The Sword. Nativity of Our Lord Council No Applegarth Road Monroe Township, NJ Volume 9, Issue 3 ww.nativitykofc.

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1 The Sword Nativity of Our Lord Council No Applegarth Road Monroe Township, NJ Nativity Council Officers Chaplain Rev. Grand Knight Dep. Grand Knight Chancellor Recorder Financial Secretary Treasurer Advocate Warden Lecturer Inside Guard Outside Guard One-Year Trustee Two-Year Trustee Three-Year Trustee District Deputy 63 Train'g & Mbrship Chair, PGK, PFN, FDD Insurance Agent Edward Flanagan Edward Visinski Francis Macchiaroli Peter Marino Paul Boccardi Ini Udom Bob Macchiarola Len Edson Dan Kennedy Bob McGee Len Caglianone Lou Russo Paul Pittari Bob Pladdys Tony Cardello Scott Williams Joseph Sabella Greg Chaves Nativity K of C Calendar for 2016 March Schedule Monday, the 6th Business Meeting at 7:30 PM Officers Meeting at 6:30 PM No Social Meeting this month Editor: Paul Pittari Volume 9, Issue 3 ww.nativitykofc.com March 2017 Grand Knight s Message My Brother Knights, March will be a very busy month for the Council. We start off March 1 st with Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. Then over the weekend of March 11th and 12th, we will be selling our Calendar Raffle cards after all Masses. PGK Paul Boccardi will have more on this at the March Business Meeting. Also, don't forget to set your clocks for Daylight Saving Time. The distribution of St. Joseph's bread will take place after all Masses on the weekend of the 18th and 19th. Brother Lenny Caglianone will pick up the bread from the supplier early Saturday morning, and deliver the loaves to the Church. We ll need a full complement of Brothers and wives to place the loaves in bags, and arrange the display on the altar steps. We ll have a sign-up sheet for volunteers. Later that day in the evening, we will be hosting our St. Joseph/St. Patrick's Dinner Fundraiser. Joe Tardo will have sign-up sheets available. (See flyer attached to the end of this newsletter.) The March Social will be cancelled, so the Brothers can have a break. While on break, celebrate the first day of spring on the 20th! Continued on Page 2

2 Continued from Page 1 None of what is scheduled for March can be successful without the full support of the Council. So, sign the sheets, GET INVOLVED in the projects! Vivat Jesus, Ed Visinski, Grand Knight Forty Cans for Lent and Food Pantry News If you attended February s Business Meeting, you may recall that the Faithful Navigator of our Assembly, Brother Joe Charmello spoke on behalf of our District Deputy, Brother Scott Williams who was unable to attend the meeting. One of the items in Brother Joe s report, referred to Supreme Council s program called Forty Cans for Lent. In this charitable activity, Council members are asked to donate one can of food for each of the forty days of Lent. We are asking our membership to consider participating in this program which will provide food to the less fortunate during this Lenten season. Please bring canned goods to the March 6 th Business Meeting for donation to the local food pantry. (Yes, there are families in Monroe Township who depend upon monthly food help.) Regarding this month s pickup, I have been advised by Brother Tronolone that due to the imminent arrival of a new grandchild, he will be out of town on the scheduled pickup date of Tuesday, March 7th. Therefore, we are moving the pickup date to Friday, March 10 th at our regular time of 8 AM. Please call me ( ) to confirm that you can make this new date. Sorry for this late change Thank you, Brother John Vergano Brothers Birthdays Our Council has Brothers who will be celebrating their birthdays this month of March. Happy birthday to: Steven Maguire John Mato Robert Bomba John Calcagno John Abati Michael Savia Daniel Sullivan Barry Shutz Gerardo Diaz Walter Zulinski John Durso Kevin Duffy Thomas Quinn Craig Dutka Henry Miller Gene Pittelli March 2017 Newsletter - Page 2

3 St. Joseph s Feast Day Bread On Sunday, March 19 th, the Church celebrates the feast day of St. Joseph, the foster father of Jesus. To honor the day, the Council will prepare breads for distribution at all weekend Masses coinciding with the feast day. Brother Lenny Caglianone will be making the arrangements for the purchase and pick up of the loaves, and will deliver them to the Resurrection Room at 9:00 AM Saturday morning, March 18 th. As in the past, we will be bagging the loaves and placing them in baskets for display on the altar steps. We will need a team of 20 or more Brothers and wives to complete the tasks of bagging and arrangement. Brothers will also be needed to distribute the bread to parishioner families after the Masses. Please consider volunteering for this charitable event. A signup sheet will be available at the March 6 th Business Meeting for those who can help with this event. The Council is deeply indebted to the DeMarco Funeral Home, 205 Rhode Hall, Monroe Twp. for their generous donation to cover the cost of purchasing the bread. Peace, Brother Paul Pittari, SWORD Editor Lenten Regulations Here are a few Diocesan rules concerning fasting and abstinence that as practicing Catholics, we are obliged to follow during Lent. These dietary restrictions apply to those who are medically fit to follow these observances. Abstinence means refraining from meat products and applies to all Catholics of age of 14 and older. Fasting refers to limiting the intake of food to one full meal per day. It is to be observed by all Catholics in the 18 to 59 age group. Ash Wednesday (March 1 st ) and Good Friday (April 14 th ) are days of both fasting and abstinence. All other Fridays in Lent are days of abstinence only, not fasting. The requirements for fasting and abstinences are not to be taken lightly. However, there may be a situation where an individual may be unable to practice abstinence for a valid reason. Under those rare circumstances, that person is asked to perform some other penitential act, or to abstain on another day. Fraternally, Joseph L. Sabella, PGK, PFN, FDD March 2017 Newsletter - Page 3

4 Pizza Social Meeting It must have been the allure of the 15 pizzas that attracted upwards of 50 Brothers for last month s Social Meeting. The noise level in the hall significantly dropped after the call for come and get your slices was made, and Brothers started munching away. Plus, we had beer, wine, soda and bottles water to wash it all down, and coffee and cookies to top it off. It also gave our event coordinators a chance to sign up members for the upcoming St. Joseph/St. Patrick s Day Dinner Party and to enlist volunteers with the various tasks needed to make the evening a success. With the Brothers having a great time, things didn t wrap up until well after 8:30 PM. If you didn t make it, take a look at some of the photos shot during the evening to get an idea of what you missed. Peace, Brother Paul Pittari, SWORD Editor Continued on Page 5 March 2017 Newsletter - Page 4

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6 St. Patrick s Day Dinner Party The Council will be hosting our St. Patrick s Day Dinner Party on Saturday, March 18th downstairs in the Church s Father Congdon Hall. The festivities kick off at 6 PM. Our excellent cooking team, led by Brother Joe Tardo, will be preparing traditional, corned beef and cabbage, shepherd s pie, baked ziti, roasted chicken, potatoes, Irish soda bread, beer, wine, soda and bottled water. There will also be coffee, tea and dessert. The cost will be $22 per person with RSVP by March 13 th. If convenient, please bring your check to the March 6 th Business Meeting. (See flyer attached to the end of the newsletter for further details.) Assistance is needed to purchase the event items, prepare food in the kitchen, help with serving and cleanup. Signup sheets for the various tasks will be available at the March 6 th Business Meeting. The Council extends sincere thanks to the Lester Memorial Home, 16 Church St., Jamesburg, NJ for their kind gift to help defray the costs of this activity. Peace, Brother Paul Pittari, SWORD Editor What is Lent? Lent is a season of 40 days, not counting Sundays, which begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Saturday at sundown. It comes from the word 'Lenten' which means 'spring.' It is a time of repentance, reflection, and self-examination, and a time to focus on your relationship with God. The Church has given us regulations on abstinence and fasting from food during Lent, but there are also many other things we can, and should fast and feast on. Think about: Fasting from judging others and Feasting on the Christ within them Fasting from discontent and Feasting on gratitude Fasting from anger and Feasting on patience Fasting from worry and Feasting on trust in God Fasting from complaining and Feasting on appreciation Fasting from bitterness and Feasting on forgiveness Fasting from gossip and Feasting on silence. Fraternally, Joseph L. Sabella, PGK, PFN, FDD March 2017 Newsletter - Page 6

7 Distinguished Visitor The Council was honored to have Past Grand Knight, Brother Edgar Alitano of Council No located in Tetuan Zamboanga City, Philippines attend last month s Business and Social Meetings. Brother Edgar was here to visit his daughter who lives in Monroe Twp. During the Business Meeting, Brother Edgar addressed the Council relating some of the activities and charitable works performed by his Council. While here, we gave him a copy of our February SWORD. Brother Edgar in turn, ed us copies of his Council s newsletter, the Centennial Knights. (See copies of the newsletter attached to the end of the SWORD.) Peace, Brother Paul Pittari, SWORD Editor March 2017 Newsletter - Page 7

8 St. Patrick s Prayer March features a great saint, namely St. Patrick of Ireland. In a land full of druids and pagans, Patrick converted all of them to Christianity in a very short time. It is said he drove the snakes out of Ireland and explained the Blessed Trinity with the Shamrock, which has three leaves from one stem. They represent the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The following prayer written by St. Patrick, acknowledges the omnipresence of God in all our everyday activities. God bless St Patrick Prayer for God's Protection and Christ's Presence As I arise today, may the strength of God pilot me, the power of God uphold me, the wisdom of God guide me. May the eye of God look before me, the ear of God hear me, the word of God speak for me. May the hand of God protect me, the way of God lie before me, the shield of God defend me, the host of God save me. May Christ shield me today...christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit, Christ when I stand, Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me, Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me. Amen. St. Patrick of Ireland, Bishop and Missionary Vivat Jesu, Brother Ray Dunne Winter Blood Drive The Council is thankful to all those who donated blood at our Sunday, February 19 th, community blood drive at the church s Father Congdon Hall. The event resulted in collecting 49 pints of blood. Donors were treated to pancake and sausage breakfast served up by our Brothers. We could not have had such success without the help of our volunteers. Thank you, Brother Peter Marino March 2017 Newsletter - Page 8

9 Calendar Raffle Just a reminder that PGK Paul Boccardi will bring Council Calendar Raffle cards to our Monday, March 6 th Business Meeting. This will be a good opportunity to pick up your cards for sale to your friends and relatives. The raffle will cover the months April, May and June. We will also be selling raffle cards following all Masses on the March 11 th and 12 th weekend. Please consider volunteering to help out with these sales. See Brother Paul at the meeting if you can be of assistance. Peace, Brother Paul Pittari, SWORD Editor Chapter 4 Meeting Dates for (Editor s Note: The New Jersey Chapter No. 4 of the Knights of Columbus consists of the 60 Councils within the Diocese of Metuchen. The primary purpose of the Chapter is to promote the well-being of the Order within the Chapter boundaries. It considers all matters of Catholic concerns, adopting such measures that protect and promote these interests. It also addresses the general condition of the Councils within the Chapter, the welfare of their members, and the need to provide financial and other assistance for cases of genuine distress among them. Chapter 4 meetings are held once a month at various locations throughout the Diocese. Our Former District Deputy, Joseph Sabella, is asking that we have at least one representative from our Council in attendance at the following Chapter 4 scheduled meetings a shown below) The following are the Chapter 4 meeting dates for the Columbian Year. All meetings are on the 3rd Friday at 8 PM unless otherwise indicated. Mar. 17 th NO MEETING (Snow Date for Jan/Feb) April 21 st St. Elizabeth Council #2393, St. James Parish, Basking Ridge May 4 th Pride in Priest Dinner 6:30 p.m. (Location to be announced.) May 19 th Aztec Motel, Wildwood Crest - 5 p.m. June 16 th St. Jude Council #12430, St. Jude Parish, Blairstown Also, please bookmark our new Chapter Website, Our webmaster, Frank Rees, will send an once he has it up and running. It should be an exciting move forward for the Chapter. Fraternally, Joseph L. Sabella, PGK, PFN, FDD In Service to one. In Service to all.

10 Irish soda bread, Celebrate the Feast Days of St. Joseph and St. Patrick Saturday March 18 th 6PM in Fr. Congdon Hall $22 per person Corned Beef and Cabbage, Shepherd s Pie, Baked Ziti, Roasted Chicken, Potatoes, Irish Soda Bread, Beer, Wine, Refreshments, Coffee, Tea and Dessert Feel free to BYOB and bring a traditional dessert to share. ****RSVP by March 13 th **** Drop below registration slip and check in the Knights of Columbus Drop-Box in the Narthex Or feel free to see Peter Marino or contact Frank Macchiaroli at (609) or by at fjm210@aol.com to submit payment Please list names and place this stub and check in the K of C Drop-Box located in the Narthex Make checks payable to: Knights of Columbus #14658 Total Amount enclosed: Name: Name: Name:

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