Knights of Columbus Christ Our Redeemer Council 13527

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1 Knights of Columbus Christ Our Redeemer Council Celebrating a Decade of Service November 2013 Newsletter Council Officers Christ Our Redeemer Catholic Church Chaplain Grand Knight Deputy Grand Knight Chancellor Financial Secretary Warden Recorder Treasurer Advocate 1-Year Trustee 2-Year Trustee 3-Year Trustee Inside Guard Outside Guard Lecturer Fr. Bob Johnson Rodger Culkin Gregory Muntzner Adolph Fejfar Leonard Smales Thomas Means James Watson John Wohleber Kevin Knebl Thomas Sanders Adam Dieterich M. John Rafferty, Jr. Richard Welch Ralph McDonald Guy Jordan 1028 White Point Road Niceville, Florida Unless otherwise posted, the Council s General Assembly convenes on the first Thursday of each month and the Executive Committee meets on the fourth Thursday of each month. Both meetings are conducted in the Christ Our Redeemer Parish Hall at 7:00 PM. Fourth Degree members of Council and Council 7667 comprise Assembly The Fourth Degree Assembly convenes on the third Thursday of each month, alternating meeting locations between Christ our Redeemer Parish (even months) and Holy Name of Jesus Parish (odd months). Our History In June 2004, the Knights of Columbus conferred the Charter establishing Council at Christ Our Redeemer Parish. On July 1, 2004, our first Grand Knight, Len Casey, convened the Council s inaugural meeting and fraternal year. The Council earned the Star Award that year and Double Star Awards each of the next five years. In , under the leadership of Past Grand Knight, Jack Starr, earned the Best Florida Council (Division II) distinction. In 2009, Sir Knight Dave Halupowski was honored as the State of Florida Knight of the Year. 1

2 From the Grand Knight s Desk My Brothers, in October each year, we rightly remember the exploits and celebrate the accomplishments of our Order s namesake, Christopher Columbus. More than five centuries ago, Columbus set sail from Spain. Traveling westbound against conventional thinking, against the prevailing winds, and headlong into history, he hoped to discover a new route to India. The sails of his armada bore the sacred cross, and his fleet carried forth not only men and supplies but the blessings of the Catholic Church. The journey was fraught with dangers and anxiety, and comforts of any kind were in short supply. The distance they must travel was as unknown to them as were the winds, the waters, and shoals that lay before them. As provisions and hope began to wane, Columbus faced a mutinous crew and his expedition was in danger of failing. Yet, Columbus, a man of faith a man used to struggling against those whose beliefs were easily swayed maintained the order and maintained his course. And then one day, Land, ho! Upon reaching the shores of the West Indies, Columbus recognized the blessing of his discovery. His first order of business was the celebration of Mass in thanksgiving for a safe and successful journey a visible and powerful sign to his crew of his devotion to our merciful and beneficent Savior. Today, we Knights bear the cross of salvation on our crest and on the Holy Rosary we each carry in our pockets. That same cross that fluttered in the wind above the decks of the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria and propelled their crews to the New World now inspires each of us to constantly renew our pledges of fealty and devotion to our Lord Almighty. We, who bear the honored name of Columbus, have a special responsibility to emulate his unwavering commitment to service and devotion to the Church. In that vein, I ask each of you to re-commit yourselves to the mission of our Order and strive each day to be worthy of the name, the Knights of Columbus! Your Brother in Christ, Rod Culkin Insurance Corner Long-Term Care Plan Offers Peace of Mind Since its addition to the Order s product portfolio in 2000, long-term care insurance has provided the Knights of Columbus with an excellent opportunity to further serve members and their families. And, for our long-term care clients in the United States, a Knights of Columbus Care policy brings added value. 2

3 That added value is in the form of a service called Provider Pathway, a program offering access to a network of long-term care providers at discounted rates. The network includes discounts on products, such as hearing aids, diabetic supplies, personal emergency response systems, and durable medical equipment, as well as skilled nursing facilities, assisted living, and adult day care. This program is not available in Canada as of yet due to the limited number of providers. Eligibility for participation in this program is open to Knights of Columbus long-term care insurance policyholders, their spouses, dependent children, parents and parents-in-law. All providers are fully credentialed and meet state licensing requirements. If you haven t yet spoken with me about long-term care insurance, you owe it to yourself to do so. There are a few decisions to make in choosing a plan a home health care plan or one that covers facility only, benefit amounts and durations, and the length of the waiting period before benefits kick-in. Having a professionally trained agent and a brother Knight you can trust to help guide you through the process is yet another valuable benefit that comes with your membership. Take advantage of it; contact me today. Today, I want to address the growth of the Order. Membership growth is the fuel that keeps this great fraternal engine running. All of our charitable works in the council, state, national and international level are thanks to our hard-working members. Timothy Pugh (850) timothy.pugh@kofc.org Knight of the Month October Congratulations to our Brother Knight and Council Treasurer, John Wohleber, October 2013 Knight of the Month! A man whose attention to detail serves the very well-being of every man and every activity in Council 13527, our Treasurer, John, is responsible for maintaining and administering all Council accounts. Tom is a thoughtful and active Knight who has taken extra steps to ensure the good order of the treasury. His organizational skills and proactive communications style help ensure that all Council affairs and obligations are met accurately and on time. For his zeal, we offer our thanks and we extend our congratulations to him on this well-deserved honor! Family of the Month October Congratulations to our Brother Sir Knight Vince Warsheski, and his wife, Chris, October 2013 Family of the Month! If Council is involved in a worthwhile activity, you don t have to look too hard to find Vince and Chris they are usually out in front leading the way! This loving and devoted family embraces service to 3

4 others as a lifestyle, and the lives of everyone who comes in contact with them is enriched. Tireless, generous, and devout, Vince and Chris are a blessing to our Council, our Parish, and our community. Our special thanks to them for their devoted service and our congratulations on this well-deserved honor! Council Calendar of Events Nov 1 Bingo HNJ, 6 pm (Early Bird), 7:15 pm (Regular) Nov 2 Pasta Dinner HNJ, 6 pm Nov 3 KCIC Campaign begins Sell items at all masses Nov 5 Spelling Bee HNJ, time TBD Nov 7 Fellowship / General Assembly Meeting COR, 6 pm / 7 pm Nov 8 Bingo HNJ, 6 pm (Early Bird), 7:15 pm (Regular) Nov 9 Second Degree Exemplification Council 4444, time TBD Nov 11 VETERANS DAY Nov 21 Executive Committee Meeting COR, 7 pm Nov Membership Drive Weekend Man displays at all masses Nov 28 THANKSGIVING DAY Nov 29 Bingo HNJ, 6 pm (Early Bird), 7:15 pm (Regular) 4

5 Saint of the Month November 2013 St. Roque Gonzalez de Santa Cruz ( ) Feast Day: November 17th The earliest beatified martyrs of America are three Jesuits of Paraguay, and one of them was American-born. Roque Gonzalez y de Santa-Cruz was the son of noble Spanish parents, and he came into this world at Asuncion, the capitol of Paraguay, in He was an unusually good and religious boy, and everybody took it for granted that young Roque would become a priest. He was in fact ordained, when he was twenty-three: but unwillingly, for he felt very strongly that he was unworthy of the priesthood. At once he began to take an interest in the Indians of Paraguay, seeking them out in remote places to preach to and instruct them in Christianity; and after ten years, to avoid ecclesiastical promotion and to get more opportunity for missionary work, he joined the Society of Jesus. These were the days of the beginnings of the famous "reductions" of Paraguay, in the formation of which Father Roque Gonzalez played an important part. These remarkable institutions were settlements of Christian Indians run by the Jesuit missionaries, who looked on themselves, not like so many other Spaniards did as the conquerors and "bosses" of the Indians, but as the guardians and trustees of their welfare. It was to bring about such a happy state of things that Father Roque labored for nearly twenty years, grappling patiently and without discouragement with hardships, dangers and reverses of all kinds, with intractable and fierce tribes and with the opposition of the European colonists. He threw himself heart and soul into the work. For three years he was in charge of the Reduction of St. Ignatius, the first of them, and then spent the rest of his life establishing others reductions, half a dozen in all, east of the Parana and Uruguay rivers; he was the first European known to have penetrated into some districts of South America. In 1628, Father Roque was joined by two young Spanish Jesuits, Alonso (Alphonsus) Rodriguez and Juan (John)de Castillo, and together they founded a new reduction near the Ijuhi river, dedicated in honor of Our Lady's Assumption. Father Castillo was left in charge there, while the other two pushed on to Caaro (in the southern tip of what is now Brazil), where they established the All Saints' Reduction. Here they were faced with the hostility of a powerful "medicine man", and at his instigation the Mission was soon attacked. Father Roque was getting ready to hang a small church bell when the raiding party arrived; one man stole up from behind and killed him with blows on the head from a tomahawk. Father Rodriguez heard the noise and, coming to the door of his hut to see what it was about, met the bloodstained savages 5

6 who knocked him down. "What are you doing, my sons?" he exclaimed. But he was silenced by further blows. The wooden chapel was set on fire and the two bodies thrown into the flames. It was November 15, Two days later the Mission at Ijuhi was attacked; Father Castillo was seized and bound, barbarously beaten, and stoned to death. The first steps toward the beatification of these missionaries were taken within six months of their martyrdom, by the writing down of evidence about what had happened. But these precious documents were lost. Then copies of the originals turned up in the Argentine, and in 1934, Rogue Gonzalez, Alonso Rodrigues and Juan de Castillo were solemnly declared Blessed. They were canonized in 1988 by Pope John Paul II. Their feast day is November 17th. October Birthday Celebrations! Please extend best wishes for a very Happy Birthday and a year filled with many blessings to: Mark Adams Robert Camoin George Wagner Paul Dooley Thomas Olds Ronald Rabiansky Michael Catanese Stephen Erickson Martin Marler Brett Nelson Michael Rosenbleeth 3 Nov 9 Nov 9 Nov 11 Nov 13 Nov 14 Nov 15 Nov 16 Nov 17 Nov 17 Nov 20 Nov We apologize if we did not recognize your birthday. Please update your information with a council officer so that we may give you the recognition that you deserve. Send all inputs for the Newsletter to Steve Schaefer NLT 7 days after the General Assembly meeting. Please send to both schaef@eglin.af.mil & fly-safe@cox.net. 6