The Explorer The Monthly Newsletter of Fr.A. Leo Abendschoen Council Overlea/Rosedale, MD Knights of Columbus April 2009

Transcription

1 The Explorer The Monthly Newsletter of Fr.A. Leo Abendschoen Council Overlea/Rosedale, MD Knights of Columbus April 2009 Grand Knight s Message Brothers, It is hard to believe that April is already upon us. While the fraternal year may be entering its final quarter, our council still has many events that will take place prior to its conclusion. I want to begin by inviting all brother knights and their families to attend the Breakfast with the Easter Bunny on Saturday, April 4th. Our council will be working with the religious education program to serve breakfast, take pictures with the Easter Bunny, and assist in the Easter egg hunt. On April 18 th, our council will be sponsoring the Divine Mercy celebration. The event will consist of mass, benediction, and the praying of the Divine Mercy Chaplet. Our council will also host a free light reception in the church hall immediately following the celebration. This event is a wonderful way for families and parishioners to learn more about Divine Mercy! A special thanks goes to Carol Derus for helping to plan this event. Our council held a membership blitz in March and as a result we welcomed two new members into the council. I would like to formally welcome Mark Barnstorf and Brian Stone to our council. I am very encouraged by their enthusiasm for the order and they have already volunteered for committees! With the end of the fraternal year in sight, it means that the election of council officers is right around the corner. If you are interested in running for office or nominating someone for an office please see Shawn Ruby, Walt Wankowski, or Michael N. Schleupner Jr. to make a nomination. I would like to announce that Shawn Ruby and the family of Adam Kolb were chosen Knight of the Month and Family of the Month respectively for March. I conclude this message by encouraging all of our brother knights and their families to attend our council s Divine Mercy celebration on April 18 th. (continued on page 2) Chaplain s Message Dear Brothers in Christ, As we enter April, we are greeted by the beginning of Holy Week on Saturday, April 4 th. Let us make every effort to participate in Holy Week s special liturgies, especially the commemoration of the Lord s Last Supper on Holy Thursday, the observance of the Passion of Christ on Good Friday, and the celebration of his Divinity either at the Easter Vigil or at one of the masses on Easter Sunday morning. Spring is now here. The weather is warming up and the days are getting longer. The grass is beginning to turn green and grow, and the trees and flowers will soon be in bloom. Each time we see Spring explode around us, it has to leave us in absolute awe of the wonders of God s plan for creation on earth, and bring to mind the words of the hymn How Great Thou Art. When through the woods, and forest glades I wander, And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees. When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze. Just as God created perennial life on earth through nature, He also gave our souls a perennial life of their own. And it is our responsibility to see to it that our souls are prepared for the eternal life to come. Let s not fail in our mission on earth. May you all have a blessed Easter! With prayerful good wishes, I remain sincerely yours in Christ, YÜA j ÄÄ tå ca YÉÄxç Chaplain

2 Grand Knight s Message (continued from page 1) I wish all brothers knights and their families a happy Easter season and I look forward to a productive final quarter of our fraternal year. Vivat Jesus! May God Bless You All, Jason Karolkowski Grand Knight Council Programs Upcoming Meetings There will be NO Officer s meeting in April. General Business Meetings Mondays, April 13th & 27 th at 7:00 pm in the Annunciation parish hall. Sick & Shut-In Please remember Brothers Jerry Dolivka, Henry Gurski, Frank Halecki, Alex Kallay, Bob Rogers, and sister Nancy Pierce in your prayers. If you know of any other brother or sister who is sick or a shut-in, please notify Walt Wankowski at or wwanko@comcast.net. Soft Copy Want to be among the first to get this bulletin, and in full color, no less? Forward your address to Walt Wankowski at wwanko@comcast.net Free Money - Wish You Were Here! This is our monthly reminder that we have an Attendance Prize drawn at every Council General Business meeting. The winner at our March 9 th General Meeting would have been Alex Kallay. Why not try to make every meeting you can? It could prove profitable one day. With only 90 members on our roster, your odds of winning are extremely good. Upcoming Ceremonials The following ceremonials will take place within a 45 minute drive from Annunciation church: 1 st Degree Apr. 7th Notre Dame Council - Baltimore Apr. 8 th Archbishop Fulton Sheen Owings Mills Apr. 20 th Fr. Maurice Wolfe - Abingdon 2 nd Degree Apr. 23rd Msgr. Raymond Kelly Council, Pasadena Anyone wishing to take a candidate to a Degree on one of these dates, must contact Financial Secretary Joe Schaum, Jr. at , so that the proper paperwork can be prepared and the hosting Council can be notified. In addition, an officer of our Council must accompany the candidate to the degree ceremonial. 1 st Degree Team We are still looking for alternate team members for our 1 st Degree team. People who can fill in for someone when they are ill or cannot attend because of other commitments. These include speaking parts and non-speaking parts. Most degree exemplifications will be held on regular meeting nights. Few activities can be more rewarding than being a part of the team that makes new members official. If you would like to be part of our 1 st Degree team, contact Walt Wankowski at The Explorer Published monthly by the Fr. A. Leo Abendschoen Council # of the Knights Of Columbus Meeting on the 2 nd and 4 th Monday at 7:00 pm at the Church of the Annunciation 5212 McCormick Road Baltimore, Maryland Grand Knight: Jason Karolkowski Editor: Walt Wankowski wwanko@comcast.net Pastor & Chaplain: Rev. William P. Foley 2

3 Happy Times The following members of our Council family are celebrating Birthdays in April: 1 - Charlotte Schaum 2 - Evelyn Bandell 4 - Franklin L.Vanik 8 - Paul J. Frey 9 - Marchetto, Donne S Gilbert M. Leppert, Jr William Dau 20 - Adam T. Kolb 24 - John A. Geroso & Michael J. Thomas 29 - Alfred F. Boemmel ANNIVERSARIES 5 - Charles & Deborah Pepersack 29 - Robert & Joan Gresdo If you have Happy Times you would like published in the next issue of the Explorer Graduations, Retirements, Awards received, etc., send them to wwanko@comcast.net. Dues Reminder! We still have some members who have not paid their dues for If you have lost your invoice, simply makeout a check for $35.00 payable to: Knights of Columbus 11615, and put it into an envelope addressed to Financal Secretary Joseph D. Schaum, Jr., 6152 Radecke Avenue, Baltimore, MD Please help save the Council some money, and the Financial Secretary some time, by getting your dues in, so that we don't have to send additional notices. Thanks for your support. Vivat Jesus! Joseph D. Schaum, Jr., F.S. Web Site Remember that our Council web site has lots of information about we have done recently and what we are planning to do. It also contains a calendar of monthly events, our Bingo prize structure, and photos of our latest activities. Just log on to BINGO Due to the observances of Palm Sunday, Holy Saturday, and the Divine Mercy Celebration on successive Saturdays in April, our next Knight of Bingo will be held on Saturday, May 9 th at 6:00 pm in the Annunciation parish hall (our Council home). The Bingo is our major source of income and we would appreciate any of you who could make the time to pitch in and help. Kitchen workers should report by 5:00 pm. If you prefer to work the Admissions table, where we always need help, please be there by 5:10 pm. Then, after we start the games, we will need you on the floor. You can also help the cause by bringing family and friends along as paying customers. The doors officially open at 5:15 pm, BINGO starts promptly at 6:00 pm and will probably be finished by 8:30 pm. Nominations Nominations are now being accepted for Council Officers for the fraternal year. All offices are open to any 3 rd or 4 th Degree Knight of the council, or any Knight who will have taken the 3 rd Degree by July 1, Offices include Grand Knight, Deputy Grand Knight, Chancellor, Treasurer, Recorder, Advocate, Warden, Inside & Outside Guards, and Trustees. (The offices of Financial Secretary and Lecturer are appointed.) If you would like to place your name in the hat for any office, contact Shawn Ruby at , Mike Schleupner at , or Walt Wankowski at Job descriptions for any office can be obtained by calling Walt. If you have any questions about any office or about the process, call Walt. Nominations should be submitted by June 1 st. Elections will be held at the General Meeting on June 8 th. 3

4 The Explorer Membership Keep It Going! Our Membership Blitz on March 14 th & 15 th was a success! We have already welcomed two new members to the order Mark Barnstorf and Brian Stone, and we prepare to welcome at least one more. Do you know of someone who has been thinking about joining? Why not take the initiative and ask them to join. Just because our Spring Blitz is over doesn t mean that out Membership Drive is over. Recruiting new members is a year-round effort. Remember that every new member we bring in, especially if they are men who want to be involved, means less work for all of us, and more activities that we can get involved in. So talk to them. Tell them about the benefits of being a Knight. Explain the opportunities of the Insurance Program and the new Annuity programs. And remember that the new Form 100 went into effect on January 1, If you don t have one of the new forms, contact Financial Secretary Joe Schaum, Jr. at For those of you who attend Annunciation Church, Membership packets, including the new Form 100, are available in the K of C display in the back of the church. Shining Armor Award This is a reminder to our newest members that there is an award program available to those who bring in new members. The Shining Armor Award is available for you if you can 1) attend three business meetings, 2) participate in three of our activities, 3) meet with your Benefits Advisor, 4) attain your 3 rd Degree, and 5) recruit one new member, all within one year of the date that you took your 1 st Degree. If you accomplish all five of these goals in the required time period, contactt Grand Knight Jason Karolkowski at April 2009 Another Shield You Can Win The Silver Knight Award is available to any 3 rd Degree Knight who 1) attends three business meetings, 2) participates in three activities, and 3) recruits two new members during the Fraternal Year. For more information, contact GK Jason Karolkowski at , or Membership Chairman and IPGK Walt Wankowski at or wwanko@comcast. net. Church Programs RSVP Program Keep in mind that our Council is continuously collecting money for the education of Seminarians and women studying for the religious life. There are large collection jars at the three main doors of Annunciation Church and for those of you who do not attend mass at Annunciation, contributions can be sent directly to Financial Secretary Joseph D. Schaum, Jr., 6152 Radecke Avenue, Baltimore, MD Make the check payable to K of C and put RSVP Donation on the Memo line. Divine Mercy The annual Divine Mercy Celebration will take place at the 4:00 pm mass at Annunciation Churchh on Saturday, April 18, This is the Saturday after Easter. The mass will be followed by the recitation of the Divine Mercy chaplet, procession, and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. Immediately following the church celebration, Fr. Abendschoen Council will host a reception in the parish hall for all those who attend. This would be a wonderful time for all Knights to demonstrate solidarity by filling the pews with Knights of Columbus and their families. We sincerely hope that you will all make an effort to join us for this very special occasion. 4

5 Baptism Program Our Baptism program continues. The program recognizes the families of children who get baptized at the Church of the Annunciation. Each family will receive a rosary for their baby, a letter from the Grand Knight, a prayer for the mother and father, and a prayer card of Fr. McGivney. On March 8 th, we welcomed Gianna Rose Chavis, and on March 15 th we welcomed Grace Vaughan Miller into the Catholic Church. Our hope is that these packages will celebrate the fact that each family chose life, and to give them some exposure to the Knights of Columbus. Community Programs Spring Bazaar Fr. Abendschoen Council will sponsor a Spring Bazaar on Sunday, April 26, 2009 from 12 Noon to 6:00 pm in the Annunciation parish hall. We will serve a delicious Spaghetti Dinner with Garlic Bread, Tossed Salad, Dessert, Coffee, Hot Tea, Iced Tea and Lemonade. Beer, wine, and soda will be available for a nominal charge. There will also be a Big 6 Wheel, a Baked Goods Wheel, a Plant Wheel and Prizes. Tickets are $12.00 for adults and $5.00 for Children 3 thru 12 years of age. For tickets call Walt at Tickets MUST be purchased by April 22 nd. We also need volunteers to work the event. To put your name on the list call Mike Schleupner at Spring 50/50 In conjunction with our Spring Bazaar, we will be conducting a 50/50 raffle. Tickets will be $1.00 each or 6 for $5.00. The drawing will take place during the Spring Bazaar. All proceeds from the Spring Bazaar and the Spring 50/50 will go toward the Parish Hall Kitchen Refurbishment Fund. 5 Golf Tournament Wednesday, June 24, 2009 is the date for the 2 nd Annual Fr. A. Leo Abendschoen Memorial Golf Tournament. The tournament will be held at Oakmont Greens, 2290 Golf View Lane in Hampstead, MD. Check in time is 11:00 am, with a Shotgun Start at 12 Noon. Cost is $85.00 per golfer. Hole Sponsorship is $ per hole. Price includes Range Balls, Round of Golf with Cart, Steak Dinner, Unlimited Beer, Soda & Water. Prizes for Winning Foursome, longest drive, and closest to the pin. You do NOT have to be a Knight to participate. Proceeds will benefit our Council Charity Fund. For more information or to register, call Jason at , or Frank at Family Programs Breakfast with the Easter Bunny Our annual Breakfast with the Easter Bunny will take place on Saturday, April 4, 2009 from 9:30 am to 12 Noon in the Annunciation Parish Hall. It will include a hot breakfast, storytelling, pictures with the Easter Bunny, and an Easter Egg Hunt (weather permitting). This is always a fun morning for the whole family, grandparents included, so mark your calendar and plan to join us! Registration IS required and ends on April 1st. Registration is $5.00 per adult and $3.00 per child ages 3 thru 12. Children under 3 are FREE. Registration forms are available in the K of C display in the back of Annunciation Church, or you may obtain one by calling Jason at We will also need a number of volunteers to make this event happen smoothly. If you can help us on Friday, April 3 rd, or Saturday April 4th, or both, please contact Jason at or Greg at

6 Joining the Boys of Summer Mark your calendar for Friday, July 10 th at 7:00 pm. That will be our Evening with the Birds! See the Toronto Blue Jays take on the Orioles at Camden Yards, get a free bag of peanuts, and stick around to watch a great fireworks display after the game. Tickets are $13.00 each and all proceeds go to our Council s Charity Fund. You can reserve your seats now by calling Walt at Family of the Month/Year Our Family of the Month for March was the Adam Kolb family. We would like to have a nomination to submit every month. If you have a family that you think would be deserving, why not submit them for nomination? Each family selected by Supreme will receive a beautiful Holy Family statuette along with a letter of congratulations from Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson. If not selected by Supreme, they will receive an award from our Council. The following factors should be considered: Has the family made significant contributions to the Church, community and/or council? Does the family enjoy one another? Does the family share experiences? Does the family communicate openly and honestly? Does the family pray and attend Mass together? Nominees must be submitted to Supreme by the 15 th of each month. The nominated family does NOT have to have an affiliation with the Knights of Columbus. But in your write-up, we do need to know names and ages, especially of the children (if any). And remember, a single person can be a family. Please forward all nominations to Jason Karolkowski at 1322 Chapel Hill Road, Baltimore, MD or via at jkarolkowski@bcps.org. 6 District Deputy s Message My Brothers All, With this April newsletter signals the last three months of the fraternal year. It is time to reflect on how well our respective councils are doing. That is, have we met the membership goals or insurance goals? Are we closing in on it? Unfortunately, we are not all doing well. Why are we not getting the new members? Is it because there are no more Catholic men interested in the Knights of Columbus? Is it because no one wants the great insurance/annuity benefits provided by the Knights of Columbus? Is it that the Knights have nothing to offer socially, fraternally, and spiritually? We as Knights know better. I think we all know the answer. We have to ASK!! Resolve during the Easter season to carry a Form 100 and ask the man next to you at church if he would like to become a Knight. Help your council, help the Knights, and help that prospective candidate. I promise you will be glad you did!! On behalf of my wife Leatrice and myself, I wish you a blessed and Holy Easter. May God Bless You, Gary A. Gray District Deputy 04 gag5040@aol.com Yahoo! The Maryland State Council sponsors a communication vehicle at Yahoo.com. Any Knight who has a computer, can sign up for it and it costs you nothing. At the same time, it can provide you with valuable information concerning the activities and members of the Knights families in Maryland. To sign up for this valuable service, simply go to Click on the Blue button that says Join this Group, and then click the link that says Sign Up and follow the instructions. Your privileges will take effect in a few days.

7 4 th Degree News Chapter News For those of you who did not get the word, The April 14 th meeting of the Archbishop Francis P. Keough Assembly meeting will be an open meeting where you can bring the family. The meeting begins with dinner at 8:00 pm at the Bishop Sebastian Council Hall at 7910 Harford Road, just north of Taylor Avenue in Parkville. We strongly encourage you to take advantage of what the Assembly has to offer. Right now the assembly could use some new members for its Color Corps and Flag Team. The Color Corps, often referred to as the Visible Arm of the Order, in their colorful tuxedos, capes, plumed chapeaus, and gleaming swords, take part in many community parades, special liturgies, and Knights of Columbus ceremonies. If you are already a member of the 4 th Degree, and would like to become a member of the Color Corps, and in particular, the Flag Team, contact Walt at or wwanko@comcast.net. Insurance News For those of you who did not attend our March 9 th meeting, our Benefits Advisor, Norman Chuck Teal, gave an excellent presentation on the state of our Insurance Program and the new Annuity Program, and he placed particular emphasis on the Long Term Care program. Standard & Poors says we are the #1 capitalized insurance company in the United States. We have No Debt. We have $70 Billion of insurance in force. We are a Fortune 1000 company. And we do it all while upholding Catholic values and charities. The insurer financial strength rating on Knights of Columbus is based on its extremely strong capital, very strong competitive position resulting from its unique strategic advantage in the Catholic market, historically strong profitability, and extremely strong liquidity. Are you covered in every way that you need to be? Call Norman Chuck Teal at The next meeting of the Baltimore Chapter of Grand Knights will be on Thursday May 14, 2009 at Archbishop Fulton Sheen Council, Stang Road, Owings Mills, Md. This is Honored Guest night and is intended to honor those men who are this year s Council Honored Guests. If your council has an Honored Guest please submit his name and your council name to our President Mike Sallese at msallese11@verizon.net by April 30 th so that we can make a certificate from the Chapter for your Honored Guest. We will present the certificates at the May 14 th meeting, so please make plans to attend with your Honored Guest. At the June meeting, we will be holding elections for Officers for the new fraternal year. If you are interested in running for a position, please write a letter to our nominating committee explaining which position you are running for and who will be making your nominating speech. Nominations will be accepted from the floor at the May and June meeting, but you must bring your letter with you to that meeting so that your nominator can be called upon at the appropriate time on June 11 th. The April meeting would normally be scheduled for the second Thursday in April, but this year that Thursday is Holy Thursday. Therefore we will not have a meeting in April. We considered rescheduling the meeting to another night in April but this would interfere with Council and Assembly regularly scheduled meetings and this is something we do not want to do. Vivat Jesus! Mike Sallese Chapter President

8 Pro-Life News State Council News Freedom of Choice Act A radical bill called the Freedom of Choice Act, commonly referred to as FOCA, that would eliminate modest regulations on abortion will soon be introduced in Congress. The incoming administration previously said it would sign this legislation into law if it is passed by Congress. FOCA would create a fundamental right to abortion throughout the nine months of pregnancy that substantially undermines the supposed goal of keeping abortion safe, legal and rare claimed by many supporters of choice. No governmental body at any level would be able to deny or interfere with this right, or to discriminate against the exercise of this right in the regulation or provision of benefits, facilities, services, or information. For the first time, abortion would become an entitlement the government must condone and promote. If enacted, FOCA would: Eliminate regulations that protect women from dangerous abortion clinics Force taxpayers to fund abortions Require all states to allow partial-birth and other late-term abortions Subject women to abortions by non-physicians Violate the conscience rights of nurses, doctors, and hospitals Strip parents of their right to be involved in a minor daughter s abortion decision FOCA violates religious freedom because it would not allow Catholic doctors and hospitals to refuse to perform abortions - a fact which would lead Catholic hospitals across the nation to close. Contact your Congressman and Senators and tell them to oppose this bill. 8 Last Call! 111 th Annual Maryland State Convention The 111 th Annual Maryland State Convention will be held on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, May 15,16 & 17, 2009, at the Princess Royale Oceanfront Resort, 91 st Street & Coastal Highway Ocean City, Maryland. The convention is open to all 3 rd & 4 th Degree Knights and their families and there are activities to keep the ladies and children occupied while meetings are in session. Fr. Abendschoen Council invites all of our 3 rd & 4 th Degree Knights to participate in the convention, and if you do we will pay your registration fee. You must register with us by April 1 st. While there are no more rooms at the Princess Royale, there are still plenty of rooms to be had in Ocean City. If you think you would like to attend the 2009 convention, contact Walt Wankowski at or Jason Karolkowski at for additional information. Maryland State Council Knights of Columbus Annual Convention Golf Tournament Beach Club 9715 Deer Park Drive Berlin Maryland Thursday, May 15, 2008 Best Ball - Captain s Choice NOON Shotgun Start $70.00 per person includes: Fees, Cart, Hot Lunch, Prizes & Beverages on Course Any questions call Paul Weber or apaulweber@msn.com Foursomes are limited! Reservation and payment must be made no later than April 25 th. Send check payable to : Maryland State Council Convention Fund Mail to: Paul Weber 2223 Larchmont Drive Fallston Md

9 State Council Trips Rocking Horse Resort Mon. September 21 Fri. September 25, 2009 Package Includes: Accommodations for 4 evenings All You Can Eat meals daily Nightly Live Entertainment Music and Dancing each evening Full daytime activities program including horseback riding, hayrides, miniature golf, paddle boating, tennis, shuffleboard, baggage, handling, tax, all gratuities and Round-trip transportation aboard a deluxe motor coach, K of C Scholarship Donation and Bus Driver Gratuities. PLUS - Complimentary coffee, tea, milk, & cake served all day at the ranch Price: $654 per person, double occupancy Single Occupancy - $774 per person Celebrity-Mercury 12 Night Eastern Caribbean Cruise January 11-23, 2010 From $1, to $1, All rates are per person based on double occupancy and include cruise fare, gov. fees, taxes, and $50.00 K of C Scholarship contribution. Fuel surcharge maybe installed. PASSPORT REQUIRED Additional Charges: Insurance Deposit of $ per person due at the time of booking. Final payment due October 20, All cancellations must be in writing. Cancellation Policy : 70+ days No Charge days Deposit days 50% of Total Price 7 or less days No refund For information and reservations regarding either trip contact: Mary Ann Caguin World Travel Service York Road Hunt Valley, MD (Ext. 120) (Ext. 120) 9 Holy Land Child Sponsorship Program Christians in the Holy Land are in a desperate struggle to survive as a community. Even though they are directly descended from the first Christians who followed Jesus, they are isolated from the rest of Christendom. They live in a land under siege and experience discrimination, loss of jobs, social isolation, stigmatization of their children in public schools, and a loss of community. The average monthly income for a family is only $ Yet, the cost to send a child to school is $ a year. Clearly the Catholics of the Holy Land need our assistance in keeping their school systems open. They appeal for our support in giving their children a catholic education. You can do this through the Child Sponsorship program. Your grant will go to a Catholic school under the auspices of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem in the name of your sponsored child. You will receive a picture and biographical sketch of your sponsored child, as well as a certificate of appreciation from the Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation. Pledges can be made monthly, quarterly, semiannually, or annually by check, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express. The Maryland State Council Knights of Columbus Holy Land Outreach Committee is asking all Knights and Councils to consider helping with this cause. To obtain more information, contact Committee Chairs Lawrence P. Grayson at Igrayson@verizon.net or Rateb Rabie, KCHS at rabie@hcef.org. or call Articles and photographs for the May edition of The Explorer must be received by Friday, April 24th. Send all inputs to: Walt Wankowski 5211 McFaul Road Baltimore, MD Or by to: wwanko@comcast.net

10 Fr. A. Leo Abendschoen Council Knights of Columbus 5212 McCormick Avenue Baltimore, Maryland HAPPY EASTER! What s Inside A Bazaar Situation A Night with the Birds Opportunity Knocks Peter Cottontail Two Shields And Much more. Calendar Reminders April 4 Breakfast with the Easter Bunny 9:30 am- Annunciation Parish Hall April 9 Holy Thursday April 10 Good Friday April 11 Holy Saturday April 12 Easter Sunday April 13 - General Business Meeting 7:00 pm Annunciation parish hall. April 14-4 th Degree Meeting 8:00 pm Bishop Sebastian Council Open Meeting April 18 Divine Mercy Celebration 4:00 pm at Annunciation Church Reception Afterward April 26 Spring Bazaar & Spaghetti Dinner 12 Noon to 6:00 pm Annunciation Hall April 27 - General Business Meeting 7:00 pm Annunciation parish hall. 10