District Tootsie Roll Booth; Aug 15 - Assisted the Health Ministry with the Blood Drive(Tony Gentilcore). Sept 15 Oct 14 Tootsie Roll Weekends, (W Moeller / Wayne Miller, 2007 Goal $2,000 - $2,300 raised); Sept 9 - Parish Picnic, (John O Donnell, Michael Bond, Werner Moeller); 9-11 MASS (Father Mike, Deacon Mike, GK Dave Czarnecki). Quarter 2: Oct 07, Nov 07, Dec 07 Oct 5, Participation in the Phyllis Kritzer Schultz Professional Development Fund for St. Andrew Apostle School Golf outing Nick Luketic; Oct 8 Council Soccer Shoot Out (Bill Taylor); Oct 13 District Soccer Shoot Out (Bill Taylor, 7 Council winners advanced). Nov 14 - $200 Thanksgiving Dinner Giant Card donation to the rectory fund; Nov 24-Dec 16 Keep Christ in Christmas Card Sales (Tony Gentilcore). Dec 2 passing of Brother Dominic Kastre; Dec 1- Dec 16 - Keep Christ in Christmas Magnets (Paul Sanneman); Dec 19 - Christmas Dinner (Harold Tarver). Quarter 3: Jan 08, Feb 08, March 08 Jan 19 - Rectory Dinner for teen candidates (Deacon Michael Bond, John O Donnell); Jan 23 First Degree (Paul Sanneman and the 1 st Degree Team); Jan 26 ongoing - Baby Bottle Campaign ($2,066 raised); Jan 26 - Semi Annual Audit (Paul Sanneman, David Keefe, GK and Trustees). Feb 1 Council Free Throw Competition (Coach Bill Taylor); Feb 3 - Scout Sunday (Paul Sanneman, Chris Farrell, Wayne Miller and John O Donnell); Feb 9 - Tootsie Roll Awards Banquet $50K distributed; Feb 10 - Letter Writing Campaign (Stephen Nichols, 200 letters collected); Feb 11 Pizza for Altar Server graduation (John O Donnell); Badges, thanks to Werner for finally making it happen; Feb 22 District Basketball Free Throw (Coach Taylor 4 Council winners Advancing); Adopt a Road (John O Donnell, Chris Farrell). 16 March State Basketball Shootout, four of our Council winners who also won District competition advanced to the State competition, 10 year old Paul Stubin placed 2 nd in the State competition; March Loyola Retreat (John O Donnell - 8 parish men participating); establishment of Knight in Need Fund, establishment of Council Banner Fund. Quarter 4: April 08, May 08, June 08 First award of Knight in Need Fund; April 13 - Membership Blitz, April Community Sunday; May 3 - First Adopt a Road clean-up; May 9 we lost a beloved Charter member and former Advocate, Sir Knight Alan Kistler; May 11, Mother Day Flowers, MD State Convention; May 28 - Council Appreciation Spaghetti Dinner, (GK Dave Czarnecki, John O Donnell, Wayne & Elesa Miller); June 11, Election of Officers, Visit from State Deputy for 2007 Star Council award, Servers and Family Swim party, June 12 th, Orioles Baseball Game. There are many additional names that supported these activities. My Thanks to everyone who contributed to a very successful year. Vivat Jesus * Chaplain's Message Assoc Chaplain Rev. Mr. Kevin Mukri Knights Enjoy the Summer Summer really ends our council s year. We congratulate this year s officers for the outstanding commitment to our council, our parish, and our Church. We pray for the success of our new officers as we elect a new team to lead us in service to others. As all Knights know, the summer passes quickly. In a blink of an eye, we will be putting our swim trunks away, covering up the barbque, and putting the sun screen back on the shelf. One thing that we can all try to relearn during our summer is how to relax. This seems so simple, but we all know it is hard. We get so involved in the activity of living including juggling our time and responsibility to our families, our employment, and the council, we can sometimes forget that it is important for us too to pause and relax. We can get so involved in making a living that we forget about making a life. We can get so involved in earning a living that we can forget about the important things that money can t buy. 2 Continued on page 3

3 C O U N C I L #13008 OFFICERS: Chaplain Chaplain Emeritus Associate Chaplain Grand Knight Deputy Grand Knight Chancellor Warden Recorder Financial Secretary Treasurer Advocate Lecturer Inside Guard Outside Guard Outside Guard Trustee 1 st Year Trustee 2 nd Year Trustee 3 rd Year CHAIRMAN: Program Director Church Activities Dir. Community Activity Dir Council Activities Dir Family Activities Dir Youth Activities Dir Membership Director Vocations Chairman Recruitment Chairman Retention Chairman Tootsie Roll Chairman Pro-Life Couple Health Services Christmas Card Chairman Newsletter Editor Webmaster Msgr. Michael Mellone Rev. Joseph Kennedy Deacon Kevin Mukri David Czarnecki, PGK John O Donnell Prosper Youm William Taylor Werner Moeller Paul Sanneman David Keefe Thomas Murphy Deacon Michael Bond Harold Tarver Tom Hollister Steven Schwartz William Bolin, PGK Wayne Miller, PGK Jim Lehr John O Donnell Deacon Michael Bond Harold Tarver David Peterson Michael Caruso Bill Taylor / Tom Hollister Wayne Miller, PGK Prosper Youm Bill Bolin, PGK David Czarnecki, PGK Werner Moeller Steve & Beth Nichols Tony Gentilcore Tony Gentilcore Jim Lehr David Keefe M E M B E R S H I P M E E T I N G S All council meetings are held in the Teachers' Lounge of the school. Officer s meetings are held at 7:30 on the first Wednesday of the month. Business meetings are held at 7:45 on the second Wednesday of the month. Social meetings are held at 7:45 on the fourth Wednesday of the month, preceded by recitation of the Rosary at 7:30. December Meetings June 4 Officer s meeting 7:30 June 11 Business meeting 7:45 PM June 25 Rosary 7:30 PM Social meeting 7:45 PM Continued from page 2 We can rush through our dinner to get to our next project without noticing the person who made the dinner and the people who are at the dinner table. We can rush out to do the yard work without looking up and appreciating the beauty in the trees, the grass and the flowers. We can get so involved in doing things for the council that we forget to enjoy the fellowship and friendship of our brother Knights. Too often we cram every square inch of our life with activity and our frantic schedule steals from us the very things that bring us closer to Almighty God. For most of us, summer allows us to slow down just a bit. It is a great time to take stock of our lives and redesign schedules for the coming year to ensure we have made time to relax and enjoy the many blessings in our lives. Almighty God made us body and soul. We need time to relax and quiet ourselves so that we can renew ourselves and listen to the quiet promptings from our Guardian Angel as he brings us the heavenly messages that are meant for us. May Almighty God bless your families this summer so that you can make time to pause, rest, and listen to His guidance.* Annual Service Appreciation Spaghetti Dinner Grand Knight Dave Czarnecki welcomed over fifty brothers and their families to our annual Appreciation Dinner in the All Purpose Room in Wednesday May 28, 2008 at 7:00PM. Grace was offered by Chaplain Msgr. Mellone and a good time was had by all. It is our special Social Meeting to thank members of the community, parish and council members for their community contributions. Thanks to all who contributed to the success of the event; special thanks to Lady Elesa Miller for the outstanding spaghetti sauce.* Teacher of the Year Congratulations to Elesa Miller, wife of PGK Wayne Miller, who was honored as Teacher of the Year by St. Andrew Apostle School. (She also makes a great spaghetti sauce!)* 3

4 Knights Adopt a Road Clean-up Monsignor Wells Council has adopted Arcola Avenue between Kemp Mill Road and Georgia Avenue as part of the county s Adopt a Road Program. Last month, DGK John O Donnell and IG Harold Tarver launched the council s efforts by collecting over 100 pounds of trash. The council will be holding the next clean-up day on Arcola on Saturday, June 6 th. All council members and family members are welcome to participate. Students who participate will receive public service credit hours for their effort. Please meet DGK John O Donnell in the church parking lot at 9:30 AM. Wear gloves if you have them. Trash bags will be provided.* Pool Party to be Held to Honor Altar Servers The Monsignor Wells Council will be holding its annual Pool Party to honor the altar servers at St. Andrew the Apostle Parish. The festivities will be held at the Kemp Mill Swim Club located at Stonington Place. The party will run from 6 to 8 PM on Thursday June 12. The council will provide hot dogs, burgers and drinks. The event is free to members and their families. If you would like to attend, please DGK John O Donnell by June 10 th at odonnelljohnh@hotmail.com and let him know how many people will be attending so we can get a good estimate on the food.* And the winner is The winner of the 2008 St Andrew the Apostle Church, Altar Server Appreciation, 50/50 Raffle is Al Tagliaferro. Father Greg drew the winning ticket after the 10:00 AM Mass on June 8 th. More than $1,000 was raised by selling raffle tickets after Mass over the last three weeks. Al s share of the winnings came to $500 which he was very gracious enough to donate back into Father Greg s Altar Server fund. The money will help defray the cost of the bus trip to King s Dominion in appreciation for the service by the Altar Servers. * Installation Mass and Potluck Supper on July 19 th On Saturday, July 19 th, the new officers of Monsignor Wells Council will be installed after the 5 PM Mass at St. Andrew the Apostle Catholic Church. Following the Mass there will be a potluck dinner held in the multipurpose room. Please mark the date; all members and their families are invited! More details will be forthcoming* June Birthdays Brother Joseph Zagami on the 5 th ; Chaplain Emeritus Rev. Joseph Kennedy on the 10 th ; Brother Robert Panick on the 16 th ; and, Brother Andrew Brown on the 29 th. Also, June, wife of deceased Brother Dominic Kastre on the 25.* June Anniversaries Brother Bernie Hillig and his wife Jean celebrate their fortyeighth on the 11 th ; Recorder Werner Moeller and his wife Margaret celebrate their twenty-eighth on the 21 st ; and, PGK Wayne Miller and his wife Elesa celebrate their twenty-eighth also on the 21 st.* June Knight of the Month This month s Knight of the Month is Werner Moeller. Thanks to Werner for his consistent contributions of skill and time for Council events. Whether it be flipping burgers on the grille or capturing our council meeting minutes Werner has contributed to the successful execution of many council events. Werner has also operated behind the scenes providing editing contributions to the Grand Knights newsletter messages and other newsletter edit suggestions.* June Family of the Month Congratulations to Nick and Yvette Luketic for the June Family of the Month. Nick and Yvette have been responsible for the success of a number of various parish fundraisers, including, and notably organizing production of the Annual Golf Outing to benefit the Phyllis Kritzer Schultz Professional Development Fund for the St. Andrew the Apostle School.* Remember In Your Prayers Former Associate Chaplain Father George Wilkinson who was struck by a car in front of his church and required many stitched to repair the injuries. Brother Sir Knight Alan Kistler who passed away May 9 th, Brother Robert Cowley who is ill, June Kastre, wife of deceased Brother Dominic who is ill, as well as other Brothers who are ill or in need and our servicemen who are in harm s way and those who are no longer with us.* 4

5 Monsignor Wells Message [From the Pastor s Desk, Spiritual Reflections by Monsignor, Thomas M. Wells] Be Not Afraid April 7, 1996 The Holy Father and Cardinal Hickey both celebrate fifty years of priesthood this year. Pope John Paul's story is, of course, one of the most dramatic of the century. He studied for the priesthood in secret because of the Nazi occupation of Poland; he was ordained just in time for the Communists to take over when the Germans were defeated and then spent most of his priesthood and episcopacy doing battle on behalf of the people and Church of Poland against the completely anti-religious Marxist puppet regime of his countr y. It has been said so many times that it becomes almost trite, but surely the Holy Spirit could not have given to the Church a more perfect instrument of hope to be Holy Father than he did when he gave us Pope John Paul II This roan--brilliant philosopher, compassionate listener political genius and spiritual giant has personally experienced the world a its worst. And yet, despite all he has seen of the power of evil, virtually the first words he spoke as Pope, words he has repeated over and over again, were, "Be not afraid!" Our Holy Father can tell us not to be afraid for the same reason that the angel tells the women at the empty tomb of Jesus the same thing: Jesus Christ is Risen from the dead! His resurrection is the proclamation of God s victory over sin, evil and death itself. "Fear is useless, what is needed is trust," Jesus told those who wept over the dead daughter of Jairus. Trust Jesus, we are told, because all that really matters in life He will freely give to those who put their trust in Him. Of course, it is hard to believe: we crave control; we want to be in charge; we want the assured outcome. How could there be an infinite God who cares about me who, as the Psalm says, "hold me in the palm of his hand"? The world is so big, the obstacles against me and my family are so overwhelming, how is anyone supposed to be able to place trust in God, especially when He asks things so alien to all that the world teaches. But the Resurrection is the Father's response to the trust of Jesus who believed that no evil could prevail over His Father's love. May the Spirit of the Risen Lord Jesus conquer the fear in our lives; m that Spirit fill us with the joy of the women at the tomb; and may that Spirit give us the zeal that drove the disciples to the ends of the earth with the Good News. May God bless each of us this Easter Day.* Reflections Lawrence P. Grayson America as a Universal Idea America is more than a geographic entity extending from sea to shining sea. For Americans, as well as people throughout the world, especially the oppressed, it is the embodiment of a vision, an idea, a set of idealistic principles. Perhaps no one summarized more cogently and effectively what America stands for than Abraham Lincoln in his Address at Gettysburg: Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal We here highly resolve that this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth. The concept of a nation dedicated to liberty, equality and democracy, but subject to an Almighty Being, set forth the fundamental principles upon which America is based. The idea of a nation under God was not considered transitory or fallible. It was not deemed an opinion, but an absolute truth which no one could question and which was to remain the firm foundation of the American way of life. The elements of liberty and equality are in common with the central political tenets of Western Europe as they were shaped by Enlightenment thinkers. The notion, however, of a sovereign God who reigns over nations as well as men distinguishes the religious principle of America from the laicist, often anti-clerical, tradition of Europe. In that philosophical approach, religion is a private concern and irrelevant to public affairs. The state and the society which it governs are at least agnostic, and in many instances atheistic. The laicist tradition does not simply advocate a separation of church and state, but promotes a secularism that frequently is anti-religious. The total focus for the political development of the state is centered on the Reflections continued to page 5 5

6 Reflections continued from page 4 rationality of man to the exclusion of the transcendent. Hence, ultimate sovereignty resides in the state which presumably reflects the will of the people. Since it is the state that defines the rights of the individual, those rights are provisional, as the state can rescind what it grants. The state s leaders are bound by nothing higher than the will of the people. This laicist concept of freedom is alien to America s belief in freedom under God. The political principles that have emerged from that belief the idea that there is a universal moral law instilled in man by his Creator which underlies society, that the state is subject to that law, that government has a moral basis is intrinsic to American society. As God has sovereignty over nations as well as over individuals, Americans recognize certain rights of man as inalienable because they were bestowed by that Supreme Being. These rights although they may be ignored or violated cannot be revoked by the state. While certain rights are considered inalienable, they are not unrestricted. Rather, they are to be regulated by a higher moral law. Human rights, as Pope Benedict XVI stated in his address to the United Nations on April 19, 2008, are based on the natural law inscribed on human hearts. The Creator implanted in the nature of man a moral prescription which is universal in its extent and is exercised through one s conscience. This was necessary so that people would utilize their freedom in a morally and socially acceptable manner. Indeed, America as a government of liberty under law could not be sustained if the people as a whole were not inwardly governed by the imperatives of that law. The nation s political leaders are also bound by that higher law, and must act accordingly even if the will of the people or the statutes of the state are in violation of it. The Founding Americans believed so strongly in the view of a nation under God that the country s establishment was implicitly a prophetic and messianic event. Being committed to the future, they saw the Revolution as the beginning of a new age, creating a new civilization which would lead to a better world. With the recognition of self-evident truths about equality, liberty, inalienable rights and a sovereign God, America has viewed itself as something essentially new in human history. It has considered itself not just one nation at a given pointing time, but as a nation endowed with universal principles meant for all mankind. This has been reflected through America s history in its rhetoric and ambitions. Thomas Paine, in his 1775 pamphlet, Common Sense, declared on the eve of the American Revolution, We have it in our power to begin the world over again. The nation s belief in its exceptionalism was evident in the arguments for Manifest Destiny in the 1840s to expand the country across the continent, and in the 1890s to extend America s territorial responsibilities overseas. In his 1925 Inaugural Address, President Calvin Coolidge said: We made freedom a birthright. We extended our domain over distant islands in order to safeguard our own interests and accepted the consequent obligation to bestow justice and liberty American Progress, John Gast, 1872: An allegory of Columbia leading settlers westward upon less favored people. President Franklin D. Roosevelt in his State of the Union Address in 1941 spoke of a world founded upon four essential human freedoms (of speech, of religion, from want, and from fear), and then promoted those values as universal through the United Nations. The idea that America has a special place in the world by offering freedom, opportunity and hope for humanity has led to the more recent efforts in nation building and in this country s interceding on behalf of oppressed peoples to help them replace despotic governments with democracy. America s expressions and actions illustrate the extent to which this nation is committed to promoting the self-evident truths which its Founders codified as they sought their freedom from a distant monarch.* Vivat Jesus!* Words of Pope Benedict XVI Dear brothers and sisters, how necessary it is at the beginning of this third millennium that the entire Christian community, unanimously and of one accord proclaim, teach and witness to the full to the truths of the Catholic faith, doctrine and morals! Angelus, July 3, 2005* Cast out into the deep 6

7 1 Raffle Tickets After Mass 8 Altar Server 50/50 Raffle Monsignor Thomas M. Wells Council #13008 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Officers Adopt Meeting A Road 7:30PM Drawing 15 Fathers Day Business Meeting Officer Elections 7:45PM 12 Altar Servers Pool Party 6 8:00PM 13 Orioles St. Manyanet Council Social Meeting 7:45PM Rosary 7:30PM Pickup If you have an address and did not receive this newsletter by , please help us save postage by sending your address to the editor at: oldfogy@verizon.net Flag Day 7