The COLUMBIAN NEWSLETTER

Transcription

1 The COLUMBIAN NEWSLETTER February-March 2014 Vol. 110 No. 4 The Bi-Monthly Newsletter of the Oregon State Council of the Knights of Columbus FROM THE DESK OF THE OREGON STATE DEPUTY Dear Brother Knights and Families I deeply regret that I have decided to resign from the post of State Deputy due to health concerns, mine as well as my family's. I feel it is the best thing for the state and the Knights in Oregon. As David Denton some of you may have heard, I am going to have open heart surgery after the first of the year. The state officers in a closed ballot decision have agreed that Brother Pat Rice, our Immediate Past State Deputy, should take over my State Deputy post for the remainder of the Fraternal Year. I ask each and everyone of you to continue to support the State in bringing in as many new members as you can. I ask your support in all of the other programs that we are all interested in being successful. May God help all of you in everything that you do. God bless. I hope to see all of you again as soon as my health will permit it. Vivat Jesus Dave Denton, State Deputy To our Brother and Past State Deputy Dave Denton, On behalf of the State Officers, Past State Deputies, District Deputies, Directors, Chairmen, as well as the 8800 Knights in Pat Rice Oregon, thank you Brother Dave for your job done well. We thank you for having taken charge as State Deputy and leading the state forward for the Knights of Columbus in Oregon. Brothers, as Dave prepares for his heart surgery and for the many months that he will spend mending after his time in the hospital, please keep Dave, his wife Joyce and their family in your prayers. Dave, we pray that your surgery is routine, that your recovery is steady and that you re up and around soon. Vivat Jesus Immediate Past and State Deputy Pro-Tem Patrick Rice 1 FROM THE DESK OF THE OREGON STATE CHAPLAIN Dear Brother Knights and Families Praying the Rosary is an important part of being a Knight. When I asked one man why he participates in the Knights, he told me, "Because I attended a meeting and encountered a group of men praying the rosary together." The Knights of Columbus is a Catholic Fraternal Charitable organization. Embracing that description of ourselves can help us pray the rosary well. We are Catholic. Although many non-catholics pray the rosary, it is a Catholic prayer form. To pray the rosary helps us to embrace our Catholic identity and to foster our relationship with our Blessed Mother Mary. As the mysteries of the rosary become more engrained in our heart and mind they will permeate our whole being and shape our lives. As we learn to meditate on the prayers and mysteries of the rosary we open ourselves more fully to the love of God and to hearing his voice speak to our hearts. To pray the rosary is a discipline, which shares the same root word as disciple. To be a Catholic Knight is to be a disciple of Jesus and the rosary can help us be good Catholics. We are Fraternal. Although the rosary can be prayed individually, it is also a communal prayer. Prayer creates a powerful bond. Deep prayer requires vulnerability; and vulnerability does foster authentic fraternity. (Chaplain s report continued at top of page 2) Fr. David Jaspers Page 1 State Deputy + Chaplain s Report Page 2 Chaplain s Report Cont. + General Program Dir. Page 3 Youth Program + Insurance Agent Report Page 4 Call for Resolutions + Crosses of the Unborn Page 5 Family Director + Thoughts of Vocations Page 6 Church Director + Council In Action + Squires Page 7 Prayers + In Memoriam + Council Director Page 8 Fourth Degree News And Events Your State Officers for January to June 2014 State Deputy Pro-Tem. Patrick Rice. Council Newberg State Chaplain. Fr. David Jaspers. Council Springfield Imm. PSD. David Denton. Council Springfield State Secretary. Robert Kish. Council Corvallis State Treasurer. Sidney Thiel. Council Sherwood State Advocate. Francis Mohr. Council Baker City State Warden. Ron Boyce. Council Tigard

2 (Chaplain s Report continued from page 1, column 2) You cannot love someone until you know what hurts them, though authentic love won t use that information to hurt someone. If we learn to pray with and for one another, as well as for our own intentions, it will help us to know the things that are closest to our brothers hearts. I encourage you sometimes or always to go around the room and share a prayer intention before you start the rosary or each decade. We are Charitable. Although there are the Corporal Works of Mercy, there are also the Spiritual Works of Mercy, one of which is to pray for the living and the dead. When we pray the rosary it is an act of charity. God teaches us Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain (Psalm 127). By praying the rosary, hopefully we are turning our lives as individuals and also as Councils over to the Lord so that he will be the master builder, and we might not labor in vain. Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us. Fr. David Jaspers State Chaplain General Program Director s Message Does your Council Qualify for the Columbian Award? We are now at the half way point of Rich Paris the current fraternal year. How well are you doing with the vision you set last summer for your Council? This becomes a very busy time of the year with regards to forms. Two of the Columbian Award requirements are due soon. One is the Annual Survey of Fraternal Activity Report due January 31 and the other is the Semiannual Audit due February 15. Please don t miss this golden opportunity to reward your Council with the Columbian Award. You can ask your District Deputy to assist you in filling out the Columbian Award Application (SP-7) if needed. Show Oregon s Strengths, Successes E-Z FILE ACTIVITY REPORTS Oregon s E-Z File Activity Sheet can be found on-line at: Please make copies and distribute them to the Chairman of your various events. Fill ONE out for each event when it happens and mail or it in to the appropriate State Director indicated at the bottom of the form. This annual program ends April 1, 2014 in time to compile the information for Council awards at the State Convention in Beaverton. Family of the Year Nominations Grand Knights and District Deputies, the time is fast approaching to submit your the Family of the Year nominations for your Council from among all your Family of the Month recipients. Nominations should be submitted by the first of March; however the absolute deadline is April 1, Please mail the Family of the Year Entry Form (Found online at to: Del Barker, State Family Director PO Box 204 Willamina, OR Questions: or djbarker@wbcable.net 2 Supreme Awards Has your council performed any single outstanding project during the 12-month period from April 2013 to April 2014? The State Council Service Program Award form #STSP is where your council submits the single best church, pro-life, community, council, family and youth activity your council has completed. Winners at the State level will advance to Supreme. Please mail your completed form to me no later than April 1, 2014: Rich Paris, General Program Director 1500 NW Martin Road Forest Grove, OR Questions: rgparis@frontier.com Special Olympics Partnership Profile Report Form 4584 The Partnership Profile Report with the Special Olympics, Form This form is due no later than Jan 31, All Councils should file this report with Supreme. Fraternally, Rich Paris, FDD State General Program Director

3 Youth Director Report Brother Knights, Important Updates: Our local Councils should hold their Free Throw Hoop Shoots during January The location is to be provided by your George Murphy local Council Youth Director. The District Free Throw Hoop shoots should be determined by District Deputies and held during February The State Free Throw Hoop Shoot will be held at Valley Catholic High School, Beaverton, OR, on March 16, Last item This will be easy for everyone The Oregon State KofC finals for the: 1.) Essay Contest and the Alcohol Awareness and Abuse, or 2.) Drug Awareness and Abuse Program (Both of these are due to the State Youth Director no later than March 16, 2014). Congratulations to all our State Soccer Champions and best of luck in the International level of competition! Thanks to each of you for all of your assistance and please keep those E-Z Forms coming! Vivat Jesus, George Murphy State Youth Director The photos below are of the winners in our State Soccer Finals. INSURANCE CORNER One of our founding goals: to protect widows As a member of your council, you know how very important spouses can be to the charitable works Jim Walton of the Order. If you re married, then your wife is probably involved in a few of the many events that happen each Fraternal Year. This support adds great value and impact to what a Council can achieve. When the Order was founded by Father Michael J. McGivney in 1882, he and the other brave men were setting out to protect Catholic families, but especially wives and children. We know today this is done through our insurance products which are designed with that goal in mind. One specific policy rider that you may not know about is called Spousal Waiver of Premium. This rider is unique to the Knights of Columbus philosophy of helping our widows. This rider is available on most Permanent and Discoverer plans purchased at standard rates by a member and his wife on the same day. When both spouses apply, the rider provides for the waiver of premiums on the spouse s contract in the event of the insured s death. Best of all, for members and spouses ages 18 to 60, this waiver can be added for no charge. The rider stays in effect until the spouse attains age 65 or certain other triggering events occur. Our products are designed with your needs and budget in mind. With a solid portfolio of life insurance, long-term care, disability income and retirement products, the Knights of Columbus can help you meet all of your financial goals. To learn more about these solutions, contact me or your local Knights of Columbus Insurance Agent today. Fraternally yours, Girls 13yrs - Jane Pawlowski Boys 12yrs - Josue Hernandez Girls 10yrs - Militzka Hammond Boys 13yrs - Isaac Herford Boys 11yrs - Leo Sun Boys 10yrs - Robbie Harvey 3 James Walton Field Agent Jim.Walton@KofC.org Aunt Helen s Thought for the Day: Be who you are and say what you feel because those that matter...don't mind; and those that mind...don't matter! Council In Action Small Job for Big Action As reported by Grand Knight Bill Geary of Council 1623, McMinnville: During the last weekend of November and into the first weekend of December, Council 1623 was able to sell Christmas wreaths to raise money to purchase all new chalices for the altar at their church. Once again, these are your Knights in action working for the betterment of their church and providing a worthwhile charitable outlet for their works.

4 Knights of Columbus OREGON STATE COUNCIL Francis Mohr, State Advocate January 7, 2014 Worthy State Officers, Program Directors, Chairman, Grand Knights & Financial Secretaries, REMINDER: Call for Resolutions The date is drawing near to submit resolutions, for discussion and/or enactment at the 2014 State Convention in Beaverton, May 2 4. (Note State By-Laws Article 1, Sec. 13 & 14). Resolutions sent from councils need to be signed by either the Grand Knight or Trustee and the Financial Secretary. The original copy with appropriate signatures and the imprinted Knights of Columbus Council Seal needs to be sent to the State Advocate by February 1 st. Copies of the original resolution also need sent to both the State Deputy and State Secretary. A Resolution Committee appointed by the State Deputy in January will review the resolutions in February. Copies of the resolutions with the committee s recommendation will be sent to all councils approximately 60 days prior to the State Convention. Delegates that will be attending the State Convention should be knowledgeable of the contents of the resolutions and be ready to discuss and/or vote the opinion of their council. If you have questions regarding formation of a resolution, my phone number is (h) ; (c) or reference a copy the proceedings of previous State Conventions. Fraternally yours, Francis Francis Mohr, State Advocate The Knights of Columbus Hope to Give Everyone an Epiphany for Life Field of Crosses On January 5, 2014, Fr. Robert Patrick O Hara Council 9137 of the Knights of Columbus dedicated a display to illustrate the tragedy of legalized abortion over the past 41 years. The display includes 530 crosses each representing more than 106,000 lives that were never given the choice to pursue life, liberty and happiness. The Knights of Columbus, celebrating the Feast of the Epiphany, hope that the thousands of commuters, shoppers, and travelers on Tualatin-Sherwood Road will see the enormity of the loss and have an epiphany to recognize how truly wrong the practice of abortion is. The dedication included a 4 th Degree Honor Guard organized by Archbishop Fulton Sheen Assembly 3248 at the preceding Mass and symbolic blessing of one cross at the monument to the unborn outside St. Francis Church. The Blessing was performed by Fr. Ysrael Bien, the Council s Worthy Chaplain. During the Blessing Ceremony, the Council also presented a framed copy of the poem engraved on the monument to the daughter of recent past Knight Larry Ernster and made a $300 donation to Oregon Right-To-Life in Brother Larry s name, for his long-time work for the protection of the unborn. The cost of this loss of life is immeasurable. How many Einsteins, Mother Theresas, Martin Luther King Jr.s, Ghandhis, or Nelson Mandelas were given the opportunity to share their talents with the world? The 56 million lives that have been lost to abortion is more than the number of people who have died from heart disease and cancer combined. In conjunction with the Respect Life Committee of St. Francis Catholic Church in Sherwood, the Knights hope everyone who views their display searches their conscience on the rights of the unborn. The display is erected on private property near the corner of Tualatin-Sherwood Road and Langer Parkway in Sherwood. Gregg Harris Faithful Navigator Archbishop Fulton Sheen Assembly 3248 And Worthy Recorder Fr. Robert Patrick O'Hara Council 9137, Sherwood 4

5 Family Director Report Dear Brother Knights Have you ever heard about one of the Del Barker great programs that your council can participate in? It is called Food for Families! This is a great idea for a family activity and it can be done in several ways. It can be done as a soup kitchen, where you may set up and feed people in need. It may also be done as a food drive; this may be a great help to your local food bank. A few of our Councils in Oregon have been able to grow a community garden, from which a lot of the food was donated to the local food bank. People really enjoy fresh veggies and what a great way to help a family. Also some Councils help by putting together holiday food boxes. A great way to help those less fortunate and in need. In these difficult economic times, deciding to put a nutritious meal on the table or going to bed hungry not a decision that I would like to make! I for one am going to quit just passing by the food box at the front entrance of my own parish. I am going to make a pledge to myself, to take something with me every Sunday to drop in the box. Think about it. Something so simple yet the help it can provide to someone in need. I feel that it is a great way to help. Starting in 2012, the Supreme Council implemented a new program to help repay Councils who give to the Food for Families program. For each $500 or every 500 pounds of food that a Council is able to contribute to a food bank, food pantry or soup kitchen, then the Supreme Council will rebate $100, up to a maximum of $500 per Council per fraternal year. Report this activity using the Food for Families Reimbursement Program Refund and Plaque Application. It is number on the supply form and can be found easily on the Supreme Council web site. Please, if you do have any problems trying to find it, just get in touch with me and I promise you that I WILL HELP. Also, another reminder. While on that web site in the forms, scroll down to the Family of the Month. It is so simple to fill out and only takes a few minutes. Every month Supreme picks 100 winners who receive a nice icon of the Holy Family. Please don t forget to send me your activity reports. We know you have been busy; it is time to let people know just how busy! I can be reached at I answer by DJ. Also you can at djbarker@wbcable.net. Vivat Jesus Del Barker State Family Director 5 THOUGHTS OF VOCATIONS REFUND SUPPORT VOCATIONS PROGRAM (RSVP) A number of our Councils have asked, "How do we get involved in RSVP?" George Vennes First, talk to your Vocation Chairman! If you don't have one, talk to your Council Church Activities Director! Don't have one, talk to your Grand Knight and get him moving. Your Council represents one of the two-thirds of the State Councils without either a Church Activities Director or a Vocation Chairman. So, how do we solve that problem? Simple, volunteer for one of these jobs. Once you have decided that your Council is going to support a Seminarian or Postulate, get on line, at ( council.html), and print out a Form 2863, RSVP Refund and Plaque Application. Then contact Tamara Swanson at Mt. Angel, at or send her an at (tamara.swanson@mtangel.edu) for the name of a seminarian who could use your support. Those of us living on the west side have been asked by Father Henderson to support an Archdiocesan seminarian. Send a $ check to your Seminarian, along with a letter telling him that your Council is providing financial and spiritual support for him. Invite him or her to a Council meeting or your next dinner. When the check is cashed, fill out the form and send it to Supreme along with a copy of the check. Also, me a copy of the front sheet. You will receive $ from Supreme for each Seminarian or Postulate that you support. Remember, NO ONE IS BORN A PRIEST. Vivat Jesus Dr. George Vennes State Chairman for Vocation and Decency gvennes@yahoo.com Remember "It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver LIVE HAPPY IN 2014! LASTLY, CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING: TODAY IS THE OLDEST YOU'VE EVER BEEN... YET THE YOUNGEST YOU'LL EVER BE SO - ENJOY THIS DAY WHILE IT LASTS. Your kids are becoming you...but your grandchildren are perfect! Going out is good.. Coming home is better! You forget names... But it's OK because other people forgot they even knew you!!!

6 Prayers Do Help Submitted by Council 2439 Sublimity Sometimes good news is too good to keep to just one Council. This article, from Tom Miller, should be shared with all Knights in Oregon. Recently, Tom s daughter had to go in for open heart surgery. The prayers of those who knew about her going in for this operation have been answered to get her through the surgery. Now it is time to add our prayers to have her get through her recovery quickly. Ron Berndt, FS of the Sublimity Council sent the following information from Tom Miller: I hope you all had a Merry Christmas. Sorry I am slow getting this out but I wanted to thank all of you for your prayers and support and update you on my daughter s successful surgery. They wheeled her off at 7:30 am on Thursday, December 19 th. By 7pm she was up taking a few steps. On Sunday evening, December 22 nd they sent her home. Things went as smooth as it goes with any open heart surgery. She is a little slow getting around and will take some time getting her sternum healed but things are great. Thanks again. Tom Miller. Let s keep Tom Miller and his family in our prayers during his daughter s recovery period. No More Excuses Another New Year is upon us, and it s time to put away last year s excuses for not helping our youth become Squires! Are you a member of an active council with over 100 members? Do you say you can t find 2 brothers to help guide young men? Are you a member of a large parish, with lots of families? Or a parish affiliated with a Catholic school? And you don t think you can get at least 10 interested boys to join the Squires? No more excuses, Brothers Right now Oregon has only one active Squires Circle and it is located in a parish of only 400 families and without a Catholic school. Last year they achieved 400% of their membership goal and received 2 honors from Supreme. This year they are still recruiting more young men, and added another Counselor. Your council can do it too! You have no more excuses! Ray Prom, Squires Chairman rayprom@charter.net Ray Prom Church Director Ramblings Activity Reports. EZ-Form. Why? OK, now that you have the introduction, let me remind you what I am talking about. Each Council Tom Karl does a lot of work throughout the year. You know what you do, but no one else will unless you tell them! How do we do it? Simple. Put it down on the EZ- Form located on the state website at KOFC-OR.ORG. Select the EZ-Form, fill it out and then save it to your computer. If you have Word, then you can convert it to a PDF format and attach it to an . Don t forget, the cut-off for all EZ-Forms to be submitted to the Directors is April 1, Your Council has worked hard this year, so make sure we know it and you have a chance to compete for an award along with all the other Oregon Councils! VIVAT JESUS Tom Karl Church Director tkarl@charter.net Supreme s Families of the Month for October 2013 Gale & Beverly Scobie Council 1307 Astoria These families received one of the 100 Holy Family gifts given by the Supreme office in a random drawing each month. Any of our Councils, who use the Family of the Month, which is provided to each council in the annual Surge with Service kit, are automatically placed in the random drawing each month at Supreme. Oregon Councils participating in October 2013 were: Coos 1261, Astoria 1307*, McMinnville 1623, Canby 3484, Beaverton 6266 Below are a few of the photos taken at the Mid-winter State Officers/District Deputies meeting in Springfield. More photos may be found in the supplement to the Columbian Newsletter online. 6 Bob Kish State Secretary Pat Rice SD Pro-Tem DD s Workshop

7 Pray for the Sick and Distressed David Denton, SD Council 4087 Springfield Brian Harles Council 9529 Lincoln City Gloria Schudawa wife of Sir Knight Joe Schudawa Council Central Point Del Wiggs Council 2325 Oregon City Please direct your prayer requests to: Andrew Andy Robinson Jr. State Health/Welfare/Prayer Chairman Phone: May our prayers help to speed the recovery and help to alleviate the suffering of those sick or in distress. This we ask in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen IN MEMORIAM Let us keep in mind and prayers all those Brother Knights and/or members of Knights families who have gone before us. Chris Pontrelli Council Tigard Sarah Emily Hlavinka Wife of Sir Knight Leonard Hlavinka Council 8129 Dallas George Hardy Council 849 Baker Zona Clarke Widow of Francis Clarke Council 849 Baker Carmella Becker Wife of Sir Knight Joseph Becker Council 7246 Newport and Assembly 0903 Francis Ficenek Council 1673 Pendleton Thomas Wolf Father of Joe Wolf Council 2439 Sublimity Jerald L Basl Council 2439 Sublimity Council Director s Information Greetings Brothers! The Knights of Columbus Christmas Chris Johnsen Invitational Basketball Tournament was resurrected by Msgr. Charles P. Taaffe Council (Holy Trinity in Beaverton). The tournament was held at Valley Catholic High School on and The tournament had been on hiatus for the past 6 years but DGK Chris Johnsen worked hard to get interest from 8th grade Boys and Girls C.Y.O. teams in the Metro Area. In all 6 Boys and 3 Girls teams signed up to play, but at the last minute a couple teams had to back out leaving 5 Boys teams signed up to play. A total of 135 volunteer hours for the two days of the tournament worked the concessions, sold raffle tickets, collected entry fees, ran the scoreboard, and also ran errands to make the tournament an overall success. Over $500 was raised for their Council's charities. The gym was donated by the Valley Catholic High School AD Joel Sobotka and the referees were supplied by C.Y.O. officiating. At the end of each game, coaches named an opposing player as an MVP of the game. The votes were tallied after the championship game and the following were named the ALL TOURNAMENT TEAM: Jordan Jun - West Hills Christian Mathew Eichten - St. Pius X Dylan Selleck- St. Francis/Visitation Will Zener - St. Mathew Brandon Bravo - St. Ignatius Congratulations to St. Pius X for taking home the trophy and to all the parents, coaches, and athletes from all the teams for making this tournament a huge success and fundraiser for Knights charities. Next year's tournament will only be BIGGER and BETTER! Chris Johnsen State Council Director knights14802@gmail.com Eternal Rest Grant Unto Them O Lord And Let Perpetual Light Shine Upon Them 7 A full report may be found in the online supplement to the Columbian Newsletter

8 Oregon State Council Knights of Columbus 2185 Rocky Lane Eugene, OR Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Eugene Oregon Permit#290 Columbian Newsletter Official publication of the Oregon State Council Knights of Columbus Chartered 1903 in the State of Oregon. Published six times annually Jan, Mar, May, Jul, Sep, Nov Editorial Board - Patrick Rice 3513 N. College St. Newberg, OR rice.ins.agency@gmail.com Editor - Thomas E. Karl 1025 SW 10th St. Lincoln City, OR tkarl@charter.net State Council Executive Officer - James P. Gay PSD, Executive Secretary, 2185 Rocky Lane Eugene, OR jpgaypsd@comcast.net All information to be published in COLUMBIAN NEWSLETTER must be received by the 10th of any odd-numbered month to be published in the next issue. Articles appearing herein may be used for any local Knights of Columbus council or assembly newsletters. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Tek 01/13/2014 Happy New Year from the Fourth Degree! Just got back from the State Mid-Winter Meeting with the state officers, district deputies, and program directors/chairman. What a great weekend of sharing ideas and experiences, all in the attempt to make us stronger as Knights of Columbus. Fourth Degree Exemplifications We have an upcoming Fourth Degree Exemplification on March 22; I know, the state calendar also shows a 2 nd /3 rd Degree in Oregon City the same day. My bad Scotty from Gresham had this scheduled with me since shortly after the last Gresham exemplification in March of last year, and I somehow forgot to get it on the calendar. My apologies to you all; if you have candidates for the Fourth Degree ready, or will after their 2 nd and 3 rd Degree, get them to the Sherwood degree in February so that they can take their Fourth Degree in March. More exemplifications will be listed on the state website as they are finalized. Annual Survey of Fraternal Activity The Annual Survey of Fraternal Activity (form 1728c)is now due for You can find the online version on the Supreme website at if you need to mail a copy instead of using the online form, it can be found at Final due date for this report is January 31, Please fill them out as soon as possible and send/ a copy to the Supreme Council of Fraternal Services, the Vice Supreme Master, and myself. If you use the electronic version, be sure to include Vice Supreme Master Karl Hadley s address (karlkyle@earthlink.net) and mine (oregonmaster@rooke.com) before you hit Continue. Michael Rooke Military Chaplains Fund I would like to thank all of you for your participation in supporting the Military Chaplains Fund. This is not a Fourth Degree program, nor a Third Degree program, but an Order-wide program. Oregon has been able to contribute her share, nationally, quite well in the past, but we are falling behind in the amount set forth for each state. Some councils and assemblies have yet to start with any donations (started in 2011 we are in 3 rd year of 5 years of donations). Let s not place the burden of contributions on the few that have continually stepped up to the plate (23/85 councils, 11/30 assemblies). $50 per year per council/assembly is a small price to pay to ensure that we are able to help in supplying funds to fill the close to 600 unfilled military chaplain s positions so desperately needed by our service men and women. Every bit helps - let s all do our part. 8 Vivat Jesus! Michael D. Rooke District Master, Oregon